Jeep Cherokee best years / problem areas

[Blaine B.]

Jeep had a factory brush guard?

 

[yellojacket19]

Ok. What are the most common problem areas for a 98 and 99 ??? Anything I should look for?? thanks....

 

[RTFS]

ya i bought one with a 242. i used the control trac(fulltime) in my explorer a bunch especially with a little snow on the road and for really rainy day tryin to dart across traffic etc.. nice to know that there wont be wheels spin..
the 242 has a little less torque handling capabilities but i havent heard of anyone that broke one yet(that was caused by its torque limits.)
fulltime(242) means you can have it in 4wd all the time
part time (231)means you can only have it in 4wd when there is snow on the ground or your in mud. the axles are locked together. run it like that on the street and youll break something.
the fulltime will run down the street all day long.

The 242 (Selec-Trac) is an optional full-time 4wd. Basically all-wheel-drive. Can use it year round. The 231 (Command-Trac) is part-time only (gravel, snow, mud, etc.) Can't use it on the street. Well, I guess you could if you like the see-saw motion while turning. I think the Selec-Trac was only available on Limited models. Most XJ's have the 231.

Thanks for this! I just acquired an 88 Cherokee Laredo that has the 242 tcase and I've been wondering about the full / part time 4wd difference. The above two posts make for a nice usable explanation.

 

[jlex]

U-joints & wheel bearings for sure.... Only good thing about them is you can replace them yourself. Had to do both on my '98 that has less than 80,000mi... Just get good quality wheel bearings unless you like to do the job twice... don't ask me how I know!
regards,
jlex.

 

[xjnco]

Don't go for a '96... it's a major transistion year:bawl:

the fuel pump bracket is exclusive for this year :bawl:

as is the computer :bawl:

and the 8.25 is very limited as to what lockers you can use. No selectable available.

Mike

 

[Skwerly]

I have a 242 in my '88, and i like it. The only problems with it are like was mentioned, a tad lower torque handling capabilities and also the aftermarket wasn't as nice to the 242 as it was to the 231. Four-to-one crawler kits are not available for it, and SYE kits are pretty much non-existant. So if you plan on jacking your rig up more than 5 inches or so, I MAY consider a 231 swap. If you live in snow, lift it 4.5 inches and wheel the heck out of it .

 

[rocknxj]

I should tell you how lucky I am. After I sold my Liberty, I bought a Grand Cherokee. After I sold my Grand Cherokee, I searched daily for over 3 months for an XJ. I did very little research and did not know the difference between the model years. All I knew was I had plans-a-plenty for the long sought after Cherokee.

I finally found a 1999 Sport in great shape with 78,000 miles. Only then did I find .com and the plethora of information available. After some quick research, I discovered to my amazement that I found the perfect year and was lucky enough to have the right mix of parts with the 4.0, aw4, 231, and d30 front and chry 8.25 rear diffs.

Now the Sport is not the most well equipped model, sans beefy suspension, skid plates, and hooks, but a few mods is all I will need to bring Old Blue up to par with the Ltd model.

So in short, I'd go for the '99 Ltd with the aforementioned equipment. Find one with a tow package and you will even beef up the adequate 8.25 rear end with a Dana 40 and you wont have to deal with any of those silly rear hitch nut plate issues that I had.

Good luck.

 

[DenverChiefXJ]

Personally, I like the NP242 over the 231 TC. But I actually use 4wd on the street during winter, so that's obviously why. The 231 unit is definitely preferred, though, in most cases.

yeah that is my problem I just figured out with my 00 I bought a couple of months ago....living in Colorado with the ever changing winter snow weather the 242 is the best which is what I had in my 91 and 99 when I had them...I completely forgot about the difference when I bought the 00 ....so I'll be looking to swap out sometime when I can get some cash together to do it....oh and the other reason is that I do far more city driving than offroading....anyone interested in doing a swap for a case of beer?

 

[prerunner1982]

I am wanting to get a 2001 or before Jeep cherokee for my job. ..

What is the job and what is going to be required of the vehicle?

 

[Turfzilla]

You do realize the orginal post is 5 months old, don't you?

 

[boomhauer]

Don't go for a '96... it's a major transistion year:bawl:

the fuel pump bracket is exclusive for this year :bawl:

as is the computer :bawl:

and the 8.25 is very limited as to what lockers you can use. No selectable available.

Mike

I love my 96(late model). As far as a major transition year only for the better.:yelclap:
The unibody was stiffened up in 96, better block and heads than 91-95, 760 u-J's, 24lb injectors(the largest put in an XJ from the factory), and OBDII. Other upgrades were done as well, none negative imo. The 96/97 is my fav, as i get the old styling ques, as i hate the looks of 97+ interior, not too Jeepy, and the gauges are cheap looking.(eye of the beholder). -B

 

[darjevon]

Should be but you can probably find equal or better skids elsewhere for cheaper.

And about your 7/99 Cherokee. You'd have to look at the number on the head I guess. They might use both heads during transitions, I'll let someone else chime in on this.

they do not, the 0331 was built for use with distributorless ignition. Long story short, if you got a distributor, its 0630; if you got no dist, its an 0331.

Anyone who finds an 0630 on an 00 01 just doesn't know that it had already been replaced by the PO. end of story.

Joe

 

[prerunner1982]

You do realize the orginal post is 5 months old, don't you?

Nah... I didnt, oh well...:doh: