I bought My XJ two months ago with 170K kilometers (about 130K Miles) and I love her. I have a lot of work to do and i'm saving money but my plan is to make it one of the most beautiful XJ's in Venezuela. Thank you for your videos, they've been inspiring.
Those chrome lug nuts are all I use! I was told they were the best of the best... I especially love when the chrome peels off when you're alone in the middle of nowhere! Good Times!
I had that happen once, Then you wish you had two lug wrenches. I ended up replacing all of the stock Jeep lug nuts on all of my jeeps with solid stainless lug nuts
I had no idea that Im doing a $5000 Cherokee Challenge too! Bought a nice 2001 that was barely running and the entire dash was disassembled sitting in the cargo area. I had the dash reassembled, replaced the head with a Clearwater and bought about $1000 worth of parts from Quadratec to replace the entire rear suspension components and front suspension plus steering components. Im restoring to factory ride height with Crown Heavy Duty springs all around and Bilstein 4600 shocks. Should be done in the next couple of weeks.
Coming from a yj guy the Cherokee community is my heros! Your forums actually have information and we all know nothing beats a 4.0 for trails. Thanks and much love xj family!
We ran semi- elliptical rear leafs on our desert truck in the 80's. You were half way there. I have been running a Lock Right locker in my YJ front 30 for the last 20 years with 44 shafts with no issues on 35's. Done all the trails in Moab and area BFE. We built an XJ for my powder coater a few years ago. It runs 39's and coilovers and triple bypasses all 4 corners. Can't wait to see you dominate over Bleepin.
Rusty is a great man! You are lucky to live so close, he’s a legend and him and his wife are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, miss you guys, gotta give them a call
@@BustedKnuckleVideo I've been following you're channel for months.Since covid has us locked down..kinda like, the only thing that's good to come out of this so far..can't wait for the next vid...👌
@@BustedKnuckleVideo I had to use the breaker bar about 85% of the way, and heat and reheat. The impact did nothing. It was the most difficult 5 bolts I have ever pulled successfully. I'm no professional but I've been turning wrenches and fixing vehicles forever. The stuck one (#6) was just insane, it was seized inside the bushing so it wasn't coming out no matter how much you turn.
@@BustedKnuckleVideo Yeah I think there is too much play in the body mount design, it wiggles or flexes just enough, so the impact just wiggles the body and doesn't do a thing to the actual bolt.
Thank you for telling me where to go to find my four-wheel drive parts because I have a 09 Tahoe with a lift on it and I need to get some suspension parts to make all the electronic shit work
Pitman arm puller: tighten by hand a couple of turns until super snug, whack around the splines with a 2.5lb mini sledge a couple of times. Re-tighten, re-whack. Repeat until removed. Never going to come off with just the pulling force of the puller.
Never watched ur channel but I've been following Bleepin for a while now.. glad to see the other side of the competition. Liked and subscribed! BADA$$! Good luck and may the best heap-o-jeep-oh win!. oh and its 100% wicked awesome that you've replied to every single comment
Im more of a zj guy being it was my first 4xish. The zj is more beefy from the factory but there is way more aftermarket support for the xj because of its stability with leaf springs in the back.
Nice build, I have am trying to get info on building XJ jeeps cuz someone offered me a 2 door 4x2 XJ with the manual and the 4 litre in line six engine for dirt cheap. Literally, he said it could be settled for less than 1000 USD. It was crashed in the front but all of it has been taken care of, engine reci3ved no damage, it still needs radiator, hoses and a nuce fan array, but I'm guessing that can be fairly cheap to do. It needs some touch up in the paint due to chiping, but 99% of the jeep has brand new paint on it (2 years old, but it hasn't been touched for the last 2 years, so it is brand new). I'm thinking wheels, tires, a lift and some love can take it from trash to the trail in a matter of weeks.
I just got me a 2000 XJ(my 1st jeep) 4.0 with 149k it is stock with 31x10.50's on it and they rub but it had a kit in the back that I think is 3in talked down from 3800 to 2200
Best way to remove a pitman arm is to loosen the nut before you take everything apart then use the power steering to turn left and right it will pop off.
No SYE? That DS angle can’t be too happy. I hope you have more confidence in Rusty’s than I do, I snapped his HD Tracbar pulling into a Wendy’s parking lot... He then refused to warranty is. Class act
@@BustedKnuckleVideo could have saved a ton of coin being a budget build with: S10 bastard pack V8-ZJ coils 2in spacer Build your own long arms, w/belly protection. Would have left more budget for bumpers/winch/sye.
