Let's build an XJ

Reid

Reid

Hasnt Seen Dirt in Years
Joined
Dec 30, 2005
Location
Winston Salem
My latest 4x4 toy is a 2000 Jeep Cherokee. aftera decade and a half of wheeling fords, i realized i know nothing about jeeps.

Let's treat this thread as if im new to the sport. What are the basics im going to need to do? Im thinking 33s and mild trail riding.


I see there are some frame stiffening options out there. Since this is a unibody, how important is that? Are there weak spots?

Ive already figured out that the sheet metal is a bit more flimsey than the old ford steel im used too. I guess that explains the vast options for sheet metal armor.

Steering box weaknesses? any concerns there?

driveline issues after lifting?

stock suspension geometry corrections after lifting?

any thing a jeep newb needs to know?
 
Thanks. I was hoping to get a kinda "newbie manual" started here on NC4x4 since the XJ is the most common entry level rig.
 
Steering Box brace is a must, major pain in the ass when your unibody cracks.

Door Hinge Mod is a favorite
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=921410

The hatches on the new body's are prone to sticking, the latch seems to have issues but I haven't found a fix to that, suspect it might be related to unibody damage from wheeling.

I would go for a lift kit in the flavor of 4" and probably stay away from long arms just because they can get really pricy. Don't use blocks, if you don't want to buy new springs, look at the Ironman4x4fab shackles, they are pure beef and are adjustable up to I think 3.5" of lift, then just bastard pack your stock packs a little and call it a day.

SYE, Ive had good luck without them, but some folks run into issues even on 4-5" of lift, so thats something to think about, if you go SYE, look into a cut down XJ front driveshaft for the rear.

Sliders are a must, the rockers take a real beating and ya don't want that.

V8 ZJ Steering Upgrade is a must, $16 at PAP and a huge difference

Could list stuff all day really.

Fender Trimming...
http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/fender_trimming.htm
 
4.5 lift, 33's lockers.

the 01 has the head thats prone to cracking. the front axle will be a low pinion. prob will need to change it to get the pinion angle set.

if it has ABS the rear axle will be a d35.

pretty much those are the weak links. fix those and it will be a solid rig
 
2001 is probably a D35 rear...get rid of it, replace with 29-spline 8.25 from 97-99/00 XJ. Locker selection for the 29-spline is kind of limited, for more options go the 8.8 swap. 2001 also has a LP D30, I think because of the goofy 2 mini-cats on the downpipe setup, overall it sucks, deal with it.

4" is about the most you want to lift without getting longer front control arms, or correcting the rear driveline angle (SYE). Adjustable track bar will help re-center the axle after lifting. Longer sway bar links, quick disconnects for wheeling further than the mall are helpful too. Rear sway bar can be removed, even for DD's.
Stuffing 33's under will require removing the last gen (97-01) front bumper cover/flare part, plus trimming the front, cut/folding the rear fenders. It will be tough to keep the flares with 33s and low lift. Maybe if you really lower the bumpstops.

Passenger side motor mount will fail, call up Brown Dog Offroad for some good parts :beer:

T-case skidplate FTW, sucks to get hi-centered.

Rockrails are key for keeping the door openings square, and also stiffen up the unibody.

The stock front tie-rod is pretty flimsy, cheap upgrades are the ZJ V8 rod, and then of course the aftermarket...IronMan 4x4 FAB.

The front LCA brackets are pretty low and vulnerable, MudPro has beefy brackets to replace the stockers.

Any sort of aftermarket front bumper should grab more than the stock 3/side mounting bolts.

Cooling of the AW4 auto tranny...at some point you might want to bypass the in-tank radiator cooler and install a stand-alone cooler.
 
My recommendations after building 4 XJs over the years. I've probably have had about the most fun over the years in a stock XJ with options 1 & 2 :driver:

1) Budget boost and fender trimming to run 33s. You can cut the front fender high and retain the flares for a stock look.

2) Rock rails are a MUST!

3) Steering box brace

4) Front locker if you feel you need a locker, really not needed in the places we usually ride.

5) Rear axle upgrade of your choosing. 8.8, D44, 29 spline 8.25. Rear locker optional, not needed in the places we usually ride.

6) Tie rod & drag link upgrades.
 
Scrap it and get a rig with a frame!
 
All great Info. I do need to correct, its a 2000, i mis spoke at the beginning of the thread. The rear is 8.25, no ABS.

I think JC and i think alike on this. I have read that i can use V6 thunderbird front springs for 4". i just happen to have a pair laying around.

Sounds like stiffening the body is pretty important to you guys. Rock rails are at the top of the list. And some sort of front end protection/winch mount.


What lockers do you guys like to run? im probably only looking to lock the rear.
 
dont know about tbird springs, but v8 zj fronts are good for 1-2" add some coil spring spacers and do a little trimming on the fenders, get the ironman4x4fab shackle. Mount up ur 33s, for locking the front, spartans are cheap and Ive heard nothing but good, locking the 8.25 gets pricy.
 
ai274.photobucket.com_albums_jj247_iluv_mud_IMAG0116.jpg

No lift trim & folded fenders 31 A/Ts went pretty much every where at the flats my plan for this F150 springs shackle in the back tie rod upgrade 8.25 swap. Aussie makes a locker for the 8.25. http://www.aussielocker.com/index.php/aussie-locker-xd-58229-2.html
 
Everywhere on trail one maybe... :flipoff2:

I was seriously wondering what course the A class ECORS rigs ran out there, all the trails were much harder than when I was there for the ecors race in the first season, wasnt able to make the one this season, but wow!
 
^^^ Haha funny guy here
 
For a Chrysler 8.25 the Aussie lunchbox locker is the cheapest option other than just welding the spider gears, it runs about $300 last time I checked. I know a few people with it and they love it. For the front, you can find a good used Dana 30 Lockright for around $150 at times. That is what I run in mine and have had no issues out of it. I have also heard many good things about the Spartan locker though.
 
I put a Spartan locker in mine, works great.

32 x 11.5 BFG MT's

My front springs are S-10 with stock control arms
rear leafs are Durango

Cut the fenders, I need bump stops cause the tires are rubbing the top of the fender wells.

I wheel mostly at the flats, Aired down I can do , Laurel Lane, easy. With a little spotting and maybe a little rock stacking, Stumpy, Trail 2 and 3 way out.

I still need sliders, I've beat on it pretty good and the body is still straight. The rockers look like hell tho.....

Cheap, goes good, have a blast beating on it.
 
Ive got a pretty good set up for you...I'm about to go full-width on my xj.
 
If your going to wheel that thing at all there are some very cheap things that should be addressed that alot of people forget about.

- Change all your motor mount bracket bolts to grade 8. The stock one are grade 2 and break off into the block.

- Put in a nice large transmission cooler (if you don't have one)

-If you lock the front, install a power steering cooler and maybe a PSC hi flow 4.5" pulley

- Diff guards

This is just a few of the issues that have really brought me down since I started wheeling. It took me way to long to repair the broken motor mount bracket bolts and I just wish that some one would have told me.
 
I just started working on my first XJ. The lift was pretty easy. I had all the front parts here from TJ. Springs and arms and trac bar. For the rear I used a pair of leafs from a 2wd S10. Cut the eyes off the ends and added them to the main leaf from the stock cherokee pack. Cheap lowering shackles from autozone (lift shackles for a cherokee). I ended up with about 4.5" lift total.

Still need to get frame stiffeners, sliders, and steering box brace.
 
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