Ben’s 2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ Walk Around

Today we take a look at my 2001 XJ and also discuss future plans for it! (I did mention my transmission is an AX15 and I think I was out of it that day cause it’s actually an NV3550!) oops 😅
Links Mentioned in Video:
Amazon XJ DIY Front Bumper:
a.co/d/6Rjg4Fs
Amazon XJ DIY Rear Bumper:
a.co/d/cQmbjcV
XJ Headlights:
a.co/d/eLwdOoP
Amazon Rock Lights:
a.co/d/f5nzzLi
Rough Country XJ Extended Brake Lines:
a.co/d/fmJRisv
Dana 30 Spartan Locker:
a.co/d/8lA6pG6
Bilstein Shocks:
bilstein.com/en/
RuffStuff Tire Carrier Kit:
www.ruffstuffs...
RuffStuff Dana 30 Diff Cover:
www.ruffstuffs...
RuffStuff Dana 44 Diff Cover:
www.ruffstuffs...
Iron Rock XJ Track Bar:
www.ironrockof...
Iron Rock XJ 3 Link Front Long Arm Upgrade:
www.ironrockof...
Iron Rock XJ 4 Link Rear Long Arm Upgrade:
www.ironrockof...
Iron Rock NP 231 SYE Kit:
www.ironrockof...
Auxbeam Switch Panel:
a.co/d/hAB6BSU
Rough Country XJ Seat Covers:
a.co/d/g54bnlQ
Quadratec XJ Floor Mats:
www.quadratec....
MORRFlate Air Compressor:
morrflate.com/...
Barnes JK Aluminum Steering:
barnes4wd.com/...
G2 JK Inner C Gussets and Control Arm Skids:
www.4wheelpart...
JCR JK Dana 30 Truss:
www.jcroffroad...
Adams Custom Driveshaft:
www.adamsdrive...
Iron Rock XJ Stiffeners:
www.ironrockof...

[@ilyagorodetskiy4748]

Need more details on the swing arm for the tire carrier, looks awesome!

[@r4yvalencia671]

AZ life bro!!! I'm right under Jerome!!

[@duffmaned]

I love your jeep it what mine will be like some day. I just need to make up my mind on what axles i want to run

[@krashnpa]

Solid build!

[@mountaincrawlers8]

Thank you!

[@LuauTaco]

Ayeee I got the same seat covers. Definitely can’t beat it for the price and quality.

[@mountaincrawlers8]

They’re great for sure!

[@jdean1851]

Sweet Xj! Thanx for Sharing" newsub from Idaho!

[@mountaincrawlers8]

Heck yeah I lived in Idaho for 2 years! Love it up there

[@lelandcornelius9326]

good job.

[@desertmountain4wdclub]

Nice build I went with the Iron Rock long arm as well, but kept the leaf springs, still scores a 1000 on the index ramp forward or in reverse. How are the Bilstein shocks I went with the cheap ones from IRO and the jeep got its name from the ride they provide (XJ Whiplash). I'm looking for better shocks to reduce the whiplash when you drop off a ledge or rock.

[@mountaincrawlers8]

I’ve ran bilsteins on all of my rigs and I can say the ride is quite a bit smoother than iron rocks trail tamer shocks. It’s definitely worth the money in my opinion. A little floatier around corners but saves your spine off-road for sure 👍

[@r4yvalencia671]

You should make a video of how you made your rear bumper spare tire swing arm

[@mountaincrawlers8]

I will absolutely do that it’s been a plan for a long time. Just need another jeep to do it on lol

[@r4yvalencia671]

Im just saying... i have a jeep, and kit ready... lol​ @mountaincrawlers8

[@squinko1]

Love it!!!

[@TheGeorgiaMediaGroup]

Looks,good man

[@freeridin12345]

love the xj have same year how is your road manners with a lp front and that much lift but still nice driveshaft angle tell me you secrets lol

[@mountaincrawlers8]

I have a high pinion front not low pinion. Got the caster as far back as I can go. It drives up to 80 pretty well. Will be even better with an OTA track bar

[@JustinTucker208]

Sick build bro! She’s lookin so fine 🥵

[@mountaincrawlers8]

Thanks bro!

[@coreyjohnson5131]

Pull a gas tank skid plate from a Zj or Wj. Should bolt up easy enough.. 20$ from pick n pull here in Reno.

[@mountaincrawlers8]

I have a skid on my parts jeep just haven’t put it on and the factory skids are thinner than I’d like anyways.

[@ProjectXJ]

.188 wall is not bad but i went for .25 wall as to be indestructible! I have 4 supports each side. I might turn it into kind of a boatside. Being soooo tall, you probably don't hit your rockers very often. I have 5" of lift and 35's, which are super hard to fit. I can't imagine 37's... but i love my uptravel. I don't have bump stops in the rear and i have stock ones up front.

[@mountaincrawlers8]

Trust me I had the sliders on here with 33s and 4.5” lift and also the same sliders on my old xj with 5.5” and 35s they are plenty strong. I’ve dropped the entire weight of my jeep on these 2’ straight onto rocks and they never budged.

[@ProjectXJ]

@Mountain Crawlers i had sliders welded to the frame with 3 supports and angle iron on the pinch seam and i dropped a couple feet on one side and managed to bend the body/floor of the jeep. I didn't want to take any chances this time. I didn't know i bent the floor until i cut out the rocker and welded in these 2x6 tubes.

[@mountaincrawlers8]

From years of wheeling my sliders this way on both Jeeps I’m pretty confident with my setup. I’ll definitely boatside them soon though cause I plan on having the underbelly of this thing completely smooth.

[@alonsomedina357]

I have 37s on my zj and they rub what lift do you recommend?

