Newbie intro and XJ Q's

Hi Gang!
I posted this in some of the Chapter forums as well, I didn't see a "intro/announcement" area so I wasn't sure where to put it:roll: Mods - please move it if you think it's what to do...

My friend from another forum Aroncull introduced me to this great community and resource, thanks buddy:yelclap:

I am a long time mechanic and hot rodder and I'm presently in the market to buy a '97 - '01 XJ. I want to move pretty quickly on the purchase so I've got a bit of study to do so I know what to get:read:.
I'm looking to use the XJ as my daily driver. I'm a wanderer,with no permanent home, travelling wherever the spirit moves me.
The truck will see a lot of hi-way use and must be rock solid dependable.
I do want to have real off road ability too, so I'm thinking mild lift/suspension work and such - as much as I can do w/o sacrificing too much over the road drivability and fuel economy.
I have many questions about everything from "is the five speed as durable as the auto for off road use?" To "is the cruise control an easy retrofit on to a non CC truck?"

I need to know how to spot the best rear diff - 8.25 I think, would be fine?
Links to buyers guide type post and other helpful stuff would be much appreciated:exclamati

Thanks in advance for all the help and info I'm sure I'll find here:exclamati

Rich

I looked at a lot of Cherokee's a year ago before I bought mine, and I've bought a fair amount of used cars in my life. Personally, I'd look for something stock that hadn't been messed with. Weak spots in XJ seem to be HVAC related. Blend doors (temperature) break, evaporators and heater cores go bad. These repairs require pulling the dash although there is an ebay kit to fix the blend door without ulling the dash. Mine has a sunroof, which didn't work right anymore and leaked and no parts (aftermarket sunroof), so I'd steer away from those. Other than that, just make sure everything works and remember that everything you need to fix will be twice as difficult as you think. Everything you change to make it look cooler for "off-road" will cost you in fuel mileage. I've put on aftermarket cruise contols - easy! Stock is pretty good off-road too. Only thing I'm considering is positraction in the front.

I'm sure a lot of the experts will fill you in on more of the XJ fine points. I like mine and consider it to be dependable and cheap to maintain.

'99 is the absolute best year. '00 and '01 have low-pinion front axle and the heads are prone to cracking. Any '97-'99 is good but '99 is the best.

Cherokees have the same kind of random problems that every other car does (too hot, too cold, etc). They also have a lot of potential for oil leaks. They are pretty simple to work on though, and they will run for 300k miles no problem.

The only two rear axle options are 8.25 and D35, if it has ABS it has the D35 so you can scratch those off the list right away.

The weakest link on the XJ is probably the wiring... electrical gremlins are behind lots and lots of problems. The vintage you are looking at is not as bad, but as I can tell you from experience with my 97, they are still a big bug. Keep an eye out for rusted rockers and floor pans, and don't get anything that is already lifted since there are plenty stock XJs available, and you know ahead of time they have not been molested.

Thanks Guys!

Auto or five speed? I prefer the manual, but if the auto is a better set up I'd live with it...

I've heard the AW4 (auto) is a stronger tranny than the manual. I could be wrong though.

here's a link to axle ID, you can click the pics to enlarge. You'll want the 8.25 rear, not the D35.
http://www.yuccaman.com/jeep/gear1.html

saburai said:

Thanks Guys!

Auto or five speed? I prefer the manual, but if the auto is a better set up I'd live with it...

Click to expand...

Never driven a manual XJ, but the AW4s are known for being bulletproof, so no matter which you prefer, you would be safe and happy with the Auto as long as it's in one piece when you get it, and the PO hasn't done something silly like running it dry.

The best piece of advice about the AW4 is to add a tranny cooler. Apparently the biggest killer of the tranny is heat.

bigalpha said:

The best piece of advice about the AW4 is to add a tranny cooler. Apparently the biggest killer of the tranny is heat.

Click to expand...

Probably only needed with heavy trail use though... The stock rad does a good job...

Or if you tow frequently. Wouldn't hurt to have one installed if you add more weight to your rig ... bigger axles/tires/tools/bumpers/sliders.