@@BustedKnuckleVideo well I'm over here in WV. I know the feeling of rusted, rotted cherokees. All of us up north was watching,& saying been there done that Matt!
I have a Jeep TJ that had a small electrical fire under the dash which melted a lot of wires. I was wondering where to get a wire harness. I am going to put an engine harness from Holly(LS swap) so I only basically need it for the lights and stuff not so much the dash gauges.
@@BustedKnuckleVideo Okay but what ratio where they? I have seen several different ratio in these jeeps stock lol I know my sport came with 3:55, but my friends came with 3:73, the 4cyl xj's came with 4:10 . lol I was just curios is all since most say you need to regear for anything over 31x10.5x15 tires.
Seems like a lot of work for just bigger brakes I have an 87 Jeep Cherokee and all I did to improve my brakes was the put some slotted rotors on I'm not stock I am right on 31 not as big as yours but they it is lifted and bigger tires and stops pretty good
Yes on the chrome! One of the biggest pains about new vehicles is if someone uses the wrong size on that style of lug nut! You have to beat the socket on and off every time...
Why didn’t you put a SYE on the t case? You can get them for less then 150 and way better then just relying on the shims. Other than that I give you props for a cheap jeep build. I’m all about that WJ brake upgrade
@@BustedKnuckleVideo My WJ spent a good part of its earlier days 2 blocks from the beach. I'd hate to think it could get much worse, though I'm sure it does.
I want my old xj back! I’ve jumped back and forth between Toyota’s and Jeeps my whole life. In my opinion, nothing creeps through shitty terrain better than an xj with the sway bar disconnected. That unibody helps the old girl do a hell of a belly dance lol
Happy New year 2021 !!!!!!!!!!!Suzuki Italia no longer issues homologations and clearances for the older suzuki Jimny and samurai! (My Jimny is from 2001 I wanted to mount heavy-duty bumpers of the type in vogue in Australia and then a winch and a +5 set-up of springs and shock absorbers and suspension! and tires higher than the 205-70-15!) and for the laws of suzuki italy that no longer issues the clearances for the registration approvals of my 2001 suzuki Jimny 4x4 I even wanted to mount the arb blocks of the rear differential and front and the super reduced to the gearbox!
@@BustedKnuckleVideo I have a 2001 suzuki Jimny 4x4 1.3 Petrol off-road vehicle as an all original m13a engine is the improved suzuki samurai 4x4 maybe he knows them with the Chevrolet brand!
Why weld the spacers? They sit behind the spindle and are cinched down with the bolts. I could see getting better bolts + 1/2" longer but I've never welded one and never had an issue.
If cast iron changes from room temperature to welding temperature in an instant , it tends to crack. That’s why he preheated it and wrapped in a blanket to help it cool down slower
I have a 95 jeep cherokee. My it leaks under the dash on the passenger side when the ac is on. My mechanic says I need an evaporator case and says no one makes them anymore. Any help on even identifying this part would be appreciated.
Just watched both y’all’s videos! Can not wait to see y’all go up against each other in the budget builds. For 5K that actually turned out to be a pretty bad ass XJ; rust aside. I absolutely know that grimy feeling after cutting fender!! Good luck Matt. ❤️🐞
Yes I have broke the chrome off of lug nuts I've been playing with vehicles since I was 6 years old seen a lot of shit started driving 18 at Wheeler 14
great video and epic build Matt I can hardly wait to see you kick some Bleepin Jeep ASS, Hell yes,I think this XJ will work out just fine, let me know when the memorial service will be for Bleepin Jeep, I'd like to attend,🤣
You guys weren't worried about that hole in the unibody rail where the bump stop was? My cherokee has a hole in the exact same spot lol.. thinking about fixing it
Bought my 89 Cherokee with 33 inch boggers with wheels warn winch bumper new harbor freight winch cable locker front welded rear and 4.5 short arm kit now I run 35 inch boggers has a 5spd only paid 1500 and still dont have over 2 grand in total in it been trail rig wheeling for years havent broke nothing yet
@@BustedKnuckleVideo guess my idea of a budget build is different then everyone else's these days lol I'd like a long arm kit for more flex but the short arm setup is enough for what I do with it. I can always buy the long arm upgrade kit think mine is a rusty's short arm kit.
Matt @bleepnjeep seemed to build his GC on his own. Oh his wife did help with the bead locks. Seems like you have a whole crew and shop. I’M JUST SAYN!
I had a few friends stop by and lend a hand as I do on their projects as well. Most of the project I did myself. The pro shop builds rock bouncers not jeeps so it doesn’t help a whole lot. The lift is nice though. Bleepie did a great job on his. His jeep knowledge really showed on this one.
I’m pretty sure you are just supposed to sandwich the spacers in between the knuckle and the wheel bearing without welding them since they won’t go anywhere
When you broke the bolts off and then welded it together instead of removing the broken bolts I was confused.Why not do as I do. Just use a smaller drill bit to drill out the broken bolt. Then a slightly larger drill just inside the treads to finish removing the broken bolt. Then use a Tap and Die Set to rethread the holes. You can always go one size larger if the threads are no good.
welding it all up was faster and easier. We were in a time crunch. This is knucklehead garage. We don't always do things the right way but we do get the job done ha.
where did you get the beadlock wheels ? bleepy said you all got them for less than $600 per set .!.?. (I am in the market for some wheels right now and these are more like $800 at summit)
Yeah who needs a rear sway bar my 87 Jeep Cherokee had one in it and I rip that out it was just a pain in the ass to reattach what are three and a half inch lift to fit 31 so I don't have one of the rear mind doesn't make any difference there's no need for it
Everyone acts like lunchbox lockers are some kind of disposable crap. I have ran a 03 Tj for 3 years with d30/44 with 4:88’s and lockrites front and rear. @37’s! The key is driving under control, light on the skinny peddle . Hey,do ya think those boys could hook a brother up with one of those RCV deals😉
What gear ratio did you put in the Cherokee? Curious if my tj with 33’s/35’s and 4.10 gears can handle the same trails that you did in the challenge video. I have the 3 speed auto 32rh
Wow... about 6K worth of parts for 3k and half a dozen workers... such a deal... Poor Matt did all the work himself and didn't even spend his entire budget... Let the Challenge begin... Good Luck...
6k? They gave us both the wheels and tires so its pretty even budget wise. Yes my beer drinking buddies helped out here and there but the majority was done bye myself. Don't be fooled by the professional shop I am not a pro Jeep builder just a video guy who likes to wheel.
How hard would it be to switch an XJ to a 5 speed with cruise control? I would rather have a standard but, I can't find one unless it's 2wd. And the cruise control is just a vacuum system, right?
@@BustedKnuckleVideo I can roll start a standard if the battery is dead or the starter goes out. And I can replace a clutch myself. Automatics I can't rebuild but, I have burnt a bunch up. I blew an engine that way too.
Don't miss out on all of the action packed episodes
Busted Knuckle
Episode 1: th-cam.com/video/3yTcFFrRDK8/w-d-xo.html
Episode 2: th-cam.com/video/etQMwVxuzgE/w-d-xo.html
Episode 3: th-cam.com/video/UqWjqsd9t9A/w-d-xo.html
Episode 4: th-cam.com/video/XzxGvGdL3No/w-d-xo.html
Episode 5: th-cam.com/video/PyvqOPlVmuE/w-d-xo.html
BleepinJeep
Episode 1: th-cam.com/video/zu04X2keY18/w-d-xo.html
Episode 2: th-cam.com/video/8pgA4NS-pVE/w-d-xo.html
Episode 3: th-cam.com/video/x8cN2tDvlDc/w-d-xo.html
Episode 3.5: th-cam.com/video/KpxS6AB0IbE/w-d-xo.html
Episode 4: th-cam.com/video/H4SuOSOw2VM/w-d-xo.html
Episode 4.5: th-cam.com/video/H2A9fqh7Avo/w-d-xo.html
Can I join? I can donate a lil summin summin
Ub
K D dads mom è are O rrrrrwe
you do not,,not,,not,,weld up a rear diff unless you want to die..
,jjz
The Jeep Cherokee XJ never ceases to amaze me with its offroading prowess. This video is proof!
It works so well for so cheap!
@@BustedKnuckleVideo Yeah, we have one and we already have it in some videos (beginner level!) on our channel.
I bought My XJ two months ago with 170K kilometers (about 130K Miles) and I love her. I have a lot of work to do and i'm saving money but my plan is to make it one of the most beautiful XJ's in Venezuela. Thank you for your videos, they've been inspiring.
