H3RESQ

http://comancheclub.com/topic/39510-h3resqs-family-wagon-xj-build/ Ya, got it from Jason. And storys of it getting air does not surprise me. Makes sense why the underside isn't skinned up to bad. It seems like is was bashed, ran hard, country wheeled shall we say more than trail "wheeled". All the same it seems solid, has good parts, and most important drives good now. I drove it for about a hour or more last night. It drives good. Other than classic feel of a Detroit with a manual its pretty solid. Steering is actually real solid, I am sure this is in part due to all the fresh parts, and part to do with all the front bracing Box has brace/ trac bar bracket brace both cross to other side of "frame". It is a bit "floaty" but that is about it. I think a little weight in the back will help with that. Freeway seems good, no weird habits or anything. The one thing I will say is, this xj made me truly realize how great my MJ drives. I drive a Yukon day to day and so I only had that to compare to my MJ and just kept messing and messing with the MJ trying to get it driving to what I thought it should. Well wow, this drives good for what it is, but my MJ just floats down the road and drives so dang well. The XJ would be A LOT better with a selectable rear locker...

Oh....and here is a better shot of why the good price..... Clearly not good on watching his passenger side.....lol..

I'll start a general once over tomorrow, grease, check fluids, etc. Sliders are bunk, so I'll fix those. The gas tank does not have a skid, I'll build that. Otherwise, I just plan to wheel it. Hunted for some time to find one that should be capable right out of the box beyond general maintance, repairs. Steering, and bracing for it and track bar are all new, lower front links are new, uppers are rebuilt, rear springs are new, shocks are new, front locker is new and all this within the last year.... Motor was built with new long block 70k miles ago. I don't like the rear bumper, or body damage so down the road I might address those things, but that's more about what I like or don't like, etc. Point is a solid family friendly wheeler, not a show truck, badass attention getter. (The MJ does all that) This is all about camping and family fun, and strong enough build to handle it.

Picked up a Family Wagon to be friends with my MJ in the garage. 1998 XJ 4.0 ax-15 Tera 4:1 Currie Hi9 shaved axles (31 spline) front and rear Paid $4500

So, the body being so beat up had me wondering the background of vehicle. How hard it had been wheeled. The P.O. had only had it a year. Prior owner before him was a rich kid. Well I am guessing the kid was either a really bad driver or just thought it looked cool to have a hammered up body. I say this because you would expect the underside of the Jeep to show heavy use considering the body. Well it doesn't. The unibody rails are almost completely unscathed, the sliders barely have any scuffs on the bottom sides and the gas tank does not show any scuffs/gouges and does NOT have a skid (I will address that right away) I don't think this Jeep was ran nearly as hard as the body would make you think. This makes me happy for the rigs reliability and longevity, but really disappoints me in the sense of this kids disrespect for a clean XJ. Clearly not even trying to keep it off trees, probably almost purposely letting it rub whenever possible. Amazing really.

...maybe they thought it would get more air to the intake. I got a box of spare parts and pre bent tube fenders with it. In the box was a all drilled out air box, it now has a normal air box...so...

@#$%ing COOL factor!!!! I don't know.....lol. I let it sit and run for a LONG time and it didn't get hot...so I don't know. Honestly, I think it was installed just cause...

Well good news since I got home last night is, it has not leaked a single drop anywere on my garage floor. That is a good start. Also, every single light on it works....I know WOW!! On lunch, snapped a couple pics. As you can see I have already removed all the stickers on rear drivers side window. I will remove all the other stickers tonight/tomorrow...

Well crap, ya those look just like the ones it has. So I guess that is something I will address soon. Not sure why considering the rig has dents on every part of the body...but probably because with new door skins, rear gate, fenders I can have it pretty much straight bodied again, so I don't want he rockers smashed up.....that said I better go look and make sure they are not already. I did notice they are welded on rather than bolted on. I can deal with that though...

http://jeepin.com/features/c_rok This is the brace that is on it.....

I have no idea what brand sliders. The tube isn't thick and they don't seem all that great. If they smash up pretty easy I will of course replace them. The C-roc brace or whatever its called wraps around the frame were box bolts on (I had same brace on a 01 XJ a few years ago), it also has a brace going across from passenger frame to base of box, right at pitman arm. Also has a brace from passenger side to the drag link bracket. So the front has been beffed up about as well as possible. I'll have a lot better idea of everything tomorrow when I really have time to look at it, drive it, and hopefully get it offroad this weekend and see better how it works.

