what year xj

Hello everybody! what i need is, what xj years are best for for aftermarket parts? reason im askin is, im getting ready to dump my 2000 frontier 4x4. dont get me wrong , it's a good truck, but the bank wants it more than me. I had a 96 xj 2x, but wasnt 4x. so now im lookin for an xj. just dont know what years to look for. mainly so i can modify it, so a year they make alot of aftermarket parts for. that was kind of a problem with the nissan, they didnt make to much for it. I love gettin muddy and trails. plus i like the xj with the 4.0, married w/ 4yro, so the room is good ! would welcome the help. thanks.

I love my 96. I've heard that a good rule of thumb is to get the latest model you can afford.

Chassis parts and stuff cover the range of XJ's (1984-2001,) although I think you'll find more support from 1987-forward. You see, in 1987, they revised the front clip to accept the inline six, then it stayed for ten years (1987-1996) before being restyled (1987-2001.)

If you're in an emissions-controlled area (sorry, I didn't look...) you might find more support for engine goodies from 1991-up. That being said, there's still more support for OBD-I (1991-1995) and OBD-II (1996-2001) engines than there is for RENIX (1987-1990.)

Also, there was a longer production life for second-gen sheetmetal (1987-1996) than for first-gen (1984-1986) or third-gen (1997-2001.)

If I were going to buy an XJ to modify, I'd probably go with 1991-1995 - that way, I'd get the most common body style (second-gen) and the OBD-I engine (that is, I think, easier to modify.)

Two-door or four-door? Up to you.

Axles and such? Same all the way up.

Oh - as I recall, ChryCo 8.25 rear axles came WITHOUT ABS, and Dana 35's WITH. Of course, you can usually just yank out the ABS anyhow, which I'd prefer to do (but that's just me.)

5-90

97 and later have no vacuum front disconnect and accept the 297x joints.
find one with the NP231 and preferrably the chrysler 8.25 rear end.

on the other hand the 96 and older are much cheaper

Parts are plentiful on all year xj's from 91 and up. I never had any problems getting parts for my '88 either. I prefer 97 and up.

goodburbon said:

97 and later have no vacuum front disconnect and accept the 297x joints.
find one with the NP231 and preferrably the chrysler 8.25 rear end.

on the other hand the 96 and older are much cheaper

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Vacuum disconnect was dropped in '91 or thereabouts.

I prefer the '97 up models for the more modern interior.

thanks for the help guys! but ya kind of lost me on some of the stuff. vacume disconnect? sorry, kind of new to 4x xj been into frontier for awhile. but wish me luck. now just have to find one, i can afford$$

The "vacuum disconnect" front axle had an actuator on the passenger tube (it's really obvious) that ran a sliding coupler to engage the front axle - kinda like lockout hubs. It was present with the NP231, but not with the NP242 transfer cases. It can be overridden or "locked in," even with the NP231 (since that was done later.) It was meant to increase fuel economy - like lockout hubs - and since the transfer case it was used with was later used without it, it's a non-issue.

Quick way to tell which transfer case is in it from the topside - "2WD - 4HI - N - 4LO" is the NP231, "2WD - 4FT - 4PT - N - 4LO" is the NP242. Both are sound cases, maintained properly.

Any automatic you're likely to run across (behind the I6) is going to be the Aisin-Warner AW4, which is a rock solid slushbox. Manual will probably be the Aising AX15 - which isn't a bad 5-speed, and a damn sight better than the BA-10/5 used 1987-1989. Upgrade from either would be best done by a New Venture NV3550, out of a 2000-01 TJ.

Front axle will be a Dana D30, with or without vacuum disco (I don't remember when they deleted that, but 1991 comes to mind.) Rear axle will be either a Dana D35 (w/ABS) or ChryCo 8.25 (w/o ABS) - they're easy to tell apart. If the bottom edge of the cover is fairly flat, it's the ChryCo. Parts and gears are available for both fairly easily, and the Dana D44 or Ford 8.8" - 9" is installable with a little work.

Any other questions?

5-90

If I got another one it'd be a '99, newest you can get before the LP30 and emmisions changes.

dothedew24_7 said:

If I got another one it'd be a '99, newest you can get before the LP30 and emmisions changes.

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What he said.

get a '99 without ABS. best XJ available, in my humble...

dothedew24_7 said:

If I got another one it'd be a '99, newest you can get before the LP30 and emmisions changes.

Click to expand...

X3

My next one will be a '97-'99 AW4 or ax-15 with 242 (I'll mod it to ax-15/242 if they didn't come that way).

dirt714 said:

I prefer 97 and up.

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x2

97-99 for me. best looking, stronger 8.25, slightly enhanced 4.0 engine, quieter interior,

2000's supposedly have some problems, I'd go for another 97 if I had the chance.

I own both a 2000 and a 97. and have owned a 94.

They changed the exhaust manifold in 2000 to a more reliable design, and I really like the Coil on plugs for their lack of moisture induced problems. if you buy an older one you WILL have to change the exhaust manifold so add that to the cost (unless it already has a header)

and it is slightly faster than my 97 from 60-90 mph. but the 97 is on 33"s

I have a 2001...the only problem I have is OBDII. Ive got a problem...dealerships screw me around with it...costs lots of money...cant pass emmissions without getting it fixed.

thanks for all the info guys! im on a mission!!!!