Awesome should make a great wheeler
I have a special place in my heart for XJs. I took one through Pritchett Canyon on 31s. Only rolled once
We might just have to go try that in these 😉
Those chrome lug nuts are all I use! I was told they were the best of the best... I especially love when the chrome peels off when you're alone in the middle of nowhere! Good Times!
Good thing I had some left overs from the JK build that just happened to be the same thread!
You yeah..it's somewhere between a 18.7mm & 17.34mm.. Lol ,I hate em'..
I had that happen once, Then you wish you had two lug wrenches. I ended up replacing all of the stock Jeep lug nuts on all of my jeeps with solid stainless lug nuts
I didn't know it was possible but I guess it is pretty common for it to happen
I had no idea that Im doing a $5000 Cherokee Challenge too! Bought a nice 2001 that was barely running and the entire dash was disassembled sitting in the cargo area. I had the dash reassembled, replaced the head with a Clearwater and bought about $1000 worth of parts from Quadratec to replace the entire rear suspension components and front suspension plus steering components. Im restoring to factory ride height with Crown Heavy Duty springs all around and Bilstein 4600 shocks. Should be done in the next couple of weeks.
Nice 👍
Donde consigues las partes de este carro ?
Coming from a yj guy the Cherokee community is my heros! Your forums actually have information and we all know nothing beats a 4.0 for trails. Thanks and much love xj family!
They are the best out of the box 4x4 ever made for the money!
We ran semi- elliptical rear leafs on our desert truck in the 80's. You were half way there. I have been running a Lock Right locker in my YJ front 30 for the last 20 years with 44 shafts with no issues on 35's. Done all the trails in Moab and area BFE. We built an XJ for my powder coater a few years ago. It runs 39's and coilovers and triple bypasses all 4 corners. Can't wait to see you dominate over Bleepin.
They are great budget wheeling rigs for sure
Rusty is a great man! You are lucky to live so close, he’s a legend and him and his wife are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, miss you guys, gotta give them a call
True.
He actually set me up a similar deal years ago gave me so much stuff for so little money he's even giving me stuff for free great guy
@@frankfilippone9679 that’s awesome he supported all of our Jeep rides at the old park
Used to go to the York Pennsylvania all breeds Jeep show every year pretty much just to see Rusty and his wife
If you mention Frank Rubicon from Long island, he'll know who you are talking about
Nice sick XJ build! for the money, thanks for the input and video.
You bet
Always get RCVs for your budget build...definitely a go-to budget mod
when you get a good deal on them it's hard to pass up
Nice build! 5k though? 🤣 Guess it helps to have the homie hookup.
it can be done if you find the right deals and are patient
What’s the home hook up?
@@manuelcervantes1787 sorry fixed it
Straight up wheels tires and long arm kit and youll be 1 or 2k over budget already i feel like
we need help with your jeep xj please
Great great build. Does help to have all the tools and man power and knowledge to get that done. Fun to watch!!
Yes it does!
I swear I'll let you do anything you want to my daily driver XJ. It's your to experiment with. This video is amazing. You are all amazing.
That sounds like too much work....LOL
I loved the “flexj” part. I certainly didn’t come up with that, but “FLEXJ” is my license plate
good call. I thought about CherokYEE
I like what you did with it! Pretty much every problem you had with it is classic cherokee issues!! Always like when jamin makes an appearance
Jamin helps keep the entertainment going
good job busted Matt. you got some good deals on your parts . you and Bleepin Matt did ok on the parts needed. looking forword to the next video.
we ended up with some nice budget rigs
I love those wheels. They are good looking
they are great for the price
A little BK..a little beer...a LOT of entertainment..keep it going guys...😎 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@BustedKnuckleVideo I've been following you're channel for months.Since covid has us locked down..kinda like, the only thing that's good to come out of this so far..can't wait for the next vid...👌
@@lastcovenant3472 we are glad you found us!
It took about 5 hours to get my XJ leaf spring bolts out as well. That was an education. I had to cut one as well, but avoided ruining anything.
I did not expect it took take that long. lesson learned
@@BustedKnuckleVideo I had to use the breaker bar about 85% of the way, and heat and reheat. The impact did nothing. It was the most difficult 5 bolts I have ever pulled successfully. I'm no professional but I've been turning wrenches and fixing vehicles forever. The stuck one (#6) was just insane, it was seized inside the bushing so it wasn't coming out no matter how much you turn.
I couldnt believe that I needed a breaker bar and the big mac daddy impact wouldn't take it off!
@@BustedKnuckleVideo Yeah I think there is too much play in the body mount design, it wiggles or flexes just enough, so the impact just wiggles the body and doesn't do a thing to the actual bolt.
that makes total sense!
Thank you for telling me where to go to find my four-wheel drive parts because I have a 09 Tahoe with a lift on it and I need to get some suspension parts to make all the electronic shit work
cool
Spent hundreds of hours at Pull-A-Part, love that place, and veterans get in free!! Love this challenge, and look forward to the finale!
They are good people and have some of the nicest facilities of any yards I have been to
Veterans get in free? Really? What kind of documentation do they require, a DD214?
Pitman arm puller: tighten by hand a couple of turns until super snug, whack around the splines with a 2.5lb mini sledge a couple of times. Re-tighten, re-whack. Repeat until removed. Never going to come off with just the pulling force of the puller.
I beat the crap out of it with a hammer while using the puller. It was rusted on there.
Never watched ur channel but I've been following Bleepin for a while now.. glad to see the other side of the competition. Liked and subscribed! BADA$$! Good luck and may the best heap-o-jeep-oh win!. oh and its 100% wicked awesome that you've replied to every single comment
Awesome! Thank you!
Can't wait to see it in action!!
That will be next and it was epic!
Im more of a zj guy being it was my first 4xish. The zj is more beefy from the factory but there is way more aftermarket support for the xj because of its stability with leaf springs in the back.
they re both great platforms
Nice build, I have am trying to get info on building XJ jeeps cuz someone offered me a 2 door 4x2 XJ with the manual and the 4 litre in line six engine for dirt cheap. Literally, he said it could be settled for less than 1000 USD. It was crashed in the front but all of it has been taken care of, engine reci3ved no damage, it still needs radiator, hoses and a nuce fan array, but I'm guessing that can be fairly cheap to do. It needs some touch up in the paint due to chiping, but 99% of the jeep has brand new paint on it (2 years old, but it hasn't been touched for the last 2 years, so it is brand new).
I'm thinking wheels, tires, a lift and some love can take it from trash to the trail in a matter of weeks.
pretty easy to 4x4 swap it, I bought this one for $2k in great shape just for reference
I just got me a 2000 XJ(my 1st jeep) 4.0 with 149k it is stock with 31x10.50's on it and they rub but it had a kit in the back that I think is 3in talked down from 3800 to 2200
Nice!
Cherokee’s are very capable . I built one and even without lockers that thing would get me into and out of a lot of trouble.
They sure are.b
Really cool build. idk about everyone else tho but that seems really hard for the average person especially if they don't have the special tools.
What Special tools?
@@BustedKnuckleVideo welder, blow torch, huge clamps, circular saw, ir temp gun, air hammer, a lift etc. Lol
@@ky0611 those aren’t required but they help 🤣
Best way to remove a pitman arm is to loosen the nut before you take everything apart then use the power steering to turn left and right it will pop off.
good idea, but this one was rusted on so I doubt that would have worked this time
Nice would love to get some of them parts. XJ in the lead for sure. They are biased
XJs work so well for the price
Love me some cheap XJ action. Especially with the late model bumper/grill.
this one does quite well
wow the real Rusty. Impressed.
nothing a little WD40 couldn't fix
No SYE? That DS angle can’t be too happy. I hope you have more confidence in Rusty’s than I do, I snapped his HD Tracbar pulling into a Wendy’s parking lot... He then refused to warranty is. Class act
The wedges under the leafsprings helped point the DS at the tcase so far so good. I've been told you can get away without the SYE for a wheeling rig
@@BustedKnuckleVideo could have saved a ton of coin being a budget build with:
S10 bastard pack
V8-ZJ coils 2in spacer
Build your own long arms, w/belly protection. Would have left more budget for bumpers/winch/sye.
Yeah it was a time thing for me. Plus retail on an entire long arm kit from Rusty's is only $1500
Matt that thing does look good 👍🏻 good luck on whipping Blippin again.
Thanks Bob. I had no idea what I was doing but we somehow got it done.
@@BustedKnuckleVideo well I'm over here in WV. I know the feeling of rusted, rotted cherokees. All of us up north was watching,& saying been there done that Matt!
I feel your pain now!
