Need Seaching for New XJ Advice?

Hey guys!

I'm in the market to buy an XJ that will be used on the SoCal trails after my wife, two young kids, and I join a jeep club. I've been researching XJ's a bit so understand some of the better equipment to look for but am a little confused as to what I am actually going to need?

So that is the question. What should I be looking for as a "setup" that will get me where I want to go without worry?

I'm looking on CL but most seem stock, hack jobs, or lacking the right stuff in my opinion. Do I need 31, 32, 33, or 35" tires? 3" 5" or 6" lift? Lockers front & back & regeared? Little confused as to what I should be looking for.

The first criteria I'm trying to meet at this point is just to make sure the model is 95' or later so I get the 190hp motor and stronger U-Joints. Everything else I'll chew on what you guys advise me.

I've included a picture of a Jeep I found on the internet on some pretty technical trail. This would be a good example of the stuff I want my XJ capable of handling.

Let me have it guys!

Thanks!




Ps. Ok maybe I'm not able to upload pictures since I'm a newbie, but if you'll email I can send to you. Basically it's the Rubicon.

A lot will tell you to buy a stock XJ and build it. Are you new to wheeling? If so, that might be the better option. WHeel it stock or with a small lift (0-3") and 30s or 31s to get used to wheeling. As your skill and confidence grow, let your Jeep grow with you.

I'd recommend a 97-99, simply for the cup holders. 84-96 have cheesy add on cup holders that don't hold anything and then break. 00-01 have weaker front axles and trouble prone heads, but switch to distributorless ignition.

Really, your best idea is to search around here, read a lot, go visit the SoCal chapter and check out the Names 2 Faces thread to get an idea of what we all drive, and what we wheel with it. 32s-33s will get you through the vast majority of SoCal trails. With a good spotter and a good driver, you should be able to run the Hammers in Johnson Valley with that setup. 35s are cool looking, but to really make a big jump in performance above 33s, you gotta step to 37s or bigger.

To run the Rubicon, a small lift, 31s, and plenty of armor will get you through. Ever since Jeep stopped claiming every stock Jeep could run it, everyone else has started running their vehicles over it stock with armor. 4Runners on 31 or 32" tires have run it, The new Grand Cherokee has run it.

To post pictures, you have to upload them to Photobucket, flickr, imageshack, etc and then copy and paste the IMG link here.

If you don't want to do the wrenching yourself, I recommend looking for one with about 3" of lift with 31-33" tires. If you find one with 33" tires then you want at least 4:10 gearing, 4:56 would be better. You could also buy a bone stock XJ dirt cheap and you can get much help on this site building it up. That way you can get the parts you want all brand new and build it to suit your needs. There are several people on here who do custom fabrication work and also gears and driveline work. You may find just the perfect rig already built for a reasonable price but you will enjoy building your own much more if you like to wrench. Oh, and welcome!!

Hint hint, John does excellent fabrication, welding, and gear work...

Great advice guys! ( Thanks for the cupholder advice! )

I'm an accountant for a large steel mfg. firm, working the 10-12 hr. everyone else got layed-off shift by day, and a Dad and Hubby by night, so have very little time to actually work on the jeep. Hence my question of getting something 99% already there.

I did a lot of off-roading back in the 80's and had a $40K Toy X-Cab with 40's and totaly outfitted with everything you could possibly buy from Downey Off-Road/Dick Cepek, but was pretty much an RG Canning attractions showtruck attending "Resolutions" (if anyone is old enough to remember that, God I'm dating myself!) and just saw mostly fire roads and mild Jeep trails in Lake Arrowhead/Big Bear. I'll see if I can scan a picture, didn't have digital cameras back then.

So bottom line, around 33" rubber, approx 3" lift, lockers, gears, winch, & armor would be worthy? Maybe an SYE or TC drop as well?

Thanks a million!


Now back to work for me.....:tear:

Four2score said:

So bottom line, around 33" rubber, approx 3" lift, lockers, gears, winch, & armor would be worthy? Maybe an SYE or TC drop as well?

Thanks a million!


Now back to work for me.....:tear:

Click to expand...

no SYE necessary, nd when it comes to the lift it probably has the tcase drop done with it. so no need to look for that in the headline.

gears are not completely necessary. ill be running 33's and stock 3.55 gearing. i know plenty who do. and i know there are many people here doing the same. yeah its nice to have the lower gearing, but dont make that let you stray away from a solid jeep. if its your DD its probably beneficial in the long run, but if its not, then its not worth the extra cost if its a weekend warrior, IMHO.

