Accidently bought and XJ and MJ :)

[Razorado]

Hey all, :wave1:
My name is Austin and i"m new to the Forum and the XJ world. I have a 2 door 94 XJ 5 speed 4x4 that I recently purchased. It is still bone stock, less some engine maintenance i just finished up. I was planning on adding a long arm suspension lift and new wheels and tires, but a turn of events has landed me with a 89 Jeep MJ 2wd 5 speed. The MJ needs some transmission work (shitty Peugeot), and is not driveable currently. I was hoping for a little love from the knowledgeable people that frequent this awesome site. Where do ya'll think I should go with this? My "ignorant" vision of the whole project(s) was to have one trail capable vehicle that would still get me around town, but now that I have the both of them, I'm kinda lost in the possibilities. Since the 4x4 parts from the XJ will bolt on the MJ, should I just make the MJ a mild 4x4 daily driver, and take the XJ to the next level or what?!? Thanks for the advice ahead of time.

BTW, I have owned a lifted Jeep ZJ before and many different cars, along with a little club racing and drag racing background. I know my way around cars, just still learning the Jeeps.

Thanks,
NooB,
Austin

 

[Elguapo]

Cool man, post some pictures and welcome.

 

[Hypoid]

Welcome!

 

[Fred]

I'd build the XJ, keep the mj 2wd. Build the MJ to be a cool blvd cruiser. Good thread.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=977400

Replacing the BA-10 with a 94 and up AX-15 is doable. No transfer case might make it simpler, I'm not clear on the differences between 4wd and 2wd trannys.

 

[Razorado]

here's the mj




[/QUOTE]

 

[Razorado]

and the xj

 

[jdxj]

The pugeout is a lost cause, iirc you'd need to replace the motor tranny and add a tcase to make it 4x4 and or worth a damn! I have a buddy that did if a few yrs ago and loved it but it was a LOOOOOOOOOT of work! Personally I'm over the dd and wheeling rig deal! It can be done but to wear out these big arse expensive tire ball joints bearings steering ect on the street just gets very expensive in short order! If I were you I'd turn the truck into a truggy or at least shorten the base and the bed, convert it to 4x4 and build it for bear! Then put 2-3 inches on the Xj and some 31's and call if a day! IMHO anything over 31-32's just wears parts out to fast to make it affordable to keep them running good as a RELIABLE DD

 

[Fred]

Grill is upside down on the MJ. We've all done it.

 

[Fred]

Less work to build the XJ for offroading than the MJ. The MJ is a long bed, if it's a truggy, it doesn't matter, but at the least he'd have to bob the bed.

Besides that's a pretty nice looking MJ. XJ's are a dime a dozen, MJ's not so much.

 

[Razorado]

The pugeout is a lost cause, iirc you'd need to replace the motor tranny and add a tcase to make it 4x4 and or worth a damn! I have a buddy that did if a few yrs ago and loved it but it was a LOOOOOOOOOT of work! Personally I'm over the dd and wheeling rig deal! It can be done but to wear out these big arse expensive tire ball joints bearings steering ect on the street just gets very expensive in short order! If I were you I'd turn the truck into a truggy or at least shorten the base and the bed, convert it to 4x4 and build it for bear! Then put 2-3 inches on the Xj and some 31's and call if a day! IMHO anything over 31-32's just wears parts out to fast to make it affordable to keep them running good as a RELIABLE DD

My sentiment exactly on the truggy as well, great feedback! I completely agree the Peugeot is trash, I had given up on the idea of fixing it half way through my first info search. The MJ does have the 4.0, would that mate up to the AX15?

As far as lifting the XJ, would ya'll still suggest a short arm kit even if I only do a small lift?

 

[Razorado]

Grill is upside down on the MJ. We've all done it.

hahahahahaha it totally is! def going to flip that.

Less work to build the XJ for offroading than the MJ. The MJ is a long bed, if it's a truggy, it doesn't matter, but at the least he'd have to bob the bed.

Besides that's a pretty nice looking MJ. XJ's are a dime a dozen, MJ's not so much.

see this is my conundrum, I've read that the MJ 4x4 conversion is straight bolt on from an XJ donor, and it'd be a cooler rig in the long run. Should i just do the 4wd on the MJ, like standard 2-3 inch lift, tires, keep it otherwise stock and sell it and use the money on the XJ????

But i love the MJ, especially with a 97+ front end, and love the idea of a truggy (i can always buy another DD), but i have no idea the build involved with the unibody under cab, then build a cage/frame in back? I've seen pictures of builds, but I dOn't know if my skills are yet up to the challenge. Do ya'll know if anyone has just bobbed the frame and built a flat bed on here? Or the links to some of these truggy builds, and i"ll continue to research.
Thanks

 

[Fred]

JD has a truggy. I believe it's tubed from the cab, back. He should post some pics.

 

[eflores]

cut the two door in half dont molest the mj

 

[Razorado]

thanks eflores, lots of food for thought. I have to have 4x4 in Steamboat for a daily driver, so I may just source the parts from a junkyard for the conversion on the MJ and trail rig the XJ.

 

[Razorado]

cut the two door in half dont molest the mj

do you have a build thread for this rig?

 

[Razorado]

this was my MJ motivation
Fred Perry's MJ
Clemson 4wheel Center

 

[eflores]

do you have a build thread for this rig?

on pirate
search project awesomesauce

 

[BeastMode]

Great looking MJ!

Do you live at The Pines or did you just take a photo of the XJ there?

 

[YELLAHEEP]

cut the two door in half dont molest the mj

This.

 

[in4aride]

^ that.
Just don't make the tube work look like thatlastaralastaralastaralastaralastaralastara