I have a Jeep TJ that had a small electrical fire under the dash which melted a lot of wires. I was wondering where to get a wire harness. I am going to put an engine harness from Holly(LS swap) so I only basically need it for the lights and stuff not so much the dash gauges.
pull a part or any junk yard
I got mine for $6500 from my buddy, I'm litterly in love with my jeep 🤘🏻🔥 2001 xj
they are crazy capable
Underrated channel. 👍
FACTS!
maybe I missed it but what gears did you run in that thing? 4:10? 3:55? 3:73?
stock gears
@@BustedKnuckleVideo Okay but what ratio where they? I have seen several different ratio in these jeeps stock lol I know my sport came with 3:55, but my friends came with 3:73, the 4cyl xj's came with 4:10 . lol I was just curios is all since most say you need to regear for anything over 31x10.5x15 tires.
I honestly was wondering if this was gonna happen... Glad it is!
oh yeah!
Hey man, great build!! What's the song playing in the background at 8:08? Sounds like the offspring but can't tell for sure.
there is no telling with us
Seems like a lot of work for just bigger brakes I have an 87 Jeep Cherokee and all I did to improve my brakes was the put some slotted rotors on I'm not stock I am right on 31 not as big as yours but they it is lifted and bigger tires and stops pretty good
it is well worth it, helps with steering too
My jeep was in bad shape liek this one when installed my 4.5inch lift.. took me 8 days to cut and drill every bolt out.
yeah rust makes it no fun
Yes on the chrome! One of the biggest pains about new vehicles is if someone uses the wrong size on that style of lug nut! You have to beat the socket on and off every time...
cant believe it just came apart like that
Why didn’t you put a SYE on the t case? You can get them for less then 150 and way better then just relying on the shims. Other than that I give you props for a cheap jeep build. I’m all about that WJ brake upgrade
Don't plan on driving it on the street so I just went without, will probably do that later on though just ran out of budget.
I can't wait. I hope Matt wins! 💪🏼👍🏻🇺🇸
You mean busted Knuckle Matt?
You ran the stock 3.55’s my hero
heck yeah I did!
Been so long I forgot about this series.. good to see it back
these builds take time when all the bolts are rusty LMAO
@@BustedKnuckleVideo Welcome to the XJ life. Got a WJ right now fighting me worse then I ever thought the XJ could.
@@jamesonward5141 I can’t imagine what the northern ones look like
@@BustedKnuckleVideo My WJ spent a good part of its earlier days 2 blocks from the beach. I'd hate to think it could get much worse, though I'm sure it does.
this one has not been very friendly. Probably need to plate the rusted out from some next
I want my old xj back! I’ve jumped back and forth between Toyota’s and Jeeps my whole life. In my opinion, nothing creeps through shitty terrain better than an xj with the sway bar disconnected. That unibody helps the old girl do a hell of a belly dance lol
XJs are awesome for sure
Happy New year 2021 !!!!!!!!!!!Suzuki Italia no longer issues homologations and clearances for the older suzuki Jimny and samurai! (My Jimny is from 2001 I wanted to mount heavy-duty bumpers of the type in vogue in Australia and then a winch and a +5 set-up of springs and shock absorbers and suspension! and tires higher than the 205-70-15!) and for the laws of suzuki italy that no longer issues the clearances for the registration approvals of my 2001 suzuki Jimny 4x4 I even wanted to mount the arb blocks of the rear differential and front and the super reduced to the gearbox!
suzuki what?
@@BustedKnuckleVideo I have a 2001 suzuki Jimny 4x4 1.3 Petrol off-road vehicle as an all original m13a engine is the improved suzuki samurai 4x4 maybe he knows them with the Chevrolet brand!
Why weld the spacers? They sit behind the spindle and are cinched down with the bolts. I could see getting better bolts + 1/2" longer but I've never welded one and never had an issue.
everyone on the internet says to weld them. One less thing to worry about.
Damn, Rusty has some serious inventory. Wish I knew mechanics like I know my carpentry, would have an XJ build happening right now lol
they are pretty easy to build
Why do you heating it up first and then weld. I don't know much about welding metals
If cast iron changes from room temperature to welding temperature in an instant , it tends to crack. That’s why he preheated it and wrapped in a blanket to help it cool down slower
@@lakers24891 thanks. Just learned something new
Exactly it is important to do this with anything cast
I have a 95 jeep cherokee. My it leaks under the dash on the passenger side when the ac is on. My mechanic says I need an evaporator case and says no one makes them anymore. Any help on even identifying this part would be appreciated.
Dex Jeeps on YT would be the go to for that kind of question, he is the XJ guru.
