What are my options here? What do you guys recommend? Replace it with oem or go aftermarket/upgrade?

Replace it with a header

I plan on it but I would like to hear what people on the forum have as far as after market/performance ones go and what they think of them\

EDIT oooops just saw that there is already a thread on this

clean it up and weld it

Aftermarket header if you can afford it. All 4.0s have that problem at some point. Whenever you do the work, make sure you get new bolt set, gasket and also a good time to replace o-rings on fuel rail if injected and clean up your intake as well

I cleaned mine up welded it good all the way around replaced the gaskets and ran it have about 10,000 miles since not cracked again. Aftermarket is nice but real expensive if I were to get another it would be a dorman from o'reillys with the flex joints
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...haust+manifold


Also note the lifetime warranty!

Buy this: http://www.ineedparts.com/apn-jeep-e...-manifold.html
It's aftermarket, better than oem, and cheapest price around! It's what I have and I haven't had any problems with it.

Oh, and before you replace the header, REPLACE YOUR MOTOR MOUNTS!! Otherwise whatever you put in will just crack again.

DAMN! I pick up one of those

Weld it

This^, and replace the transmission mount too.

Found on on ebay with gaskets and bolts for $89 brand new with the bellows. Fit great..no problems. But you should replace engine mounts and trans mount