The AW4 is pretty burly. Built as a colabo b/w Aisin and Borg-Warner. Rides in Supras as the A340 or A341E, not sure if the AW4 designation was a Supra piece or not.

They are very similar and share most parts, but not exactly the same as the ones in the 'yotas...

Manual vs. Auto? PM IXNAYXJ. He might have more input.

How about a two door?

Both my current XJ's, a 95 with 262K miles, and a 99 with 220K, are five speeds. Trannies and clutches both trouble-free. Obviously I like them, but I also don't do off-roading more serious than an unlifted XJ can handle, with occasional knocks and scrapes. The Automatics are indeed pretty bulletproof (I've had one of them too, and my daughter has another - both well over 200K miles with zero trans problems), so it's largely a matter of taste. One thing to remember, though, is that the final drive ratio of the manuals is very tall, making it almost mandatory to use low range off road if you run stock gearing. If you're crawling, you might well find the automatic preferable.

How much money do you want to sink into making it off-road capable? IMHO, most people start looking at too many pictures online and decide (far too quickly) that they need a skyscraper lift and massive tractor tires to go have fun playing offroad. It's important to be realistic with just how much off-roading, and the type, you plan to do.

Most people just want to get out to that hard-to-reach lake they havn't been to since they went there with dad years ago, and a small lift with 31" tires will take you there and beyond without worrying about breaking too many parts.

To keep a good balance between cost, daily driveability and offroad prowess I would do a 2.5" lift using V8 grand cherokee coils, a small coil spacer in the front and then replace the rear leafs with some aftermarkets, or rebuild the leaf pack using a mix of XJ leafs and just about any other junkyard pieces that meet the criteria (2.5" width). Spend the money you saved on the lift on a set of the best quality shocks you can afford and you should be happy on-road as well as offroad. A 2.5" lift with a tad of fender trimming or proper bumpstopping will allow you to run 30" or 31" tires without too many other modifications, and with a few mods (exhaust, intake etc) you probably won't notice much difference in driveability between a stocker. Get into bigger lifts and you'll be replacing more components (driveshafts, steering, brakelines etc). Get into bigger tires and you'll be regearing or accelerating wear on front end components quickly.

You mentioned that you plan on alot of highway driving between wanderings (I live the same lifestyle...). If you live in the pancake flat plains and only make 2 turns on a 100 mile commute, you probably won't notice much change in driving a lifted rig, but try driving that same beast on uneven road surfaces with a ton of twists and turns and you'll be cursing the slow speeds you have to take the corners at.
My DD is fine on-road and meets my off-road needs pretty well, but whenever I do long (500 mile) highway trips through the mountains there is no mistaking that I'm driving a lifted Jeep, even if it still has a small lift and small tires. It's frustrating having to slow down into corners a little more than usual...and I'm a naturally slow driver! I can't imagine what it'll be like for you with a history of hot-rodding!!

This ended up being my compromise for a DD. I did the small 2.5" lift I mentioned above, and stuck with LT235 AT's at this point. I plan on upgrading to 31" all terrains at some point when these tires wear out, but for now I can go most places I want, and I don't get stuck in the snow too much. I regularly pull 22 MPG (using US gallons for you americans) on long highway trips through the mountains regardless of how I drive..not too bad for a moderately capable jeep nearly 20 years old! Sure, it's not a head turner but then and again I don't need to attract any unwanted attention from the po-po or anyone else for that matter...it suits my needs perfectly.

Since you're a traveler, the five speed will be better. The aw4 is known to be bulletproof, but also is reputable for only being %70 efficient, add to that the additional weight of it being an auto, and it's not nice on a traveling pocket book.

Avoid anything with anything more than surface rust, try to find a western XJ, they'll be much cleaner.

Look for 96-99 with 8.25 and 4.0. Even a 2.5l would work for you (with better gas mileage). A 2.5 is less likely to have full options, but if you can find one... cool!

more to come, time to eat for christmas eve.