jakerandall1966

Hey guys I need a little help picking out the right xj! Im no stranger to building cars and truck but iv never owned an xj or a 4x4 for that matter my knowledge base it hot rods so making the transition to off road is an exciting new avenue for me hopefully without too many bumps in the road (pun intended). What I need is a good start to make a sweet truck but im not sure what too look for. From what iv read the 4.0 i6 is the way to go as far as durability but what else should I look for and steer clear from its got to be my daily driver so id like an auto trans is there different ones? Rear ends? Front ends? Transfer cases? Im not too particular on the year and I have about 3000 to spend so any info would be awesome -Jake

PNWjeeper

So i see your going to build it but its also a DD, but is that all or is it gonna be a rock crawler, explorer, etc. Lots of people like the np231 tcase because of the aftermarket support there is also the np242 which is great also but not as much support. Rear ends people are going to say ditch the d35 and get a ford 8.8 or a d44. That's about all I can think of as a starting point, I'm sure there is more though.

Atmos

look at years 95-99 high output only. that'll put you in the $3k range and they're all great years
97-99 (and some 96) come with the option of a 29 spline chrysler 8.25 rear axle. the bottom of the diff will be flat. get that and you wont have to do an axle swap later. 00-01 all have the 8.25. but they also have bad heads

PNWjeeper

Ah 8.25 that's the one I was thinking of not the 8.8. Lol

Bustedback

95-96 are the best years for the "old" body and interior style, 99 is the best year for the "new" body and interior. Avoid 84-86 model years, no 4.0 in those, it had a crappy GM 2.8 v6 that leaked more oil than it could hold. 87-90 are pretty solid but have some quirks with the closed cooling system and the RENIX fuel injection can be hard to diagnose. 90-91 was available with the Bendix 9 ABS system and it is problematic and can be costly to repair if someting is not covered under the 702 recall. 92-94 are good years if you don't want a driver side airbag. I drove a 94 at work for a while and it was a rocketship that was fun to drive. I have a 2000 at work now, it's still pretty darn fast, but it does feel different from the 94 as far as steering and power goes. Just take your time and stick to your list of wants and needs. DO NOT buy one just because it has a lift already installed, you would be better off buying a stock XJ and lifting it yourself. A lift will not add much to the value of the vehicle, it's really only eye candy.