Help me $H!T or get off the pot w/ the XJ

As it stands, I've got the XJ on 2.5" lift w/ WJ front brakes (XJ steering), ZJ rear disc, 4.0 / AW4 / 231 / 8.25. 3.55 gears, 235/75/15 tires. Some other junk modified too. Had the XJ for 7 years, have off & on listed it for sale for at least a couple years.
Here's what I don't like about it:
It's kind of small inside.
the steering is chronically a little vague
The back seat is piss-poor seating for adults and has no headrests.
It is under powered for the terrain I live in.
It wags it's tail sometimes when cornering, especially from a stop sign.
Noisy - almost incurably - there is always something making noise or needing attention.
Also, and this is kind of a repeat: I am always fixing or modifying something to get it "correct". Wife and I just had a kid and I don't have as much time to screw with it as I used to so while this used to be an annoyance, it's now more so.

What I do like:
The brakes are now quite good.
It's compact enough to fit places a larger vehicle would have trouble.
It's paid off.

So do I sell the Jeep and get a Tahoe or Trailblazer (or whatever else)
OR
Pay a shop to re-gear to 4.10
put in a stiffer rear sway bar to help with handling
shackle relocator to help with ride quality
buy a roof top basket / box (or small trailer) for longer trips
replace some front steering linkage to help tighten up the steering
and just accept that there will always be little nits to pick and dollars to spend on the XJ - doing less of the work myself as I'm now a family man (no time)

Any / all input is welcome. I've been spinning tires in my head for a while now... need some external inputs.

Depends on whether you want to give up serious wheeling or not, and whether you want to pay insurance and registration on a second vehicle. My XJ is a spare vehicle for me, just for occasional weekend use. I find it easy to enjoy this way, since the minor driveability things aren't really on my radar very often, and I can fix/upgrade as time allows.
If you can swing it, get a car for DD/family duty, and keep the XJ for fun.

if the overall condition of the rig is good and you have the space to let it sit for a while. i say do not sell it, unless it is a matter of saving the mortgage or feeding the little one. that the priorities take on a different face. otherwise it will be cheaper to let it sit for a while than to sell it and one day build another one starting over.

I recently dealt with this. Kept the XJ going for about a year, then bought a new truck. Now I have a project rig that I can drive around town.

I'm in the same boat as well. For now I'm staying in my holding pattern of using it as required, keeping up on maintenance and finishing the few loose ends remaining.

It's not worth anything to sell it (what's a few grand?) so I figure just run it till it's all used up or a tree falls on it or something.

I may rethink when we do another big road trip but for now it's not hurting anything. I enjoy driving it, it's got that "fun to drive factor" so it does get used. Do the WJ steering and you'll likely feel better about it as it sits. WJ steering and brakes were the most rewarding mods I ever did to my Jeep.

Noise and creature comforts are the next thing I'd like to tackle but it's hard to make the time for it these days.

It's definitately a hobby vehicle at this point.

FWIW: 265/75-16, 4.56 gears, over-built stockish axles, ~4.5" long arm lift.

Stop your beetching. An Xj is an XJ. you just cant have everything in one vehicle. it sounds like you want a ZJ or a WJ maybe from your descriptions.

An XJ is a certain kind of lady. She's not for everyone. If you don't like the cons, then dump her. I love my XJ and just fix what bothers me.

Small inside:
take the doors off sometimes. its amazing.


Steering is a simple fix. Go with Currie and call it done. Get a good double shear track bar and bracket. those are easy. RE, kevins, JKS, Currie, even use Ruffstuff .

Noisy - almost incurably - there is always something making noise or needing attention.
fix exhaust leaks, then grab some heat/sound mat off amazon, along with a second roll of automotive heat and sound insulation to roll out, and go to town on the entire cab, floors, inside doors, roof, etc.

Back seat for adults, you will need to do some fabrication. Take it on as a project and post up what you did to get more leg/head room. Cut up the floor, move the seat back, etc I think ZJ or WJ back seats have head rests...I rarely have more than 1 adult in the back, so its a non-issue for most folks.


with 235s you should have plenty of power. Hell, I have 37s and complain on the passes, but other than that its OK. Its not a race car.

A second vehicle is great, but it is a substantial expense. Could you consider a small trailer, instead of a roof rack? That way, you don't reduce your fuel economy when not going on a longer trip.

Speaking of economy, 4.10s will certainly give you more perceived power, but I suspect you'll take a hit on highway mileage. On the other hand, it hardly makes sense to swap gearing for any less of a change. I run 4.56 with 33s, can squeak 17mpg out of it with perfect conditions, and Gomer weighs a few million pounds.

My two cents would be for a trailer. I went with the Suburban when our son was young; gas mileage and maintenance (as well as rust) killed it. Yeah, we had tons of room, but then we overpacked.

David Bricker / SYR

A wj is a far nicer family vehicle, loved the wife's for road trips etc. before it became lifted on 35's. The v8 has enough power to keep most drivers happy, rear 4ish link handles great, plenty of room inside. Better mileage than a suburban, not as good as an xj. Great in the snow, and can be budget boosted and run jk rubicon take offs for dirt cheap. Very capable of road in that trim.

