Kuntryboy8

Okay i keep making threads about lifts for each one but i want to have everytihing together so here goes.... im Debating a XJ, ZJ, and a WJ.... i like the xj cause i can find them for great prices, i like the zj cause i can get a 5.2 liter v8 and i like the wj cause of the overall comfort and newerness (if thats a word haha) of the jeep.... i want something capable off road and no matter what jeep i get i want to run at least 33's... and i think that no matter what lift i get im going to go long arm. i want big lift for as cheap as possible but dont want it to be crappy..... as i asked in a zj thread i made if i got a zj i would want about a 4.5 inch kit and put 2 inch spacers on top of that.... i was wondering if i could do that with a xj or wj as long as i got a SYE and CV driveshaft... these are required for more then 4 inches of lift...Correct?? i see 4 inch lifted wj's all the time and i dont think they add a SYE. anyways i know there is a ton of questions here but just find something in my essay that u know something about and help me out.... OPINIONS please!!! this will be a DD for me. just tell me what i should get and why..... state your points and the lift questions i have would be helpful to my choice as whichever jeep i buy its going to be lifted within the same month. thanks

ol"blue

From what you stated, I think you should get the newest, cleanest XJ you can afford, and go from there. The XJ w/the 4.0L has lots of power when properly tuned. The difference in money you spend getting a ZJ, or WJ can be better spent on your lift kit and wheels/tires.
I love my ZJ and WJ but I don't wheel either one. In fact I don't wheel at all, but there is so much more in favor of the XJ it seems an easy choice to me. JMO
Dan

Kuntryboy8

yea that does sound right.... are they dependable??? DD remember and cheaper is better as im only kid haha but will be 18 in a few months... ah adult hood nothing could suck worse then paying for everything on my own haha

ol"blue

Are XJ's dependable? From what I read on here they're a very rugged truck, and probably more dependable than the ZJ or the WJ. But I can't attest to that personally.
Dan

Kuntryboy8

okay well that sounds like its pretty good then. ill look and see if its what i want by looking at aftermarket parts for it

ol"blue

There's lot more parts/kits for the XJ than there is for the ZJ and WJ combined.
Dan

99xj40

ive owned a 98 zj 5.2 and a 99 xj 4.0 and honestly i think my 99 xj makes better power, and i know for a fact the xj is quicker. As far as dependability goes i dint have the zj as long as i have had the xj but ive driven my xj the past 35,000 miles that included towing a 14 ft trailer and wheeling a little bit, and ive done 2 repairs upper radiator hose, and a front hub.

ol"blue

Well now, as far as my V8 not having the power of the 4.0L, I beg to differ. That hasn't been a problem in the meetings I've had.
But the XJ would probably be a better, more dependable, cheaper to build rig than the ZJ or WJ.
Dan

ej1096

I know what your talking about. I was debating the same thing too. I had a 93 xj. Very dependable. However very rusty. I wanted something I could Have for a few years and turn into an expedition type rig. I did a lot of research into Zj's. I liked the idea of "more comfort" and i kinda thought the ZJ's I saw that had been lifted with off road goodies on them looked cool. Then I started looking into parts and reliability. I found the parts were more $$ and fewer. The reliability seemed a bit worse. Not necessarily anything major but a lot of little nussance type stuff That the Xj's don't have. Such as the driver info computer. and various sensors and electronic type stuff. I opted for a trusty old XJ. My view is life is too complicated and the simpler the better. just my 2 cents.. Good luck Let us know what you end up doing.

Kuntryboy8

ha thanks guys i think im set on an xj just need to save money and dont want to move on one till i either first just find a rediculously good deal or until i have about 4k to spend on the xj itself and 3k for lift and off road goodies haha

Kuntryboy8

uhhhh i still want a wj in the back of my mind... but i will just kick myself when i get one and it has problems.... i know a lot of ppl that have em and say they have no problems but theres arent lifted and arent even wheeled so idk. i just think cruisin in a wj with a 4inch lift and 33's with nice features sounds nice but idk. do u need a sye and cv driveshaft for the wj if i only got a 4 inch lift... no company states anywhere on their 4 inch lifts that it would be necasarry

http://roughcountry.com/jeep_wj_4x.html

wkwally

I have had my ZJ for about 5 years now and just lifted it 3 inches. I have not had any real major issues in it and it wheels just fine.

country_boy454

As far as money goes, I would get the nicest, cleanest looking XJ and build it from there. They have way more aftermarket support. I am sitting at 6.5 inches of lift with my XJ (Rusty's short arm) and no SYE. Its a 96. As far as dependability goes, I dunno, its my trail rig. I don't DD it much if at all. In the 4 yrs I have owned it I put on ~5000 miles.

I also own two ZJs. One being the 4.0 the other the 5.2. I can honestly say they are both very capable rigs stock! I wheeled the crap out of both. Took the 5.2 on many rescue missions were friends have been stuck and needed an extraction.

caged

i'm gonna go with the others and say get the newest, cleanest xj you can afford. cause if you want long arms, it's only the front you need, therefor half the price.
also, it's more work to fit 33's under a zj or wj.

but on the same note, stay away from 00-01 xj's for low pinion front diff and head problems.

jmg

for what its worth, I second the XJ vote.
I've owned a few zjs, and I currently own a 1998 5.9l and a 1988 XJ.
If you're going to wheel, the xj is just a better choice.. not because of capability, but mainly beucase the parts are a HECK of a lot cheaper (for what it's worth, I think the ZJ is just as capable offroad as an XJ, just would never ever take my niner offroad).

I will say that as a DD, the ZJ is a universe of a differnece over the XJ. The cabin is wider, doesn't feel as cramped.


As for the xj being quicker than a 5.2 ... uhhh, no. Not even close. And if you're going with 33s, you're going to want to regear. I had 31s on my xj before I dropped in the 350, and the thing could barely stay in overdrive on the highway. 4.10s work pretty well though, and I know others drop in 4.5