XJ rebuild

Hi Guys

Im new in here but ive been reading your forum from a few weeks ago, Im from Chile and I would like to build a 4x4:

I have been searching wich is the jeep i need and the XJ is the right one!

The "money" factor is the most important so Im in search of a wrecked one, and I have a very good deal on this one:

engine : 4,0
transfer : auto
miles : 100.000
year : 1990
doors : 2









My project is to make a trail rig, so the beauty of the jeep is not that important, also I would like "35 so the axles must be changed, and I think is better to cut instead of lifting that much.

So... what do you think?, ¿is it posible to repair (for my porpuse) this jeep? ¿it worst? ¿is it a HUGE problem to repair a monoblock?

Thanks, and sorry about grammar and spelling mystakes.

anything can be done....with time and $$$

doesn't look like it's in THAT bad of condition, but you may want to see if the unibody is torqued. if it is, find a new jeep as it will be a major headache to get straightened out.

you're on the right path though. I suggest massive cutting, ~4.5"-5.5" lift, 35x12.50's on 15x8's and at least d44's (preferably 60's or a 9" rear)

also...since the hatch is junked, half the glass is missing, and you want a "trail rig" anyway, I say chop the top off, weld in a nice cage to keep the structural integrity going and do a true custom XJ.

good luck and good wheelin

---gabriel

Caita --

Welcome. We have a man in Chile -- "Mike from Chile." He lives in Santiago, where are you? Perhaps you should contact him.

That XJ appears to be damaged everywhere. The important issue is to find out how severely the unibody (monocoque) is damaged. It is possible to make a unibody straight, but it requires specialized equipment and much skill.

However, if you seek to build a trail rig, maybe it is not so much of a problem, because you can install a roll cage for safety which will also brace the unibody and keep it straight.

I will say, however, that even for a trail rig that one appears to require a lot of work. Is it the only XJ you could find? I was in Chile (Santiago) earlier this year and I saw many Cherokees -- but perhaps they are all near Santiago and you are in a different part of the country.

Thanks!!

Im evaluating the real aspect of the unibody, this is suposed to be a project to have a good time and try to avoid headaches, so I prefer continue the search instead of buying problems.
My plan is to install a dana44 front (with arb) and a GM12 rear (with spool), and if I have the money some 35x14.5 boggers (here in chile are very expensive near U$500 each).
I dont want to chop the top off because of the weather here in Chile, I do wheeling in very heavy rainy areas and is very cold so the jeep must have a hard top.
Also, one of the first steps in this proyect is to install a full roll cage inside, ive been reading about stiffen the unibody and its seem to be a "must do" in XJ's.

Actually I live in Santiago, but I do most of the Wheeling in the South of Chile, in santiago are plenty of XJ's for sale but this is really cheap, and I prefer to waste money in equipment instead of the jeep itself.

By the way ¿what means "hatch"?

thanks again, I will keep you in touch with this project

caita said:

Thanks!!

By the way ¿what means "hatch"?

thanks again, I will keep you in touch with this project

Click to expand...

hatch:

the large broken fiberglas door on the back of the XJ in the picture you showed us.

It may just be me, but the way the front drivers side fender matches the door, it looks toasted as far as a straight body. Or the hinges are ripped out and the doors will have to come off.

Heres another one, what do you think about this one???

is it to damaged? any of you guys have experience repairing one similar to this one?












Thanks Again...

Things to look out for......

Buckled roof. Doors not closeing. These are all sighnes of a torqued Uni-Body. ANd Dana 44 axles front and rear! The export XJ's did have that available. Other things to remember. If the fender is dented bad like the blue one that is outside, I'd bet the unibody under the fender is bent too. I would not even consider a wrecked unibody.

The roof (in the blue one) is in very good condition and the doors close quite good as well, the unibody under the fender (right) is in very bad shape, the right coil isnt paralel to left one anymore...
Perhaps in another countrys are XJ with D44 Front and Rear but here in chile aren´t. here you can find the same as you some 87-89 (i think so) with the tow package that came with the D44 only in the rear.

I was thinking about doing a subframe for the front made of tube, so I can fit "35 and probably "37 without caring about cutting too much. So it isnt that much a problem that the fender is too bend.

The main problem, I think, is that with the lateral impact, the front part has lost it center if you compared to the rest of the of the jeep ¿do I explain myself? (its a little bit hard for me explaining this stuff). So I probably never get the XJ in good sape for a proper suspension for example.

The fact that Im considering a wrecked unibody is that they cost about a 2/5 of an non wrecked of the same year, and here the price of hand made job is very cheap compared to you, so I can fixed (if it is possible) with little money.

To me they both look too damaged to repair, the new hatch, windows etc would be very expensive to replace or repair. I don't know about there but here you can get a complete in tact cherokee for around $700. It just looks to me like a lot of work to straighten those ones out.

Also, no 44's are offered for fronts on cherokees. I wish.

Looking at the blue one you would have to replace
rear hatch
hood
radiator
windows
probably some control arm mounts.

Once you went through all that work you'd be in as much as finding a complete one.

Actually Crimson you are incorrect.....

some export XJ's did have a front D44. It is rarer than the rear! There was even a company selling the front surplus axles too but I do not remember who. I'm sure someone here will confirm it. Eagle maybe?

Oh and it was more like the Rubi front...

If I remember right.