Your Ideal XJ

[crazymoose1990]

Finished that would be my ideal Jeep

 

[Icemans]

I'm still throwing this around.
Current Build

1998 XJ
4.0ltr / AW4 / 231
dana 30 / 29spline 8.25
5.5 re lift short arm
Olympic rock rails
JCR tank skid
Iron Scoripon Front bumper with PIAA lights Frenched in
Mile Marker 8000lb winch
Tera Flex High Steer Kit
Trail Ready Alum Beadlocks
33x12.50x15 BFG KM's

So now I'm looking at axle upgrades and such. We are headed to Moab this year with this rig and I won't go with out lockers. So now I'm in need of my ideal XJ

I'm going to
Change the front to a Currie Hi 9 / ARB / 4.88
Change the Rear to a Dana 44 / ARB / 4.88
Add a Cage
Add frame stiffeners
Maybe change to a TNT long arm with full belly skid
build a doubler or buy a 3speed transfer case with a low / low of 10:1
5 speed manual because an auto doesn't work all that well with the doubler
35/12.50/15 Goodyear MTR's
Rear Tires Carrier with a winch intergrated
Suspension Seats front and rear
On Board Air

That would pretty much be my ideal xj. So I'm going to need some money before Moab. I'm hopping to win the lottery before then but I'm going to have to start playing first. The major things are the axles, air, tires, cage /stiffeners after that all the other stuff can wait.

 

[dick.breakey]

Sounds like a good plan. Really focus on what's important for the end goal.

Here's mine:

3.5" long arm lift
35"s
Winch bumper(or setup)/winch
Sliders
Skids all over
4.88's
Upgraded shafts(can't spell that other XXXXing word to save my life)
Rear tire carrier bumper
Locked f/r
4:1
Built in storage
Cb setup
Oba
Roof rack
Rock lights
Bright front lighting
Suspension seats with 5 point harnesses




That's pretty much it. Nothing too crazy. I'm on the way for sure and hope to be done by the end of next year.

 

[TORX]

Thanks for bringing this back up, Ryan. It's fun to look back and read peoples responses. There's a lot of different "ideal" XJ's in here.

However, after the Firedrill run I wish I had a nice stereo, carpet, and the ability to do 70mph without the fear of shrapnel coming through the floor board (< I probably should look at into that).

Guess I stuck to my word. The reasons above are why I decided to go 97+. The upgraded interior is much more comfortable, and the road noise is minimal. I actually look forward to driving this thing out of state for some wheeling.

Lots of good advice so far.

Well ever since creating this thread, I've been tossing ideas around of my 'ideal' XJ. I've learned some things with my current Jeep over the past five years. What works, what doesn't work, what's essential, and what's a waste of money.

So here's my 'ideal' XJ.