[@TexasRedneck]

Sweet XJ, how are you liking the Iron Rock front 3 link? Have you had to change anything on it? looking to get a 3 link and looking at them and CavFab. I'm at about 4 inches of lift, 33s locked front and rear.

[@mountaincrawlers8]

Love the iron rock 3 link and haven’t had to do anything to it. I’ve ran their long arms in the past on my old jeep and I have a lot of friends in our local 4x4 club that run their arms too. No issues at all and provide an astounding amount of flex and ride quality 👌

[@TexasRedneck]

@@mountaincrawlers8 Thanks!

[@BrandonArent]

How does it do on and off-road with the 3.73 gears and 37s? I have 4.10 gears on a XJ hp d30 with 35s and am thinking about going to 37s when it's time for tires(soon). Eventually I would like to put a d44 up front with lower gearing so I don't want to have to regear the d30 right now.

[@mountaincrawlers8]

It’s about like you’d expect it to be honestly. Definitely not optimal. I manage it but off-road I’m having to use the clutch a lot more than I want especially on rocks. I’m sure it will be a little better for you on 4.10s but even that gearing is pretty high for 37s. On road it does okay though. It feels about the same as it did when it was on 33s and 3.07 gears with the stock axles.

[@jacolbyhowe2309]

How did you get the car seat in it. I’ve tried several times. Have a 6 month old. Loves the Jeep. Just can’t get her car seat in it.

[@mountaincrawlers8]

My wife’s gotta sacrifice a bit by having her seat further forward. Then I just route the belt through and basically stand on that car seat and really suck it into the seat tight. I know it’s a tried and true method because summer of 21 my wife, son and I got t boned in my other xj and his car seat didn’t budge at all

[@Ifalloffmaps]

got that same silver eagle tool set....still got your 10mm?

[@mountaincrawlers8]

Yes I do surprisingly! Been my road trip tool set for about 8 years now!

[@Ifalloffmaps]

@@mountaincrawlers8 that’s awesome man I’ve had mine for a couple years and bought a different set awhile back cuz I left the first set in Arkansas

[@mountaincrawlers8]

Dude I’m so lucky with mine that in my old jeep a few years back the rear hatch actually popped open down the highway and it slid out the back at 60 mph lol. Luckily it didn’t break open it just got scratched up!

[@moejr14]

What’s your absolutely favorite mod?

[@mountaincrawlers8]

That’s a tough one for sure but I’d have to say the rear 4 link has definitely been a game changer on this thing

[@joeyjaurique2796]

What truss kit did you use for the swap ??

[@mountaincrawlers8]

Front is a JCR JK truss that I modified and rear is iron rock that came with the rear 4 link kit. You just tell them what axle you’re swapping in and they’ll send the appropriate truss.

[@duketube8375]

I don't see an right upper control arm??? Please explain. :O)

[@mountaincrawlers8]

It’s a 3 link. Only one upper control arm is necessary with this kit.

[@JustinTucker208]

That’s awesome!

[@bonespur2728]

Can you explain why you went with the jk axles?

[@mountaincrawlers8]

I got them basically free aside from having to put brakes and hub assemblies on them. Also they are already setup for crossover steering, better brakes over the factory xj brakes, front axle is high pinion over the factory low pinion my 01 came with, and almost 5” wider than factory xj axles. The front dana 30 is just temporary until I can get my bent front JK 44 straightened.

[@bonespur2728]

@@mountaincrawlers8 whoa, did not know that about the high pinion front. Definitely opens up some options.

[@jam3795]

Does the ‘99 head crack?

[@mountaincrawlers8]

No just 00-01 with the 0331 casting number

[@mictuning]

would you like to get some free led light bars ?

[@mountaincrawlers8]

Sure thing who do I message?

[@mictuning]

@@mountaincrawlers8 sent you an email pls check

[@mountaincrawlers8]

Checked and didn’t see an email. Please try [e-mail]

[@mictuning]

@@mountaincrawlers8 sent

[@Kyle-ev4fk]

I don't think you can put a rubicon D44 locker in a standard jk D44. That looks like one of the worst Overland vehicles you could choose, would make a better crawler. It is pretty close to how I want to build my xj except for the low cog.

[@mountaincrawlers8]

Good thing it’s my build and not yours

[@Kyle-ev4fk]

@@mountaincrawlers8 I disagree, I wish it were mine.

[@mountaincrawlers8]

Well I am building it to be strong for overlanding but I do play with it on the rocks as well. It’s a good all purpose build for what I like to do. I plan on building a dedicated buggy someday soon.

[@FaTaLlYiLl]

music too loud turned it down then had to turn up to hear any talking

[@mountaincrawlers8]

I apologize as I only have my phone for anything to make these videos right now. So what may sound or look good on my phones editing app doesn’t always match when I upload it onto KZbin. Once I get better devices and software I hope to improve the quality of my videos but until then I can only do the best that my phone limits me to.

[@TheGeorgiaMediaGroup]

Dude. We’re u drunk when u cut the fenders. Geeez.

[@mountaincrawlers8]

Nope

[@mountaincrawlers8]

You’re the first person to hate on them lol

[@TheGeorgiaMediaGroup]

@@mountaincrawlers8 I like the non cut look. I got 8 inch lift on mine. No cutting. 35s. And wheel the hell out it.

[@mountaincrawlers8]

I like as much flex as possible with as little bump stop as possible. Jeeps fenders we’re already cut when I bought it anyways.

[@TheGeorgiaMediaGroup]

@@mountaincrawlers8 I respect your jeep man. I would wave at ya. I’m not a tj asshole. Lol

[@monette44]