I've been running ideas of converting my 93 briarwood cherokee to a on road offroad beast , but would like some advice or suggestions on how to make it possible. My plans are to remove my Dana 30 and 35 axles and install a pair of 2 1/2 ton rockwells. My problem is to I go leaf conversion in front or keep my ride and functionality and stay coil. Any ideas

 

What size tires do you plan to run that would warrant 2 1/2 ton axles?

 

off road beast and rocks really don't go together IMO. rocks are fine for mud but you wont get them to flex


Now 609s are were dreams come from. tough no point to drop like $10k axles into an XJ a pair of dana 60s will do just fine. though if your asking how to do it you might not be ready for a buggy

 

Well with the gear ratio being 6.72. Anything less then a 44 in tire will put me into granny mode. As far as uses of my rig mud is how I have it set up now running 16/9 tractor tires with 4 1/2 lift. I'm wanting a all around rig that will handle the mild rock courses but still dig in the mud holes. This is why I put this out there. To go leaf in the front I lose all my articulation so rocks are out unless it's beginners course. But I don't know if the unibody will hold up with 4 link and rockwells. In that case Dana 44 and 35 will do. I just think common isn't what drives us

 

With vehicles as old as ours, generally speaking if it hasnt been done, theres probably a reason why. Your XJ will turn into a pretzel from rockwells.

 

this discussion has came up many of times...you would have to build a frame and brace up the chassis of the XJ as we all know is a unibody configuration...with that said if i was doing the build i would run coil overs front and rear, and the amount of lift you would need would be huge...the transfer cases for those as well as the front diff take up a lot of room especially if you are wheeling it so you have enough room for flex...i thought about going that route once apon a time but i will just build a buggy for the same amount of time it would take to fabricate a frame for the XJ...i have settled for a set of Dana 60s and will be running at least 40s with coils on all 4 corners...that would be my suggestion, but its your call and personal taste

 

Thanks for the info. It gives me a little more to think about and to decide what type of Rig I'm wanting to build.

 

I would run coils all the way around. Leafs arn't that strong once you are using such a big axle. You will find yourself bending leafs a lot.

 

First off I'm going to say I love rocks There are alot that say an XJ wont handle the axles but the weight is unsprung weight build a solid sub-frame for your links and it would be fine.If I were going to do it I'd run coilovers on all four corners and run no less than a 42" tire and wouldn't run it on the street.Steup the suspension for almost all droop and you could keep as low as you could for any rig on a top load axle. As far as some one said they won't flex? you suspension is what felxex not the axle,there are PLENTY of rigs running rocks that flex like crazy and are crawling machines.If it's what you want to do go for it

 

The main things I would say to consider are plating the frame extensively, second, Rockwells are a a lot of weight to add. Even running D60's are heavy but at least more manageable. But do what you want. I am not trying to talk you out of anything. Just really decide what it is exactly that you are planning to do with the rig and go for it. I have seen rockwells done on an XJ before.

 

So a small question to put out there about what has been said on this. Frame reinforcement is a must but to do so I have different ideas. First I could just reinforce both sides of the box with steel plates molding them to the frame as far as possible or build a steel box overlay that would also extend across the floor boards for added strength . This can become tricky because if u make the unibody to stiff under severe articulation something will have to give. I do know that skid plates front rear and transfer will be a must but with rockwells will it be enough to strengthen it.

 

I've seen an xj on rockwells and michelin 54s with unibody... maybe have been reinforced but it was still the xj unibody, no frame bolted on.think it was featured in jp magazine

 

Its do-able... But what is it gonna be capable of doing? Basically nothing but mud bog..

 

i guy in my club was running rockwells on his cherokee but he was on a blazer frame it looked sick

 

That thing is on 53" Michelin's,It wouldn't need to be on that big and heavy of tire. I'm sure if the suspension was set up right that thing may suprize you on what it would do.