limits of a stock XJ?

So, I managed to stuff the XJ in the woods over a 30" drop turning sharply uphill in the mud.

After an hour of jacking, shoving in concrete blocks and airing down, it is back in the driveway. Frankly, I went out looking for trouble, er, I mean, the 'limits', so I managed to get out without doubling my vocabulary.

First, I learned that M&S means Muddy (roads) & Snowy (roads). So I figure real off-road tires would have helped. I aired the 235's down from 35 to 25 psi. How low could I go?

Second, what do you call it when the corners are lofted and the open diffs won't connect? I jacked the downside and set blocks under the floating wheels to get a little traction, but: can you jack a stock XJ with Hi-Lifts? I drug a floor jack from the house out into the woods and made it happen. Nobody saw me, but it was bogus.

I am planning an Upcountry lift but that didn't seem to be the trouble. Maybe a sway bar disconnect would have given me a little more articulation. 2 inches? 3 inches? More?

I'm not looking for an 8" rock crawler but would like to retrieve firewood from the woods without embarassing myself. Hey, I got it out and didn't roll it over but I would prefer 'wheeling' to 'recovery.'

Sway bar disconnects would be a great addition to your XJ. It will help not put so much stress on the front suspension at that sway bar connection. Also if you want you can lose the rear sway bar all together. The Up County package did not come with one anyway. I have the Up Country springs and I just love them.

I wouldn't jack up a stock XJ with a high lift. Nothing but a pinch seam on the side and the bumpers are pretty weak.

Removing the rear swaybar and getting discos for the front will help.

A better tire will make a world of a difference too.

And at minimum, a rear locker. No matter what tires you have on your Jeep, if yo lift one wheel, or drop it into a gully, your down to 2-wheel drive, as you have experienced.

locker and tiresw and it will be amazing. I recently upgraded from m+s all seasons to a real tire it's the difference in traction off road is outstanding.
A locker itself will also make a big difference. I wheeled Uwharrie on those very all seasons with a rear detroit and had no poblems.

Just for fun,another trick is if you have a tire in the air and no locker,step on the brake to bias the torque,saved my bacon one day in my old ramcharger,had the left rear tire a foot off the ground and drove out:rof:

You could air down to 10 if you wanted, I usually don't go lower than 15 with my 245 MTR's in rocks. I am at 3.5" of lift with no sway bars at all and like it better that way. I would get better tires for sure and then of course lockers would be a very good upgrade. The high lift....probably not unless you have some rock rails. Good luck man.

I hig-lifted off the rockers once when I was stock, slid down this old dirt road about a half mile in the snow onto the rail-road tracks and got stuck, then I heard a train. Sacrificed my rocker panel but saved the truck.

If you have a trailer hitch you can go off of that, or you can go off the stock bumpers right where the bumper bolts are on the frame brackets...Do it all the time.



The bottle jack was tried first

Thanks for all the input. I'd like to end up with a reliable fire roed rig with a little trail capability. My Upcountry springs came today ( they're Crown) and the hitch is ready to mount for a rear recovery point.

It bites having a '2-wheel drive' 4x4.

Seems like any kind of diffs would be an expensive upgrade(?)

A lunch box type locker can be had for around $200.

docchaynes said:

Thanks for all the input. I'd like to end up with a reliable fire roed rig with a little trail capability. My Upcountry springs came today ( they're Crown) and the hitch is ready to mount for a rear recovery point.

It bites having a '2-wheel drive' 4x4.

Seems like any kind of diffs would be an expensive upgrade(?)

Click to expand...

Get some Aussie lockers, $229 each they work out great

2" Lift...Skid plate at Dana 30 and TC...Front hitch recovery...tow hook in back...Goodyears...(extra set of used Mud Terrains)..

Front sway bar disconnected...Rear sway bar removed. OH yeah...I use a scissors jack and a four by four....but I really don't like mud.

Cost: $600 plus tires

a locker makes an amazing difference. if you have a D35 in back I wouldn't lock it, put a lunchbox locker in the front instead. I jacked many times from my stock XJ bumpers with a high-lift, I just alway did it right under the bumper bracket, and it did mildly deform the bottom side of the bumper.

I would be careful about airing down much then putting a big load of wood in her. Then try and do 65 before Ping up.
Tires suited for the job? Always.
This is locker county around here and for good reason. But a lot of people don't like the 35 and locker combo or the 35 in general. Weak axles. (IMO)Depending on your tire size, and how demanding you are on your rig has a lot to do with it holding up or not. Also (IMO)
Note: There is a secret cub called "I love my 35 and locker" out there but few will admit to belonging to it or else the big axles beat them up and take there lunch money.
Remove the rear anti? It's a given around here.
Install front Quick discon? There cheep and helpful. You will very seldom see that combo in the world of off road stuff. Go for it.
LUCK

Looks like there are some good simple options to get a little more trail performance without getting in too deep and re-engineering the whole vehicle.

I'll have to search on lockers and study up. I'm not familiar with 'lunchbox' locker. Doing the big axles must be what I thought would get into big $$.

Also, I want to be careful about losing drivability.There are times we'll take Scouts 5 hours away to the white water rivers in the mountains. You don't think I'd miss that rear sway bar with a full load and passengers?

heres my recomendations. tires first. you will be amazed with how much better traction you can get with a good set of tires. if your on a budget like i was, look for a good set of used AT's at local tire shops. i got a set of 4 32" goodyear MT/R's for $35 a piece. the deals are out there, you just have to be patient.

second recomendation is sway bars. i would remove the rear (i was reluctant at first but now i see no difference in on road preformance even loaded and/or pulling a small trailer) and get a set of disconects for the front. i use the ones from JKS and i love the ease of use. it will allow the tires to remain on the ground longer and give you more traction by avoiding a wheelstand.

locker. well thats when things get a little more complicated. if your not familiar with gears, i would get someone to help you. i also would not lock a Dana 35 rear axle. you asked what a "lunchbox locker" was? well its an automatic locker. it relies upon torque from the front drive shaft to lock axle shafts together. the other types of lockers are selectable. you can activate them at will. usualy by compressed air, or electric switch. the lunchbox or auto locker is usualy the cheapest and more than sufficient for a stock rig. i have an Aussie Locker in the front of mine and it took me though stuff in moab that i didnt think i could get through.

i know lockers can be a bit $$ though and a bit intimidating, so in the meantime use the brake advice posted above. if you use both feet-brake and gas at the same time- you even out the resistance on both wheels. with an open diff, power follows the path of least resistance. as you have experienced, the wheel in the air spins and the one with traction dont. the brake method got me though for 8 months without needing to be strapped out of a situation.

a front tow point is also another thing to consider.

sorry for the long post

hth
stewie

Both my jeeps have no rear sway bars, I drive through the appalachians to and from Western Carolina full loaded, lots of curves and good stuff, never had a problem, front is all you need

At the very least, disconnect your front swaybar when on the trail. This single action will make your stock Cherokee 100x more capable and comfortable - and its free. It is common practice to do so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDPzbPwP6L8

Clicking on that "Motor World" link gave me a window in German that declared, "You've been hacked!"

Sure would like to find a stock gas tank skid before my spring bushings come in.

Any one have one they want to get out of the garage?