1991-1996 4 Door: Love the look of a two door, hate the functionality. You can still find an HO with low miles for a decent price. Plus replacement parts are very easy to come by. I'd change this to 97+. Part of my reason for the 91-96 was availability of body parts. After thinking about it, proper armor will protect most of the consumable pieces (tail lights, header panel, doors, etc).
4.0L HO: Keep it stock, and reliable. Bonus of the HO is it has a rev-limiter! Agreed.
AX15: Personal choice here, but I like the control and simplicity of the manual transmission. After driving autos all day on the Firedrill run, I came to realize I love my manual both on and off road. I miss my five speed so much. The auto is so sluggish, and robs power. I like the control of the five speed. One thing I guess I took for granted was the ability to "clutch" it on turns/obstacles. Just push in the clutch and you roll back. Who knows, maybe the Nail Salon will get a NV3550 swap in the future.
NP231/Atlas: I'd go for the 231 stock. Great aftermarket, and stupidly simple. However, with a manual gearing is essential off road (especially in rocks), and I would strongly consider an Atlas 5.0 or 4.3 (leaning toward 4.3). The Teraflex Tera Low for the 231 is great (I love mine), but it's still a chain driven case. I would consider an Atlas a worthwhile investment that would out last the rig. Agreed.
Dana 30: The Dirty Thirty is highly under rated in my opinion. It's a tough little axle. I would toss some 4.56's in it, a full case locker, and maybe a Currie steering setup. Stock 297 shafts, and some fresh Spicer u-joints seem to work well. I wouldn't get too elaborate other wise you may as well build a HP44. Agreed.
Dana 44: If you can find one for a decent price, I'd toss an XJ 44 in the rear. I wouldn't think twice about running a 29 spline 8.25 though. 4.56 gears, full case locker, and maybe some disc brakes (making sure to keep the e-brake functional!) and your set. Of course a RuffStuff cover would be added to both diffs. I'd have to say Ford 8.8. I was never impressed by my old 44. It seemed to have little axle tubes, and I was never happy with the result of my disc swap. An 8.8 comes with 3.25" axle tubes, factory discs, and 31 spline shafts. I feel it's a better axle, but takes more work in getting it under an XJ.
Springs: 3.5-4.5" springs. Coils in the front, spring/shackle combo in the rear. Choose your make. Agreed.
Arms: The simple solution would be run some aftermarket short arms. At 3-4" you don't need long arms, and I think they are over rated anyways. If I had a lot of time on my hands, I'd look into fabbing up a mid-arm 3-link at 4.5". Agreed.
Shocks: Bilstein or FOX. I like the new Bilstein 5160's, but in reality 5125's are an excellent choice for the PNW. How often do you hear your shocks boiling? Agreed.
Tires/Wheels: 33x12.5 tires on 15x8 wheels. Personally, I think most radial MT's perform about the same. Which brand are you loyal to, or which tires are the 'cool kids' running? For some of the tread patterns I'd look at getting them siped for winter performance. I think a 33x12.5 will get the job done 90% of the time, and save you and the rig the extra stress in the long run. For rims, I'd consider the tried and true steelies, or go with an aluminum for the extra style points (be different). Unless I'm running bias plys or sub 5psi consistently, I don't think bead locks are worth the money. A radial flexes pretty well aired down, and they tend to hold a bead pretty well. Agreed. I hope my theory pans out.
Armor: Bumpers would be low profile/light weight (.120 wall). I'd like to have the winch recessed behind the front cross member. Maximize approach/departure angles. Rocker replacements would be made for additional clearance. A full belly pan would be used, and I'd try to maximize belly height. A tank skid would be mandatory. I'd also consider some quarter panel protection and door armor for the tighter ORV areas. Agreed.
Cage: I think a cage is essential in a rig that gets wheeled. A simple flop can easily turn into a roll over. I've pushed my luck too many times over the years. As much sense as a Hybrid cage makes, I'd probably go with a standard internal cage like the T&J. Add some triangulation, and you're golden. Agreed.
Winch: WARN. Line speed is crucial. I love my XP, but I'd also consider a TI or 8274. Agreed.
Misc: Keep the carpet and creature comforts. It's what makes an XJ an XJ. I'd probably stick with a stock quiet exhaust. A pair of Light Force's on the front bumper are nice for country roads. On board air would likely be CO2. Electric compressors haven't really impressed me from what I've seen, and I'd keep the stock compressor for AC duty. Agreed.

Overall, I don't want a trailer queen. I want a reliable rig, that can be driven every day, and travel cross country in comfort. I don't have any real interest in hanging out in Crushers or running the Busy Wild every weekend. My 'ideal' XJ would be capable of running almost any trail in the Northwest, and driving home comfortably after.

:dunno:

Still sticking to the plan for the most part.

 

[RumbleGoat]

I bought my XJ for a specific purpose:

It is a commuter that I can go wheelin' in without having to trailer my junk to the hills. I have a "big" Jeep (CJ, V8, big axles, etc.) and a race truck (7s Ranger) and I have been wheelin' literally since birth nearly 40 years ago. I wanted to get back to the basics but have some comfort.

So, my ideal XJ is just a stocker on 3" of lift with 31s, some lower gears (4.10s)/lockers, a tiny bit of armor and nice leather seats. . .I'm 3/4 of the way there.

 

[jeepboy381]

Here is my ideal XJ.

XJ Platform: 97-01 4.0, automatic, with power door locks, power windows, and AC. Basically a Sport.

Engine: Stroked 4.0 built right, exhaust but hardley any louder than stock. Also a very nice radiator.

Front axle: Dana 30 HP, chromo shafts, ARB, trussed and reinforced to take abuse without bending. Turned knuckles for caster correction so it drives nice, and new bracketry thats stronger than stock. WJ outers for better steering and brakes. 4.88

Rear axle: Chrysler 8.25 with alloys, disk brakes, shock mounts moved on top of leaf springs, and a fulltime locker. I think these axles are seriously underated. The tubes and center section are beffy and the internals are very strong. Will hold up just fine with 33's and requires nothing custom. 4.88

Suspension: Deaver springs front and back, shackles, fox 2.0 remote resi shocks, clayton trackbar, high clearance custom 4 link suspension, and rear shocks through the floor to fit a proppper length shock. Sway bar still hooked up but with disconnects.

