will it ever get better?

[PC-UT-XJ]

ever since i touched the drivetrain on my car (new axles, slip yoke, new gears, etc) i have been having contiuous problems. i've made numerous adjustments to cure death wobbble and drivelines vibes, but things seem to go back to as bad as they were before.

im seriously debating whether or not i should move into a different XJ or into a TJ. It's a 2000 XJ with $4000 axles in it.I know I can take these right into a new XJ and even, with some mods, a TJ, but i dont want to lose much money in the switch. the only thing i carea bout are the axles, or at least getting my money for them.

is parting out a good idea? would a junkyard pay money for a carcass? I would probably just go back into another XJ, but I'm afraid of having the same endless problems that I'm having now-feeling safe among them.

sorry this is kind of vague...any ideas to help me out?

 

[PC-UT-XJ]

i forgot to say . . . .
i WOULD just keep going with this XJ but I feel like 2 more years and this jeep is going to split in half...maybe it will tomorrow? It has 95000 miles, and it has seen some pretty nasty conditions and I have defintely been a little bit hard on it. I just feel like a TJ is built to be taken off road, an XJ isnt really that strong structurally for offroad use, so why not do like a 2000 TJ?

 

[ChuckD]

IMO, XJ's are kinda disposable, and I only say that since they are still very plentiful and very cheap.

XJ's were not built to handle constant 4WD abuse, but I don't think TJ's were either. Most of the extreme TJ's I see have lots of mods, just like our XJ's. So really it's a tossup, With the TJ you may get a slightly stronger frame, but loos on cargo and wheelbase, unless you heavily modify the TJ.

As far as making an XJ last, From what I have seen others do like CRASH. The best way is to get a virgin shell, right from the start, build a good cage with an emphasis on chasis stiffness. I'm sure with all the twisting, you'll still run into the carcking and fatigue, but addressed early will give you a much more solid start.

Is your XJ a DD? If it is, you need to consider getting a different DD. My XJ is not a trailer Queen, but I am very relieved to have that extra vehicle to get to work.

Also, has your Xj been in any accidents? Like ones where the uni-body may have been comprimised?

 

[xjaddiction]

hold on a minute, you'll be allright. i had the same problem years ago. i'm still happilly driving the xj. a tj will bring you a whole set of new problems. you worry about dw? try some serious ass pucker with a short wheel base rig off-road. and... the tj is prone to dw as well.

if your axles are the problem, i.e. they aren't set up properly, switching vehicles will not solve anything. give us some info on your lift (i see 4.5"s in profile, is this still your lift?), wheels and tires, type of ca's, trackbar, what axles where are they from (who set them up)

when i hd dw a simple upgrade to re drop brackets cured it. my xj at 7.5"s of lift and 35's is smoother on the road than my 2" lifted zj with 31's.

figure out the problem before you jump.

greddy

all lower case as i have an 11 month old sleeping on my left arm.

 

[Ronbo]

ever since i touched the drivetrain on my car (new axles, slip yoke, new gears, etc) i have been having contiuous problems.

Sounds like the problems didn't start until the mods did. Moving bad parts to another chassis will just move the problems.

 

[CW]

Step away from the TJ! And Slowly Go Back to The XJ!
Seriously an xj has a lot of advantages over a tj, wheelbase being a huge one. If you are haveing driveline vibes now, the same components will probably be unuseable on a tj with it's super short driveshafts. As stated before, we need all of your specs. If the problems didn't start until the mods then one of your mods is the culprit. It may take some time and you might feel like junking the project, but thats just part of modding vehichles. You will eventually figure it out and it will be cheaper than buying a new vehichle.

 

[Ramsey]

you can also cage it and sleeve the framerails if you want to really beef up the chasis

 

[BrokenXJ]

If you've been beating it hard, its time for a new one. My XJ is on its third lift, and this last one has a wobble. Sometimes before you can fix the wobble, the wobble creates new problems and your in a death spiral. This year alone I've replaced every tie-rod end, drag-link, ball-joint, two Johnny Joints, and now I'm rebuilding my track-bar. The BrokenXJ should have been shot two years ago, ask my friends

Go get a newer XJ, and swap the lift.