Finding a loaded carrier with the 4.10 r&p from a 4cyl XJ will do a lot for 33s over the 3.55s.
It will sadly require setting the gears. But a cheap enough grab from a junk yard. Unless you take the entire axle assemblies. That would eliminate the set-up but cost more.

dick.breakey said:

no SYE necessary, nd when it comes to the lift it probably has the tcase drop done with it. so no need to look for that in the headline.

gears are not completely necessary. ill be running 33's and stock 3.55 gearing. i know plenty who do. and i know there are many people here doing the same. yeah its nice to have the lower gearing, but dont make that let you stray away from a solid jeep. if its your DD its probably beneficial in the long run, but if its not, then its not worth the extra cost if its a weekend warrior, IMHO.

Click to expand...

Gears are totally worth it, even on a DD/weekend warrior. I don't know if Pittsburgh has hills, but SoCal does, and driving mine with stock gears and 33s was enough to make me wish I still had my 30s (even as silly as they looked at almost 6" of lift). People do run 33s and 3.55s, but usually not by choice. Most people run it until they save for gearing. Running the wrong gears is bad for your vehicle. Too low and they make the torque converter slip more with builds more heat which is transferred to your engine through the trans cooler in the radiator. Heat kills trannies and our engines already run warm, why add to it.

Also, if you look at a 97+, even at 3", an SYE is probably going to be a good idea. They are far more sensitive than 84-95. 96's are the limbo year. Some are, some aren't. I wouldn't worry too much about height, unless you see one lifted waaaay up there. Like 5-6" to run 31s is ridiculous. 33s are about the smallest you should see at that height, and even then many will say 6" is to much anyways. But again, we get into opinion. Some prefer the super low with big tires, some prefer those same tires with more lift. All will perform on the trail, each has its benefits and drawbacks.

i definitely agree that gears and sye are preferable. and you make good points why they are(and pittsburgh is the most hilly area ive ever seen. theres no such thing as level ground till you clear dirt for a foundation).

i simply want to make sure he doesnt steer away from a good rig, because it doesnt have some of these things. these two things are not absolutely necessary. but they do make things better. its just a lot of cost(mainly the gears) if your not doing it yourself which is why i dont think its necessar for someone on a budget. just my .02.

thanks for showing a different side of the situation.

Darky said:

Gears are totally worth it, even on a DD/weekend warrior. I don't know if Pittsburgh has hills, but SoCal does, and driving mine with stock gears and 33s was enough to make me wish I still had my 30s (even as silly as they looked at almost 6" of lift). People do run 33s and 3.55s, but usually not by choice. Most people run it until they save for gearing. Running the wrong gears is bad for your vehicle. Too low and they make the torque converter slip more with builds more heat which is transferred to your engine through the trans cooler in the radiator. Heat kills trannies and our engines already run warm, why add to it.

Also, if you look at a 97+, even at 3", an SYE is probably going to be a good idea. They are far more sensitive than 84-95. 96's are the limbo year. Some are, some aren't. I wouldn't worry too much about height, unless you see one lifted waaaay up there. Like 5-6" to run 31s is ridiculous. 33s are about the smallest you should see at that height, and even then many will say 6" is to much anyways. But again, we get into opinion. Some prefer the super low with big tires, some prefer those same tires with more lift. All will perform on the trail, each has its benefits and drawbacks.

Click to expand...

dick.breakey said:

i definitely agree that gears and sye are preferable. and you make good points why they are(and pittsburgh is the most hilly area ive ever seen. theres no such thing as level ground till you clear dirt for a foundation).

i simply want to make sure he doesnt steer away from a good rig, because it doesnt have some of these things. these two things are not absolutely necessary. but they do make things better. its just a lot of cost(mainly the gears) if your not doing it yourself which is why i dont think its necessar for someone on a budget. just my .02.

thanks for showing a different side of the situation.

Click to expand...

I'd recommend against ignoring a good vehicle because of gears also, but would definitely recommend regearing soon. There's a fair amount of SoCal guys who can do gears and charge fair rate. Probably be looking at $500 tops for front and rear install, after the cost of gears and install kits.

I'm originally from Rochester/Buffalo NY and the hills there are pretty small.