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Who should be the JF 2012 Cherokee Of The Year??

Vote for the JF 2012 Cherokee Of The Year!!!!!

9K views 77 replies 26 participants last post by  jakeWI 
#1 ·
Fellow Jeep enthusiasts, welcome to the 2012 JF Cherokee Of The Year contest!
December is the time to line up all of the COTM's chosen throughout the year and pick one for COTY honors.

Here's your chance to have a look at some of the more popular XJ's on the forum this year. I have to admit I like them all so this may be a tough decision. It's up to you to help decide who will be the winner. Take time to check 'em out and when you find your favorite, show your support and approval by casting your vote. Feel free to post up with positive comments or discussion and bump this thread as needed
Also please click the
button just under the poll to help keep this thread up all week in the top five voted/crawled threads on the JF homepage.

This poll will run 10 days instead of the normal 7 so voting will span two weekends and close on Christmas morning. Contestant picture count has been increased to 4 for this event. Normal COTM contestant Rules and Guidelines apply. If your Jeep is entered, you can review them here: COTM Rules and Guidelines

Here are your 2012 Cherokee Of The Year entries in the order received. Let's get this started and see where it goes! :2thumbsup:

egodfrey - January 2012 COTM said:
Year: 1995

Model: Cherokee Sport

Drive Train: 4.0l w/ brown dog mounts and Ford Injectors, Aw4 tranny, Np231 w/ HD SYE, D30 HP front w/ Chromo Shafts 760x u joints, Aussie Locker, D44 rear w/ Spartan Locker, 4:56 Gear Ratio

Suspension: Total= 4.5", RC coils, Rear bastard pack, 1.5" rear shackle, upper and lower flex joint control arms, no swaybars

Wheels/Tires: 33x12.5 Baja Claws on 15x8 Soft 8's

Other Notable Modifications: 3 core radiator w/ dirtbound triple electric fans, Front and rear recovery bumper w/ custom fabbed front winch mount, warn m8000 winch, JCR tie ins, hi lift, OTK steering, Double Sheer Trac Bar, CD player w/ Satellite Radio

Favorite Modification: Lockers! And trail rash.

Least Favorite Modification: Having to park it next month for a year while I deploy.

Best Trail Damage: Broke my old winch leg and shorted it, back feeding catching my map sensor on fire, then fire extinguisher didn't work, ended up having to rewire the entire engine.

Optional: Currently it is torn apart getting Dana 60's front and rear with 538 gears and moser spools, 39.5 tsl tires, psc hydro assist steering, fuel cell, and a 3 link long arm front complemented by a triangulated 4 link rear. In other words it's being 100% redone right now.







2doorxj - February 2012 COTM said:
Year: 1998

Model: Cherokee

Drive Train: 4.0, ax15, np231, Dana 44s out of an 89 wagoneer, spools front and rear, 4.88 gears, tenfactory chromo shafts up front, milemarker locking hubs.

Suspension: All custom mid arm 3 link, 2x.250 wall upper and lowers, Ruff Stuff heims, and johnny joints, ballistic fab bracketry, 12 inch travel bilstein 5100s front and rear, shock hoops going through the rear floor.

Wheels/Tires: 35x12.50x15 MTR/ Kevlar, 15x8 cragar soft 8's with copperhead fab rim stiffeners

Other Notable Modifications: Front and rear JCR bumpers, custom high clearence rocker replacement with outriggers to the frame, frame stiffeners, OTK steering with GM 1-ton tie rod ends

Favorite Modification: Mid arm 3 link

Least Favorite Modification: Ruffstuff heims. (way too noisy, wish i had gone with JJs)

Best Trail Damage: Rear driver 1/4 panel bashed in on Otters trail Rausch Creek PA (luckily the glass survived)

Build Thread: Custom 3 link and Waggy 44 swap into my XJ or 2doorxj's98 Cherokee build up







Durt_Diver - March 2012 COTM said:
Year: 1998

Model: Jeep Cherokee Sport

Drive Train: 4.0, AX-15, Np231, HP D30, C 8.25

Suspension: v8 zj coils, hd lead springs, rough country budget boost, about 2.5" of lift

Wheels/Tires: cragar d windows 4" of backspacing, 30" cooper stts

Other Notable Modifications: rola roof rack, nates4x4 front bumper, 2.5" catback exhaust, 100w lights

Favorite Modification: exhaust, not a mod but I love the 5 speed

Least Favorite Modification: 30" tires instead of 31s

Best Trail Damage: front passenger tire picked up a large rock and pushed up my fender.







