1997 Jeep Cherokee Xj Buildup - air Saw - Photo 29372735

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16. To install Rusty's cut-out flares, some sheetmetal cutting needs to be done. Our tool of choice was a small pneumatic saw, but I've seen this done with a Sawsall, a nibbler, and a grinder before. We thought the air saw would make the cleanest cuts.

1. After we towed the XJ back from Barstow to Jeeps R Us in Laguna Beach, California, the oil pan was pulled and the spun bearing was found. The crankshaft came out and went to D&H Machine, and a new connecting rod and piston was ordered. If the connecting rod had survived, Larry Garcia would probably not have had to pull the top end apart.

2. OR-Fab has been increasing its bumper and body protection line steadily for the last couple years. Two recent additions to its lineup were this modular three-piece XJ front bumper (which is more than three pieces), and a matching rear tube bumper.

The bumper is made out of 1.75-inch tubing and 1/4-inch plate.

3. OR-Fab provides a simple rubber cover to fill the gap and holes in the unit body after removing the factory front bumper.

4. The main bumper piece is the first to go on, as all other pieces bolt to this central unit.

5. The driver side of the front bumper has mounting brackets that go all the way back over the three bolts of the power steering box. Therefore, the three bolts need to be removed and OR-Fab provides new ones to use in place. Stacking on top of the bumper's bracket, OR-Fab provides even more bracing for the steering box by offering a top brace plate.

6. Both ends bolt onto the central bumperpiece using five 1/2-inch bolts supplied to tie this bumper together.

This bumper, can be constructed on a workbench before actually bolting it onto a truck, but we found it just as easy to bolt it together, a little at a time, while it is held onto the front of the XJ.

7. Two reinforcement brackets are supplied to mount the winch plate. They not only tie into the central base of the bumper, they also provide four more bolts directly into the unit body to ensure a stout point to mount a winch.

8. The winch plate bolts onto the reinforcement brackets, and has four bolts that tie it into the main tube of the bumper.

9. I opted for a universal light mount that fits all OR-Fab bumpers. It ties into the four front bolts of the winch plate.

11. OR-Fab even has an optional grill hoop for those who want a prerunner look on their XJs.

12. OR-Fab's rear XJ bumper is even easier to install than the front. It comes with all the hardware necessary to go in place of the rear bumper, and doesn't interfere with a rear tow hitch if the Cherokee is equipped with one.

13. After removing the rear bumper, adding the two mounting brackets to the unit body, and bolting on the central bumper piece, the two side pieces can be tightened on.

14. With the bumper bolted together, Jeeps R Us was able to add the final touches, and hung the two supplied shackles to the back bumper. Obviously these shackles can be removed if you think they might be stolen or if they clank around too much, but I just thought it was great that the shackles were actually included with the bumper and wanted to hang them with pride.

15. With the OR-Fab bumpers in place, it was time to take a crack at the fenders. Before any cutting can be done, the factory fender flares need to be unbolted and the inner fender liners need to be pulled out and thrown away. I suggest just using some undercoating spray on the metal wheelwells after the liners are ditched.

16. To install Rusty's cut-out flares, some sheetmetal cutting needs to be done. Our tool of choice was a small pneumatic saw, but I've seen this done with a Sawsall, a nibbler, and a grinder before. We thought the air saw would make the cleanest cuts.

17. After the fender is cut, I used pliers and a hammer to massage the metal up and out of the way. The rear was mostly just a bunch of hammering to get the metal folded under and flush against the wheelwell.

In the front, pliers were used to bend a lip all the way along the cut line to give the fender a little more structural integrity after it was cut.

I suggest using some flat black spray paint to cover any spots where you might have cracked the paint and exposed bare metal while trimming the fenders. None of it will show because it will be covered by the cut-out flares.

18. Rusty's has two different cut-out flares available. The original ones are very durable and can be painted to match the Cherokee (if desired). Rusty's new super flexy flares are incredibly pliable, as you can see. And no, twisting it like this did not ruin the flare.

19. Rubber strips are supplied make a snug fit between the metal and the flare, and are a great buffer to any minor mistakes you might make as you drill holes through the flare and sheetmetal.

20. Rusty's cut-out flares contour to the body line and the installation is pretty self-explanatory once the fenders are cut and prepped. The flares are riveted on with the supplied rivets through holes that will need to be drilled.

21. With the flares and bumpers on, it was time to install the Corbeau seats. This pair of wide-version black cloth seats fit up to a 38-inch waist and can recline. Fixed-back seats are the only real option in a race truck, but this XJ is an all-around fun toy and daily driver, so reclining seats were a must for long drives and naps at rest stops during those drives.

22. Corbeau has seat brackets for almost every vehicle application you could ever think of, Therefore I can say with almost total certainty that they have brackets for whatever your off-road ride is. The seat mounts bolted onto the floor of my Jeep with no modifications.

23. The wide-version A4 seats just barely squeeze into the small cabin of the XJ, but they do fit and retain all functionality. I know this now, only after trial and error. You see, the A4 seat isn't the first model I tried. I had actually ordered the Baja XP fixed suspension seat originally. Though I was able to get the XP seats bolted in, they sat much too tall and upright to be reasonable for a daily-driven vehicle.

These new A4 seats have low bolstering for easier ingress and egress, and the reclining feature makes these much more suitable for multiple body types.