Project Apache

57738 Views 628 Replies 29 Participants Last post by quicksilver, Mar 21, 2022

quicksilver

Discussion Starter · Mar 22, 2013

Finally decided to start a build thread, though its gona be slow one as my budget permits. I'm working with a '95 Cherokee 4.0L with the ax-15. I already got a few things done, though they're all cosmetic really, including a light bar, front bumper, etc. I do have parts on standby that will eventually go into this jeep.... as soon as I get them out of my old one: axles, the lift that's in the old one temporarily til I can afford something good. Once I do a lift, I have some 32's that I would love to put on my jeep.

My main goal atm is to fix any maintenance issues, right now I have a cracked manifold due to bad motor mounts. I already placed an order with iron man andy to get some bomb proof mounts. They actually should have shipped today. I'm going to pull the old manifold off the other jeep since its been welded and has held up for well over 10k since.

I have a second electric fan from the old jeep also that will also be used on the new. Its the older 6 blade style where as the one I have in my new jeep is the 10 blade. I will move the 10 blade over and hook it up to a hayden thermostatic controller, and in turn I will remove all the ac components and a few non necessary pulleys as well. This will help save on weight and rotational mass.

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541 - 560 of 629 Posts

quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #541 · Jan 6, 2021

I can't remember if I ever reported it here or not, but I also picked up a cheap d300 tcase a few years ago, my thoughts were to flip it and get a black box from NWF to turn it into a 4 speed t case, but after looking up upgrades for the box, I figured I could get an atlas 4 for the same cost with a quarter of the work involved.

It still holds true to this point, especially since northwest fab has upped the cost of the black box. Getting 4:1 Lomax gears, a legit flip kit, the black box set up with 2.72:1 gears and shifter linkage puts it over 3,500. An atlas 4 shipped comes in less than that with all brand new gears, geared the way you like without any hassle of building anything.

I'm contemplating getting the atlas 4 for the heep prior to doing the axle swap just cause I want different gearing options when in low range now, but don't want to get the gears for my current axles. The axle project will take awhile to complete, cause I plan on really cleaning those up, then building trusses and getting wheels and tires, id like to have all that on hand before I rip down my jeep, plus I have a bunch of frame plating to complete on it still.

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Gluckmysock

· #542 · Jan 6, 2021

Sounds awesome. I don't think I will ever see tons on my rig. But I have heard 38 is a minimum just to get the diff high enough off the ground. I'm with you, only lift it as both as necessary. LCOG is the way to go.

quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #543 · Jan 9, 2021

Finally ripped my fender flares of the jeep, man that felt good, they were getting in the way a bunch, some other day ill trim them back.

quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #544 · Jan 10, 2021

Also got good news regarding the hood that I had ordered. Paypal refunded my monies to me, so I'm going to take that and put it toward ordering from another company down in Florida instead. Only problem is they are backed up 4 months with orders, so I'm not going to have a hood til April or May at least. That sucks a little, I have no problem driving it around uncovered while the weather is nice. I just don't want the engine to get rained on too much.

XJSuperman

· #545 · Jan 11, 2021

Any possibility of rigging something up on the old hood in the meantime? Cut hole, screw a cut-open tupperware container over it for clearance? Might look like hell, but itll protect the engine until spring

quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #546 · Jan 11, 2021

XJSuperman said:
Any possibility of rigging something up on the old hood in the meantime? Cut hole, screw a cut-open tupperware container over it for clearance? Might look like hell, but itll protect the engine until spring

I am considering doing this, have been for awhile, I just didn't want to have to go through the work to install my hood pins on the fiberglass one too. Oh BTW, I have hood pins to install on the hood, lol.

They are push button instead of having a cotter key sitting on top of the hood, I like em and can't wait to use em.

quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #547 · Feb 7, 2021

Can't remember if I posted up these pics or not, not sorry either way since its gives me motivation. The lockers, gears and rebuild kit that I've had sitting for a few years unfortunately. The front axle of the set that I've also had for 5 years now. Once this pole barn is done, you'll begin to see real progress again, not this filler fluff, lol.

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Gluckmysock

· #548 · Feb 8, 2021

At least you got the parts to get it done. It will come. But why the hate on the gears?

quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #549 · Feb 8, 2021

Gluckmysock said:
At least you got the parts to get it done. It will come. But why the hate on the gears?

