I ended my disfunctional relationship with swampy and bought the Cherocar from Braxton.
Its in pretty rough shape right now but should have it back on the trails this weekend.
This is it's current state
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/1297551947863.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/1297551961002.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/1297551971693.jpg

List of broken things
alloy use stub shaft
unit bearing
knuckle
caliper
welded rear carrier
rear shock mounts
I plan on doing a HP44/9" swap next winter
Maybe a Rubicon transfer case

I started wokring on it a little tonight
broken parts
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/IMG_20110216_230926.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/IMG_20110217_000549.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/IMG_20110217_000540.jpg

I'm gonna set up the 9" gears in a few weeks at work. I've got some truss/diff cover material that Im gonna use to beef up the housing a little bit
4.65 gear and spool
The housing is gonna get shaved
I'll use my new torch to cut all the old brackets off.....as soon as I can get my regulators set up properly:shaking:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/IMG_20110217_001447.jpg

I'm going to fix and wheel it with the 30/8.25 combo until sometime next year as long as they stay together.
The front has a lock rite and alloy usa shafts...and some super stout steering
Rustys long arm kit
welded rear
34" LTBs

It has stock gears right now so thats why I'm thinking about the Rubicon T case swap....I don't want to put the money into regearing the 30/8.25 when I already have the 44/9".

Yea that things roached.

The cherocar is back together and doing well. I need to make new rear shock mounts and add a rear sway bar....it has a shit ton of body roll on the street

I noticed alot of loud poping comming from my dana 30....never had a tire stop spinning. It almost sounded like I broke an axle. Maybe it was the loc rite slipping?

I worked on the Cherocar a little bit today...
new lower rear shock mount from scrap 2" 1/4"wall tube
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/1300649122969.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/1300649984437.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/1300657124962.jpg
I still have to add gussets and finish weld.

Here are the holes that the old shock mounts ripped in the fender wells
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/1300657097980.jpg
I'm going to plate both sides....tie the plate into the stock rear seat mounts and tie the new shock mount tube into the cage.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/1300657079153.jpg

I noticed that my drivers side front coil had a pretty bad bow
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/1300657347271.jpg

Then i noticed that my drivers side LCA bracket was bent and pushed back
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/1300657367074.jpg

Ive got myself a problem. I was going to take the heep to have new exagust put on it this morning but it wouldn't crank. I've got fuel but no spark. I was welding on the it last night but the ground was disconected from the battery and I haven't found any blown fuses. What did I burn up?

I did the same thing after working on mine, check all of the grounds, including the body grounds in the back. If they are disconnected it will crank and not fire. I thought it was crazy, but fixed my problem.

I put a new battery in the jeep and it cranked right up.....maybe the ecu reset when I took the old one out.

I did some hot laps through the woods after I got the flowmaster put on......jeep is running like a champ

dam that thing is tore up. you have your work cut out for you good luck

well it has been a while so I thought I'd update this shit.

The cherocar is looking pretty beat
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/315701_2351916006114_1496573140_2678301_6647638_n. jpg

The last trip to Tanzania was pretty hard on the cherocar. My pass side front tire stopped pulling so I was hitting all the obstacles wide open. I had a great day of wheeling....then the steering brought the suck. It wouldn't steer left of center. The steering box was leaking from the pitman seal horribly bad.
I also noticed that the bushing on the upper side of the trac bar was bad.
and...I fucked up the rear bumper...and pass side A pillar

I pulled the front axle apart when I got home to rebuilt the locker and found that I spun the splines on my short side inner (alloy USA)...damnit.

I brough a simple upper shock mount off the cage.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/cheroshockmount.jpg

I plan on mounting the two storage boxes and cooler where they are sitting in the picture. I still have enough room a fuel cell to fit behind the back seat. I'm going to add some tube to protect the boxes.

The tube on the left side is just there for reference....I'm going to trim the rear bumper down
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/cherotruck.jpg

I removed the rear doors and cut the rear section of roof off yesterday.....The whole roof will prob get cut off soon and a lot more tube added.

I also bought a tacoma e locker rear axle that is already set up for an XJ:mr-t:
I'm going to flip a Mini truck front axle to make it driver side drop. I will be using IFS outers to make it a little wider...and a set of 3 inch wheel spacers.
The axle will be getting a high pinion E locker 3rd, Longfields, 5th knuckle stud/ARP studs/ probs trail gear steering arms

hey jeff. wheres this tanzania you spoke of?
any good riding there?


you know an old crippled guy---walks with a cane---still
wheels like a young man?


and good move on the toy parts purchase.

diggin the body damage lol

I did a little work on the jeep today...
I don't have a way to bend tube at the house so this was done from scrap tube....I also ran out of welding wire...tisk tisk
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e39/1stgenxxx/chero.jpg
I'm not going to carry a spare tire...just the amo cans and a fuel cell.

Looks like im going to be going with a 44/9" combo should be an easy swap. I also got a set of bald 36"s that I'm going to run till I can mustard up the cash for some 37" KM2s

So much for keeping it light....I picked up a Dana 70 this morning from a Ford box van....72"wms.
I'm also going to pick up a drw 60 (chevy...damnit) front sometime next week

i have a softspot for clapped out xJ's built on nickels and dimes. maximum fun minimum dollars:smokin:

i have a softspot for clapped out xJ's built on nickels and dimes. maximum fun minimum dollars:smokin:

Yea this jeep kicks ass
98 model with 67K on the ticker
8" rustys kit
alloy shafts in the front
34" LTBs

and Ive got about a $1000 in the whole thing...don't hate it at all