Just watched both y’all’s videos! Can not wait to see y’all go up against each other in the budget builds. For 5K that actually turned out to be a pretty bad ass XJ; rust aside. I absolutely know that grimy feeling after cutting fender!! Good luck Matt. ❤️🐞
I am pretty happy with it, just needs some rock sliders and armor now
Yes I have broke the chrome off of lug nuts I've been playing with vehicles since I was 6 years old seen a lot of shit started driving 18 at Wheeler 14
first time I had seen that happen
The orange cherokee in the begininh of the video, where did you get those bars for the doors
I think that is a custom tube
Did you have to sand the inside of the WJ knuckles for the RCVs?
I'm building a 2 door right now and can't find any info on that!
I didn’t have to
@@BustedKnuckleVideo Thanks!
I looked at it more and I did have to, not sure what's different as I did the same combo you did.
strange. I think I put the RCV in first and then mounted the knuckle
Taking my manual XJ across the country next summer!
sounds like a good time
great video and epic build Matt I can hardly wait to see you kick some Bleepin Jeep ASS, Hell yes,I think this XJ will work out just fine, let me know when the memorial service will be for Bleepin Jeep, I'd like to attend,🤣
Ha he had his work cut out for him for sure to keep up with me
Woooow vuen trabajo en donde asen ese trabajo???
You guys weren't worried about that hole in the unibody rail where the bump stop was? My cherokee has a hole in the exact same spot lol.. thinking about fixing it
probably a good thing to fix, we just ran out of time
That's a nice build! Nice 3 wheeler!
It's welded up better now
Dana 35 with Lincoln locker and 35" tires. Nothing can go wrong there..........right?
It's an 8.25 rear not a dana 35
I know this is old, I have the same rustys springs, those bushings are the noisest things ever! What did you do to quiet them?
I WD40 Everything, they have a spray gel lube
Bought my 89 Cherokee with 33 inch boggers with wheels warn winch bumper new harbor freight winch cable locker front welded rear and 4.5 short arm kit now I run 35 inch boggers has a 5spd only paid 1500 and still dont have over 2 grand in total in it been trail rig wheeling for years havent broke nothing yet
you got one heck of a deal
@@BustedKnuckleVideo guess my idea of a budget build is different then everyone else's these days lol I'd like a long arm kit for more flex but the short arm setup is enough for what I do with it. I can always buy the long arm upgrade kit think mine is a rusty's short arm kit.
everyone has their budget. I think this was the most capable that we could build for $5k
as much of a fan im of Bleeping jeep.......uhhhm this jeep seems like its gonna win dude,just look at the parts.......but hey you never know
I spent all of my money on suspension
Sawzall is the first tool any Cherokee owner buys... "can you fit 33s? I own a sawzall I can make em fit!"
die grinder with cut off wheel FTW
Matt @bleepnjeep seemed to build his GC on his own. Oh his wife did help with the bead locks. Seems like you have a whole crew and shop.
I’M JUST SAYN!
I had a few friends stop by and lend a hand as I do on their projects as well. Most of the project I did myself. The pro shop builds rock bouncers not jeeps so it doesn’t help a whole lot. The lift is nice though. Bleepie did a great job on his. His jeep knowledge really showed on this one.
I’m pretty sure you are just supposed to sandwich the spacers in between the knuckle and the wheel bearing without welding them since they won’t go anywhere
Everywhere I looked said to weld them. 🤷♂️
They are designed to be welded
@@BustedKnuckleVideo Welding is correct for those spacers. You could maybe get away without, but why risk losing a hub?
not worth the risk at all
"This thing has a frame?" 🤣🤣
Smart asses 🤣🤣🤣
Usually you get rid of the rear sway bar. I got rid of both.
thats what I wound up doing anyway
Other than cost, is there benefits to using WJ knuckles over WJ axle assemblies?
WJs have a low pinion Dana 30 front which is weaker than they High Pinion that comes in most XJs
@@BustedKnuckleVideo ah. So this is the best of both worlds then. Can you still run 15s?
yes those are 15" Raceline beadlocks that we put on there
@@BustedKnuckleVideo sweet. Thank you for the responses
We love the feedback and will always do our best to answer questions.
