the truth about jeep xj?

[swynx]

Got a friend who is a jeep maniac. (Don't we all?) Really really wants me to buy a jeep. .. looked at the 4.0 seems to be a great runner as does the auto. Thy have quite a bit of power. Plus there super cheap. Several of them with lifts and lockers for a grand. He wants me to have one for a dd. More or less I want it for either a winter rig for my girl friend. Or a full blown trail rig. Scrap the axles yada yada. I myself am a ford man but every brand has there specialty rig

So what is the truth about these dandy rigs? Haters be haters but when it comes time to wheel; we unite.

 

[Dune Runner]

I have owned a few Jeeps. They got the job done. The only problem I had with them was drive line issues.

 

[martin]

Good vehicle, on road or off.

 

[RangerSVT]

Unibody, no frame. Extended wheeling will start fractures around the body, as well as suspension mounting points/brackets failing. I speak from experience, my gf used to own a 97 xj. She's now a diehard ford girl, the only way a girl should be...lol

SVT

 

[wildbill23c]

I don't particularly care for the Wranglers, they're overpriced, and over-rated really, you can put a knowledgeable driver behind the wheel of a Bronco 2 and do the same thing as a Wrangler. People overprice and of course all the wheelers have made the Wrangler into a toy so the cost of purchasing one and parts, and accessories ridiculously high.

I had a 96 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Edition with the 4.0L Straight 6, 4 speed automatic transmission and full time 4WD. I can say this it was bone stock, ok I did have an ARB Bumper on the front but other than that no other modifications. That Jeep went places with standard all season tires you wouldn't think of going. I was amazed how well the full time 4WD system transferred power, and pulled the jeep through some pretty nasty situations. I took it places that I didn't think it would go, but it surprised me every time. Towed a 93 ford ranger 4x4 from Sacramento California back to Idaho and still averaged around 17mpg on the highway, and went through Nevada in the middle of summer towing that ranger in temps over 100 degrees, engine never got hot, ran the air conditioner the whole time without any issues, plenty of power and torque. Hauled a 1983 Ford Full Size Bronco on my car trailer with my Jeep about 40 miles over 6500lbs total weight with trailer, and Bronco, was able to easily maintain highway speeds 65mph and could still go faster if I wanted. That 4.0L Straight 6 was a great engine, never had any transmission problems and had 232,000+ miles on it when I sold it, its still on the road and the new owner lives up in the mountains about 70 miles from where I live, he loves it in the winter time, it does awesome in the snow/ice.

Like I said I don't care for the Wrangler, but the ZJ and the XJ's aren't that bad of a vehicle really. Most issues I have seen are people who have modified their Jeeps, who end up having drive train problems which when you are trying to spin 33"+ tires with stock drive train something is gonna break doesn't matter which brand of vehicle you have, ok well take that badk if you do that on a Bronco 2 you won't really break anything it don't have the power at that point to break anything LOL. That being said the Bronco 2 is extremely capable as well in the right hands. Personally I wouldn't wheel with a Bronco 2, or a Jeep Wrangler just because I'd be the only dumb ass on the trail to flip over LOL. However, the larger and wider vehicle's I don't mind wheeling in occasionally. I don't really wheel at all anymore because I can't afford the gas and if something breaks I'd be screwed.

 

[swynx]

The wranglers are super over priced. I was wanting to get a 4 door xj but it costs an awful lot to run just 33s like that sye and all the crap. I knew there were quite a few jeep owners in here. Honestly if the a4ld would hold up to the abuse id go that direction. Seen a few with a cooler that lasted but its not common and I want an auto.

The body issue is something I've read about quite often. No frame mean more body rot I guess.

 

[Rangurr]

I have really loved all of my RBV's but I really, really, REALLY loved my xj's!!!! A cherokee is amazing on road as well as off. The 4.0 I6 is bullet-proof, and the rest of the jeep will take a real beating before it quits. My only issue was actually the auto trans but hey, everything has it's weak spot.

I hate to get on a RBV forum and say that you should buy a Chrysler product but hey, at least it's not a foreign vehicle?

 

[swynx]

Lol like I said wheelers unite. For an entry level l. Light weight straight axle rig. Its a great beginners choice. Sas is for advanced users only

 

[Rangurr]

This is true. An xj with the high output 4.0 and d44s with lockers and decent tires is damn near unstoppable if you're a decent wheeler


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[kryptonitecb]

I've only run my truck but heard all the things mentioned. Wranglers are a good platform but stock they will break everything in the drivetrain 2x before the owner replaces it with ford/chevy stuff.

As for the cherokees I've heard good things. The bad stuff is that you need to go 5 inches or more to fit larger tires. They have deep wheel wells. And if you plan to do serious wheeling most guys end up having to build a frame for it. A close friend had a cherokee and he said that multiple occasions he would be on an obstacle and be stuck in it cause the body was stressed enough that it was holding the doors closed. For a weekend warrior that stays on lighter trails a cherokee would be ok.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[straycat]

Jeeps are great rides. Newer ones (JK) can get real high in price when you start to do all the things we love to do to a truck. Keep the wheels at 33-35's and a 4.0 L is the best way to go. I have had Jeeps most of my life. I never regretted owning one.

 

[4x4junkie]

Here's my 2¢ on it:

Has good aftermarket upgrade parts availability (things like bumpers, skids, etc.). The rest of the vehicle and it's drivetrain however... I see little going for it over say, an Explorer, other than it's lighter (a few friends have (or had) XJs that I've driven & ridden in).
Crude, rides rough, noisy, sucks gas, small interior space, weaker axles, unsealed slip-yoke rear t-case output (can't pull a damaged driveshaft without the oil leaking out), and biggest one of all, (like was already said) no real frame (don't think about opening any of it's doors if the vehicle isn't parked level, you'll quickly find out the fun factor in trying to get it closed again if you don't move it to level ground lol).
When it comes to gearing & lockers, an Explorer is just as well-supported by the aftermarket (if not more so). (same goes for your BII if you've done the Explorer axles swap).

As you have observed though, there's always a Jeep fan base out there looking to convince everyone they are the bomb offroad... I kinda like being different, especially when a Ford can be just as much or more the bomb offroad too (and offers a more pleasant driving experience in the process).
I too have seen examples of the A4LD take lots of abuse with some external cooling added to it, which says to me it's problem is more to do with the weak factory cooling, not so much the A4LD itself.

 

[OilPatch197]

Wranglers are a good platform but stock they will break everything in the drivetrain 2x before the owner replaces it with ford/chevy stuff.

A guy I worked with had a Wrangler, and it had some aftermarket drivetrain parts on it, can't remember what it was, but he damaged something while he was launching off of rail road tracks.

I MUST assume those were "abandoned" railroad tracks.

 

[swynx]

So every time you flex it out the body twists just like a frame. After so much twisting something of that size won't be straight... that is horrid. Xj can only go 4.88 can get 5.13 for explorer.

That body thing is just wow. I had no idea it was that bad. And yeah to fit 35s you gotta do like 6 inch lift which is 1200.

I too like to be different that's why I've always owned rbv.

 

[adsm08]

I work with a guy who was the shop foreman at a local MOPAR dealership. He told me a story about something he saw at a training class once.

See, the last few years of the 4.0 had some real issues with spark knock. Scott was at a training class and the instructor said "I am going to show you why these things knock so bad". He then went over to a stripped down block on a stand and stuck a drop light down cylinder 2. Scott said you could see the light glowing through the cylinder wall.