 

[PC-UT-XJ]

5.5" of lift total:
4.5" RE Superflex with 1.25 coil spacer and rear 4.5" RE Springs (5.5" lift springs
33" Baja Claws
New Dana 44 with ARB, 4.56
Front ARB/WARN 30/30 kit
JB Slip Yoke/Tom Wood's shaft (rear)

I love my XJ and I want to get the damn thing RIGHT! If I keep it, I will be doing a cage and a winch and when these tires go, up to 35's. I honestly just feel very unsafe on the highway. I would consider a Tacoma or 4Runner if I could get enough $$ for my XJ.

 

[ChuckD]

5.5" of lift total:
4.5" RE Superflex with 1.25 coil spacer and rear 4.5" RE Springs (5.5" lift springs
33" Baja Claws
New Dana 44 with ARB, 4.56
Front ARB/WARN 30/30 kit
JB Slip Yoke/Tom Wood's shaft (rear)

I love my XJ and I want to get the damn thing RIGHT! If I keep it, I will be doing a cage and a winch and when these tires go, up to 35's. I honestly just feel very unsafe on the highway. I would consider a Tacoma or 4Runner if I could get enough $$ for my XJ.

So what have you done to try to fix the DW?

 

[cdn89xj]

I, like all in this forum, are probably a little biased on the advice we can give you about switching to a TJ. Dont do it!! Yes, the TJ out of the box has more off-road guts... however, the whole underside of a TJ (huge generalization) is built extremely weak for the weight of the vehicle - A Suzuki Samurai would be a better choice as the vehicle weighs a whole lot less which matches the strength of its driveline and parts.
These are my oppinions, not yours.

 

[dallas xjs]

i just want to make it public that i love my xj...any one would like to see pics just let me know i have many...killer stereo...killer lift...looks kick ass...i love my xj..i first bought it to lug my wrangler around...may god bless his soul...best choc. lab a man could have a friendship with..he loved 4x4ing..boating and camping..loved life and humans...he was a true all around sports dog...||charles||

 

[jeepguy97]

i just want to make it public that i love my xj...any one would like to see pics just let me know i have many...killer stereo...killer lift...looks kick ass...i love my xj..i first bought it to lug my wrangler around...may god bless his soul...best choc. lab a man could have a friendship with..he loved 4x4ing..boating and camping..loved life and humans...he was a true all around sports dog...||charles||

:huh:

 

[Osprey413]

I believe his dog's name was Wrangler. And he was telling the world that he loves his Jeep because someone had said something about XJ's being disposable and someone said something about switching to a TJ.

 

[dallas xjs]

413 hit it on the spot...xjs are built not bought..||charles||

 

[JJacobs]

I think your jeep is ****ed that you call it a car.

 

[xjaddiction]

Wow, Toyota (IFS) 3.? L engine, sammy 1.6 whopping L's, and TJ? I hope your XJ isn't listenning to all of this.

Do yourself a favor, go get it alligned by a good shop that knows 4X4's. Get the caster as low as you can go i.e. below 5.3 degrees. OR, get some RE drop brackets with supports (around $300 bucks) and be done with DW. ONce your over the majic 4.5"s of lift, you've reached the limit of your control short arms, especially if they're not adj. Getting the RE DB's was my last resort and it should have been the first (I was at differnent new truck dealerships looking for something new). My DW has been gone ever since I rushed shipped them three years ago.

Greddy

 

[GAdawg]

What condition are those Baja Claws in? If you do any significant amount of driving on the highway I would drop those things and get some BFGs. Everyone I know that runs tires like that at that size start having wearing and handling problems about half way through the tread life. just my $0.02.

 

[PC-UT-XJ]

To fix the DW:
new tie rod
NEW Baja Claws
Alignment

It was great for a week and then went back to massive vibes. All of the work has been done by a shop.

 

[ChuckD]

So what is your caster? And what is your Toe?