JEEP SLEEPER
American iron touring the Aussie outback - this Cherokee and trailer have covered the lot
Words by Mark Allen Photography by Phil Cooper
We all remember ‘that’ radio announcer proudly proclaiming, "If you find a good thing, stick to it’. In latter years, that same announcer brazenly declared, "If you find a better thing, switch to it". Cherokee owner Marcus Ohms has unashamedly tried to follow both philosophies with his Jeep. Not only is he sticking to the tried and tested legendary Jeep brand, he’s also improved his Jeep’s on- and off-road performance out of sight.
Marcus landed the stocker 1995 model four years after it was born, with a lazy 63,000 kays on the clock. The engine was running smooth as, suspension was perhaps slightly lower than intended (gravity does affect us all) and the interior was all sooo Yankee.Having owned Jeeps of various guises in the past, Marcus knew he was onto a good thing.
Then came the time to make a few ‘switches’, while still retaining the American heritage. Not only was the Jeep required for daily cartage of shopping and ferrying to and from work, but also to take its owner and his wife to the far-flung reaches of Australia.A combination of sensible aftermarket products and plenty of homemade, ingenious mods has resulted in a unit that is more than capable of tackling anything in its way. Add to that a homemade camper trailer and you have a recipe for comfy weekend touring or that big lap of Oz.
To date, the Jeep has clocked up 120,000 kays of wild shopping trips, work-related taxi rides and torturous holidays, without any major hiccups. Just goes to show you that ‘that’ radio announcer knows what he’s on about - you know what I mean!
INTERNALS
Not content to let sleeping dogs lie, Marcus has given just about every nut and bolt the once-over to improve performance and increase reliability.
The 4.0L straight six runs standard internals but has a few external add-ons to tweak performance. A bored throttle body and throttle body spacer, combined with higher-pressure injectors, see that the unleaded fuel is used efficiently. Marcus has honed the internals of the intake manifold to increase the volume from 2600cc to a whopping 4300cc - that’s 65 percent greater capacity!
The standard belt-driven engine-cooling fan has been removed and replaced with twin electric units. This not only reduces engine strain, but also increases cooling qualities.
A run on the dyno shows up 344Nm @ 3500 revs and 169kW at 4750 revs.
Marcus doesn’t run a standard snorkel, preferring to use his own custom diversion air inlet hose while wading deep water-crossings. The standard cold-air intake is plugged, and the diversion pipe (which takes air from high up in the centre of the firewall) is attached to keep the engine safe from water ingestion.Pumping the spent gases rearwards is a mild steel 2.5in system with a stainless Magnaflow muffler and stainless Carsound catalytic converter. Marcus claims this set-up provides superior torque output at lower rpm, which suits his towing and low-range needs.
Keeping the lot cool is a custom three-row brass and copper radiator, which replaces the standard two-row plastic tank and alloy core.
Diff ratios have been swapped from the standard 3.55 to 4.11, and a Detroit auto locker has been slipped into the rear end.The front and rear diff covers have been replaced with forged aluminium units complete with drain plugs and higher than standard filler holes. Marcus says the alloy units are stronger than steel and the fins aid in removing heat to reduce oil temperatures. The raised-height filler holes ensure the correct oil levels are obtainable given the high-pinion alignment in pre-’99 XJs and Wranglers.
Unless it’s pointed out, most people would overlook the weld marks on the trannie sump. Marcus has cut and shut two pans to increase the oil volume to overcome slow shifts on hot days. The bottom of the original sump has been removed and a second pan welded to the bottom of the first.Marcus has rigged up a switch to keep the auto box in second gear at all times, as he was getting a little frustrated at the auto’s tendency to downshift unnecessarily to first. Now he can effect a second gear start (good for slippery conditions) and stay in second while descending hills that are not steep enough to warrant first gear.
Suspension
Marcus reckons the ‘95 Cherokee is the easiest to raise, as it doesn’t need slip yoke eliminators or double cardan joints.
Four-inch raised coils, combined with homemade 1in spacers on the front and 4.5in raised leaf packs on the rear, give far superior approach, departure and ramp-over angles. Adjustable Rancho 9000s give complete control over ride quality.
The rear leaf packs have had the third leaf removed and a Cherokee add-a-leaf inserted. In its years of service, this set-up has proved reliable and has not sagged.
