do you have experience with 4.56s and 31s or 4.10s and 31s?

 

Had 4.10's in my Xj with 31x10.50's before I took the axles out. It got up to speed better and had more grunt down low for pulling and trail usage but did suck a little more gas on the hwy. Mine was more around town/woods truck twords the end of her life.
You stated you wanted to go to 33" tires so 4.10's will be tolerable until you go bigger. So why spend all that money twice?

 

it's hard to decide. My jeep is really clean right now. I'm on the borderline between keep it how it is and just go to 4.10s and stay a daily driver and wait for a trail rig or go 4.56 and maybe turn it into a trail rig. It's a hard decision to make. My gas mileage sucks as is and hasn't changed no matter what I do. It's like 12-14 no matter what. I've replaced the cracked header replaced the o2 sensors with good brand, spark plugs, air filter, I've pretty much freshened up everything and I have no clue. I've tried driving easy and driving normal and I don't know why it doesn't change at all. Thought gears might make it go a little up with gears. Sorry kind of a ramble.

 

A little reading for you. Will has put a lot of effort into his so it will give you an idea of what to, or not to do with yours.
http://www.cherokeeforum.com/f46/wil...herocar-151025

 

I've read a lot of his off and on over the past couple years. I know mine will never end up chopped and tons and all that. I would love to do stuff to it, but I really think I just need to get a trail rig but that will need to wait at least until I'm out of highschool for sure. Too much money.



This is how she looks now.

 

Nice job on the leaf setup. Thats a lot more flex than I have seen from the rear of an XJ in a long time.

 

flexes a lot better than the front. The front sucks. The most impressive part about the rear flex is that it's on crappy stiff rough country springs. I think my shocks limit it now. I got more droop after bar pin eliminators.

 

Have you measured for custom length bilsteins? You may be able to get much more flex.

 

haven't gotten around to it. I need to but then again if I did that I would need the money for the bilsteins...

 

I know the feeling.

 

don't we all haha. If anyone is listening in ya'll can offer to get them for me for Christmas any time! Thanks! Or any jeep part for Christmas really haha

 

I will add one thing on the gears when I changed from the 3.55's to the 4.56's running the 33x12:50x15's my overall average increased about 5 mpg. My XJ is heavy with extra drag factor as well as a lot of gear in the cargo area at least 150# there. That was the case with my 99 and before I did anything to the engine it that helps any in your decision I went from 9-12 mpg to a solid 15-17 mpg and a few times better than that.


BTW you do have some nice rear flex with your XJ.