jeepingymc

OK guys, just had an offer to get my old Jeep Grand Cherokee back if I want to trade the guy my XJ for it.
My XJ is bone stock, no mods. 4.0 I6 with auto tranny. Stock axles. About 179K miles on her. Runs fine.
The Grand Cherokee has 2" lift pucks front and rear, has the 5.2 V8, AW4 auto tranny. About the same milage. Has opened up exhaust, flowmaster muffler.
Main difference would be those mentioned above, plus the fact that my XJ is a 98 Sport part time 4x4 and the ZJ is a 94 and is full time 4x4.
What are the pros and cons on these two types of rigs, and which would be my best rig to use as my DD and make into a good part time offroad rig-weekend warrior?

trans_am7935

the ZJ is a crapshoot T-case and i would take the 4.0 over the 5.2 liter. personal choice. i have had both, and the extra torque that the 5.2 provides, it lacks in gas milage, reliability, and the axles are not as good. keep the XJ, not a fair trade for you

93gc40

If the ZJ had a 4.0 and a 242Tc and a D44a with LSD, maybe. If the ZJ is a 247, ALL Wheel drive, NEVER, the VC in the TC is due to fail. I didn't find my 5.2 ZJ any more powerfull than the XJ. But then the 4.0 feels fast when compared to a ZJ 4.0, and it the same motor, just less weight. Don't know if you have a C8.25 or D35 or but the D35 is basically the same POS as what is in the XJ and the D44a is no better than the D35, as on Off-Road axle.

OnlyInMyXJ22

XJ

99 Purple XJ

XJ the ZJ has the crappy tranny as where the XJ has the good AW4 also mentioned to you could have the 29 spline c8.25 XJ all the way

Slick761

Xj..... I'm biased.

sm99eagle

xj all the way...why would you want to trade for a vehicle that is 4 years older with crappier parts? Who cares about the flowmaster....thats like $80 and the 2 inch pucks...please.......you can buy a rough country 3 inch series 2 for your xj for $350 and it will be safer and bigger than the grand......just my .02

ca441970

I think the XJ is FAR superior to the ZJ.... Though I am pretty biased. ZJ is a problem mobile.

customzj73

I have always owned zj's so I am very biased, but to be honest the zjs have ALOT more issues. You have the Dana 35, LP 30, np249 transfer case that is bound to have the vc go bad, it has the 5.2 which is not known for its longevity, you have a 46rh transmission which tends to go out every 100k or less, you have all sorts of electrical gremlins. The cherokee is 4 years newer (need I say more) chances are it has the 8.25 rear, HP 30, np231, aw4 tranny, and the strait 6 which is known for its longevity. I would say the only benefit of the zj to the xj offroad is that it is setup with coils on all 4 corners stock, coils give a tremendous amount more flex compared to leafs, although many prefer leafs in back for stability.

jeepingymc

Hey guys, I appreciate all the input. I was leaning towards the ZJ simply to get back into a all 4 wheel coil spring suspension, but I guess I could simply put the ZJ rear suspsension under my XJ and get that also.
I will just keep my XJ I think, judging from mine being the better in terms of engine, tranny, tcase and front/rear axles and less gremlins.

retread

I have a 93' grand auto. 242 transfer, 4.0 on/off it and love it wouldn't trade it

kemjeep

keep your xj Im on my 2nd. a 2000 my 2cts.

customzj73

The AWD sucks on the zj's, its a 30/70 split. the np231 in the cherokees is 50/50 and has low lock, hence the reason i swapped one into my zj. keep the cherokee you wont regret it.