Boomhauer

Hi,

Looking forward to learning the eccentricities of the XJ to help out with some mod's I'm planning.

Long story short, the wife inherited a 1992 XJ Laredo 2wd several years ago. It is extremely clean and straight, only about 100k on the Odometer. She drives an Xterra when i can keep her out of my C1500 burb. I never had much interest in the XJ because I also had, up to about a year ago, a lifted K20 Burb on 37's I used for hunting and fishing until I got an offer I couldn't refuse and sold it.

Fast forward to now, and the Jeep just still sits there all lonely quiet. So, given I no longer have a vehicular project underway, and the Jeep in stock form holds very little monetary value, I think it's time to "redneck" it up a bit.

Seriously considering converting it to 4wd and seeing where things go from there. In a perfect world, I would swap in some 1ton axles and go all-out with it. Initially I think I'm gonna just lift it, 31-33" tires, and put a locker in the rear diff., possibly a gear swap while in there. That's a minimum to get it to where I'll be seen driving it. No offense to anyone running a stocker, but as it is it just isn't "me".

The only thing the Jeep truly needs is an antenna and headliner. Aside from that I am hard-presseed to find anything else wrong with it.

Anyway, looking forward to sharing what I can with the group, and learning as much or more from those of you who are far more educated about the Cherokee.

Sincerely,
Jay in Texas

extrashaky

Welcome. There's a wealth of info here to answer your questions and give you all sorts of ideas. One tip, if you are looking for info on a specific subject and want to see what's already been discussed, skip the site's search function and use Google instead using the "site:" tag, like so:
The site: tag restricts Google's search to just this domain, and Google's indexing is far superior to that of the message board software. You can use it with practically any website. If you do a lot of searches this way, Google will start giving you challenge screens to prove you're not a robot, but that's normal.

That could be interpreted different ways, so just to be clear: A modified XJ is not necessarily worth more money than a clean, straight, unmolested one. Mods don't always add to the value. Sometimes they actually detract from it. And they never add as much to the value as what you spend for the mods.

So if you're just saying you feel comfortable modding it because it's not worth much as it sits anyway, have at it. However, if you're saying you want to mod it to increase its value, you might want to reconsider.

Good luck and have fun.

Boomhauer

Thanks for the welcome!

I've lurked this site for some time, and definitely recognize the wealth of information it offers. I've visited many other sites as well, but have only joined this one. I am a member on Pirate 4x4, but I probably don't have to tell y'all what kind of trouble that forum can be when seeking basic information.

And yeah, as a gear head from way back in street, strip, and offroad vehicles I fully understand the aspect of not getting a good return from modifications.

Where I'm at, here in Texas, the XJ's seem to be a dime a dozen, and aren't inherently worth much overall. I've seen zero evidence that anyone would appreciate this XJ simply for the low mileage and relatively great condition vehicle it is. Being a 2wd is another aspect that hurts its value, hence my interest in possibly converting it to 4wd at some point.

Since we acquired this one basically for free and it hasn't cost us anything since, I will view its value based on its desirability on the market. As it is now, I don't see any interest beyond about $1,500 if I tried to sell it and it is way too nice a vehicle to let go for such a paltry sum. So if I dump a couple grand into it, which will make it more attractive to potential buyers, making it more functional for me along the way, then it possibly could increase its value. But that's not the primary goal.

In the mean time, I will get to spend some "quality time" with it in the shop, and on the road. During that time I will either develop a bond with it and keep moving forward, with mod's, or I will see that it just would never be the vehicle for me. Either way I don't think I will be losing monetarily on the deal if I wade into it instead of diving in head first from the start, thus setting myself up for a large loss.

As it is, the XJ is just a stepchild right now. I drive a company truck daily, have a nice '99 C1500 burb for my personal use (when i can make the wife get out of it), and a '71 C10 for my hotrod. The wife drives an Xterra that is in great shape, so the XJ just gets neglected. I'm tired of watching it just sit there, so it's time for something to a happen with it, be it good or bad.

Of course, the gearhead in me wants to buy some 1ton axles, huge boggers, and swap an LS motor into it, but the practicality of that amount of work and money simply isn't there at this point. Who knows though, my view on that could very well change.

Anyway, thanks again for the welcome, and I look forward to my time here.

Jeepin'_Aint_EZ

The most eccentric thing about this post is lifting a 2wd xj

Boomhauer

Call it vanity, the redneck in me, or whatever less flattering comment you like, but in stock form the vehicle simply doesn't meet my wants/needs. If I'm to take it hunting, or pull the boat with it it will have to be on some larger more aggressive tires, and to do that it would appear lifting it will be necessary. Plus, the lift kit is the same, so if/when the conversion to 4wd happens it's not like I will have thrown away that money and work.

Martlor13

You can put some aggressive tires on it on stock form. And how big is your boat? Not sure if the xj is your best and safest bet to tow with haha. And you don't need aggressive tires to tow anyway

Boomhauer

My boat is an 18' Center Console aluminum mod-v hull fishing rig. It doesn't weigh a whole lot. I agree, an XJ may not be "the safest" to tow with but it is capable of towing safely, more-so if the driver is experienced at towing, which I am. As for it's ability to tow, time will tell, but I don't anticipate any issues with what I have in mind for it. Depending on the needs for a specific trip, I could see where the XJ could come in handy as an option for a tow rig.

On the subject of tires. Yeah, I both want and need more aggressive than street tires. Granted, most of my driving is on road, but I do hunt and fish, which often finds me in less than ideal conditions. Not necessarily requiring 4wd, but places where a locker and aggressive AT's or mild MT's with a decent footprint can at the least give added peace of mind, and at most allow me to get out of a spot that ended up being worse than anticipated. As an example, i fish a river where the only boat ramp for 50 miles is on the downstream end of a sand bar. It gets covered with several inches of sand between clean ups and a street tire will pack with sand and just spin where an AT or mud tire will dig down and find the concrete. And the fluctuating water levels mean I could never even have to get the back tires wet, or I might have to back down and have water covering the rear bumper, so a little more ground clearance is always welcome.

So yes, there is a method to my madness, and I have to start somewhere. I really don't know where this build will eventually go. It could end up as wild as an LS swap on 1 ton axles and boggers, or stay as mild as the small lift and better stanced rig I'll start out with.

Anyway, it's been fun debating my needs with you, time for me to take my business to the technical sections to continue learning, and contributing where and when I can.

'00 XJ

Welcome to the forum! Eccentricities central, thankfully.