Grand or Cherokee: pros and cons

[xjshorty21]

i think its all about how much you want to spend a xj is way cheaper cause they are all at the junkyard and cheaper overall but if you looking to fit eveyone in and go wheel get the grand i have built 4 xj and i have to say that stupid lil things you break you can get at a junkyard for cheap

 

[grandmaster]

Right, you'll just have trouble with all the crappy ZJ unibody crap you hear about.

Not as bad as the XJ's from what i hear, but have not had any experience with either. But cody personally told me that he hasnt had any problems with his ZJ's

Someone's name droppin

I'll rephrase it......and XJ is more capable for less money. :brett:

Agreed!!

haha, have you? I know you haven't seen mine.

I figure, if you want an extreme rigs with coils, whats the difference with starting with an XJ? It's not like ZJ's and WJ's came from the factory with long arm mounting provisions. No matter which rig you start with, the end result is you have to fabricate a new suspension anyway. So, if you're going to be hammering the rig on hard trails, might as well start with the cheaper, lighter, narrower rig and take the extra $$ you saved and put it into drivetrain.

That being said, I would still build the ZJ as long as it had a v8. I avoid 4.0 ZJ's like Brett avoids showers

No i haven't. I was asking if he had ha ha. I know you dont like me cody but dont take it out on me ok!!

And i agree with everything cody said in that statement, 100%. But cody hasnt had very good luck with the 4.0L as ive read from his thread on another forum. But honestly to run 32's i think your fine with a 4.0L. If i had to do it again, i might have gone the 5.2 way, but i will probably stroke mine eventually anyway.

 

[dungbeetle]

Ok, I'm still thinking about building my second ZJ, but for the moment, the XJ looks like a good place to park my 4.0 engine. The engine is still in a 97 ZJ that was t-boned by an F350 up in Montana. I'd like to pull the engine and junk the rest of the car. I found out after I bought the ZJ that the previous owners had shipped in a brand new engine from Spokane 3 weeks before the car was wrecked. I've looked at selling it, but nobody seems to be interested in giving more than 500 bucks for it, so this will be a good use for it. Here is a photo of the XJ. I picked it up today.

Here is a closeup of the tires which are supposedly very new, and the rims. If anyone has an opinion about the quality of the tire and the rim, I'd like to hear it:

Then, if anyone recognized the lift kit that is on this XJ, I'd like to know that, too:

This is what the rear suspension looks like:

 

[I Lean]

That lift must be Rusty's. HAHAHAHAHAH!! (not really, but it IS rusty....)

Based on the control arms it's a Rubicon Express one. And the track bar.

 

[SAMI]

but i will probably stroke mine eventually anyway.

 

[Maverick]

dayem, that's good lookin' as it sits.

I'd have gone with the XJ too.

 

[Brett]

Lift is a VERY rusty RE kit. Maybe the 3.5" the way it's sitting, could be a 4.5 with the blocks. Get rid of the disco's and pick up some Tera. Much quieter.

 

[Brett]

No i haven't. I was asking if he had ha ha. I know you dont like me cody but dont take it out on me ok!!

hmm....who was I out having drinks with this evening? You really don't want to know how long Cody has been my under study.

 

[1995zj]

The XJ looks good....nice choice and it doesn't look like you would have much to do for it to be a capable rig.

 

[Brett]

oh...and D 35

 

[grandmaster]

hmm....who was I out having drinks with this evening? You really don't want to know how long Cody has been my under study.

hahahaha

 

[dungbeetle]

Well, the project has officially begun today.... Wed afternoon. The first step is to retrieve the replacement engine from wrecked 97 Grand Cherokee. When I bought the Cherokee, I assumed that this one is the same engine that is in it.

If anyone wants to help, my house is down by the Riverwoods shopping mall at the mouth of Provo canyon. Anyone who helps will be rewarded.

 

[Cody]

I wish that ZJ was purple, I need some driver's side doors!

Originally Posted by grandmaster View Post
No i haven't. I was asking if he had ha ha. I know you dont like me cody but dont take it out on me ok!!

I don't not like you any more than I don't like anyone else I don't now. I just have a general distaste for anyone I don't know. Nothing personal. I'd probably pull you out of a burning wreck still.

Originally Posted by Brett View Post
hmm....who was I out having drinks with this evening? You really don't want to know how long Cody has been my under study.

Hmmm, you kind of did start me into this. I'm going to send you an invoice for abotu $50,000 for the amount of money I've put into this "hobby" over the last 10 years.

 

[dungbeetle]

I wish that ZJ was purple, I need some driver's side doors!

Come down and help. Bring your doors and I'll paint them for you.

 

[dungbeetle]

Step one completed: Motor successfully extracted.

 

[Brett]

Hmmm, you kind of did start me into this. I'm going to send you an invoice for abotu $50,000 for the amount of money I've put into this "hobby" over the last 10 years.

Dammit

 

[Brett]

Well, the project has officially begun today.... Wed afternoon. The first step is to retrieve the replacement engine from wrecked 97 Grand Cherokee. When I bought the Cherokee, I assumed that this one is the same engine that is in it.

Should be pretty much the same beast. There might be minor difference's but if you are using all the XJ's sensors and computers, you should be fine. I even think that the ZJ 4.0 had an extra 5hp from what I've read.

 

[grandmaster]

I don't not like you any more than I don't like anyone else I don't now. I just have a general distaste for anyone I don't know. Nothing personal. I'd probably pull you out of a burning wreck still.

Oh, then maybe we will meet some day. Hopefully wheelin, speaking of which i just barley got back from runnin rattle snake. Quite a fun time and night wheelin is a little different, fun though. Only thing that happend was a broken mirror, and kinda jacked my front bumper, but it should be fine. And i must say, the sliders were a great upgrade

Thanks though cody that makes me feel much better.

 

[dungbeetle]

My next step is spray the engine down with degreaser, post this message while I am waiting, and then steam clean the engine.

 

[dungbeetle]

I'm to the part of removing the old engine from the Cherokee. I've got the tranny unbolted (it's a manual)... is it going to be hard to get the engine out without pulling the tranny first? I had to unbolt the rear crossmember in order to get to the upper bolts of the bellhousing. But now, it looks like I will have to unbolt the mounts from the frame in order to pull the engine far enough forward to clear the input shaft, unless I can lift the engine enough to clear them.

If anyone has tried this before and has some advice, I'd appreciate it. I'm trying to avoid pulling the tranny and transfer case.