Double Dingo's 1991 Jeep Cherokee

[DoubleDingo]

I'll have to dig up some older photos to keep this more chronological, so bear with me as I find them.

I bought this Jeep in 2002. It was my first vehicle that I had to buy from a non-family member. I saw the ad in the newspaper I took with me on one of my visitation weekend trips. I called the guy and setup a meet on my trip back home that weekend. I had driven one other Cherokee, it was an '89 or '90 county fleet vehicle, and was a manual 5 speed. That thing was a beast.

We took this one on an open road test drive, it handled well, and was pretty much the same as the manual shift model I drove when I worked for the county. Everything was there, it was all stock, everything worked, and I made the offer, he countered, we agreed to a price, and I got the loan from my credit union. $5,200, if my memory hasn't failed me.

After getting it I did a tune-up and discovered it was probably the same plugs, wires, cap and rotor from the factory. The tune-up didn't really change how it drove, but it gave me peace of mind knowing it was fresh, since I would driving a lot where there was no cell signal.

I tested it off road a few times and was pleased how it did. It is a Jeep, they're supposed to be good off road.

I didn't like the higher gears and smaller tires, but I liked the 20-22 mpg's.

I did notice the ride quality wasn't as good as that fleet vehicle so I replaced the shocks and that helped, but I discovered the springs were pretty much shot. I bought an Old Man Emu suspension kit from Rocky Road Outfitters, and the ride quality was greatly improved and it gained about 2 inches over stock height, which was just under four inches with the saggy springs.

Now it needed bigger tires, but after all the highway driving, and not wanting to turn 3,000 in OD on the highway, I used my handy dandy gear ratio formula to find that 3.73 was the gear I needed to keep the highway rpms roughly what they were from the factory.

Swapped the gears, bought the tires, and it now had better clearance and still drove about the same.

That was 2002-thru about 2006.


This was the first trip to the snow. Sybil is running towards me, Sneakers is running towards the Jeep to see what my daughter was up to.

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Sneakers about to get blasted with snow....

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One of my favorite photos....

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More to come...

 

[DoubleDingo]

After getting the General Grabber AT2's. They do great in the snow. I stopped where I did because it only gets deeper and the chances of turning around further up the road is way more sketchy.

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Still looks like the stock suspension in this photo. Honestly I can't remember if I had installed the OME suspension at this point.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Have taken this Jeep on many camping trips.


Packing up in 2011, Sneakers guarding the doorway of the tent while Sybil was somewhere on the perimeter of the campsite.

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Pssst.....Hey....

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Pssst.....HEY!.... Neither would look at the same times...lol...

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Back November 2019...East of Town

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Also November 2019...East of Town

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[DoubleDingo]

This vehicle has been a huge blessing. It has been incredibly reliable, and only needs preventative maintenance. Bought with 88k on the clock, and now is around 207k. Some electrical gremlins are beginning to appear, but I can't complain.

Just replaced the water pump yesterday, and before that is was 2004-2005, I believe. Brakes are about due to be replaced, and have the parts for that. Another drain and fill on the transmission probably wouldn't hurt, as it has been a few thousand miles since the last drain/fill was performed.

These photos were taken a few weeks ago on our trip to the mountains. Had planned a cool sightseeing adventure with my father in law and sister in law, but had to adjust the plans due to the thick smoke everywhere we went, and all the National Forests being closed.


Near some mining camps and mines...

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This trip has caused the left rear spring to sag. Not bad, but noticeable when looking from bumper level behind the Jeep. We were on a lot of washboarded roads, one was so bad I couldn't even get the vehicle to slide around the turns, and usually that is not a problem sliding around dirt road curves.

There are mountains in background, trust me, not just those hills. But the smoke was so thick you couldn't even see 14,000 feet high mountains that were only a mile away. It was bad.

Near a trailhead....

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This was taken back in June 2016, one of the spots we were planning to go on this recent trip....this is around 11,000 feet in elevation... Fun fact, this was the photo we used on our wedding invitations...

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[Grit dog]

I'm still upset with our good friend who TRADED IN his wifes Cherokee about a half dozen years ago. Probably got $3k or some ridiculously low value for it. 2000 or 2001 Sport model. Had a whopping 80k miles or so and not a scratch or ding on it.
(Not really upset, but they came to visit this summer and I gave him crap about it again!)
I've seen so many of those with ridiculously high miles still doin work every day. Great rig and looks like you got some great adventures and memories with yours.
Looks like Western Slope CO where you're at.

You should snatch up another low mile one again while they still exist!

 

[AuroraGirl]

I lost power steering and power brakes for the first time in a early 90s cherokee.
at the same time
when i was like 10
and hit a tree.

It also started with a screwdriver, i remember it was a bright neon green handle and was standard.

Ahhh, memories! I really like yours. If it has the 4 liter it has the best liter

 

[DoubleDingo]

@Grit dog I have been asked why I don't sell it, when I have other vehicles. Because it's paid for. I believe with a fresh engine or fresh rebuild, it will last a very long time.

@AuroraGirl Yes, it's the 4.0, great engine.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Oh yeah, not the Western Slope of CO, but Eastern Sierra Nevada's and Alabama Hills and Inyo Mountains.

 

[Big Chip]

I’ll give you $35 for the steering shaft.

 

[DoubleDingo]

I’ll give you $35 for the steering shaft.

You're a funny guy. Really, I got a great laugh from that one.

 

[AuroraGirl]

You're a funny guy. Really, I got a great laugh from that one.

Ill give ya thirty SIX dollars for that shaft, good sir. I dont associate with the low ballers on here, offensive it is. Here i will even take it off for ya

 

[DoubleDingo]

Ill give ya thirty SIX dollars for that shaft, good sir. I dont associate with the low ballers on here, offensive it is. Here i will even take it off for ya

Just so all y'all know, if the Jeep steering shaft goes anywhere, it'll go on my square

 

[nabeshin]

It looks rust free, is this the case?

 

[DoubleDingo]

There is very little rust, and you have to really look for it.

 

[DoubleDingo]

After many years of just being cracked enough to be mildly annoying, the exhaust manifold finally gave up. Need a new one.

New one is waiting at the parts store.