Callelle's XJ said:
Year: 1997

Model: Cherokee Country

Drive Train: 4.0 - AW4 / NP231

Suspension: 4" Superlift Springs/Shocks/Trackbar, TNT Long Arms, JKS Boomerang Shackles, JKS Discos

Wheels/Tires: 31x10.5 Maxxis Bighorns on 15" Procomp D Window Steelies

Other Notable Modifications: H4 Headlights, Hanson Pre-Runner bumper, AA SYE, 8.25 29 Spline Aussie Locker, Yukon Shafts, TnT Belly Pan, TnT Chassis Stiffeners, 2x6 rockers, Tomken Gas Tank Skid, JKS Steering Brace, LeBaron hood vents, 4 KC Daylighters, 2 Hella 500s, APN Header, Magna Flow Cat, Flowtech Glasspack

Favorite Modification: Rear Aussie Locker

Least Favorite Modification: 31" Tires, Really need 35s...

Best Trail Damage: First time crawling on some rocks with no skid plate and I cracked my T-case open

Optional: Got my Cherokee in 07 as a graduation present because I couldn't really fit in my old 99 Saturn (I'm 6'9"). When I got it, she had 1 previous owner who only put 32k on it. In 2011 I finally put together the money to lift it. I went with a cheapo kit just to do a little local wheeling in mud and what not. I quickly got bored with that and into crawling. Slowly I've been turning it into what I want it to be, mostly by upgrading when I break stuff. Next step is 35x12.5s, Front locker and alloy shafts, gears, and a rear bumper.

Day I got it.



Yellow Jacket at Rausch Creek still on short arms.



Really spooky feeling on 3 wheels.



Flex.

]
COTY line-up continues in next post...
 
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#2 ·
Rockdrummer93 - July 2012 COTM said:
Year: 2001

Model: XJ Sport

Drive Train: AW4, NP231 w/ SYE, Locked HP30, Chromoly'ed D44

Suspension: Rough Country 4.5" Long Arm w/ 1.5" added, Skyjacker M95s

Wheels/Tires: Cragar D-Windows, 35x12.5 Cooper STTs

Other Notable Modifications: Over knuckle 1 Ton steering, OTK track bar, Lights

Favorite Modification: Long arms, Steering and 4.88s

Least Favorite Modification: Not one

Best Trail Damage: Busted out a rear window and dented up my A-Pillar doing the Daniel trail backwards at Uwharrie OHV

Build Thread: Rockdrummer93's 2001 XJ build







slickfreeze - August 2012 COTM said:
Year: 1995

Model: XJ

Drive Train: D30 locked, 8.25 locked, SYE

Suspension: RC 6.5 longarm

Wheels/Tires: American Racing wheels, BFG KM2 tires

Other Notable Modifications: Lots of KC lights, On board air, Snorkel, Warn Winch, Durango steering box, High flow PS pump, mean green alt. Currie Heavy Duty Steering

Favorite Modification: On board air

Least Favorite Modification: Rugged Ridge Steering, nothing but junk!!

Best Trail Damage: tipped her on her side







PhilipJ - September 2012 COTM said:
Year: 1999

Model: Sport

Drive Train: 4.0L, AW4, NP242, D30 & 8.25 with 4.56 gears, Tom Woods SYE

Suspension: Old Man Emu 3", JKS ACOS, TnT Y-link long arms, Blistein 5150 shocks, IRO track bar, JKS discos

Wheels/Tires: Cragar 342, 33x12.50 BFG KM2

Other Notable Modifications: AJ's rockers and bumpers, Warn 9.5ti winch, TnT unibody stiffeners, THOR cowl intake, IRO OTK steering, OR-Fab rear quarter armor, Dirtbound e-fans

Favorite Modification: AJ's bumpers

Least Favorite Modification: Bushwacker flat flares...look good, but not very durable against trees

Best Trail Damage: Exploded factory radiator

Build Thread: '99 Sport Build Thread: Grocery Haulin' With Panche

Optional: After my YJ was stolen, I didn't know what I wanted to replace it with. Bike, car, pickup, another Wrangler...saw the XJ one night while browsing craigslist. I didn't know any of the technical differences between the years, but after 6 hours of bus rides and transfers I made it to the dealer and picked it up. Lucky me, it was a '99. Daily-driven 55 miles a week to work and back.