Lol, sorry for that, its a thing I do, and I suppose I did that mainly since I'm posting this stuff over at P4x4 as well. I can remove said offense if it is deemed inappropriate.

Gluckmysock

· #550 · Feb 8, 2021

quicksilver said:
Lol, sorry for that, its a thing I do, and I suppose I did that mainly since I'm posting this stuff over at P4x4 as well. I can remove said offense if it is deemed inappropriate.

Lol, It's not inappropriate. I thought it funny that you were mad at the gears, just curious as to why? I know installing them can really suck. so if thats why, I feel your pain Bro!

XJSuperman

· #551 · Feb 8, 2021

I was gonna ask too, cause it looked like you were mad they sent the wrong parts or something lol. Thats funny.

My first thought was: Oh, that was an expensive order.

I kinda miss the days of drooling over all that stuff on the shelves of the warehouse. But the temptation has lessened since leaving lol.

quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #552 · Feb 9, 2021

Lol, I'm more upset over the fact that I still don't have them installed under my jeep yet. I'm excited to get to the gearing, I've acquired a few items that'll make the process much simpler when that time comes. Willing to bet I get a good pattern within the first couple tries. Not to get cocky, but u came up with a mind numbing method the last time to set the gears up, we shall see if it works again.

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quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #553 · Feb 11, 2021

Well, I ended meeting some new people over the weekend, one guy offered to build me a hood after seeing me running without one and asking why I didn't have one. Talked to him a bit about it and after sending some photos of what I wanted, this is where we're at now. At this point in time he says a few more days worth of work and it should be all set. This was a test fit to make sure there was plenty of clearance. I'd say he nailed it good. I cant lift the hood up to the last hole, but I couldn't before anyway, so no big deal there. Once this is done, itll look pretty mean.

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Gluckmysock

· #554 · Feb 11, 2021

Looks good.
I'm not a fan of anything that obstructs my view on front of me. Climbing over rocks you need as much visual as you can get. I took my light bar off from my bumper for that reason.

quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #555 · Feb 11, 2021

Gluckmysock said:
Looks good.
I'm not a fan of anything that obstructs my view on front of me. Climbing over rocks you need as much visual as you can get. I took my light bar off from my bumper for that reason.

I hear ya there, though if I get into anything that bad, usually there are spotters nearby to help out.

I'm liking it, my guy made more progress on the hood last night, fitting more pieces in on the sides of the cowl. Looking good, cant wait to get it fitted for good.

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quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #556 · Feb 19, 2021

I finally have a hood on my jeep. Had to do some adjustments to get it to fit. The welding made it pull real bad, ended up using the high lift jack to spread it back out. We got it though, also was able to install my hood pins since I gutted the hood latch cable system. Ill get pics tomorrow for ya guys. The hoods not perfect, but neither is my jeep... though there are elements to it that make it sick.

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quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #557 · Feb 24, 2021

I just want to say that this engine feels more like a 300 horse engine. Hits 90mph no problem and will hold that speed going up a grade in 5th. Well got damn, I feel like I'm driving a juggernaut thatll suck small animals and children through the intake!

That is all.

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quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #558 · Feb 25, 2021

And now my engine seems to have developed an oil leak. Its narrowed down to either RMS or valve cover gasket, need a mirror to check it out, but I have oil dripping either around or through the bellhousing, not too happy about that. Hopefully it is the valve cover gasket, dont wanna have to drop the oil pan to take care of another RMS. The shitty thing is that I also have a spacer for the valve cover due to having roller rockers, they included a cork gasket, so maybe everything shrank a little and settled. Going to try to retorque all the bolts after visual inspection.

quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #559 · Feb 26, 2021

With some discussion, I bpurchased some gears for my jeep axles, I ended up with a 4.56 ratio as I feel that will be optimal for offroad use, yet maintain a decent highway speed as well. I need to help a bud rebuild a Nissan axle for his titan first, then ill dive into this project. More progress photos to follow.

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quicksilver

Discussion Starter · #560 · Feb 28, 2021

Bad news bears, looks like my oil leak is coming from the rms, no oil at the top of the block or head, none down the side anywhere. When I look underneath its all coming out of the bell housing, even the slave cylinder. Motherf*****. Well, they aren't too bad to replace, I'll just need to be careful in the change out.

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