Marcus has extended the bumpstops and shock mounts (both homemade) to maintain up/down suspension travel. He even does his own wheel alignments to ensure toe-in and castor adjustments are done correctly.
Marcus is no ordinary Jeep enthusiast; he’s the epitome of a Jeep fanatic. He’s also a self-confessed jack-of-all-trades: house dad, boilermaker, plumber, electrician, plasterer, mechanic, handyman, 4WD customiser, web master, computer builder and the list goes on. There is much more behind the scenes to this Jeep. If you have a few hours (perhaps half a day) to spare, check out his website at www.go.jeep-xj.info.
Brakes
Front stoppers are stock as a rock. The vented discs handle the braking with ease.
Not so with the rear drum set-up. Marcus scoured the wrecker’s yard and found that the EA Falcon’s set-up was a perfect replacement for the Jeep’s. The whole deal was bolted on in place of the OE equipment. The standard master cylinder was used and the caliper set-up just needed centring with spacers for correct alignment. A few holes were drilled to accept the Jeep axle flange, and the whole show now stops like a dream. Marcus says he chose the EA’s set-up over other Ford alternatives as it is better designed to keep out mud and is very similar to the Jeep’s front brakes.
Not content to dish out big dollars for an off-the-shelf item, Marcus knocked up what looks like OE front and rear bars from something a little different. The front bar started life as an ARB Prado unit. The top tubes have been removed (saving 20kg) and a Hayman Reese receiver has been added behind the numberplate. Cutting the lower part of the bar and tightening the angles on either end, and then reducing the forward projection of the centre section, have improved approach angles. The Jeep’s rear bar was originally an 80 Series ARB front bullbar. The top loops have been given the chop and the lower main bar section has been nipped and tucked in a similar way to the Jeep’s front bar. A Hayman Reese receiver has also been added to accept the camper trailer for towing duties.
With no side bars as such, Marcus has used 2in D-section docking rubber along the length of the sills. The rubber deforms when scraped along rocks, and then returns to its original shape, resulting in no damage to the body. Alloy chequerplate covers fit over the rear quarter panels to provide protection from flying stones while travelling at speed on dirt roads.
Electrics
A Sure Power isolator monitors the charging of the dual batteries (one Exide Endurance and one Yuasa Rocket). The second battery is a sealed type and is mounted behind the seats only when out on extended holidays. This saves carrying the weight all year round and doesn’t overcrowd the engine bay. Marcus has opted for 100/145W Piranha globes in Hella inserts, with 6mm wiring and twin 40A relays in preference to extra driving lights. This is to avoid affecting airflow to the radiator. In the cabin, a JVC head unit, 12-stacker CD, 200W amp and front and rear Polk speakers ensure the groovy tunes are loud and clear. A homemade trip computer was knocked together to inform the driver of up to 27 different functions in metric, imperial and US measures, some of which are rpm, speed, time, fuel left, fuel consumption, three trip meters and distance to empty. Outback communication is via a UHF GME TX3400 with remote head and a Uniden AM PC122 upper and lower sideband radio. A Garmin GPS keeps track of the wandering duo and helps map out their adventures.
Camper Trailer
Not content to punt about the countryside in a uniquely modified Jeep, Marcus has designed and built his own camper trailer - complete with everything he and his wife need for weekenders and big outback-Oz trips. Wheel-track dimensions, leaf springs, tyres, rims and even stud patterns are identical between 4WD and trailer. This reduces the amount (and weight) of spares needed. All the front-facing sections of the trailer are shaped such that flicked-up stones are deflected downwards or up and over the trailer. This helps prevent stones ricocheting back into the rear of the 4WD. The trailer has been dragged pretty much all over Australia and helps to keep the happy couple camping in luxury. The Jeep has clocked up 120,000 kays of wild shopping trips, work-related taxi rides and torturous holidays
BRIEFLY…
Vehicle: 1995 Jeep Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L petrol straight six
Gearbox: 4-speed automatic
4WD activation: Shift-on-the-fly automatic-locking front hubs
Suspension: Front - rigid axles, coil springs, 5-link, Rancho 9000 shocks. Rear - rigid axles, leaf springs, Rancho 9000 shocks
Brakes: Front - ventilated discs. Rear - EA Falcon solid discs
Wheels: Alloy Auscar Ranger 18x8.5in
Tyres: BFG KO All Terrain 275x70x16in
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