Hi new XJ owner with some questions and some plans

Hi. Just got my first jeep about a week ago. Its a 95 4DR 4.0 4WD 5spd country edition. and its pretty much completely stock. It has a pretty bad lifter noise and a really noisy rear end. got it cheap.

immediate plans,

Fix the really bad leaky exhaust and get it smogged and registered.
Fix the shift knob that I broke, and somehow repair the seriously raggy steering wheel

short term plans,

install a new cam, chain, and lifter set.
RubiconExpress RE6025 3.5" SUPER-RIDE lift
31" AT's on some affordable steel 15" rims
some home made bumpers and maybe a simple cage inside.
a home made safari style roof rack with some off road lights
install stereo, CB , dualband Ham/race radio. and other accessories.

long term plans,
probably swap rear axle for a explorer 8.8 3.73 posi and disc
and hopefully comeup on a usable D44 for the front and do that swap
replace the entire roof as its got pretty bad cancer.
and MAYBE do a 5.3L GM swap with an automatic.


I would love any advice for these plans,
especially with regards to the cam. I will probably be doing this pretty soon as I HATE the noisy lifter and with all the work to get the cam out I figured I might as well do the whole thing as its not that costly. I have been lurking here for a few days and have found VERY little talk about replacing cams. I don't really need tons more power just I'll take what I can get. need to be smoggable for now. I live in CA.:confused1

Here is what I intend to use the XJ for. I live close to most every type of desert from hard pack to dunes and plan to do them all. My brother likes to goto the dunes and I used to until I got married had a kid and sold my dirt bike. would like something to get the family around in that wont get stuck.
My parents have a mildly build up 76 for bronco with a 5.0 built motor EFI etc. and he has lots of jeep friends who go out to ocotillo wells and do some relatively easy trail rides.

I think my short term plans should get me pretty well into what I mainly plan to do with the jeep. any suggestions? Thanks!atriot:

Unless you're going above 35s the front 30 will be fine.

slappomatt said:

It has a pretty bad lifter noise and a really noisy rear end. got it cheap.

atriot:

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I suggest you run a few ounces of Marvel Mystery oil in your engine for a few weeks to hopefully clean out all the gunk and quiet down the lifters. If that doesn't work then I guess a rebuild is in order. I would use a stock cam. I would also have the head surfaced and a good valve job.
As for the noisy rear end, if it's just worn bearings it's a fairly inexpensive fix to replace all the bearings and seals. If it's a D35 I would swap in a 8.25.

I'm not really sure WHAT rear end is in it tell you the truth. I went to get a gasket to have a look at the noise and both dealers where out of the right gasket. one was oval, one was small round and one was large round. Mine was the large round. according to the tag on the diff cover its got 3.07 gears in the rear end. I don't really ever plan on going bigger than maybe 32's should I just keep the front axle and regear it to 3.73 to match the 8.8 I will likely put in it?

I was talking to a coworker who's into jeeps and he thinks I have an AMC rear end.

If you want to come up to Temecula I will check it out for you and tell you what rear it is and advise you of the best route to take with it. It would take about an hour or so to fully check things out. If you want to run 32's and you are sure you will not want to run 33's in the future you would probably be happy with 4:10 gears. 3:73 would be O.K. but it would lack a little power on hills and might get on your nerves.

i would do 4.10 gearing. get an 8.8 from an explorer with 4.10 and disc brakes

I might take you up on that offer. I did the math to figure new ratio for the tire size change and 3.55 would keep stock gearing for 31's I figured 3.73 would be a good compromise. I know u can get 8.8's in 3.73 or 4.10 gears pretty easily although I beleive 3.73 is more common.

Lol just read your sig, pretty fitting.