So I came across an article that said all I needed to put a stiffener plate/ windage tray from a 96 and later 4.0L on the pre 96 4.0L was the plate and the main bolts that have the studs on them. Buutt then I came across an article that said I would run into clearance issues with the oil pan doing this. Now generally I like to find more then one place with the same info before getting too excited. Anyone ever play with this? I just like anything that beefs up bottom end at all before I start playing around. Overkill is my middle name.

the purpose of a windage tray is to free up horse power by keeping the oil in the oil pan from being picked up from the crankshaft spinning and adding more weight to the crank not to strentghin any thing

The plate ties all the main caps together and keeps them from flexing.. it adds alot of strength to the bottom end...It also deflects oil from crank and adding a few ponys...its more of a stud girdle then a windage tray...
Yes if you can get one out of Junk yard by all means get one...and use the oil pan of the newer one... I got a 98 motor in our 92...

on a stock xj that little bit it does aint gonna help now if you got 350 plus horcepower coming out of a 4.o it helps

acually it helps alot.. why they started installing them... the block is so long it tends to flex alot... the girdle adds alot of strength....yes its useless if you drive it like a granny... but out 4 wheeling when you start reving motor up in the 4000 5000 rpm it does help

you gonna need mor than that if your rev that high four wheeling thats why you use different gear selection maybe that why my motor never gives me problems

I wheel, and I use gears, and have many times had to turn over 4 grand to get where I was going. Mainly on steep long climbs or in snow drifts where you need wheel speed, but need to have it in a low enough gear to have the torque needed to turn the tires.

Hey thanks, so I take using a new oil pan is the answer to the clearance issues with the tray? Any idea if a new oil pan will fit a 92 block? Bolt pattern and such? Oh and if it does do you know if it requires a different oil pump pickup?

I will say that yes it probably wont do a whole heck of a lot right now, however it is enough that im willing to throw a few bucks at it and install one so if I do go a little nuts in the future I dont have to strip it back down again to do so. Thanks for the opinion though.