XJEEPER
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Highland Springs
Nice KISS solution, Braden. I see this mod in the future on my XJ........
Jeep Cheap Cherokee Build
- Thread starter RockMonkey
- Start date
RockMonkey
Suddenly Enthusiastic
I ordered steering arm studs last week and got them installed. My rail shifter still hasn't shown up. I emailed the vendor and he said I'd didn't ship until last Friday. I should get it early next week.
I hit up The snakes again this morning with my dad. The steering was noticeably better going fast on the flat, and when the suspension was very twisted going slow. The Jeep handles really well in mostly smooth dirt. The Sway-A-Ways are smooooooth. I want to go run some of the riverbeds North of Moab.
I also got my temperature gauge working (it came unplugged somehow), made a permanent mount for my high-lift in the back, and made tabs for my front fenders to keep them from flopping around. The mechanical shifter worked perfectly and I can find reverse instantly now. Of course I didn't have to today.
I hit up The snakes again this morning with my dad. The steering was noticeably better going fast on the flat, and when the suspension was very twisted going slow. The Jeep handles really well in mostly smooth dirt. The Sway-A-Ways are smooooooth. I want to go run some of the riverbeds North of Moab.
I also got my temperature gauge working (it came unplugged somehow), made a permanent mount for my high-lift in the back, and made tabs for my front fenders to keep them from flopping around. The mechanical shifter worked perfectly and I can find reverse instantly now. Of course I didn't have to today.
We were so close to going out there Sunday morning, damn should have gone. I finished up some things on my rig instead, stuff that would have been done mounting the rear bumper and gas tank skid if I would have had the rear bumper more than 5 days before going to moab...
Nathan
RockMonkey
Suddenly Enthusiastic
Yeah, you shoulda come. The morning was great. Snow hit at the beginning of afternoon, but we were already near the top of Constrictor.
RockMonkey
Suddenly Enthusiastic
Excuse me, waiter? There's a hair in my........shifter. 
Yeah, so my shifter arrived, and that hair gave me an excuse to take it apart.
It's a nicely machined aluminum housing with a couple switches inside.
I put it back together sans hair. Here it is with a size reference. It's smaller than I expected.
It will be nice to have full use of all my gears.
Yeah, so my shifter arrived, and that hair gave me an excuse to take it apart.
It's a nicely machined aluminum housing with a couple switches inside.
I put it back together sans hair. Here it is with a size reference. It's smaller than I expected.
It will be nice to have full use of all my gears.
Attachments
RockMonkey
Suddenly Enthusiastic
There is a bit of drag. There's an o-ring on one end of the shaft, that makes it pretty tight. I'm assuming it will break in, and get easier. I may put a touch of petroleum jelly on the o-ring to loosen it up if not.
chicka-bow-wow...?
- Location
- West Jordan
RockMonkey
Suddenly Enthusiastic
I worked a little today on reinstalling the center console. I thought about building my own, but with a small bit of reworking it looks like the factory one will still work with everything. I will need to cut out new shifter covers for both the transmission and transfer case shifters, but the rest of it is all back in. I made a mounting plate and mounted the rail shifter next to the hand brake handle. I will need to take out the t-case shifter and bend it a bit before the next trip out.
Revisiting the mechanical shifter location discussion from earlier, This picture shows the mechanical shifter in the 1-2 position, and how it almost touches the hand brake handle. Does anyone know how close these get in a stock cherokee? I'm guessing mine is a couple inches further back, and that's why I've never noticed the common complaint of the shifter being out of reach.
Revisiting the mechanical shifter location discussion from earlier, This picture shows the mechanical shifter in the 1-2 position, and how it almost touches the hand brake handle. Does anyone know how close these get in a stock cherokee? I'm guessing mine is a couple inches further back, and that's why I've never noticed the common complaint of the shifter being out of reach.
Attachments
I think it is funny as hell you still have a clutch pedal... You should rig it for front digs or cutting brakes or something...
nathan
-99 xj with stuff
RockMonkey
Suddenly Enthusiastic
The weird thing is I never even notice it's there while driving. I forgot about it until I posted this picture last night. I left it there so I could build a nice big brake pedal that spans the existing brake and ckutch pedals. Stuff tends to get done after someone mentions it, so that will probably be in the next update now.
it looks like your transmission shifter is from a 2nd gen xj cause the shifter handle is bent and the 1st gen's are straight. people swap the handles cause they are easier to reach. that combined with it being obviously further back from stock makes it look like you'd never have trouble reaching it. mine is a 1st gen and in stock location and it's no sweat for me to reach cause i'm a big guy, it's the little guys with t-rex arms that have a hard time
RockMonkey
Suddenly Enthusiastic
Huh. I think I got that shifter from Bryson. Thanks for giving, me the right shifter, Bryson!
@ T-Rex arms!did you use a dremel tool to take out the reverse block? my dremel tool sucks, it's the only crappy tool i have ever bought from HF so i'm hoping a file will yield the same results.
i really need to get this done on mine although i have had the same luck as shane with neutral saving me. i just ripped out all the carpet (for good) so i already have the console out. i think i'm going to take out the forward gear ramps too. i don't see any reason to keep them cause i should still be able to feel the movement through the shifter
so i'm hoping a file will yield the same results.i really need to get this done on mine although i have had the same luck as shane with neutral saving me. i just ripped out all the carpet (for good) so i already have the console out. i think i'm going to take out the forward gear ramps too. i don't see any reason to keep them cause i should still be able to feel the movement through the shifter
RockMonkey
Suddenly Enthusiastic
I used a little diamond abrasive bit in a cordless drill to knock out most of it, then finished it up with a file. Both of my Dremel tools suck too. You could do the whole thing with a file, it would just take a lot longer.did you use a dremel tool to take out the reverse block? my dremel tool sucks, it's the only crappy tool i have ever bought from HF
i really need to get this done on mine although i have had the same luck as shane with neutral saving me. i just ripped out all the carpet (for good) so i already have the console out. i think i'm going to take out the forward gear ramps too. i don't see any reason to keep them cause i should still be able to feel the movement through the shifter
good idea! i'm sure i can make something work with my drill, thanks.
i don't know why i expected my $8 HF dremel to work, i guess it's cause most HF stuff works decent. i can let it get to full speed and grab the cutting wheel between my fingers and it stops. it's so crappy it's not even dangerous... i just hate the idea of spending the $$$ on a good dremel tool when it's not a tool that sees much use.
RockMonkey
Suddenly Enthusiastic
One of my crappy Dremel tools is an actual Dremel. They're not much better than the $8 HF ones.
I want video of you stopping the dremel cutting wheel with your fingers at full speed.