I have a 98 xj 4.0 engine. Runs and starts great this winter. Coldest start so far 27 below. This is by far the stiffest vehicle when it gets below 0. It feels like there's resistance is coming from the front axle. Leaving the parking lot wich is snow packed. I slip the rear tires with little effort. Crossing intersections require patience when snow packed. Almost need to shift it in 4x4 just to get it to move.
After 5 miles or so she loosens up and can I scoot around pretty good on snow packed roads in 2wd. Anybody else run into this when at such cold temps? I'm thinking lighter and synthetic lubes. But wanna hear your thoughts first.

 

The whole thing is pretty much an antique brick on wheels no matter what you do with it. Stiff, unresponsive, lame, sloppy = normal.

 

Antique?? I like to think of it as retro chic.
Yes when colder than a witch's tite the XJ does make a brick look like a feather pillow.
I give it a few minutes to warm up and put the trans in D to circulate the fluid prior to attacking the first drifts. A little bob and weave while on my way to the main road helps soften the frozen shocks and bushings. The differentials do take a little longer to free up but consider we are runnin 75-90 weight in there. You could drop tire pressure a little.
I still like to run 40 - 45 psi in the 31's; I need to max the mileage potential ahead of the ride comfort.

 

I was having similar issues especially with my 5 speed. It was VERY stiff during shifting until it warmed up. Changed the fluids and it's a ton better. Also realized some of it was snow/ice that melted and refroze while it was parked which would make steering very stiff at first.

 

I'm in North Dakota and I get the same odd feeling, like it seems tight/slow when it's really cold. 4x4 is very helpful at intersections, mainly because with it being so cold everything is just solid ice. Coldest starts for me have been around -25 slow turn over but it started every time lol.

 

Now, isn't snowed packed roads one of the conditions that your 4x4 was actually meant for to get/keep you going!?

Could be wrong here, never had to engage snow, but...

 

I do not have any of those problems but I do run 75-140 syn in both differentials and transfer case. My XJ is parked in an open shed and my lowest temps this winter has only been -5 but wind chill -29.

It doesn't drive as well as my WJ but that is to be expected, with what has been done to the XJ I'm well pleased for the most part with it.

 

A few weeks back I drove my 88 XJ to work. It's about a 40 min drive-all highway. It was -26C out with a strong headwind. When I got to work I could hardly steer. Felt like a real tight spot in the steering. Fluid level was up. Turned out the ujoint in the steering shaft must have got some water in it and froze. Once it warmed up enough I oiled it and haven't had a problem since. Never experienced that before!

 

Try synthetic fluids in the trans/transfer case/diffs.