I have a pt cruiser for a DD. I like having two vehicles because chances are at least one will get me where I want to go. I have too much invested in my XJ (not just money) to let it go for a couple grand as someone else said, and I like having a vehicle that is only worth that much for banging around. I suggest if you offroad much keep the cherokee and get another vehicle for a DD, if not you might lean toward the trade-in option.

Making my XJ a weekend toy and relieving it of daily driver duties is my best mod to date.

Re: Re: Help me $H!T or get off the pot w/ the XJ

Lurch said:

Making my XJ a weekend toy and relieving it of daily driver duties is my best mod to date.

Click to expand...

This.

Ya I forgot to mention mine is wheeling only and the occasional home depot run, or parts pick up, or just for fun around town. A 2000$ 1999 Honda Accord fixed a ton of issues with the XJ - best mod to my XJ to date . most folks are right, you wont get crap fro the XJ, ideally you could keep it around as a backup car and weekend warrior, and then get something else . Save money on the side and stop putting money into the XJ starting now. get a good deal on used whatever you want on craigslist. There you go. Drive the XJ in the meantime.

Yep, get another car and you can make your old beat up XJ last a long time even as you keep on bangin' on it on the weekends or on that once a year camping trip to Utah.

I really appreciate the input.
I've already got a 2nd car - it's a 1957 Chevy 1/2 ton. So unless I'm getting a third car to DD, I need a family 4x4 that I don't mind driving. Note: I'm not getting a third car, or losing the pickup. So.
I'm giving it the weekend to decide: spend ~500 & a couple days work on quieting down & tightening up the XJ OR sell it and spend 6K on a good V8 WJ (then leave it bone. effing. stock), which is pretty much what I've been trying to turn the XJ into lately.
Either way, I'll get a small trailer to pull for longer trips. Full size is too big / too expensive all around.

Get some quality shocks for it, fix the steering and get it regeared.

Or sell it to someone who will.

Sounds like you're going to sell and replace.

No amount of fixing up will make it larger.

When I bought my 01 XJ about 10 years it came with BFG A/T 235/75 R15's. Sometimes I wish it had more power for passing on the 2-lane highways or I-70 Eastbound over Vail Pass (7% grade for miles, tops out at 10,000 ft) but otherwise its fine.

I've kept it stock and this summer refreshed the suspension using Dorman 929-301 springs. I've had Monroe SensaTrac's on it for years. Its nice and tight on the highway.

The dash vibrates and rattles some but it doesn't bother me all that much.

In the next 2 weeks I'll have to redo the ball joints because they seem to have died after just 27,000 miles. In the spring I'll likely replace the mini-cats and oil pan gasket.

It has 324,000 miles.

I've liked my 01 XJ so much I went out and bought a 97 XJ that I put a 2-2.5" OME lift on. With the lift its not nearly as tight on highway but its just fine and should be better off road.

Lots of people change around their vehicles when they have a baby.

But I think your 57 Chevy is more of a once in a while vehicle that I wouldn't even consider a car. Its more like a family heir loom. And you may benefit from having a second vehicle. Unless you don't have any place to put it, you might want to hang on to it for a while and see how you feel in 3, 6, or 12 months.

You can't drive the truck to home depot?

I don't think it is that kind of a truck... More a show toy.

I think you should get a real daily driver friendly car, minivan even and keep the XJ. But don't mind me... At any given time I have four or more cars on the go between me and my wife.

I used to have a show car, and a daily driver truck. I sold both of them on got an XJ for many reasons. It was the best of both worlds. I could dump money into it, fiddle around, make it nice, enjoy driving it every day (my old show car just sat in the garage - it never got any use!) and its plenty big enough to put my family of 4 in there. I installed headrests in the back seats, soon to be ZJ back seats. Plus, I love having a 4wd for the snow. I love my XJ, and I've put a lot of work into it making it behave well. JKS quick disconnects, Curt class 3 hitch, Bilsteins, new ZJ/Moog front end parts, Rubicon Express track bar etc etc all went a long way giving is some manners on the road.

I have 2 kids, 6 and 7yrs old.. let me tell you this, I never once regret going down to one car. I'm not spending my weekends in the garage feeling guilty or laboring over something that should be 'fun' or some maintenance I had to do on either one of the cars. I get to spend more time with them and don't feel overwhelmed in the garage.

The XJ was the best fit for my needs. We do have a Toyota mini van for luxury so the XJ is not trying to be something it isnt. Its a daily driver/toy/utility vehicle that I can actually enjoy every day. I bought a rack for the hitch instead of a roof rack or trailer and that has worked out well also.

My advice, pick a vehicle that will do everything you want and focus on that. Or just throw your hands up in the air, sell it all and buy a Corolla. Which I thought about doing many times. LOL. It sounds like you are nitpicking your XJ and/or tired of it. I can understand that. But at least you know what you have in it. If you want to WJ, get a WJ, but good luck NOT messing it. I never get a car with the idea that I'm going to leave it stock - that just isn't me.

Having a family and a hobby is challenging.. its tough because 1 kid turns into 2. You never get anymore time. Get your affairs in the garage to a manageable place so you can enjoy both. That's my 02.