Ok so I tried to search but I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction.

I have owned 3 jeeps.

A yj

And 2 XJs

I sold them all and I am researching jeep num.ber 4.

I am really thinking tj.

But I wanted to know a little more about the grand.

?????

What is the best years?
What are the better engines?
Do certain years have better axels?
What axles are used.
Are all of them awd/4wd or do they have np231's in some.

I really looking to spend 5000 or less on the vehicle stock or modded.

Then my changes will come.

Are there tips like fender triming or common swaps.

 

Go to www.nagca.com they have ton's of info on what your looking for. I own 2 Grands, a 93 and a 95. I also have my 90 Cherokee. I like the ZJ's, but I prefer the XJ body style and after market support.

 

I have had an XJ and I own a ZJ now...

I love both, but IMO the ZJ is more of a road cruiser and not as much of a offroader...

HOWEVER I do take every opportunity I can to go offroading with it and let me tell u it does it FINE!!!

I like the body of the XJ a little more but ZJ is a little moe "familyish" but I don't let it stop me.. I love my ZJ..

I would say best engine is the 4.0 L6 my ZJ has the 5.2L V8 and I'm ok with that.. its just not as easy as the 4.0 for anything lol...

Good luck and I hope to see pics when u get another JEEP!

No matter what a JEEP is a JEEP.. they are all a part of a great family!!

 

well leaf springs are a drawback so I've heard, But I am quite new to wheeling... The ZJ is much more comfortable inside, not so narrow and you sit up off the floor boards a little higher.

Today I drove a 98 4-Runner which was covered and under 4 ft of snow, it was sitting maybe 25ft from the road nose down... I jumped in and started it up and did not even clear the snow from the windshield then proceeded to rock it out of the snow drift a little so I could start the ritual digging...

Well much to my surprise this thing had an electronic locking rear differential and a 4LOW and 4HI only. And needless to say this thing pulled itself all the way out after maybe 5 or 6 times shaving the snow under the body (without manual digging) dack&forth all the way up to the road...

was very amused, My ZJ would never do this... in fact to make my ZJ do this can anybody tell me what I need ? (the rear locker maybe)

 

locker would help. I drove my ZJ on some crappy Kelly all seasons through about 20 inches of snow on saturday. My ZJ is stock right now. Still waiting on my tire guy to get in the 31s I ordered and my 2"bb RE kit with shocks. That is all I am doing for mods right now until I figure out if I want to put a locker in the front or rear and what kind and how much I want to spend.

 

yeah this is my first winter and snow with my ZJ, it's a good truck... My ZJ is sitting right next to where the 4-Runner was (in a parking lot at my work) and I can't even use the ruts I made with the 4-Runner to get it out. I somehow got high centered when I attempted driving her out. (I am on liberator tires 3/4 tread) the 4-Runner is a stocker with stock tires that are shot !

 

that thing is starting to look really shiny to me... in fact I think I may go play in it a little today (it's the boss's sisters old car, she bought a Range Rover) I may actually have to yank my ZJ out with it, and as if I am not embarrassed enough getting stuck in it's ruts in front of everyone...

 

If u go with a wj then get a 03 04 model... 99 to02ish had has heads that cracked between 3 and 4 cylinders... tjs had this problem also.... unless u want to buy my 00 4x4 wj... its getting a 04 mmotor next week...

 

With SNOW TIRES my Zj has not been stuck at all even through 2ft of snow.. walks right through...

granted my wifes 95 Pathfinder with auto locking hubs will go through ANYTHING lol...

I love my ZJ.. its fun, comfortable and can go through whatever I toss at it.. IMO Snow tires make a whole difference.

 

knowing how to drive in the snow helps as well....i spun the teeth off my spider gears(at least thats what it feels like) in the front diff and in 2wd i still got around in the 24plus inches of snow up here in pa.....n my hankook mt's are just about kicked...

 

Agreed

 

Think again...

 

we just got a nice 12 inches over night im takin the xj out in a bit il post pictures of the 2wd tank

 

huh?

 

well I got my ZJ out this morning, btw: I am in a solid 4ft+ in my area drifts getting into the 6ft range at my back door...

The ZJ did pull itself out... even with alot more snow on top of it and behind it, the ruts I made with the 4Runner have been refilled in with overnight snow to level again. I managed to unbolt my front skid which was wedging me every time I tried reverse (which I had no choice because I was nose down)

I had to dig in front of the Jeep so I could go forward about 3 feet and get myself off center to remove the skid (I just put this skid on before the snow, they don't work well going backwards in snow as it acts as a scoop packing it into the back side of the front bumper)

After 6 or 7 tries leveling the snow behind it she came out with relative ease on her own using Part Time HI (231 case). I could not get over into the ruts or area I made the ruts with the 4Runner so I had to make my own. The liberator tires are doing fine swiping away the snow.

I did not want to take the 4Runner out even to see how well it would do on the roads because... well it is just so damn uncomfortable, just sitting in the thing you feel like you are sitting on the floorpan without a seat and my legs stick straight out like I am on my recliner at home ! I could not bear it more than maybe 1 hour before a break (surely not a good cruiser or all around utility vehicle) I could drive my ZJ 16 hours before even having to stop...

I'm in deep and still have not had to use 4LO...