Rod Stallings

I ran across an add for the Slickrock Air Gauge in the back of one of those paper magazines. You know, the ones you have to pay for, instead of getting all the really quality information free here. Anyhow, it looked interesting so I gave them a call. I talked to Don Christensen with K&D Enterprises, who make the Slickrock Air Gauge. Don's a nice guy and quickly gave me all the info on their gauge. I soon had one in hand to check out.

I am a born and bread Texan, currently living in Carrollton with my wife Jill and children Lucas and Shelby. I started Cherokee America in 1994 when Dean Waters was asking for section writers for his 4x4 page. Other intrest that I have are The Shootin Iron, a single action shooting page and martial arts.

For anyone who has spent any time camping with a family of four you know what I mean when I say, "I'd be easier to move, than unpack!". Its inevitable that when we go camping we end up looking like the Beverly Hill Billies, and I end up spending the whole trip worrying about what's going to fall of the roof first, the bag with the camp stove or the tent. The back fills up fast with sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, toys and food. So the roof gets everything else.

OK, call me a purist, but ask any owner of a round eyed CJ, early Bronco, Scout or any other vintage original and they will tell you one thing. Why change perfection! Leave good enough alone! I love my square backed Cherokee. Its a classic design that didn't need redesign. Why not put that retooling money toward better suspension or power train upgrades, a V8 maybe. Don't make the front of my beloved Cherokee look like a early model Ranger or S10 or the back like a Volvo wagon! OK, I'm over it. I'll get off my soap box. In this paragraph I have probably lost all hope of Chrysler or Mopar help on anything else I try to report on. Lets look at what is changing on the new and improved (?) '97 Cherokee.

We now have Cherokee America window decals available. These decals are perfect for the windshield, back window or rear side windows. They are the Cherokee America logo in white, 2" tall by 23" long. Cost with shipping $10.00. To order yours send a check and return address to: Cherokee America 1238 Shawnee Trail Carrollton, TX 75007

Last month we discussed the parts that were to be used in upgrading the driveline of Project XJ. In the ensuing month I have worked through the install of almost all of the components. I will qualify "almost" and "worked through" in a moment. I want to state that these components are some of the most critical to overall vehicle performance. Therefore, I acquiesced to superb skills of the folks at 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers in Oklahoma City for the expertise on install of some components. This is a departure from my norm of doing it myself, but I wanted Project XJ to roll after the work was done and this is why.

Project XJ

As I discussed earlier, there were drive line modifications that I felt would be needed after adding the 32" tires and the 4 ?" lift. With the stock 3.55:1 gearing the added height and weight of the tires had created a power problem. The slight drive line vibration that the lift caused has, over the last couple of months, now started to show on the U-joints. Add together the increased height and weight of the tires, the increased drive line angles, the extra distance between transfer case and differential, the general stress that these changes have on drive line components and what you have is a part just begging to fail.

I am not very knowledgeable on gearing. Therefore, most, if not all, of the information provided in this section has been supplied by readers. If you have any info. to pass on, please email me at: hijinx@dallas.net