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Well after several years of turnin spanners on mates Toyotas and Zooks, even workin at a 4x4 workshop (closed now) for a while. I have bit the bullet and bought a 94 XJ Cherokee Limited.
Pick it up on Saturday. Start modifying it Sunday.
Although I have worked on the Jeeps at a dealership years ago, making into a usable off roader will require the advice of some experienced like minded drivers. I want to use it for only moderately difficult tracks (Dont we all say that to start with) Its more to be able to tag along with mates who dont mind bending things. And to give them a lift out when they break.
Any advice on mods from those who know would be greatly appreciated.
If I cant drive it, drink it, build it or bang it I dont care about it!!
how tame is tame? 2-3" lift, front swaybar discos, good set of 31s and lockers will keep up with nisyotas with 33s no probs. for 32s and bigger guard trimming is required and of course more lift (which will require a slip yoke eliminator/SYE or a transfer case drop in the interim). might want to consider gear ratios too, 4.11s for 31s-33s, 4.56+ for 33s+. any bigger than 33s and i would consider rear diff upgrades. The Dana 35 aint nothing to boast about.
Have said it in the nerim thread but i think the best thing to start off an XJ is a budget boost from rocky road in the states! About $300 i think and is a 2" lift!
Then with the LSD that it's got(unless you have chrome grill they didn't have an LSD) wack on a set of 31's and your ready for nerim!
Maybe get a new radiator or get it flushed out as they like to run VERY hot and space the bonnet up!
Thats about it really and you can get most places!
FRANCO you up for nerim bathurst weekend?
Built swb sierra, building a lwb sierra ute and have a dmax for family camping
suzuki boy wrote:
FRANCO you up for nerim bathurst weekend?
dude if shes (XJ) ready, for sure...as for skimming the sides of an A grade the way she is now, i'd rather winch bitch it again. ...i think i have a Beretta shoot fest on that weekend too - DOH!
Ok what tyre size do you really want to run in the future be really really honest because it's a waste of time & money doing it twice.
If you want to run lockers and tyres over 31's I'd seriously consider a rear diff swap the D35 is problematic aWrangler D44 goes in without too much trouble. If you wheel hard or have more than 2 " of lift I look at up gradeing control arms the sheet matal ones are a bit light .
Some of the XJ drivers should be able to point you in the right direction
Been Cruisin around enjoyin the luxury. (gotta love a leather interior)
Ok now for the mods.
33's will be the biggest tyre I will need. This should mean I can keep up with the mates in luxes and patrols when they start chewing out the ruts.
What lift would anyone suggest? And who's kit works the best? I will do a SYE when funds allow along with ratio swap when I do the lockers. Trimming the flares and guards are all in the pipeline. Unfortunately this has to be my daily driver for a while so mods are limited to weekend changes.
New front winch bar and rear bar are already being designed along with some sliders to protect (Who am I kidding!!) the sides a bit.
I would have loved a TJ but family commitments and practicality require me to have 4 doors and I cant afford a new Wrangler. (Wouldn't we all like one?)
Any suggestions that dont cost the earth (or don't upset she who must be obeyed) would be great.
If I cant drive it, drink it, build it or bang it I dont care about it!!
33s is pretty serious for an XJ (an XJ on 31s will keep up with patrols running 33s...they have smaller diff pumpkins and therefore comparable clearance); you will need at least a 4" lift for 33s with guard trimming. There are a bunch of kits or options to look at. What do you want from the kit? Budget? For example, A top of the line Long arm Full traction 6" kit from Poly4x4 will set you back ca. $5000. (That doesnt include labour)
I would start by looking at other sites like ausjeep, particularly here.
franco wrote:(an XJ on 31s will keep up with patrols running 33s...
not without lockers. get a front locker at least.
i got a mate with 31s unlocked and i have to tow him everywhere i just walk through.
cant use 35s as an excuse because i got the h260
fair call. i recently went out with a patrol on 33s (ARB f+R) we both had well matched capabilities (i have XJ, Detroit tru-tracs f+r and 31s ATM). The TJs on 31s that wern't locked struggled and were less capable on the steep slimy hill climbs requiring multiple winching. All were running muddies.