Transmission: AW4 with big tranny cooler and temp guage.

Transfercase: NP 231 with heavy duty slip yoke elliminator, and 2 wheel drive low range.

Protection: Rock sliders hand built, high clearance tube bumpers hand built, hybrid external/internal cage, tank skid, and protection for tranny and tcase.

Tires: 33x10.5, aluminum beadlock wheels.

Interior: husky floor mats are a must! CB, high end head unit single din, component 6.5 speakers front and rear, amplifier for sub and speakers, a single 12" woofer.

I could go on and on..... There are somethings that could be better or bigger and stronger but I don't want a XJ that big. I want it to drive very nice on the street but still be able to beat on it hard in the sand or trails while driving at speed. If I ever wanted a rig on tires bigger than 33's it would never be an XJ, thats why I will stick with stock axles. They need to much attention everywhere to take the abuse of the bigger drivetrain, tires, weight, and what I would want to do to it. There is too much body to mash up. Possibly a MJ but more likely than not a wrangler. Im getting tired of unibodys but I do love what a XJ offers.

 

[PDXGraham]

Red 97-01

Black interior
Tint
True 6.5 Lift
4 Link coil rear conversion
Ford 8.8 Rear (E-locked)
Dana 44 Front (E-locked)
4.56 Gears
Front and rear long arm kit
33x10.50 15's on craiger soft 8's
Detours Backbone winch plate
Detours Tailbone Tire carrier
Warn XD800i
Rock sliders
Unibody frame stiffeners

Chevy small block (prolly just a 350ci like a ZZZ)
roller rockers
headers
Edelbrock performer intake
MSD EFI conversion on the small block
Serpintene belt conversion with great AC
AX15 5 speed
NP231 (big chain kit, 6 pnaetary gear set, SYE)
2.5 Flowmaster 40 series exhaust


some of you guys may say why go with the 8.8 and 44 when you can just do 60's? well my true dream XJ would be a trail rig/expedition rig and a 44 and 8.8 are more than strong enough for anything i will do. the only way i would brake an axel is if i would lock the front and rear and drop the hammer on that small block and BROIL THE TIRES!!11!!!

 

[TORX]

Front axle: 4.88

Rear axle: 4.88

You don't feel 4.88's are too deep for 33's on a street driven rig? Seems like it might be a bit buzzy at highway speed.

Also, do you think you'll be happy with a 10.5 tire? I'd imagine a 10.5 would work fine in pretty much all conditions, but might lack floatation in the snow. I guess the trade off for better handling, less weight, and better mileage might be worth it.

 

[jeepboy381]

You don't feel 4.88's are too deep for 33's on a street driven rig? Seems like it might be a bit buzzy at highway speed.

Also, do you think you'll be happy with a 10.5 tire? I'd imagine a 10.5 would work fine in pretty much all conditions, but might lack floatation in the snow. I guess the trade off for better handling, less weight, and better mileage might be worth it.

I love my 4.88's on the street, it accelerates hard and does not over rev at all. If I lived in a different state where they thought the people were capable of driving at a faster speed I would do 4.56 gears. The highest speed limit I know of in Oregon is 60mph. The lower gearing Offroad is another bonus.

As for the 10.5 vs 12.5 tire here is my take. For slushy snow wide Tires are horrendous, they fight to push through the whole time. For deep powder snow a wide tire is probably better. I have not driven the 10.5 tires in snow yet.

On the road hands down the 10.5s are better, they don't grab ruts or want to wander, they should help mpg a little bit, they are easier on axle parts, ect.

I have had the tires on the trail a few times and they work just fine in the rocks and in the mud.

 

[TORX]

Bump!

I can say I came pretty close to building my ideal XJ with the Nail Salon, V1.0. I felt like I could still have gotten groceries with it, or driven to Moab for a week of wheeling on short notice. It proved to be a very comfortable, reliable, and capable XJ.

I however got bored with that setup, and now currently find myself building The Nail Salon towards a more "trail oriented" XJ. I'll have to organize my thoughts on what my new end goal will be.

I'm curious to hear the changes some of you have made, or the new responses from those who haven't given their .02.

