flyingfrog509

Think this might be my first post ever. I have a 95 XJ 2 wheel drive that I use for some around town & mostly hunting that has been on a farm for years. It has been great & reliable. However the days of hunting on the farm are over & I have a hunting lease now that has some pretty rough terrain with logging roads cut through most of it. As long as it is dry I've been able to get around with the XJ but there are spots I don't go with steep inclines or muddy spots...so it is time to get a 4x4 to make sure I get home.

With that said I've come across a 2004 Grand Cherokee 4x4 laredo 4.0 engine w/127K miles & a rebuilt transmission for $3000. First of all will a WJ do everything I need off road in near stock form? I'd probably put a 2" cheater lift on it just because and some decently aggressive tires pretty close to stock size. I just have NO idea of what a near stock XJ or WJ will be able to handle when the weather gets a little mucky or when it comes to handling fairly steep hills with some loose chert rock, dirt & weeds. Most of the YouTube video(s) are of fairly modified jeeps out there so that hasn't been much help except for this one...STOCK 1998 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE TAKES ON BROKEN ARROW TRAIL AND DEVILS STAIRCASE IN SEDONA ARIZONA ( )

So you guys that have stock or near stock Grand Cherokees please chime in on what can be done "off road" not necessarily in a pure trail situation or mudding.

or am I better off getting another XJ (or converting my 2wd to a 4x4) so I have the parts in common? I do prefer the XJ looks but I don't want another project to finish before hunting season nor spend more than 3K. Seems like most of the XJs are pretty well worked over in the 1500-2500 price range in Northern Georgia.

Thanks for any thoughts.

dave1123

Okay, I have a couple of things I would suggest. The WJ should be able to handle everything that that ZJ did with a 2" lift and added skid plates, especially a good one on the fuel tank. The tank is very vulnerable because it hangs below the spare tire well. For trails as rough as the Devil's Staircase, I would suggest you move the tank into the spare tire well as a fuel cell rather than an ordinary tank for safety concerns. That should increase your departure angle considerably. Also, keep in mind those bumpers aren't bumpers, but plastic fascias that have no impact resistance whatsoever. You should add tow hooks up front and at least a trailer hitch with D-ring insert in the back for recovery purposes. You really need a 242 transfer case rather than a 247 Quadradrive unit so you have more control over power applications and a Aussie or LOKKA (same thing) automatic locker in the rear axle. A front locker would be nice.

The rear suspension is a 3-point linkage rather than the 4-link on the ZJ and extreme flexing can snap the balljoint on top of the differential so keep that in mind. You can get along with 245/70R16 tires as long as they are an open block pattern to grab in turf and light mud. As far as deep mud is concerned, nothing works very well except dedicated mudders.

I've been driving a 2000 WJ 4.0 with 242 Selectrac t/case for over 8 years and my driving has been deep snow and the occasional dirt access roads with some tight trails thru the woods with small stream crossings and small rocks. I have stock height suspension with no added skid protection and have bottomed the fuel tank twice, wincing each time, but made it thru okay. That's about all I can think of, but I'm sure other guys would have some input.

OH! One of the nicest things I've seen is to add a front trailer hitch and a small winch mounted on a hitch insert so it can be used either front or rear as needed. The guy carried it in the cabin unless he needed it.

00t444e

A WJ with a 2" lift 30" mud tires and a front locker will do quite a bit, I wouldn't lock the rear since its a Dana 35.

dave1123

Here's something that I've been wondering about that maybe some of you can clarify. Some people say that 15" wheels will fit on a WJ and some say they won't. Here's what I've discovered so far. 15" wheels will not fit on WJs with Teves calipers because I've tried that, but since I've switched to Akabono, I haven't tried them. I suspect they will because the calipers are smaller than the Teves. Anybody?