Keep it or start over???

[xratedxj]

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.

In my mind dana 44's are making my rig more reliable. And as far as strengthening the unibody, like I mentioned before I have one of the beefiest production crossmembers and sliders that run the full length of the "frame rails". If I decide to keep it the next mod after the axles will be an internal cage to try and strengthen the unibody. I plan to upgrading my rig, no matter what it is, so keeping it the way it is wasn't the piont of this thread.

It just makes me wonder if its worth spending money on the cherokee when after everytime I get back from wheeling the body has more creeks and rattles and the sheetmetal surrounding the rear glass gets even more bent out of shape.

And as far as giving it up wheeling alltogether thats not going to happen just because I dont have a 100k+ carrer. Thats good advice to all the young people trying to get involved in the sport though:yelclap:

 

[shmoken875]

In my mind dana 44's are making my rig more reliable. And as far as strengthening the unibody, like I mentioned before I have one of the beefiest production crossmembers and sliders that run the full length of the "frame rails". If I decide to keep it the next mod after the axles will be an internal cage to try and strengthen the unibody. I plan to upgrading my rig, no matter what it is, so keeping it the way it is wasn't the piont of this thread.

It just makes me wonder if its worth spending money on the cherokee when after everytime I get back from wheeling the body has more creeks and rattles and the sheetmetal surrounding the rear glass gets even more bent out of shape.

And as far as giving it up wheeling alltogether thats not going to happen just because I dont have a 100k+ carrer. Thats good advice to all the young people trying to get involved in the sport though:yelclap:

College student with those thoughts here too, I'm DDing a 98 with 6", locked 44 and 8.25 on 35s. Had some thoughts when I found two visible "frame" cracks and my windshield cracked when I pulled a u-turn two years ago lol. I put in a cage last spring and would like to do all kinds of frame stiffening/cage tie-ins this winter or next summer (as money allows). I kinda agree with the guy that said most of the money is wrapped up in the drivetrain. I just plan on wheeling it till it completely craps out on me and swap it all over to something else.

Some kid said to me "hey I just got an xj and I'd like to build it like yours, where should I start?" I replied "sell it". I figured hey I'm this far I'll just stick with it, 'till it cant take it anymore. I see your point of view, but look at the guys that responded, yea they wouldn't do it again BUT they did it. Starting new is expensive and time consuming, do it when you HAVE to.

 

[RCman]

damn this thread is making me rethink the re 5.5 la that i just ordered. are xj's really that bad frame wise?

No.

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.

Eh, I wouldn't say that, but then again I've never been out west.

.....but is it worth it for a college student with little income to keep spending money on somthing that will eventually desintegrate.

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.

X3.

college student with little income

Learn to drink less beer on Friday/Saturday nights and you'll get a lot more done on your XJ (or any project for that matter) than you imagined. It'll do two things, more money,and more time when you can get up early on the weekend mornings and grabs the tools rather than the advil.
You'll be amazed at what you can get done on a very limited budget. I was and still am!

 

[jpcherokeekid]

You should keep it as you will just piss away the same amount of money building another rig. Ditch the 37's you dont need them. ive gone everywhere on my 33's that the people i wheel with do on there 35's. huge tires are for people who need to learn how to drive.

 

[RCman]

You should keep it as you will just piss away the same amount of money building another rig. Ditch the 37's you dont need them.

Agreed. Stay small while you can. It's cheaper and you can wheel more. I almost wish I was gonna be on 33s.

huge tires are for people who need to learn how to drive.

I wouldn't say that

 

[xratedxj]

huge tires are for people who need to learn how to drive.

Obviously you have never wheeled on any popular trails. Everyone around here is running 37"+ tires that create huge holes in the trails and make for neat body damage.

 

[RCman]

Obviously you have never wheeled on any popular trails. Everyone around here is running 37"+ tires that create huge holes in the trails and make for neat body damage.

Sounds like you need to tell people to Tread Lightly!

 

[cherokee chuck]

:explosionAll rigs break if you wheel them hard, frame or not. I had an 80 blazer with 6" of lift 3/4 ton running gear & 38.5 mudders & the frame broke at the steering box, just like XJs do. The frame on my 85 F-150 is way tweaked. If you like your XJ, wheel it. We have a hobby that's hard on parts, that's just the way it is. My point is no matter what you wheel, you'll eventually get to the point where something breaks, unibody or not.

 

[Phil]

Obviously you have never wheeled on any popular trails. Everyone around here is running 37"+ tires that create huge holes in the trails and make for neat body damage.

Cool, where are those? Anything harder than Rubicon or Fordyce? Because I've run those on 35s. Oh, to be fair, I haven't run Little Sluice.

Anyone who tells you that you need 37s to run in the Sierras is lying to you.

