Custom front and rear bumpstops keep the fenders from feeling the wrath of the tires, and 7100 series remote-reservoir Bilsteins in the front and a matching set of 7100s out back mounted at an angle for more travel prevent the Jeep from acting like a pogo stick. Steel plate aft of the rear doors to the back of the Jeep was used to provide a 3/16-inch cocoon for the rear unibody.
The Bushwacker flares were intended for a regular Cherokee but were made to fit this Grand, and extra wheelwell real estate was freed up in the process. The front has some heavy beef in the form of an ARB Bull Bar with a Warn XD9000 winch perched atop for recovery chores, plus a quartet of PIAA lights for those winter months, when a lot of work is done in the dark.
Rocker protection comes from a pair of Olympic 4x4 guards. The stock rockers, the Olympic guards, and the stock rear bumper were sprayed with Line-X for coverage from brush and rocks.
Inside, the stock leather seats remain, along with much of the stock trim and accoutrements that this top-of-the-line Jeep had in 1997. A clinometer was added to the dashboard, and the ARB switches were installed right under the factory head unit.
In the cargo area resides the rover-a four-wheel, remote-controlled video camera that allows Greg to survey sewers and other limited-access areas. A 2,500-watt inverter and dedicated battery are required to run it. The rover came from Envirosight and feeds images and locations to the PipeTech software loaded into the center-console-mounted laptop. There's also a GPS system.
For our photo shoot, the Jeep was outfitted for wheeling, with more spare tools riding along and much of the work equipment out of the way. Normally a spool (similar to a hose reel) retracts the umbilical cord and is in the cargo area, along with the padded case for the rover and the battery/inverter setup.
The power of a V-8, 38.5-inch Super Swampers, and Dana 60s make it possible for this Grand to go just about anywhere. A cage would be a good addition to this well-built Jeep, but Greg already knows-it's on the list as the next modification.
The 16.5-inch rims don't have a safety bead, so he can't air down all that much. Beadlocks or 16-inch rims would be a better choice. We'd be nervous about wheeling a Jeep this tall, but Greg assures us it's as stable as a Grand Cherokee on big Swampers can be.
A ZJ built to film sewers-need I say more? However, what I found when I got there was a well-built Jeep that could likely handle just about anything. Imagine going off-road in something that could pretty much climb walls and drop off small cliffs while you sit in a comfy leather seat, soaking up the sun through the sunroof, checking out the beauty of Maine, and being able to say, "I'm at work." I had to admire that. -Melissa Howard
Vehicle: '97 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Engine: 5.2L V-8
Transmission: 42RE
Transfer Case: Atlas II, 4:1 low
Suspension: Clayton long arms (front), 7-inch Rock Krawler springs, and JKS ACOS spacers (front and rear)
Axles: '79 Ford high-pinion Dana 60 (front), '79 Ford Dana 60 (rear)
Wheels: 16.5x10 steel Rock Crawler
Tires: 38.5x14.50-16.5LT Super Swamper TSL SX
Built For: Getting to remote sewer and storm drain-access points
Estimated Cost: $25,000