XR8DXJ's 1997 Cherokee SE Build...

xr8dxj

Adventurer
I had a really good feeling when I received these shipping cartons with the my front and rear Hanson bumpers. The care they put into the packaging alone sold me on Hanson before I even cut into the carton. And then to find that they shrink wrap each bumper and then lock them in place with expanding foam. Wow. And then they send a kid in each box to clean up the foam? That is customer service.

Now installing the bumpers was more problematic than I was expecting; as as anything I do to the Jeep. Since installing JKS' Steering Brace System a couple years prior I had forgotten the frame was now a smidge wider. Sooo... since I wield ingenuity like monkeys fling poo I used my trusty Hi-Lift jack to pry open the bumper tabs. And then I set the bumper in place and threw my body weight against it like a human battering ram. So much so that the nosy neighbor lady started yelling at me to quit for fear I would break a hip. I assured her that my hips are most likely sturdier than hers. She just assumes everyone else is breaking hips left and right. I finally got the bumper on far enough (after I bruised my hip) and then used my mother-of-all-screwdrivers to get the bolt holes aligned. Then it was just a matter of counting bolts, washer and nuts and bolting it on.

The rear bumper prover very difficult for me to get on. Because I had to remover the Tomken bumper. I won't go into the expletives I was uttering as I attempted to remove the Tomken bumper. I finally got it off the vehicle. It is amazing what some people will market. Anyway, the largest reason the bumper was difficult to remove was the fact that the dang shackles from my "stretched leave pack" had broken the uni-body nut-serts the bumper was bolted to. I had to pry/punt/cut the four of them out of the uni-body. I put the largest fender washer then normal washer to "build up" the uni-body. I finally got the bumper loosely set. I had to do the Hi-Lift jack & human battering ram trick again to get it on though. My XJ must be different than others because it was trickier than the front bumper. I was impressed with the ease with which the Hanson strip-sert lined up with the bolt holes for the frame tie-in to the bumper. This is a very sturdy design. I'll be sure to update this particular post with more detailed pics of the mounted bumpers.
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Here is the thread in which I started bragging about the roofrack: http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35772
And below is the Craigslist add I responded to with a $400 offer that was accepted!
http://denver.craigslist.org/pts/1504659499.html

Gobi Rack for XJ - $450 (Westminster)
Date: 2009-12-10, 7:03PM MST

Currently I have a new gobi rack that was on my XJ for only a month until I sold it. The rack retails for well over $1000.00 but just need to get rid of it since I have no use for it. Please only serious inquiries.

Thanks Again,
Sonny

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xr8dxj

Adventurer
I'm not too sure. I don't really "feel" the added hp, but then again it has been so long since I got it done so I really don't remember. It cost $4000 to do it because the engine guy didn't really want to shop up the parts to stroke it. He just wanted a wham-bam-thank-you-man turn around standard rebuild. Some of the guys in his shop really go into it. I came across the build invoice the other month when I was rearranging the garage. I'll try to find and scan it so everyone can see the actual parts that when into it.

It was sort of a weird experience though. The shop called me one day and told me that I needed a new radiator so they ordered a standard radiator replacement. I would have ordered a GDI 3-core radiator and had them install that instead. That's just one example of my PITA experiences with a backwater town engine shop. But the Jeep's engine was toasted so I was pretty much at their mercy.
 

Amauri

Explorer
Hmmm.... I think I'll just wait and maybe put a diesel in her.

Thanks for the feedback. :ylsmoke:
 

iMPAKS

Observer
Nice jeep..

here is some fun info for you

I used to own usajeeps.com and had pics of your jeep with a build page up many many years ago :).. I had you as a featured Jeep one month..

blast from the past -- huh

- remember the Xj-list..
if I am correct this was your old website many years ago:
http://www.geocities.com/jeepnuts_97xj/
 

xr8dxj

Adventurer
Nice jeep..

here is some fun info for you

I used to own usajeeps.com and had pics of your jeep with a build page up many many years ago :).. I had you as a featured Jeep one month..

blast from the past -- huh

- remember the Xj-list..
if I am correct this was your old website many years ago:
http://www.geocities.com/jeepnuts_97xj/
I absolutely DO remember your web-site. I remember specifically you e-mailed me and asked about "that blue spot" on the Jeep. I tried surfing in there a while back to see that the site had been discontinued. in 2001-ish I dropped the "jeepnuts_97xj" thing once I grabbed up my own domain. That was sooo first wife era. Glad to see you're still around!
 

OverlandZJ

Expedition Leader
Ha.. the xj-list and xj-forum. Those were the old days... when 32's were huge.

I still have an xj-list sticker in my unused collection.
 

iMPAKS

Observer
hahaha yup that Blue spot/sticker is what caught my eye again this time :)

as for xj-list look at rear corner of my XJ..
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Waytec

Adventurer
How are you finding the Tomken gas tank skid. I have one and am a little concerned with it only mounting to the fuel tank hangers. have you had any issues with it pulling at the mounts to the body. I just don't want my fuel tank to fall off because the mounts fail.
 

xr8dxj

Adventurer
No problems whatsoever. I've had the entire wight of the XJ come down on it ALOT. It is fastened to the back of the XJ with 4 bolts and is fastened on the front by two nuts. Is yours fastened differently? This happens to be the only thing from Tomken I would purchase again. I forgot to mention earlier that I had once purchased their t-case skid plate... it lasted nearly one whole wheeling trip.
 

Root Moose

Expedition Leader
build36.jpg

(Above) T&T Customs Y-Link long arms & Rock Sliders


What's going on with the LCA bracket on the frame in this picture? Just never got around to removing the rest of it at that picture taking time or???

When I first looked at this image I thought there was some kind of a welded upper link attached to the lower link (******?)... took a while to figure out what that blob of steel was. LOL

Inquiring minds...
 

xr8dxj

Adventurer
I never got around to removing it... pure laziness, I know. I do want to remover, I really do. But it never limits the articulation. I think if I did even magage to ********** it I would be experiencing bigger problems.
 

Root Moose

Expedition Leader
Oh man, that would bug the piss out of me. :D

Hey, just cut off the vertical dangly bit with the hand grinder. Leave the rest that is in plane with the frame horn. Think of it as a "stiffener". LOL

Actually, when I put the TNT on the MJ I'll probably do something along those lines. For the XJ I completely removed all that flush, folded metal. In retrospect it wasn't necessary.
 

BIGdaddy

Expedition Leader
Oh man, that would bug the piss out of me. :D

Hey, just cut off the vertical dangly bit with the hand grinder. Leave the rest that is in plane with the frame horn. Think of it as a "stiffener". LOL

Actually, when I put the TNT on the MJ I'll probably do something along those lines. For the XJ I completely removed all that flush, folded metal. In retrospect it wasn't necessary.

nit-picker.

hehe...:elkgrin:
 

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