km71107

I just found this forum and need a little help. I recently bought my 1st Jeep. Paid $200 for a non running '88 4dr Cherokee with a clear title. It's got a good body with 2 small dents and no rust, pwr locks and windows. It's a 4.0 and has a set of good BFG 31x10.50x15 Mud Terrains on it. Haven't tried to crank it yet. The previous owner said it "just died". My question is what axles, trans, and transfer case are usually under an '88? How durable are these parts? I won't be doing any rock crawling (not many rocks in NW La.). Mainly playing in the mud and using it for a hunting rig with the BFGs until they are worn out. I've heard the fuel injection on these is junk. Is this true? If so, what about a carb conversion? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

cheapJeeper

Welcome from California.
Congratulations on your new project!
Your 88 XJ is a Renix-era Jeep, pre-"High Output", pre-OBD codes.
This is a great forum to learn about Cherokees...there are some Renix gurus on here who can probably talk you through a plan for getting your rig running.
You probably have a Dana 30 front axle, a Dana 35 rear axle, and a Peugeot BA10/5 manual trans...or an either an AX-5 or an AW-15 auto trans.
If you're lucky, you MIGHT (repeat, MIGHT) have a Dana 44 rear axle.
Dana 35's are vilified around here, but are adequate for most non-extreme use.
The Peugeot trans is also considered junk around here by many, but the one in my '89 has survived 184K miles, and there are others on this forum who are happy with theirs, also.
I recommend getting a manual, and also spending some time searching around on this forum. Some of the builds and write-ups are amazing and inspiring.
Good luck, keep us posted about trying to get it running, and TAKE PICTURES!

km71107

Thanks for the help and the welcome! I'll try to post pics when I borrow a camera. Once I get it running, I plan to play a while then put it in the air, maybe 36" TSLs or Boggers on Dana 44s. These Louisiana mudholes get a little deep!
Future plans for it:
Dana 44s or bigger
Superlift or Skyjacker lift
36" tires (real mudgrips, not sissy all terrains)
black Eaton Monster rims
build bumpers
8000lb Warn
exhaust
KC lights
flat black or camo paint
350/ Turbo 350/ NP205 (DISTANT future!)