1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee - 4-Wheel & Off-Road Magazine

Emil was able to justify going nuts with his Grand Cherokee since it is a rolling billboard for his company, Master-Pull. A 51⁄2-inch Rubicon Express long-arm suspension was used in conjunction with Rubicon Express remote reservoir shocks, JKS sdjustable coil spacers, and a front Currie Anti-Rock sway bar to provide a controlled ride whether on the road or off.

Emil was able to justify going nuts with his Grand Cherokee since it is a rolling billboar

We all dream of our ultimate wheeling rig, but few of us can convince our accountant (or significant other) that turning our dreams into reality is a wise investment. Fortunately for Emil Bjornsson, he pulled it off. As the owner of Master-Pull Recovery Gear, Emil was able to build what is quite possibly one of the most capable Grand Cherokees on the planet. After all, he needed a vehicle to test products and use it to visit the variety of events that Master-Pull attends throughout the country.

We kept running into Emil and his clean ’98 Grand Cherokee ZJ on the trail, so we decided to take a closer look. The hood vents implied that the relatively rare 5.9L engine lurked under the hood. These were the last incarnation of the Jeep 360ci engines and offer gobs of low-end torque. The wish list of parts doesn’t stop there though. Emil added a Rubicon Express long-arm suspension, an Advance Adapters Atlas II transfer case, and fully built Spidertrax Spider9 axles to fulfill his Grand vision.

This Grand Cherokee is perfect for exploring wide-open spaces for days at a time. There is room for multiple passengers and their gear, and when the trail gets tough Emil doesn’t have to turn around and head home. No wonder we keep running into him and his Grand Cherokee all over the country.

Cool fact
The 5.9L engine was only offered in ’98 Grand Cherokees, and only 1% of the 1.4 million ZJ Grand Cherokees produced were so equipped.

Tech Specs
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Drivetrain
Engine: 5.9L V8
Transmission: 44RE four speed automatic
Transfer case: Advance Adapters Atlas II, 3.8
Front Axle: Spidertrax Spider9, True Hi9, ARB Air Locker, Superior Axle shafts, CTM U-joints, Wilwood brakes, 4.56 gears
Rear Axle: Spidertrax Spider9, True Hi9, ARB Air Locker, Superior Axle shafts, Wilwood brakes, 4.56 gears
Suspension
Springs & Such: Rubicon Express 51⁄2-inch long-arm suspension
Tires & Wheels: 37x12.5R17 Goodyear MT/Rs on 17x9 Walker Evans beadlocks
Steering: PSC Hydraulic Assist
Other Stuff: Hanson front and rear bumpers modified by Jonasson Motorsports, Iceland Offroad rock sliders and fender flares, T-Maxx EWI 12000 winch, Master-Pull Superline XD winch line, Master-Pull Super Yanker

The front and rear Hanson bumpers were color-matched to the Grand Cherokee to provide a more finished appearance. The front bumper holds a pair of IPF HID lights and a T-Maxx EWI 12000 winch with (what else?) Master-Pull Superline XD winch line and a Master-Pull aluminum hawse fairlead. The rear bumper holds two chrome fuel cans, while the fullsize spare tire is secured inside the cargo area.
The front and rear Hanson bumpers were color-matched to the Grand Cherokee to provide a mo
The 5.9L engine was only offered in ’98 Grand Cherokees, and only 1 percent of the 1.4 million ZJ Grand Cherokees produced were so equipped. We would guess that only 1 percent of those are modified like this. The engine is relatively stock for reliability; however, a PSC steering pump and reservoir were added to power the hydraulic assist steering.
The 5.9L engine was only offered in ’98 Grand Cherokees, and only 1 percent of the 1.4 mil
Up front, Those Guys Rod & Customs built the Spidertrax Spider9 axle with 35-spline 11⁄2-inch Superior chromoly axleshafts, CTM U-joints, Spidertrax unit bearings, and Wilwood brakes. A True Hi9 third member is filled with an ARB Air Locker and 4.56 gears. Spidertrax steering arms were added atop the Spidertrax fabricated knuckles and fitted with a 11⁄2x0.250-wall tie rod and draglink capped with 3⁄4-inch chromoly rod ends.
Up front, Those Guys Rod & Customs built the Spidertrax Spider9 axle with 35-spline 11

The rear axle is a Spidertrax Spider9 built by Wild West Fab. It has a True Hi9 third member with an ARB Air Locker and 4.56 gears. 35-spline 11⁄2-inch Superior chromoly axleshafts and Wilwood brakes were also used to create an incredibly strong axle that benefits from excellent ground clearance and strength without a huge weight penalty.
The rear axle is a Spidertrax Spider9 built by Wild West Fab. It has a True Hi9 third memb
Leather, wood dash, heated seats? These aren’t what we expect to find in the interior of a Jeep, but they make for comfortable crawling. More standard on a rock rig are the twin shifters for the Atlas transfer case, the Cobra CB radio, and the Kenwood VHF radio.
Leather, wood dash, heated seats? These aren’t what we expect to find in the interior of a
This is no show rig! The Atlas II transfer case from Advanced Adapters is geardriven and provides a 3.8 lower gear reduction in low range than the stock transfer case. The aluminum construction means that there is not a huge weight penalty for the increase in strength and capability.
This is no show rig! The Atlas II transfer case from Advanced Adapters is geardriven and p