xj-grin
NAXJA Member #1096
- Location
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
I’ll try not to use the word “feeler” since I don’t think the local forum rules allow it, but I’m not what you would consider “determined” to sell either – to be honest I’m thinking about getting back in an XJ... old habits and all. As some of you recall, I traded my somewhat built 99 XJ for this 99 WJ, stock at the time, a couple of years ago. I have since been slowly building the WJ up, as well as fixing a lot of little defects (lighting, key fobs, wiper issues, electrical gremlins, dirt accumulation, etc...). I'll update with some more pictures tomorrow... Here’s the deal:
1999 WJ Grand Cherokee Limited – loaded with power everything, heated seats, leather, power moonroof, overhead console (temp, compass, fuel efficiency, etc., etc., etc.). It’s cushy, and drives as much like a Cadillac as a lifted 4x4 can. I’ve been DD’ing it for about a year and a half. Factory Infinity audio system with factory amp and 6x9 “subs” in the front doors – I think the small (3.5") dash speakers could use replacing, but it sounds pretty good – 10-disc changer in the cargo area (stock). The PITA heater core was replaced last year with a full copper model that shouldn’t corrode to hell like the stocker did.
4.7L V8 with @ 187k miles on it. I have been watching the oil consumption, and it consumes about a quart every 2000 miles – no black smoke, no spots on the driveway, just an older motor consuming a bit of oil as far as I can tell. It has a slight tick when cold, but I actually believe it to be an exhaust leak – I’m working on tracking it down, and might have that solved before sale. It starts on the third turn of the key (every time), but I am 99% sure this is related to a check valve failure in the fuel pump – since the fuel pump otherwise works fine, I have not elected to fix this just yet. I think of it as just a starting quirk. Otherwise it runs really well.
Drivetrain: Stock 545rfe automatic transmission, but I have had the dealer “flash” it so that it now has a 6th gear, as opposed to its stock 5-speed configuration (starting in 2001 this same transmission was a 6-speed stock, just a computer programming thing). As currently geared, it is at 1800 rpm doing 70, and I average almost 18mpg in mixed usage. I swapped a NP231 t-case into it, as the viscous piece of shit NP247 FT case that it came with was, well, I guess I just described it. The 231 is an XJ case, but with a 6-gear planetary swapped in, and an 32-spline AA SYE. New chain installed when I did the planetary, and it is tight. The t-case will not, with this tranny, shift on the fly as it does in an XJ for some odd reason – tranny has to be in neutral. Custom driveshafts front and rear (Rocky Mountain Driveshaft-built, as I recall – craigslist purchase – shortened to fit locally at Drivetrain Industries in downtown CS). Front is dual-cardan, rear is single but long enough in a WJ that it doesn’t vibrate.
Axles: WJ’s come stock with a LPD30 front and an aluminum D44 rear – that sucks. I’ve swapped in JK axles from a 2008 4dr JK. Front is a HPD30 with 32-spline outers (just replaced a unit bearing on the passenger side), open diff (I have a “Solid” cast diff cover I can include). It was virtually bolt-in, though I fabbed an elevated track-bar bracket, and re-worked the sway-bar mounts a bit – JKS quicker disconnects included. Rear is a JK D44, I believe with the 33-spline shafts unique to Rubicons though I’ve never done the spline counting. It also has the Rubicon factory electric rear locker - though my wiring skills to date have kept it from working... Both axles are geared 3.73, disc brakes all around – I fabbed a cable system for the rear e-brake to function.
Suspension: It has a Clayton long-arm kit on all four corners, with the rear being a triangulated 4-link configuration, front is radius arm similar to what you see on a lot of XJ’s - currently sitting on 4.5" TeraFlex coils on all 4 corners, with a 3/4" spacer in back and a 2" spacer in front (the JK coil perches on the front axle were more than an inch lower than the stock WJ, resulting in some unevenness in the lift...). Anyone who has dealt with Clayton parts, and has the hernias to prove it, knows they are constructed to take some abuse. This system is a 4.5"-8" lift system, and it is currently set pretty close to its minimum lift. If I end up keeping this rig, it will likely get 6" springs and a slight wheelbase stretch with the flexibility left in the arms so as to run 35's... Great suspension system, includes an integrated sub-frame welded to the unibody, so the whole rig is stiffened up significantly. JKS WJ track bar up front as well, and I will include some stiffer bushings (new in box) from Kevin’s Off Road for when the notorious JKS bushings decide to dissolve... SeriousOffroad custom drag-link with 1-ton Chevy TRE’s. Bilstien 5100 series shock's all around...