 

[C85D4x4]

College student with those thoughts here too, I'm DDing a 98 with 6", locked 44 and 8.25 on 35s. Had some thoughts when I found two visible "frame" cracks and my windshield cracked when I pulled a u-turn two years ago lol. I put in a cage last spring and would like to do all kinds of frame stiffening/cage tie-ins this winter or next summer (as money allows). I kinda agree with the guy that said most of the money is wrapped up in the drivetrain. I just plan on wheeling it till it completely craps out on me and swap it all over to something else.

Some kid said to me "hey I just got an xj and I'd like to build it like yours, where should I start?" I replied "sell it". I figured hey I'm this far I'll just stick with it, 'till it cant take it anymore. I see your point of view, but look at the guys that responded, yea they wouldn't do it again BUT they did it. Starting new is expensive and time consuming, do it when you HAVE to.

I would just like to see some pictures of these visible "frame" cracks you have and the frame condition around them. Also the condition of the rest of you vehicle. And just dont tell me that its fine.....I want to see it.

I know and have seen many people beat the living hell out of there XJs with no problems, and have yet to see one fold like a taco.

 

[codyyy]

The whole XJ thing is still baffling me. Right now I'm in the process of making a steering box brace out of 1x4" steel, and I'm only at 32s. With these XJs I personally wouldn't think to go higher than 33s (maybe 35s if my pockets are deep enough) because it's just so much breakage or so much money to bulletproof it, which is what I get OCD about. I mean heck I want to plate my entire unibody with 3/16"-1x4" steel plate if I could, but I know I'll never do that because I'll never be in the situation to do it. I'd have to go long arms, better axles, regear, tires, rims, crossmembers, steering upgrades, roll cage... I could build a much better rig for cheaper if I bought something older and more capable from the get-go. I just want to be kinda different. I don't see too many lifted XJs around as far as lifted Jeeps go, I think because of the whole unibody thing. That and everyone wants to go topless.
It depends on what you want to wheel. Personally, I like my Jeep to take me anywhere. I don't care about rock crawling, I'd leave that to buggies and way built up TJs. I'd leave mudding to the full size pickups. I'd leave that desert racing stuff to the tubed F-150s and Rangers and Toys. I say all this because that's just about all I see in those terrains. Those rigs must be good for something if I see tons of them doing what they do. I do see XJs going rock crawling from time to time but I more or less just see them on the trails. I love taking my XJ out on the trails, just going off road and seeing all the sights. But this is all my opinion, take it with what you will.
Again, I just want to be different just a tad. I'm trying to figure out another rig I'd like that is a Jeep. A full size Cherokee would be cool, but I want something more recent for a DD. I was thinking a Comanche would be good. Or even an AMC Eagle Wagon since the 4x4 is there. But I keep feeling like I'm missing a rig here that would be awesome as a DD/trail rig and still stick out just a little.

 

[XJ_ranger]

I'd have to go long arms, better axles, regear, tires, rims, crossmembers, steering upgrades, roll cage... I could build a much better rig for cheaper if I bought something older and more capable from the get-go.

how?

unless you buy a fool size, you'll never get one ton, or even 1/2 ton drivetrain... and then what you make up in axle strength will be taken from you in the fact that you're wheeling a Full Size truck! and you'll still need alloy shafts and lockers, and diff guards...

you'll have to re-gear any axle on any production vehicle that can drive to the trails - unless you buy a Deuce and a half... in which case, your insane for wheeling a semi-truck...

No stock vehicles have protective crossmembers, save for the TJ's - and their crossmembers take one hard hit, and never bolt up again...

Steering will have to be addressed on ANY rig you start lifting and putting bigger rubber on...

Any rig that you really start to 'get it' in, will require a cage...

there are no 'hidden' costs of an XJ that make it more expensive than any other rig...

People who wheel their XJ 2 or 3 times a year, will likely not ever need to replace their body...

People who cut random body parts off, and wheel 'hard' trails 12 times a year or more, will eventually need a new body - but that would likely happen to ANY vehicle...

maybe because I've only had my XJ since 2004, I dont really know whats up... but I think I wheel some of the harder trails, and have some money invested into my XJ, and have seen other rigs out there with the same amount of money doing the same thing...

 

[Phil]

People who cut random body parts off, and wheel 'hard' trails 12 times a year or more, will eventually need a new body - but that would likely happen to ANY vehicle...

I want to add some tube to my Jeep but don't have a bender...here's a 90!

