Grand Cherokee 4wd conversion booze cruiser

Very interested in this, we have a 97 GC limited that my father bought from an old lady that had about 13k miles and has 250K now thats a 2wd that we've talked about converting to 4wd, do you have to swap ECM or anything suck as that. Surely it's not that easy to convert to 4wd.....

Re:

Cool progress, sucks about the tranny!

*insert blowing a tranny joke here*

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I recently picked up a cheap ZJ as well. With a couple simple mods it was extremely impressive where the Jeep would go. So far I've only lincoln locked the rear end, old dry rotted mud terrains that I had sitting around, and cut the sway bars off. For $300 so far it is the most comfy way to ride around in the woods. Recently took it to Wildcat Offroad in the pouring rain with a Sami and couple SxS's. Having heat, wipers, doors, and windows made the day super fun and we didn't get soaked like the rest of the group. Going to keep the thing on 31's, and just add a budget boost, bumpers and sliders.

I'm interested in the locker for the front of yours and how hard it will be on the stock shafts. On my previous ZJ I broke a couple front shafts with an open carrier.

jpony645 said:

Nice work, J. Sanger is gonna be jealous of this ZJ.

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He is, almost worth building it just for that! laughing1

Dan99tj1 said:

Very interested in this, we have a 97 GC limited that my father bought from an old lady that had about 13k miles and has 250K now thats a 2wd that we've talked about converting to 4wd, do you have to swap ECM or anything suck as that. Surely it's not that easy to convert to 4wd.....

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No ECM swap needed, I had to change out a plug for the speed sensor, and wired up a light for the tcase shifter bezel, no other wiring needed. It is stupid easy, go buy a $300 roll over and spend a weekend swapping parts. Zero fab, don't even have to break out the welder.

Jonesn said:

I'm interested in the locker for the front of yours and how hard it will be on the stock shafts. On my previous ZJ I broke a couple front shafts with an open carrier.

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Not doing much to upgrade these stock shitbox axles. If I break them routinely then it's getting tons that are already sitting in the shop. You can spend stupid money on these axles but why? I can spend less throwing tons under it, gears, lunch boxes, and roll out on some 38's, this 4.0 doesn't have enough power to break them.

Got the rebuilt transmission and tcase back in today finally. Both had bad bearings in them among other stuff. Added a cooler I had laying around and abandoned the one in the radiator. Think I misplaced the trans dipstick tube bracket : other than that it's back together and runs good. Bought some longer rear lowers and need adjustable uppers to fix pinion angle and it should be good to go.

And while I was tearing **** apart went ahead and pulled the oil pan and replaced ther rear main seal as well.

Costs so far:

$49 tag and title

$395 Rusty's 3.5 basic kit

$220 Dana 30 lockrite

$89 Rusty's tow hook kit (nowhere to hook up anything on the front of these)

$1000 transmission and tcase rebuild

$23 oil pressure sensor (leaking)

$16 rear main seal set

$21 oil pan gasket

$20 oil filter and oil

$84 12qts synthetic trans fluid

$16 80w90 gear oil

$568 Swampers

$36 crank sensor

$55 door lock acutator

$24 transmission mount

$35 floor mats

$150 rear axle with aussie locker

$10 u joint

$35 door hing pin kit

$100 rear lower tubular arms

$262 ECM

free rear trailer hitch, open recall to keep you from blowing up when some dumbass rear ends you

So $3208 so far, not including gas, insurance and numerous cans of brake cleaner :

Took it out a couple weeks ago, with Hagan, yes he actually rode in a Jeep. Did good for the most part, had a power steering hose spring a leak, gas tank skid was rubbing on the rear trac bar mount and popping all day, think I have a fuel issue. 2 time it was in low going up hill and just had absolutely no balls at all but it's never had the fuel filter regulator replaced so I'll start there. Pretty impressed with what it would do on little tires and lockers.

That's how I got my start, a 2001 XJ with a 2" budget boost, worn out 31" TSLS and an Aussie in front/LSD in rear. It was shocking what that thing would actually go up. LOL

I'm always surprised when people say man I can't belive how well those grand cherokees go, I say well they have the same suspension and drive train as a wrangler with a better wheel base so why wouldn't they be good, sure it's a unibody and heavier but much more comfy to me, my little zj has shocked a lot of people

Finally got it or some rocks this weekend, hit some trails at Morris Mt, dang little Chirocks took it all over stuff it shouldn't have been on. Went up mall crawl and a couple other things that I never intended this rig to be on. Threw some cheap sliders on it last week and beat them like crazy.

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For something that's basically bone stock, these little thing are hard to beat.

Heck yea. Overall I like my grand Cherokee I had. Just normal unibody problems


Keep and eye on the frame side rear upper control arm mounts. Unibody is paper thin right there. I ripped mine out twice. Tried plating, no luck. Ended up switching to leaf springs. Best choice I ever made in that rig.

This unit is currently for sale! $3650
Its been in the woods 3 times since I put it together.