Stuff all worked fine, however I had this rattle and banging noise when I hit bumps. I had thought that was the rear hatch hinge, but it wasn't. So quite by accident one fine day a week ago I was chugging down the road, and put my hand up on the windshield and hardtop connection area, and noticed that there was a lot of movement there, and all of a sudden it got quiet. Well the noise was the pop rivets and machine screws were loose and missing. So today I replaced the pop rivets along the top section of the metal strip that connects the hard top to the windshield, and put in some more sheet metal screws along the lower portion that hooks to the windshield. Went out for a cruise and it was just nice and quiet. Brought a real smile to my old face.
I've got some rust on the windshield frame. Waiting now for a junk yard to end up with a white windshield frame and I'll get that swapped out. Still need to readjust the windshield wipers a bit. And that puts me at the only remaining thing is to get the rear pinion angle reduced a bit as there is a bit of a low speed vibration. Other than that, the short jeep drives and rides just great now.
I had added true tracs front and rear to it last spring, along with 4.56 gearing. Also a 20 gal poly tank and 2.5" Rubicon Express springs. I've decided I need to put 4.5" springs on instead, and move the tire size up from 31x10.50 to 33 or 35". I had a winch on it that I moved over to my yota crawler. Will be adding a winch to it shortly. Just haven't made up my mind whether to get another electric, or get one of the Mile Marker hydraulic ones. I had one of their hydraulics on a previous Cherokee that I really liked. For tires right now it's running 31" Cooper STT's, which I've been happy with so far traction wise.
Something about a short jeep though, they are just a realy kick to drive. I've had two built Cherokee's and a Commache before. They were nice, but I still just really get a kick out of driving the short jeep. They are a gas. The yota crawler rides like a caddy and that ride has spoiled me where the short just rattles my molars ferociously, but even so I still love driving the short!