Jeremiah Brown of Kerhonkson, New Jersey, learned how to drive behind the wheel of a 1984 Jeep Cherokee XJ in the woods. That experience stuck, fueling a lifelong passion for Cherokees and off-roading. Today, he’s a trail guide for the Catskill Mountains Jeep Jamboree and is working to launch a trail-building business. His trail savvy 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ is not something you see every day. It’s a V8-powered beast fitted with 1-ton axles, a custom coilover suspension, massive 40-inch tires, and much more.
The Backstory
A self-avowed “tried-and-true Cherokee guy,” Jeremiah was ready for a serious upgrade from his XJ when a friend tipped him off to a heavily modified Grand Cherokee for sale in South Carolina. Built by an engineer, the WJ had seen little more than light testing and showed no trail damage. No expense had been spared on the build, and Jeremiah immediately saw its potential. He says, “I told him he built it for me!” The WJ checked nearly every box Jeremiah wanted in a next-level trail rig, especially for his duties as a trail guide. Even better, he snagged it for far less than it would have cost to build a comparable rig.
On its first outing, he pointed it at one of the toughest trails in his area, and the Grand Cherokee didn’t disappoint. It wasn’t long, though, before Jeremiah began dialing in the rig for his style of wheeling. For example, he lowered it about 2.5 inches and, to compensate for the weight of the rear bumper and tire carrier, installed heavier coilover springs.
V8, Fuel Cell, Slip-Yoke Eliminator Kit
One of the rig’s biggest strengths is its 4.7-liter V8. The engine has around 80,000 miles on it, and Jeremiah reports that it runs without issue. It also has a slew of new parts, including the starter, alternator, serpentine belt, radiator, and fan. Fuel is pumped from a 13-gallon fuel cell, while the battery has been relocated between the rear seats.
Backing the V8 is the WJ’s original 45RFE four-speed automatic transmission, which feeds power to an NV242HD transfer case fitted with a slip-yoke eliminator kit. From there, a pair of Tom Wood’s driveshafts sends power to the axles.
Ford Super Duty Axles
The Grand Cherokee’s axles came from a Ford Super Duty, and they bring plenty of beef to the equation. Up front is a Dana 60 that has been heavily reworked for added strength and performance. Upgrades include a ball joint delete kit, a truss, beefy differential cover, and upgraded brakes. The axle was also rotated 10 degrees to reduce the driveshaft angle. Steering duties are handled by a hydraulic setup with a double-ended ram.
Out back is Ford’s proven 10.5-inch axle. Both axles still run their factory axleshafts, but Jeremiah has a simple upgrade plan: When they break, they get replaced with stouter bits. Each differential is packed with Yukon Gear & Axle 5.38:1 gears and an ARB Air Locker.
Three-Link Up Front, Triangulated Four Link Out Back
The Grand Cherokee’s stock suspension is long gone. Up front, a flexy three-link setup works with 14-inch-travel Radflo remote-reservoir coilovers running 225-pound-over-275-pound Eibach springs. Limit straps and gas bump stops help keep all that travel under control. Out back, a triangulated four-link system pairs with 16-inch-travel Radflo coilovers and 175-pound-over-225-pound Eibach springs. Gas bump stops and limit straps are also part of the package.
Other commonalities between the front and rear suspension include 1.250-inch Heim joints on all the link arms and coilover towers that are tied into the rig’s roll cage.
Putting all that power to the ground are a set of massive 40-inch-diameter Journey Rock Poison II tires mounted on 9-inch-wide Raceline RT951 beadlock wheels.
Heavily Modified Exterior
The Grand Cherokee’s exterior received the same all-encompassing attention as its mechanicals. Rock rails, enlarged wheel openings, and an exocage tied into the interior roll cage help prepare the WJ for hard trail use. Other upgrades include a 12,000-pound-capacity Badland winch, Auxbeam headlights, 3-inch LED cube lights, a bobbed front bumper, and a Rockhard 4×4 rear bumper with a tire carrier. Underneath, a full array of skid plates helps keep rocks and other trail hazards away from the vulnerable pieces.
Inside, PRP front seats and five-point harnesses keep occupants planted when the trail gets rowdy.
Not The Weak Link
When we met Jeremiah at the 2026 Summer 4-Wheel Jamboree, he told us that as a kid, he was an avid reader of off-road magazines. This fueled his desire to head out West and experience the incredible places he saw on those pages. Today, he finally has the Grand Cherokee to make it happen. “Now I have a rig to do so and not be a weak link in a group.”
As for his favorite place to wheel, Jeremiah’s answer perfectly sums up his mindset: “Wherever I haven’t been. I’m a wheeler and I’m also an overlander. I never stop exploring.”
Photos by Jeremiah and Laura Brown, Steven Schmit, and Ken Brubaker
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