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Keep it or start over???

X

xratedxj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Reno, Nv
Here's the deal, after just getting back from the Rubicon this past weekend Ive contemplated the idea of selling my xj. I just dont know if its worth it to keep throwing money at it because of the unibody construction. I know that there are ways to beef them up, but most of the people on the site that do these mods are pro fabricators and I just dont have the time. Here's what Ive got:
2000 Classic, 120k 4.0L auto
R.E. 5.5 LA
d30/8.25 locked
35's
bumpers, sliders, winch
and dana 44's and 37's waiting to be installed.
I know that most people on here are baised to their decision because it is a xj site(and i prefer the xj also), but is it worth it for a college student with little income to keep spending money on somthing that will eventually desintegrate. If I buy a new rig it will most likely be a tj.
What would you guys do and if you would keep it what would you do next to strengthen the unibody?
 
Defiintly keep it, the uni body isnt as bad as you make it out to be. Just get some frame stiffener stuff for it from the money you get from selling hte 8.25 and d30. buy some JCR rock rails they will help stiffen it too, its really not that big of a deal. And TJs have problems of their own, you buy one of those get ready to hate driving it unless you love a car as loud as a train, TJ shimmy, and tub rust :)
 
Ship it to me and i'll take good care of your "weak-unibodied" xj but it might just end up folding like a taco anyway!
 
jmop said:
after building one XJ (one tons, doubler, 42's etc...) I wouldn't do again.
Click to expand...

Thats the problem. Everyone that has really "built" an xj said that they would never do it again. I don't want to put on my new parts and regret it.

As for stiffiners and JCR rockRails I can't run them because of the R.E. lift. The lift comes with a super strong crossmember and I have custom rockers that work around the lift.
 
Sure TNT Customs frame stiffeners won't work? I'm debating getting some because they're only 100 bucks. Heck I want the steering box brace too. And I only have 32s. I do feel you on that though, I sure wish I had a full frame under my XJ. The reason I'm growing tired of mine though is because I am starting to like the idea of two doors and a 5 speed, to spice things up. I never use my rear doors, usually my back seat is folded down too. I kinda want an MJ. It's a little different, I would put a facelift on it, change out the interior to a newer style as well, and it would stand out a lot more (although my XJ does anyway, I don't see too many of them around, all TJs).
Either that or I kinda want a two door XJ for some reason. I love the newer body style though. But if I could change it, I'd get an XJ a little more capable than mine. I'm to the point where the Jeep becomes a money pit and I don't have much money. I was kicking around a YJ but I hear the problems with those are even worse.
 
Ill never own a Jeep, espically an XJ again for my off road rig. I learned my lesson... 2 4x8 sheets of 3/16 plate and 2 1 ton axles later...
 
If your income is limited I would suggest...don't swap in 44s and 37s, to start with.

Then I'd get a set of the HD Offroad frame stiffeners and the Tempermental racing frontend plates and the JKS SBS plates.

Eventually do a full cage. Although a fair amount of people that really get into it with CJs/YJs/TJs seem to do a full cage anyway so you'd likely run into that even if you switched platforms.

It's nice to have the wheelbase of an XJ, and room to carry gear.

Edit: I would build another XJ, but I guess mine isn't really "built" so ? There are just a few things I would do differently now.
 
xratedxj said:
Here's the deal, after just getting back from the Rubicon this past weekend Ive contemplated the idea of selling my xj. I just dont know if its worth it to keep throwing money at it because of the unibody construction. I know that there are ways to beef them up, but most of the people on the site that do these mods are pro fabricators and I just dont have the time. Here's what Ive got:
2000 Classic, 120k 4.0L auto
R.E. 5.5 LA
d30/8.25 locked
35's
bumpers, sliders, winch
and dana 44's and 37's waiting to be installed.
I know that most people on here are baised to their decision because it is a xj site(and i prefer the xj also), but is it worth it for a college student with little income to keep spending money on somthing that will eventually desintegrate. If I buy a new rig it will most likely be a tj.
What would you guys do and if you would keep it what would you do next to strengthen the unibody?
Click to expand...

Your jeep is already well built, put on the last few items and enjoy what you have.
redeye202
 
i know im a bit of a newb to xjs but i went through this debate with my tj.... id keep it. if she works how she sits now, then dont worry about the 44s and the 37s. sell those off, put the money towards strengthening and making what you have now more reliable. i bought an xj to start over for a couple reasons- coil front end, extra cargo room, and 4 doors. that and i want to give the cummins a break as my DD.
 
Dont underestimate the XJ, I have a friend on 36s that wheels the hell outta his rig, and he doesnt have frame stiffeners, and he is doing fine, aside from body damage haha
 
Nooo they arent htat bad, dont let this scare you. Just be careful. With any other rig you are going to have problems either way. If you wheel hard enough to break the unibody, then you decide a TJ will be better, i guarantee you wont go long wheeling it to that extreme before you roll it, then your fucked too. Keep the XJ. Sell those axles you dont need them on 35s. wait till you break something
 
The biggest mistake I have made was selling the lift and axles out of my 95 to make my now 97 a street jeep. It never happened and now i have to buy all the lift parts, gears, tires and axles all over again. After 8 months of driving my stocker I cant take it anymore.

Stick with it. Get rid of the 37's idea, strenghten the unibody and call it a done deal.

35's are more than fine.
 
It also depends where and how you wheel. In Ca you have 2 basic choices, big rocks or fast desert. Either one takes its toll on any rig. I know personally my gear box is about to rip out, my leaf springs are wanting to burst through the floor board, my windshield frame 1/2 way broken off, one of my doors hinges ripped off, and my drive line has been through my floor board more than once. This all happened on 35s w/ unibody stiffeners and lots of cross members. For me and my kind of wheeling Ill never go back.
Id assume you wheel somewhat like me since ur talking about 37s and 44s.

A lot of you east coast guys can get away w/ unibodys because your normal terrain isnt quite as harsh as what you fine more regularly here in the west. You all just have to worry about rusting.
 
Kittrell said:
This has nothing to do with an XJ and everything to do with you being in a sport that costs a lot of money when you are making hardly any. Mull that over for a while.
Click to expand...


I agree. Even if you switch to a vehicle with a frame, you then have to purchase said vehicle, buy lift, tires, locker, cage, and other mods so then being a broke college student you would be back at the same place you are now


I would keep the xj, if it breaks permanently then look into parting out your xj and getting a yj, tj or whatever you want
 
Just keep the XJ and leave it alone. Leave it where it is now and done, sell that other crap and you have some cash in your pocket.

Whats wrong with what you have now?

35's are very respectable.
 
99xj4x4 said:
It also depends where and how you wheel. In Ca you have 2 basic choices, big rocks or fast desert. Either one takes its toll on any rig. I know personally my gear box is about to rip out, my leaf springs are wanting to burst through the floor board, my windshield frame 1/2 way broken off, one of my doors hinges ripped off, and my drive line has been through my floor board more than once. This all happened on 35s w/ unibody stiffeners and lots of cross members. For me and my kind of wheeling Ill never go back.
Id assume you wheel somewhat like me since ur talking about 37s and 44s.

A lot of you east coast guys can get away w/ unibodys because your normal terrain isnt quite as harsh as what you fine more regularly here in the west. You all just have to worry about rusting.
Click to expand...

I think that has less to do with bulding an XJ an more to do with how it is used.

Personally I think the body is a disposable item. The real money is tied up in the drivetrain. After a few years of hard use even heavy steel will deform. I figure I can get 2 or 3 years of hard use out of my jeep before it is destroyed and I'll move all the parts to a buggy chassi.
 
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