 

[Demonoid369]

im amazed I never saw this before lol
my ideal xj:
4.5" 3 link mid arm lift
35" tires
242 transfer case with HnT
2low if thats even possible with a 242 lol
e-locker front and auto locker rear
d30 axle trussed, sleeved, braced, warn hub lockouts, 4.56 gears, utk 1ton steering.
8.25 rear axle with lip shaved, and trussed, 4.56 gears
frame stiffeners
hybrid cage
box tubing rocker swap
prerunner style front bumper with winch
rear bumper with tire carrier
tube fenders
2,000 watt converter with 3plug outlet located in back hatch area
dual battery
OBA
undercarriage l.e.d.
true cold air intake

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

97+ XJ 4door.. 4bt Cummins, atlas, Rockjock 60s, ARB's, 5.38s, 4 link front and rear, Coilovers, 37-39.5" Maxxis Creepy crawlers, Dual Warn 9.0RCs (front and rear) Hybrid cage, Front to back frame stiffeners, pink fuzzy dice on the rear view..

well.. times have changed..

I'm building my Ideal rig.. and it isnt an XJ..

Already have some of the essentials from Red-ZJ-1.0

-Thoseguys Full hybrid cage (1.75" tube)
-Scottbyefab Front tube bumper (1.75" tube)
-Warn Powerplant 9.5
-Thoseguys Rocker cutouts
-Midframe stiffening
-Clayton Radius front/4link rear
-Clean, strong, Good running Engine/trans
-Bells and whistles (Remote start/LED lighting/Butt warmers/"bumpindatrunk"

Now time for Red-ZJ-2.0 (in progress)

06' HP60 35 spline
Artec Ind. Truss
Grizzly locker & 5.38
Full hi-steer with Machined Knuckles, 1.5" DOM & 7/8" heims & PSC Hydro assist

06' Sterling 10.50"
Artec Ind. Truss setup for Triangulated 4 link
Grizzly locker & 5.38

Atlas 4 speed (2.0:1, 2.72:1 & 5.44:1)

Clayton 3 link front/4link rear stretched to 112"-114" range

FOA Coilovers (14'' 2.5" w/Res) shock hoops

Plating the front end for Hoops, Tied together

19 gallon RCI fuel cell in an Artec Ind. Fuel cell mount (Stretch requires ditching factory tank)

17" wheels & 37-40" Craigslist tires

Phase 3.0 (Who knows when) Will be something along the lines of

Rebuilt 5.9 with Headwork/cam/exhaust (Somewhere around 350hp)
46RE with Transgo Shiftkit, Deep trans pan
Currie anti-rocks front and rear
40" Kevlars on Aluminum Beadlocks
Rear tube bumper

For me, I'm building my dream rig.. :thumbup:

 

[RlCHARD CRANlUM]

I'd like a high pinion 60 so I don't have to worry so much about broken parts and an Atlas so I can crawl better. The rear 3 link will be done soon.

 

[nightfoam]

Re: Re: Your Ideal XJ

I'd like a high pinion 60 so I don't have to worry so much about broken parts and an Atlas so I can crawl better. The rear 3 link will be done soon.

Whoa look who it is. Stopping in for your yearly visit to ?

 

[RlCHARD CRANlUM]

Has it been a year already? I guess so.

 

[Jbh97009]

Right now I think that the ideal xj for me would be:
-3 link front with progressive coils (6.5")
-Dana 44 (I'd love to run jk axles but can't justify the cost involved) HP narrowed front. 4.88's and arb, RCV's
-dana 44 rear w/4.88's chromo, and arb
-hydro assist
-3.5"-4" leafs, the softer the better
-shackle relocation w/boostwerks shackle
-u bolt eliminators and shock mounts moved up
-atlas 4spd (1:1, 2:1, 2.72:1, 5.44:1)
-hybrid cage with 2x6 rocker replacements
-some kind of fender armor and light boxes. Fenders cut as much as possible
-36/13.50/15 (or 17") iroks on beadlocks
-rear cut and fold + high clearance rear bumper
-front high clearance bumper and warn 9.5 ti
-frame plated front to back
All on a late model xj

I don't have enough seat time in my brothers 95 to know for sure if I'd want to 4 link the rear of mine or not.....

 

[SPECFab]

Don't narrow a full width axle it just causes scrub radius problems and ball joint and bearing fatigue. You can get down to 76" wide on uncut axles.

 

[ruger81]

Don't narrow a full width axle it just causes scrub radius problems and ball joint and bearing fatigue. You can get down to 76" wide on uncut axles.

I will have to disagree with that.

 

[SPECFab]

Witch part? math doesn't lie.

 

[ruger81]

Ball joint and bearing fatigue.