Looking real good buddy, hope the starting issue presents itself to you soon!

Well as many on here know I put the MJ up for a moment for sale, and realized I just really didn't want to sell it. The reason to sale was I need four seats so the kids can tag along. Well I have been hunting for the last month for a good family wagon that was built well enough to handle what I like to do, be cheap enough to keep the MJ, and so on. Well I found it, and picked it up today. Its body is very rough, interior is surprisingly clean and has a pretty solid build sheet. 1998 5speed!!! Jeep Cherokee. 70k on fresh longblock ax15 tera 4:1 31 spline Currie HI9 SHAVED rear axle with full detriot 31 spline Currie Hi9 SHAVED front, D30 knuckles, WARN hub conversion 31 spline, YUKON heavy spring limited slip 1 ton drivelines rear bumper/ tire carrier ROc steering brace Braced steering box and drag bracket Currie correct link steering 35's ARB front bumper w/9000lb mile marker Roof rack Rigid LED lights ADJ. Rubicon Exspress short arm Bilsiens. A ton of fresh parts in last year, pile of receipts for motor, axles, recent upgrades/repairs (new joints, lower links, drivelines, shocks, rear springs, etc.) $4500 I think its a pretty good deal, we will see on Thursday for positive when I start cleaning it up and really going through it...... and a pic...of course more to come and probably a thread in the non-mj section. Cheers....

Ya....I understand. Kate just doesn't "bounce" the same now that I have coilovers all around on the MJ :(

Sweet, hope you have a great birthday!!!! :cheers:

SEPTEMBER is NOT a busy month in Moab. . We usually go just before Labor day and only see a occasional rig on the trails that are right in town (usually just the tour jeeps/hummers) Once you get away from Hells/Potato salad hill/ Moab rim trails you will probably not see anyone. One thing to keep in mind is that if you have cooling issues you MUST attend to them before you go. I ran Pritchet Canyon on Sept 18th one year and it was 116 degrees. So just a FYI to anyone that has any overheating issues......FIX IT!!!!!

VERY COOL.....if only it was straight axle. Just isn't right having IFS in the front!!!!

I don't know, but I'll tell you its pretty sweet when you climb a wall and you can extend your wheelbase by 15 inchs to crest by simply steering......... :rotf:

@#$%! you might as well of turned it into a tank with all that armor! :rotfl2: Um.....it is a TANK. ;)

I think its funny that there is talk of fiberglass fitment being poor, yet everyone seems to be cool with not being able to open the hood because it hits the wiper. That to me is a big problem. How annoying. I don't know about you guys, but I am big on maintaining my ride and usually have my hood open at least once a week be it to check fluids, tinker, check all clearances, or just peek for the sheer point of it. The fit of a fiber hood would bug me, but my hood hitting the wiper before it reaches the hood latch hole would drive me INSANE...... I have no idea were the hood vents I have came from, but I like them. Only comment I would make is if you have done a 97+ swap you should mount them closer to grill or do like I did and build a cover for your TPS sensor. Mine would fail every time it would rain heavy or sit out in the rain for a few hours. No big deal, I had a spare in the glove box at all times. Then one day in Moab we got caught in a thunder and lighting storm and it went out. That was just super sketchy, flash flooding running like rivers down the trails and lighting overhead. Not cool. Went home and built a little cover for the TPS and has not failed since. TPS cover/shield... My vents. They seem to be good quality. Nice hardware that has not rusted and no cracks in the material....

So, my Jeep weighs in at 5000lbs on the button with Kate and I inside. So loaded for trail with tools, spares, cooler and camping gear it probably pushes 5500lbs. Day runs its probably around 5300lbs. On a side note my M100 bantam trailer weighs 500lbs empty!

Your right...It does NOT come with axles...

It doesn't look that sweet. It has been up for sale with "current" pics for some time on Pirate4x4. Its completely tore down and looks like it has been sitting outside, no pics of motor or any of the mentioned parts.

Glad you got her back. I learned my lesson some years ago with a "painter". Same kind of headaches, loss of vehicle for WAY to long. Quality was not to par, and in the end it cost me more because I had (well I choose) to get it fixed right. My vehicles only go to legit body shops now. Mine was in and out in a week this last time, got near a complete respray and even got a new windshield while there. Oh,,,,and lets see those pics !!!!