XJ or Wrangler

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Sep 6, 2020 | 04:13 PM

#16

IJM

CF Veteran

Joined: Jan 2014

Posts: 1,533

Likes: 349

From: District of Columbia

Year: 1998

Model: Cherokee (XJ)

Engine: 4.0

Why do you think that might be? Longer wheelbase?

Sep 6, 2020 | 09:26 PM

#17

00t444e

CF Veteran

Joined: Nov 2015

Posts: 3,636

Likes: 469

From: Southern OH

Year: 1997

Model: Cherokee(XJ)

Engine: 4.0

Quote:

Originally Posted by IJM

Why do you think that might be? Longer wheelbase?

I believe that has a lot to do with it, a longer wheel base gives you an advantage in several situations, hill climbs especially.

Sep 6, 2020 | 09:57 PM

#18

Randy Bobani

Seasoned Member

Joined: Jul 2020

Posts: 347

Likes: 132

From: Sand Pit

Model: Cherokee (XJ)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 00t444e

In my experience an XJ is far better off road than a similarly or better equipped Wrangler, I have gone places in my XJ with 35s that wrangler Rubicons with 37-40" tires couldn't make it without winching. They weren't very happy about seeing their 50-70K rigs get beat by and XJ that I have less than 10K in either.

JLs, JKs,TJs, YJs, CJ5s & CJ7s all have a wheelbase of 95" or less. So that kinda of makes sense but the TJs and JLs & JKs have a rear 4 link. LJs, JKUs, JLUs, JTs, CJ6s & CJ8s all have a longer wheelbase than the Cherokee. Well the CJ6 has the same wheelbase as the Cherokee. The 4 door units have a super long 116"+ wheelbase. That can be a bit too long and they have a tendency to turtle without big enough tires. 110" seems to be the target wheelbase for the rocks. That's why a 5" stretch, long arm LJ is hard to beat.