franco wrote:(an XJ on 31s will keep up with patrols running 33s...
not without lockers. get a front locker at least.
i got a mate with 31s unlocked and i have to tow him everywhere i just walk through
Your siq says you have front locker, cant compare unlocked to locked
true. but he has a rear locker (so he tells me) its a "track lock" or something some factory jeep fittment apparently
i think of him as unlocked as every time he spins a wheel he carries on about "it does that sometime"
but i have seen it lock in a couple times
Banzy wrote:Dial up internet.........you'd post something and come back 2 beers later to see if it loaded.
franco wrote:(an XJ on 31s will keep up with patrols running 33s...
not without lockers. get a front locker at least.
i got a mate with 31s unlocked and i have to tow him everywhere i just walk through
Your siq says you have front locker, cant compare unlocked to locked
true. but he has a rear locker (so he tells me) its a "track lock" or something some factory jeep fittment apparently
i think of him as unlocked as every time he spins a wheel he carries on about "it does that sometime"
but i have seen it lock in a couple times
Sounds like an LSD. Besides, you've got 35's and your poor mate only has 31's
nah, its not LSD, ive heard it "click" a few times before.
aparently from what he tells me it locks in under power like an auto locker. there is also a sticker in the glovebox saying something bout "this vehicle is fitted with locking diferential" or something
Banzy wrote:Dial up internet.........you'd post something and come back 2 beers later to see if it loaded.
shrekman wrote:
Less trimmin and a cheaper lift job.
my mate went 5" just to stick the 31s under it. from what he tells me 32s-33s needed 6" not sure how accurate this is tho
5" to run 31's, he's doing something wrong!!! Most Xj's will run 31's with 2-3" and a little bump stopping. I run 32X11.5 on 4.5" with some minor trimming and no flare relocation etc.
j-top paj wrote:i thought so, he has 3" coils and 2" spacers and it still scrubs.
do the factory alloys have anything to do with it?
can do, he prolly needs to extend his bumpstops cos it doesnt matter how much lift he has, the tyre will end up in the sameplace unless bumpstopped correctly.
The trac-loc (factory) LSD is not a locker too. It is a clutch pack LSD that usually shits itself after about 100K. It is no match to a gear driven LSD for durability and traction like a Detroit tru-trac which is more comparable to a soft locker.
j-top paj wrote:i thought so, he has 3" coils and 2" spacers and it still scrubs.
do the factory alloys have anything to do with it?
can do, he prolly needs to extend his bumpstops cos it doesnt matter how much lift he has, the tyre will end up in the sameplace unless bumpstopped correctly.
he is too stoooopid to do that and too much of a tightass
Banzy wrote:Dial up internet.........you'd post something and come back 2 beers later to see if it loaded.
franco wrote:
The trac-loc (factory) LSD is not a locker too. It is a clutch pack LSD that usually shits itself after about 100K. It is no match to a gear driven LSD for durability and traction like a Detroit tru-trac which is more comparable to a soft locker.
he has well over 200k so id say its stuffed then. it has worked a couple times but
Banzy wrote:Dial up internet.........you'd post something and come back 2 beers later to see if it loaded.
franco wrote:
The trac-loc (factory) LSD is not a locker too. It is a clutch pack LSD that usually shits itself after about 100K. It is no match to a gear driven LSD for durability and traction like a Detroit tru-trac which is more comparable to a soft locker.
he has well over 200k so id say its stuffed then. it has worked a couple times but
it will prolly explain why he struggles to keep up...two open diffs...
franco wrote:
The trac-loc (factory) LSD is not a locker too. It is a clutch pack LSD that usually shits itself after about 100K. It is no match to a gear driven LSD for durability and traction like a Detroit tru-trac which is more comparable to a soft locker.
he has well over 200k so id say its stuffed then. it has worked a couple times but
it will prolly explain why he struggles to keep up...two open diffs...
his cherokee is "hardcore" but or so he tells everyone
Banzy wrote:Dial up internet.........you'd post something and come back 2 beers later to see if it loaded.
...i think i have a Beretta shoot fest on that weekend too - DOH! 
Some wernt to happy! 
some factory jeep fittment apparently