Currently sitting on 305/70r17 old-style MTR’s with a bit of life left in them – these are a kind-of tweener tire size (34's), but I got them on the cheap, so I have run them for a while with no problems. The rig as it sits is actually set up for 33's (285/75r17), so there is a little bit of rubbing with the oversized rubber despite some minor fender/bumper trimming that I’ve done... 1.25" spidertrax spacers on the front axle help a bit. I have a full-size never-been-on-the-ground MTR spare mounted on a JK Rubicon 17" wheel, as are the rest. I swapped the stock “white” headlights out for some “black” special edition stock models that look less grandma-like (slightly hazed, could use a clean up). It currently also has some aftermarket tail lights that I am not crazy about – stockers are available with it, they’re in a box in my garage... somewhere. 1-year old Optima red-top battery. Thrush turbo muffler - dumps just in front of rear axle... throaty!
Armor: SeriousOffroad SliderZ on it that Frank one-offed for me - they need a coat of paint (maybe I'll hit them this weekend) but as with all of Frank’s work, they’re kick ass. I also have a Kevin’s Off Road t-case skid (uninstalled) sitting in my garage for it (3/16" plate)– it will need some tweaking to work with the Clayton’s crossmember, but it can be done without too much work. I have an (uninstalled) Solid diff cover for the front D30, and the rear D44 has a Riddler cast diff cover installed.
The Bad:
*AC leaks - only holds a charge for a week. I'm trying to track this leak down, and may have it fixed shortly.
Driver’s tail light - has a short I haven’t found, and only comes on once in a while... brake lights and turn signals work fine.
*Speedo stops working in high ambient temperatures – this was a new issue a couple weeks ago. It's likely a ground problem I have yet to locate (speedo is powered off the t-case, but the ECM thinks its coming from anti-lock brakes, as that is where the stock WJ draws its signal – I bypassed all the anti-lock crap when I installed the JK axles)
*need new tires fairly soon
*drag-link needs new axle-side TRE - I should have this fixed this week
*airbag light on (I have a new clock spring in box, needs to be installed)
*rear locker not wired right - see above, I'm not real bright...
*check valve in fuel pump is bad - see above
*exhaust leak -- trying to track it down
*slight leak from front axle pinion seal
So – I’ve looked around at what a similar WJ, to the extent there are some, might be selling for, and came up with a range of $6,500-11,500 in asking prices on craigslist. Some of those folks may in fact be crazy, and I like to think I’m not. I’ll sell to
folk and their friends for $7,500. If I get serious and post it on other forums or craigslist, I’ll be looking for $8,500. I’ll entertain serious offers, but I do have a particular ride that I have my eye on that is motivating me to even consider a sale... PM’s are great if interested!
1999 WJ Grand Cherokee Limited – loaded with power everything, heated seats, leather, power moonroof, overhead console (temp, compass, fuel efficiency, etc., etc., etc.). It’s cushy, and drives as much like a Cadillac as a lifted 4x4 can. I’ve been DD’ing it for about a year and a half. Factory Infinity audio system with factory amp and 6x9 “subs” in the front doors – I think the small (3.5") dash speakers could use replacing, but it sounds pretty good – 10-disc changer in the cargo area (stock). The PITA heater core was replaced last year with a full copper model that shouldn’t corrode to hell like the stocker did.
4.7L V8 with @ 187k miles on it. I have been watching the oil consumption, and it consumes about a quart every 2000 miles – no black smoke, no spots on the driveway, just an older motor consuming a bit of oil as far as I can tell. It has a slight tick when cold, but I actually believe it to be an exhaust leak – I’m working on tracking it down, and might have that solved before sale. It starts on the third turn of the key (every time), but I am 99% sure this is related to a check valve failure in the fuel pump – since the fuel pump otherwise works fine, I have not elected to fix this just yet. I think of it as just a starting quirk. Otherwise it runs really well.
Drivetrain: Stock 545rfe automatic transmission, but I have had the dealer “flash” it so that it now has a 6th gear, as opposed to its stock 5-speed configuration (starting in 2001 this same transmission was a 6-speed stock, just a computer programming thing). As currently geared, it is at 1800 rpm doing 70, and I average almost 18mpg in mixed usage. I swapped a NP231 t-case into it, as the viscous piece of shit NP247 FT case that it came with was, well, I guess I just described it. The 231 is an XJ case, but with a 6-gear planetary swapped in, and an 32-spline AA SYE. New chain installed when I did the planetary, and it is tight. The t-case will not, with this tranny, shift on the fly as it does in an XJ for some odd reason – tranny has to be in neutral. Custom driveshafts front and rear (Rocky Mountain Driveshaft-built, as I recall – craigslist purchase – shortened to fit locally at Drivetrain Industries in downtown CS). Front is dual-cardan, rear is single but long enough in a WJ that it doesn’t vibrate.
