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First XJ

Burt Gummer

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Maine
Just bought my first Cherokee, a '99 Sport with 177k. Looks to be in pretty good condition overall, especially for Maine. But the last time I turned a wrench I was just a kid, 40 years ago. I don't know Jeeps. Hell, I don't know anything any more. This is going to be my hunting/fishing vehicle, not a rock crawler. I want to be able to get there and back again reliably on pavement and dirt. I don't plan serious off-roading. Where do I start? What are the priority issues I should be looking for/at?
I am thinking I would like to get the spare out of the back, but the price of a rear bumper-swing carrier seems excessive. A front-mount winch would seem to be a better investment. Thoughts?
 
I've found that a bone-stock Cherokee is pretty much already there in terms of capability. If you are basically going on forest trails and class 4 roads and the like, you don't need much additional. You might look at getting a slight oversize on your tires, depending on what you already have, and at taking any age-related slump out of your rear springs with an added leaf, or other mini-lifting technique.

I am way out of the loop on serious off-roading, but I take my 99 stocker into some pretty nasty spots on occasion, and have happily noted the signs of lost traction, breakage, scraping and damage on trails I've simply walked through in low range. That may have something to do with knowing where to put it. I began my driving career with a Peugeot 403 which I blithely drove through the woods, rocks, mud, over logs, and just about anywhere there wasn't a stone wall. I only got stuck once. Had to call my dad with his Jeep when I went frame deep into the mud.

Proper tow points would be my very first priority. If you're unfamiliar with the XJ's structure, you should know that the unibody/frame is not very stout without some reinforcement, and that Jeep dropped the ball by not equipping every XJ with tow hooks at the factory. You need reinforced tow hook brackets on the front to insure that you don't tear the front end apart. For the rear, also reinforcements unless you have a trailer hitch already. In that case, the easiest solution is a receiver mounted tow ring.

I'd love to have a good winch. There have been a few times I've turned back, especially where mud and soft ground are encountered, when I think I'd have been fine if I'd had a winch for insurance.
 
Thinking the 'new' XJ "Looks to be in pretty good condition overall" is one thing.., but I'd go for a second opinion, i.e., up on a rack, and checked by a good mechanic. Get fixed what needs to be fixed. Funny thing about being miles away from 'civilization' fishing, hunting, exploring, and etc., and then you have a mechanical, or electrical problem that could've been found back in civilization, lol. Well, not too funny when you are stuck, and have to walk for miles just to get your cell phone to interface with a node. Besides, big foot, a bear, or some zombies could 'getcha.

Found it difficult, well near impossible to find a good working OEM tire carrier for my '89, and have no idea if the OEM made one for the '99, or not. So.., I am willing to bite the bullet when it comes to pulling out my fiat currency in order to pay the relatively high price for a substantial rear steel bumper, with a tire carrier. There are a couple of models out there that have the tire mounted directly behind the driver allowing driver to use side mirror, rear mirror, and be able to look out the passenger side rear quarter panel window, and partially out the rear window as well. Why other companies, including top branding ones, have the tire blocking the starboard aft window is almost beyond me other than the thinking of balancing out the weight.., but that's just nuts! You could think about placing the tire up on the roof.

Additionally, if you are thinking about a front winch consider the weight of that system. Without a similar rear weight combining a bumper, carrier, and tire.., your front end will get a California Rake, i.e., front lower than rear by perhaps as much as an inch or two. A Warn M8000 winch tips in at around 80 pounds, I believe, and add that to whatever front bumper weight is to be employed. Me, I drive DD, and side roads, trails, etc., and often do not know what to expect around the next corner, stream crossing, etc. So.., with an installed ARB, (arbusa.com), bull bar winch bumper, (which only allows the Warn M8000 winch), the total weight, (my figures are off), is around 225-250 pounds. Additional installations included frontal Old Man Emu, (OME), coils, and leaf packs, including OME nitrocharger shocks. A better track bar, and a steering box brace, along with JKS sway-bar disconnects allow for better articulation in slower-going bad spots, (also the elimination of the rear sway-bar is paramount to better wheeling off-road, and one is hard pressed to find it of any use as a DD). Got some of the above parts at Kevinsoffroad.com in order to cure some death wobble issues. Hooray!

A typical rear aftermarket steel bumper with a tire carrier will be approx: 135 pounds, plus tire weight. A tubeular model will be a bit less. I'd go for the former, rather than the latter if you go for a heavy front bumper with winch..; if you think that you need extra frontal protection, i.e., rear-ending another vehicle, big animal jumping out in front of you, or some crazy zombies wandering around on the road. IF you go for a simpler front steel aftermarket bumper to mount a winch, than the tubeular rear bumber would probably be sufficient to 'balance' out the front. Of course, a lot of that depends on how good your '99's suspension is in. Me, I'm 64 and do not want to hassle with the vehicle far from my place with just a simple tool kit.., kicking myself in the ass for having not thorougly checked out the XJ, and replaced, beefed up whatever will actually get me 'there', and back again. I agree with M.Currie's point about obtaining front hooks with the reinforcements.., about $75 bucks. Safety first. With the addition of the ARB 'roo bumper, the one year old front hooks came off, as there are 'D'ring tabs on the ARB.

You have a '99 model, which often wins the contest for being about the best of the XJ series. 'Wanna trade, lol!

BTW: If you go to steetsideauto.com, they still might get in on a Warn M8000 for around $560.00, saving you hundreds,(Warn apparently had a sales promotion in order to compete with a rash of cheap chinese clones hitting the market). If you read the following: http://www.moabjeeper.com/articles/general/listing.cfm?articleID=353 you'll get better grounded. Besides the fact that my new front bumper had been designed to receive the W-M8000, I happily therfore, went with Warn, (not the model in the test), because of their general reliability, reputation, parts, and service.., but mostly--because they are Made in the U.S.A. If you need to pull/swing away a tree out of the way in/out of your fishing/hunting site(s), then a good winch will be helpful, (If you forgot your chainsaw), and of course to get yourself unstuck. Happy Trails.
 
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