Did you put the torch and croyl to the pitman arm before you split it?
torch and WD40
What LED replacement headlights would you recommend for a jeep Cherokee?
good question. It depends on budget really. These have good reviews- amzn.to/3n9faEu
What kind of tire was that they used for counterweight. I need these for my xj like yesterday
35" BFG KM3, the best off road/on road tire I have ever ran
When you broke the bolts off and then welded it together instead of removing the broken bolts I was confused.Why not do as I do. Just use a smaller drill bit to drill out the broken bolt. Then a slightly larger drill just inside the treads to finish removing the broken bolt. Then use a Tap and Die Set to rethread the holes. You can always go one size larger if the threads are no good.
welding it all up was faster and easier. We were in a time crunch. This is knucklehead garage. We don't always do things the right way but we do get the job done ha.
where did you get the beadlock wheels ?
bleepy said you all got them for less than $600 per set .!.?.
(I am in the market for some wheels right now and these are more like $800 at summit)
When we got them Raceline was having a sale.
@@BustedKnuckleVideo oh cool, thanks for the reply and awesome videos!
how is that sparton holdin up to the 35s i know its not your daily been temped front and rear for mine for budget xj my self
no issues so far, one of the guys at the shop has been driving it to and from work for a few weeks
3.55 gears? or did you guys swap gears? wicked build.
Stock gears
Yeah who needs a rear sway bar my 87 Jeep Cherokee had one in it and I rip that out it was just a pain in the ass to reattach what are three and a half inch lift to fit 31 so I don't have one of the rear mind doesn't make any difference there's no need for it
I ended up removing both of them.
How much you guys to charge to make the keep Cherokee to do full suspension 7” andwheels 33
we don't do outside work just our own builds
so why did you keep the rear sway bar on rear i understand tj jk ect but it has leafs
I ended up getting rid of both
Cool budget build!! How’s that bump steer? You gotta relocate that trackbar!!
No bumpsteer at all that I could tell.
Everyone acts like lunchbox lockers are some kind of disposable crap. I have ran a 03 Tj for 3 years with d30/44 with 4:88’s and lockrites front and rear. @37’s! The key is driving under control, light on the skinny peddle . Hey,do ya think those boys could hook a brother up with one of those RCV deals😉
I have ran plenty of lunch box lockers before. I have also broken one. You will have to call RCV about their returns.
What about the wheals and tiers
not calculated in the budget to keep things fair when competing. You can buy a used set of tires and wheels on the cheap.
@@BustedKnuckleVideo awesome. ..did you have to run sye on the transfer case. ....
really very curious what the rim size is on those beadlocks
15”
I thought you had to run 17s to fit around WJ bigger brakes?
That was my exact thought to lol.. I guess with the right offset u can run 15's... Well I guess I know what my next project will be..
@@davyleupz nope
My old Xj needs some tlc. Wonder what that would cost these days.
good luck, gotta be patient and find the deals
Reminds me of ‘Matt’s Off Road Recovery’ Jeep too, nice 👍.
I'll have to check that out
Lookin awesome can’t wait to see how it performs
you will be surprised
What gear ratio did you put in the Cherokee? Curious if my tj with 33’s/35’s and 4.10 gears can handle the same trails that you did in the challenge video. I have the 3 speed auto 32rh
Factory
Dude, I feel your pain on that Pittman arm. It took me a couple of hours to get mine off. What a pita those things are.
yeah that was not fun!
Wow... about 6K worth of parts for 3k and half a dozen workers... such a deal... Poor Matt did all the work himself and didn't even spend his entire budget... Let the Challenge begin... Good Luck...
6k? They gave us both the wheels and tires so its pretty even budget wise. Yes my beer drinking buddies helped out here and there but the majority was done bye myself. Don't be fooled by the professional shop I am not a pro Jeep builder just a video guy who likes to wheel.
All gas no breaks🤘
we don't need no brakes!
You got that right just that skinny pedal!
Whose bouncer was in the background. Cash lecroy?
probably his was in for our new brake setup
How hard would it be to switch an XJ to a 5 speed with cruise control? I would rather have a standard but, I can't find one unless it's 2wd. And the cruise control is just a vacuum system, right?
why a standard? Autos are better offroad
@@BustedKnuckleVideo I can roll start a standard if the battery is dead or the starter goes out. And I can replace a clutch myself. Automatics I can't rebuild but, I have burnt a bunch up. I blew an engine that way too.
The weld at the rear differential , how long will last???
Well the first weld didn't last but one ride, now it's welded up much better
Nice XJ
thanks!
What tire is that at 3:15? Maxxis?
USD sticky