Axles: WJ’s come stock with a LPD30 front and an aluminum D44 rear – that sucks. I’ve swapped in JK axles from a 2008 4dr JK. Front is a HPD30 with 32-spline outers (just replaced a unit bearing on the passenger side), open diff (I have a “Solid” cast diff cover I can include). It was virtually bolt-in, though I fabbed an elevated track-bar bracket, and re-worked the sway-bar mounts a bit – JKS quicker disconnects included. Rear is a JK D44, I believe with the 33-spline shafts unique to Rubicons though I’ve never done the spline counting. It also has the Rubicon factory electric rear locker - though my wiring skills to date have kept it from working... Both axles are geared 3.73, disc brakes all around – I fabbed a cable system for the rear e-brake to function.
Suspension: It has a Clayton long-arm kit on all four corners, with the rear being a triangulated 4-link configuration, front is radius arm similar to what you see on a lot of XJ’s - currently sitting on 4.5" TeraFlex coils on all 4 corners, with a 3/4" spacer in back and a 2" spacer in front (the JK coil perches on the front axle were more than an inch lower than the stock WJ, resulting in some unevenness in the lift...). Anyone who has dealt with Clayton parts, and has the hernias to prove it, knows they are constructed to take some abuse. This system is a 4.5"-8" lift system, and it is currently set pretty close to its minimum lift. If I end up keeping this rig, it will likely get 6" springs and a slight wheelbase stretch with the flexibility left in the arms so as to run 35's... Great suspension system, includes an integrated sub-frame welded to the unibody, so the whole rig is stiffened up significantly. JKS WJ track bar up front as well, and I will include some stiffer bushings (new in box) from Kevin’s Off Road for when the notorious JKS bushings decide to dissolve... SeriousOffroad custom drag-link with 1-ton Chevy TRE’s. Bilstien 5100 series shock's all around...
Currently sitting on 305/70r17 old-style MTR’s with a bit of life left in them – these are a kind-of tweener tire size (34's), but I got them on the cheap, so I have run them for a while with no problems. The rig as it sits is actually set up for 33's (285/75r17), so there is a little bit of rubbing with the oversized rubber despite some minor fender/bumper trimming that I’ve done... 1.25" spidertrax spacers on the front axle help a bit. I have a full-size never-been-on-the-ground MTR spare mounted on a JK Rubicon 17" wheel, as are the rest. I swapped the stock “white” headlights out for some “black” special edition stock models that look less grandma-like (slightly hazed, could use a clean up). It currently also has some aftermarket tail lights that I am not crazy about – stockers are available with it, they’re in a box in my garage... somewhere. 1-year old Optima red-top battery. Thrush turbo muffler - dumps just in front of rear axle... throaty!
Armor: SeriousOffroad SliderZ on it that Frank one-offed for me - they need a coat of paint (maybe I'll hit them this weekend) but as with all of Frank’s work, they’re kick ass. I also have a Kevin’s Off Road t-case skid (uninstalled) sitting in my garage for it (3/16" plate)– it will need some tweaking to work with the Clayton’s crossmember, but it can be done without too much work. I have an (uninstalled) Solid diff cover for the front D30, and the rear D44 has a Riddler cast diff cover installed.
The Bad:
*AC leaks - only holds a charge for a week. I'm trying to track this leak down, and may have it fixed shortly.
Driver’s tail light - has a short I haven’t found, and only comes on once in a while... brake lights and turn signals work fine.
*Speedo stops working in high ambient temperatures – this was a new issue a couple weeks ago. It's likely a ground problem I have yet to locate (speedo is powered off the t-case, but the ECM thinks its coming from anti-lock brakes, as that is where the stock WJ draws its signal – I bypassed all the anti-lock crap when I installed the JK axles)
*need new tires fairly soon
*drag-link needs new axle-side TRE - I should have this fixed this week
*airbag light on (I have a new clock spring in box, needs to be installed)
*rear locker not wired right - see above, I'm not real bright...
*check valve in fuel pump is bad - see above
*exhaust leak -- trying to track it down
*slight leak from front axle pinion seal
So – I’ve looked around at what a similar WJ, to the extent there are some, might be selling for, and came up with a range of $6,500-11,500 in asking prices on craigslist. Some of those folks may in fact be crazy, and I like to think I’m not. I’ll sell to
folk and their friends for $7,500. If I get serious and post it on other forums or craigslist, I’ll be looking for $8,500. I’ll entertain serious offers, but I do have a particular ride that I have my eye on that is motivating me to even consider a sale... PM’s are great if interested!