ChiliPalmer - October 2012 COTM said:
Year: 1984

Model: XJ Cherokee Chief

Drive Train: 2.8L V6/AX5/NP207

Suspension: Front: Random springs (I was told Ford F150) - Rear: 1" Shackle - with everything chopped off it is lifted approximately 2.5"

Wheels/Tires: Cragar V5, 15" x 8", 3.75" BS - 35" x 12.5" x 15" Goodyear Wrangler MTR's (Oldschool)

Other Notable Modifications: A few body modifications

Favorite Modification: Boatsides/Rear Quarters

Least Favorite Modification: No windshield (will be putting speedglass in someday)

Best Trail Damage: Just a few scrapes and bruises so far ;-)

Build Thread: - Just another LCG XJ on 35's...

Optional: - So I went to a BBQ for my wife's work and the guy had this XJ just sitting there (he lives on 5 acres). I asked if he would sell the front axle (I hadn't really looked yet and I assumed it was a non-cad HPD30 - I was wrong), he said I'll sell you the whole thing for $100. So the next thing you know I've got this XJ sitting in my garage with the wrong front axle, a crappy rear axle, no grill, crappy motor/tranny, etc.

From there is just kind of happened. I found an MJ on CL for $100, bought it for $80 and took the grill and the tailgate and then got $125 from the junkyard. Then I found the tires on CL for $500, then a rear XJ D44 for $200 - I finally decided to go ahead and build it since I had all the parts - of course I had to go the junkyard and pull an actual non-cad HPD30 like I wanted in the first place...







Texsun - November 2012 COTM said:
Year: 1999

Model: Cherokee Limited

Drive Train: Front Dana 44 HD w/ 5.13s, chromoly, and Eaton E-locker, Rear Dana 60 w/ 5.13s and Spool

Suspension: 4" 3-link Long Arms

Wheels/Tires: 35x12.50 Bighorn on custom 15" 8x6.5

Other Notable Modifications: Comp. Cut, and Stretch

Favorite Modification: Full Widths!

Least Favorite Modification: Not digging the Rear Bumper

Best Trail Damage: Grenaded the old 8.25 2x

Build Thread: Project GOD! Locked and Stretched!

Optional: Wife made me get another jeep and "fix it up"







Thanks to everyone who participates this month and good luck to all. Enjoy your holidays!
 
#6 ·
Tough choice... came down to a tough call between egodfrey, rockdrummer, and phillipj... not tellin who i picked though :D
 
#19 ·
If I wasn't in it I would have voted for him...:thumbsup:

I think yours is awesome! IMHO it's not about "looks" its all about performance/functionality. We could do pretty street XJ of the month one month.
Well then, why didn't you vote for me? :D

EDIT: I do like the looks of mine but now that I don't live in the desert I've been dealing some surface rust and that's why it is currently "ugly". Actually it turned out exactly like I wanted it; desert racer with rock crawling abilities. It does great in the rocks but let's face it that 2.8L V6 wouldn't have a prayer in the world at KOH!
 
#21 ·
If I were entered in this contest, I'd have it linked in my forum sig. It's the one approved method of advertising for votes - like a free plug in every post you've ever made.
 
#22 ·
okay just to put a little incentive into things, I will donate a 6-month membership to whoever wins the 2012 COTY honors. Totally tax free winnings! :highfive:
 
#27 ·
Thanks for the contest support Anticanman.
Per the following excerpt from the COTM Voting Rules and Guidelines, it is permissible to vote for oneself in this contest.
"If your entry makes it to the final poll you have one opportunity to vote for yourself if you choose to do so."
And if everyone does so, then it's all kind of a wash and has the same net effect as if entrants weren't allowed to vote.
I can't fault anyone for thinking their rig best suits their tastes.
 
#29 ·
Stickers!

that's what I like about xj drivers, for the most part they're a pretty laid back group.
It just so happens I've got some extra JeepForum.com decals laying around and would be happy to throw them in the mix here.

Current stakes are now:
1st place - 6 month membership and a JeepForum.com decal
2nd place - a JeepForum.com decal

woohoo! :cheers2:
 
#32 · (Edited)
I'll graciously accept that offer in behalf of the COTY contest, thanks man.

Current stakes are now:
1st place - a LIFETIME JF membership
2nd place - 6 month JF membership and a JeepForum.com decal
3rd place - a JeepForum.com decal

Rock on people, let's see some more votes up on the board!
 
#36 ·
wow for sure, looks like the pace is picking up here.
3rd place runner has been gaining momentum and is now locked in a 3-way tie for the lead with 1 and 2!
Nice work gents, hold on to your seats!
 
#42 ·
Winter Storm Warning for central Indiana bump - bring on the white Christmas! :cool:
uhm, be careful what you wish for there buddy.
That was a nastly little blow last night. If you're anywhere around here and heading out on the roads this morning, leave early and be careful. It's a bit dicey out there right now even in 4wd.
 
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