After a year defecting from my beloved 92 XJ to a 94 YJ, I'm almost ready to get back behind the wheel of a Cherokee. [You could speed up the process by buying my YJ! ] My previous rig was a pretty-much-stock 2-door, and it served me pretty well, but I'm looking for MOAR.

The one downside of my YJ is that it's really a rock-crawling rig, and not meant for high-speed trail runs through forests and mud, which is mostly what I do. [Michigan not being known for its, you know, rugged mountains.] With such a firm set of leaf springs front and rear, big bumps meant big bounces: instead of soaking up the impacts and cruising past them, the Wrangler wants to climb up them like a billy goat.

My old XJ was better, but in washboard, hummocks, and dirt potholes, sometimes it bottomed out, or started squirreling around until I was sideways in the trail, not good when you're doing 60 on some 2-track. So what I'm looking for is this: if you're starting with just a raw, stock, unmodified Cherokee, what would you put on to rig it for high-speed trail running? How much lift? What size tires? Swaybar on or off/disco'd? Whose shocks do you like?

I'm not in Jeepspeed. I don't race professionally. I'm just some dude who drives a little too fast on his back 40 but doesn't want to dislodge a lung from all the bumps. Help a brother out?

 

first thing i would get is frame stiffeners. for leaf springs and coils i would get deavers, for shocks i would run some bilstein 7100's. tires you can just run 33's

 

Full stiffeners, cage, Deaver coils and leafs, HIGH QUALITY short arms and drop brackets, bilstein 9100s or fox 2.0s with the 7/8" shaft. 4.56s or 4.88s and 33s.

 

Where in Michigan can you drive 60mph on dirt roads? You're going to die...

 

I'll definitely check out the Deavers; I don't think I've ever even heard of them, so that's a big help. I'm a big Bilstein fan, so that's all good. With 33s, how much lift do you figure? I don't need a huge amount of articulation [although it's nice] but it seems like I definitely need some travel, but this also has to be my family's daily driver, so putting it on stilts is a real no-no. [edit: Looks like Deaver has decided that for me: 5.5 inches. Eek. So, SYE and shortened driveshaft...just empty every pocket. ] Sure wish MetalCloak would start working on XJs.

Frame stiffeners is another thing I hadn't given thought to. Time to go window-shopping! Thanks, guys!

Seriously? I've been driving 60mph on Michigan dirt roads for 20 years. With a 1985 Pontiac Sunbird, even! Hasn't been a problem. Heck, my Mom does 60 on dirt roads.

 

You're gonna want to run the rear shocks through the floor out back as well. 7100s will be fine, but the 9100s are baller, I love mine. You want 360/80 valve up front and the 278 or 275 valve (I forgot what it is) out back, minimum. If they're just flat dirt roads, you really don't need to go this crazy.

 

Yo man go to naxja a get a account, the have a section for what's called jeep speed (basically pre running xj's) the give you so much info and how to on this subject

Here I'll save you some time http://www.naxja.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=230

 

I'm stupid lol that's what I get from not reading the op completely but it is the same concept ... I have a re 5.5 long arm lift and 7100 and really I can haul *** anywhere

 

dont forget a 9" rear and a truss on the D30 (underneath)

 

Oh, no: that's just getting from place to place. The real fun happens in State Game Areas and other offroad trails, where my YJ [with a stiff rock crawler lift] just doesn't do as well at speed. It's awesome for creeping over stumps or logs or whatever, but if you're trying to do 40 and there's a hummock, be prepared to fly out the top. That's what I'm trying to avoid with the new XJ.

Hey, that reminds me. My initial thought was to get a long arm kit, but someone upthread mentioned sticking with the factory short arm concept. Pros and cons?

What can I get a 9" from without buying a whole new unit? Any suggestions?

I'm struggling with balancing offroading 9 months with snow driving 3 months, and diffs are the biggest concern with that for me. What I want is a switchable LSD/locked, but the only diff that does that is the ECTED, and everyone I know with one has troubles getting it to disengage. [You'd think they'd offer a cable-fed version, instead of the electrical.] Of course, diffs aren't cheap, so I'll probably just take whatever I can get.

 

Short arms with drop brackets have won the 1900 class jeepspeed for the last four years IIRC. LAs are great but not necessary.

 

Hmm, ok. Your dirt roads must be way different than our dirt roads.

60mph on our dirt roads leads to certain death.

 

you can pull one from a junk yard. if you can find one stock length that is
oh. and has anyone suggested motor mounts yet?

 

You don't need a 9, just truss/brace your current axles. And he's not racing, he doesn't need everything.

 

he doesnt need everything but you suggested all that? lol