hello there. I am in the market for my first jeep (converting from toyota). i really like the xj's. you guys that have both cherokees and grands, what do you like best about them? what i am planning to do to my first one is an off road look only. for now, or i say that n then wind up makin a full off road machine out of it i just want to throw some 33's, mild bumpers, and a few other doo-daads on there. it will be a daily driver though. i have worked on a lot of wranglers and cherokees and know them pretty good, but i kind of like the grands with the 5.2's, but do they hold up like the 4.0's? just looking at craigslist i have seen both motors push 275k+ miles. I guess my question is which one would be less of a hassel if/when the motor goes to replace and keep maitenence on?

 

i have a 95 zj with the 4.0 and shes amazing. the only thing with the v8 is there trans is weaker and look for somethign without the 249 transfercase. but if tyou do get the 249 its really simple to swap in a 242 or 231

 

Coppied this from something else i just posted on.

Now im not bassin on the ZJ, but I had the chance to get one and i turned it down. Some of them have transmission and i rear drivetrain problems (dont quote me on the second one). Plus is that they are a front and rear coil design which is great off road. Id look for a ZJ with under 100K or an XJ under 150K

Now i perfer the XJ for the power to weight ratio, ive taken out my front anti sway bars and i have a ton of flex even at stock height. Good job ditchen the toyota.

 

IMO ZJ's get a "10" for the front & rear coil suspension, better ride, a little more room, more comfort, and the available V8 which makes it a better tow rig, but lose points because some V8 ZJ's do have rear axle bearing issues, and they're a little heavier. I love mine but that's JMO.
And Welcome to CF!
Dan

 

oh now dont hate on the yotas. ive loved the ones ive had, but its time for change. ive had full size dodge truck and durango with 5.2 and really didnt have much luck keeping them going. either motor was out or tranny. now another question: the tranny's. i have always had a standard and love them, but i want this one for daily driver. how well do the auto tranny's on the 4.0's hold up? and will they, along with stock axels hold up to 33's? i wont be doing any muddin or hardcore trails with it, but i do enjoy the occasional trail ride. and also what different front axels did they offer in the cherokees? ive mostly worked on wranglers, but i did put a positive lock button? on a cherokee. seemed to me that the little metal ring that locked the 4wd in was kind of sissy like.

 

This one is simple. You want to run 33" tires your looking at a XJ with 4.5" of lift. By the time you spend the money to lift a ZJ or WJ high enough for 33" tires, the ride benifits they had will no longer exist. V8 vs 4.0, trannies and T-cases are the issues here, XJ has the better of BOTH. V8 only has 30 more horses at the same MPG, lower gears in the 4.0 can make up the difference. XJ D44 or C8.25 rear axles are stronger than anything in a ZJ or WJ, the TURDY5 sucks anywhere.

Stock to 3" lift or less, the advantage might be ZJ or WJ for DD that see's some light wheeling. If I am going to be willing to give up road manners for wheeling ability, XJ all the way, on cost alone.

 

Dude454 is totally right, i would go for an xj
i have a 94 zj and have experienced lots of tranny problems

 

XJ, ZJ and WJ all use a D30 front axle. Pre 1990 XJ did have the crappy posilock D30, after that they are all solid axle D30. The AW4 trans used in XJs (also in some 1993 ZJs) is the strongest tranny available in Cherokees. They do tend to run hot, so a tranny cooler is advised. Don't think the ZJ or WJ ever were available with manual shift, only the XJ.

 

The early ZJ's could be had with a manual trans. I don't know if it stopped in '95 or '94.

 

xj's are lighter and are better on gas and still have the power, plus in my opinion they look better, and have stronger trannies

 

k thanks guys. yall answered all i need to know

 

GL on your search and welcome to the forum!

 

thank you sir. this site is AWESOME!!! wish i would have found it sooner