I bought a 99 xj a couple months ago, up until now I have just been driving it back and forth to work not really doing anything else with it. I decided that I want to travel the country and see things, I want to build my Jeep to be a good traveling rig but don't know what direction I need to go with. I don't really want to lift it but I do want to rebuild the suspension and maybe put a size or two bigger tires on it but thats about it. I really want to be prepared for all kinds of weather and situations so what kind of stuff should I be looking to get? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

 

Maintenance. Maintenance maintenance maintenance, maintenance maintenance.

Maintenance? Maintenance.

A well kept XJ will handle an awful lot of stuff, even stock.

 

X2 on maintenance !

Sounds like you would benefit from a expedition rig build

Do a OME, RE, or BDS lift with Bilstein 5100's , Fox, or OME shocks
31-33" tires with appropriate gearing Front and rear lockers Sliders, Good bumpers, Recovery gear, Tool/part/food storage, generator, OBA ect

 

3-4.5" of lift and 33s with a locker or both axles locked is all you need. if i had a front locker in my old XJ it would be all the rig i'd (or anyone) ever need. my current one is way overbuilt.

 

That's how I see it.

OP Start with a clean slate by changing fluids and filters. Get a good set of tires. I run 235/75R15 A/T on stock sagging suspension but I think it's a great set up for a DD. All terrains stay quite on the road but handle great off road. New shocks and brakes will improve the drive quality.

 

you want to travel with it, but what kind of travel are we talking about? drive to city and stay in hotel? or drive somewhere and camp out or sleep in jeep? for option 2, i'd recommend heading over to www.expeditionportal.com and checking out some of the builds there. I just started my own expedition inspired build (just started a thread in the fabrication forum actually) so feel free to stop in there too.

 

Well in a month or so I am driving out to Michigan from New Jersey to see my dad, I want to take trips like that, 1000 miles at a time to go see parts of the US that I have never seen before. Might spend the night in my Jeep if I need too or camp. I don't really want to lift the Jeep and ruin my fuel mileage, right now I am averaging between 19-21 mpg on highway which is great. I want to build the suspension to take minor off road like driving down dirt roads, nothing more stressful on the Jeep than that.

In a week or so I am ordering OEM leaf springs, shackles and u-bolts, the ones I have on there now are sagging and one leaf is broken. Then tires and shocks.

I want to work on the interior too, install a CB, new stereo, hold down for tools and equipment needed for on road repairs, redo my headliner and get the interior worked on.

This is the general idea I have for the Jeep right now. Nothing crazy or over the top. I am not mudding or rock crawling. I want to use it a daily driver and a trip rig.

 

In that case just go thru the whole suspension with good parts and don't be cheap. Run 235/75R15s and keep up with the maintenance.

That's about it.

 

My wife will hate you for posting a link to this site..... I now want to make mine an expedition rig.....

 

Wow
Exactly.

 

x2. but idk if i'd even up the tire size at all if you dont plan on wheeling. if you wanna get crazy, start looking into roof top tents. though, i doubt youd really need/want one. sleeping in the jeep for one night out of the blue is perfectly doable.

 

Maybe get a real small trailer to tug behind. Nothing huge, just something that would be able to keep stuff in, spare parts, few tools, etc. That way the back isn't fully packed.

 

Or a roof rack. That'll be good for if you plan on spending the night in the back of the Jeep.

 

Alright, what companies make good OEM replacement suspension components?

 

Everyone that uses Old Man Emu seems to love them.