 

[kenny schmitt]

So Im starting my project over on a new xj and im exited. My 96 2door 5spd was hit by drunk driver so i had no choice. im looking for the vehicle now 97-99 5speed. i have a RE5.5 33's and am rebuilding the front and rear for my new rig. When i got the new xj i want to strip it underneeth and paint the whole thing in por15 but first i have to stiffen the frame what should i do i heard that the RE kit ca give you trouble. I dont have alot of money for parts but i have a friend to help me weld. also how are those bolt in cages? and im painting my rig b/c im in new your i go on the beach alot. i want to have my new truck for a while and not have cancer

 

[jpcherokeekid]

Obviously you have never wheeled on any popular trails. Everyone around here is running 37"+ tires that create huge holes in the trails and make for neat body damage.

So if Rubicon, Fordice, Barret Lake, Deer vally, Slickrock, Hell Hole, are not popular trails then i dont know what is. why dont you put some 33's on and see if you can keep up.:laugh3:

Have the people you run with making huge holes in the trail ever heard of tread lightly? wouldnt be brodcasting the fact that your tearing up trails.

 

[codyyy]

how?

unless you buy a fool size, you'll never get one ton, or even 1/2 ton drivetrain... and then what you make up in axle strength will be taken from you in the fact that you're wheeling a Full Size truck! and you'll still need alloy shafts and lockers, and diff guards...

you'll have to re-gear any axle on any production vehicle that can drive to the trails - unless you buy a Deuce and a half... in which case, your insane for wheeling a semi-truck...

No stock vehicles have protective crossmembers, save for the TJ's - and their crossmembers take one hard hit, and never bolt up again...

Steering will have to be addressed on ANY rig you start lifting and putting bigger rubber on...

Any rig that you really start to 'get it' in, will require a cage...

there are no 'hidden' costs of an XJ that make it more expensive than any other rig...

People who wheel their XJ 2 or 3 times a year, will likely not ever need to replace their body...

People who cut random body parts off, and wheel 'hard' trails 12 times a year or more, will eventually need a new body - but that would likely happen to ANY vehicle...

maybe because I've only had my XJ since 2004, I dont really know whats up... but I think I wheel some of the harder trails, and have some money invested into my XJ, and have seen other rigs out there with the same amount of money doing the same thing...

It's just that whole unibody thing. I'm sure full-framed rigs last longer, and if the body shell needs replacing it would probably be cheaper and easier than replacing an entire body of an XJ. But I'm just going with what I see. I think the reason why my Jeep costs so much to build versus other people building much better is because I still have to DD mine. My friend has an XJ on full-width axles sitting on 38s and his cost a ton cheaper than mine does, of course his is for the trails only.

 

[tonexj]

well yeah dude ur thinking gas and insurance blah all associated with 'the xj' but if u had it sitting and drove a honda everyday, you'd be stoked everytime u hop in the big ol thing and go wheelin so its just ur perspectives so crammed cause u dd it. u need other views

 

[90XJay]

, and if the body shell needs replacing it would probably be cheaper and easier than replacing an entire body of an XJ.

My xj cost me $300, I wheeled the crap out of it and found an xj in better condition for $300... I swapped everything over..... Few years later I found a better xj... for $600 and swapped it all over again. If I find ANOTHER xj in better shape I'd do it again. These things are so cheap and available and once you have put parts on once it doesn't take long to swap out to a new xj. I think of my xj's body like soda bottles, after I empty mine I turn it in for my deposit and get another

Also in my local club we take anything that has 4x4 that you wheel and they break just as much stuff as the jeeps if they are doing the same terrain from our suburban on 44's to the caged 05tj that looks like its been through hell.

 

[codyyy]

well yeah dude ur thinking gas and insurance blah all associated with 'the xj' but if u had it sitting and drove a honda everyday, you'd be stoked everytime u hop in the big ol thing and go wheelin so its just ur perspectives so crammed cause u dd it. u need other views

I don't think having 38s on an XJ would be a fun ride on road. It probably isn't a fun ride on any vehicle with those kind of tires unless you have a show truck with a nice suspension. I don't care for insurance or gas mileage, I just don't think it would be.
All I'm saying about this is that from what I've seen, there must be a reason why I go off-roading and see a ton of TJs everywhere. And some YJs and CJs. I go mudding and see full-size pickups on boggers. I go out to the desert and see Rangers, F-150s and Toyotas. I don't think it's because people choose these rigs because they look pretty, I think these rigs had good building blocks for the terrain that they would see. I think the XJ has good building blocks but not as good as the TJ has.

 

[buzzbombxj]

there is a supprising amount of xj hating going on there

The unibody and cage; so yeah you have to reinforce it, anything else wheeled and built will get the frame boxed (fullsize) or just about everyhting else plated. toyota frames crack and break, and samurai frames are ony 40 thousandths thicker than ours! and we get two ply in may places. Sure a cage is needed to help stiffen too, but any built wheeling rig needs a cage, especialy and open topped one.

maybe we all just just sell our POS unibodys and buy rubicons