Important life choice: K5 or Xj

[OrangeSkidPlate]

Well I am getting kind of annoyed with the Xj, I have had it for a few years now and I seem to have cracked the unibody. So I can fix it and move on with my build which will eventually be 1 tons, exocage and 40's or I have been tossing around the idea of getting a K5 again and building it on tons, 40's, and other goodies for big rocks. The thought of a frame and a V8 seems very nice right now. Any input?

 

[mbryson]

My take: The XJ is a great rig when kept within it's capacities. I'd keep one at 33" or less tire, 4" or less lift and run the 4.0L and 231 into the ground and start over with another, uncracked unibody version so you can swap all the lift/axles/tires/etc onto the next one.

If you insist on ton axles and 37" or larger tires, I'd go with the K5. I like the TBI versions personally, but any small block version will work fine. I think the K5 is a bit big for serious trail work but there are a LOT of them out there in various narrowed forms. A built K5 will take on any Jeep Safari trail without hesitation but the size/weight will be an issue. I think a 37" tire version of a K5 will do A LOT of good trail runs and offer room an XJ can't even dream of. The compromise is size. You'll love the size and hate it at the same time.


Not a K5, but it's Dodge equivalent and a crack free (at the time) XJ with some bonus tube. Picture from '08?

The RamCharger is still going while we've all morphed to other rigs. He's got a ton front axle and some semi-float 14 bolt or something in the rear now. Why it's not a cool kid 14 bolt, I don't know.

The RamCharger hauls about the same amount of gear I have stuffed in my silver Jeep but the RamCharger has it all in a single box that's easy to strap down in the back and is readily available. I have gear stuffed EVERYWHERE in my silver "Jeep" but it works for me most of the time. The only modern comparison to an K5 (or Bronco or RamCharger) is a JKU. The RamCharger has a serious "pucker factor" when we get into trails like Pritchett and such. High center of gravity, MASSIVE hood and tall leaf spring lift make it "interesting" on the trail. Rick tolerates us pretty well and we've put him into some spots I'm not sure how we got him out of. If I built a K5, it would be similar to the RamCharger pictured (less KC lights for sure) but less lift and more cutting. I don't know that I'd use it for true "rock crawling" as much as I would just a good trail vehicle I pull my lunch out of easily.

I like the JKU for trail riding much more than the RamCharger. Way less pucker factor. Similar cargo space, same seatbelt amount, a little better fuel mileage. Rick's had the RamCharger on the trails with us for at least 15 years though. He's definitely got his $ out of it.

 

[N-Smooth]

My input would be that a K5 would need 40's to go on some of the trails I take my XJ on 33's through due to how massive they are. Even then I can't imagine it being much fun having one on the tight trails of Sand Hollow. EJS trails like Marc mentioned would be fine so this all comes down to the typical "What do you want to do with it?" question. Good luck.

 

[OrangeSkidPlate]

I think what it is going to come down to is whether or not I can fix the cracks in the unibody. They aren't very big so I feel like it shouldn't be terrible. I'm trying to find a welder here in Montana so I can order frame stiffeners.

 

[sawtooth4x4]

Where are you at in Montana? I may be able to direct you to someone, I'm from Montana originally

 

[OrangeSkidPlate]

I am in Butte.

 

[rholbrook]

I was in Moab when they had a big K5 safari and I was on a Kane Creek when I caught up to a group of them. A big dissadvantage to them was their size but at the same time it was a big advantage too.

 

[Tan Comanche]

Do the k5!! Some links, dovetailing and 40's...it would be sick.

 

[redrussell]

I have had both. Pros and cons for the XJ were it's smaller size so tighter places were not as hard or didn't eat as much sheet metal, I didn't like the XJ for mud or hauling girls around in. No nooky room in it really. I did like the 4.0 and manual trans, easy engine to work on and pretty tough. I would have mine screaming and bouncing off the rev limiter all the time but it still ran for 317k miles with nothing more than routine care(Amsoil baby!), a new valve cover and starters. For the K5 I had a 78, was big bulky and a heavy slouch when I got mine($400). A quick engine swap to a mild built 350, welding the diffs and an awesome sawzall job to the front fenders I had 35's stuffed under it and went almost anywhere I wanted. It bogged down but chewed through any mud I dropped into, trails and tight forest roads I crunched ALOT of front fenders and had to get a new top 3 times. It was cheap cheap cheap though. My total investment including purchase of it ran me $3,000 or so and 1/3 of that was the engine that I kept and put in 2 other rigs. As stated before and I noticed only in retrospect of reading the other post the XJ felt more stable in off camber positions. The K5 had much more room and was nicer for friends and cargo. Having a frame instead of a unibody I felt "safer" being hard on it just because I had easier repairs if I did break something.

Personal preference I think a Fullsize just looks better and is more modular to do more things. I liked being able to pop the top off the K5 load bulky items in and use it as a sudo truck if I needed to.

 

[sawtooth4x4]

oh, sorry, I don't know anyone one in Butt Montana. That's what we call that place. Makes people from Butte upset.

I am in Butte.

 

[bryson]

Advantages and disadvantages to both. Like said before, it depends on what you're doing with it.

On a side note, fixing cracks in a unibody isn't usually that bad - plate it up good (do the whole "frame") and don't worry about it again.

 

[OrvisKrawler]

Ive been in a very similar situation, only with my griand cherokee, I decided to go full size with tons, and havent looked back since, those who say a full size cant fit here or there are nuts, I have taken my chev anywhere and everywhere people with jeeps or smaller rigs in general have gone, sure I have body damage but who really cares about that, it just adds character. My truck is better than my grand in just about every way, its built better, stronger, more power, has a FRAME, and just out performs my old grand cherokee in just about every category, so, was it worth it to give up a little bit narrower vehicle for a wider one with, YES it was

from this

to this

 

[ID Bronco]

I have wheeled both, I prefer smaller (width) rigs. Lighter, more nimble, less body damage, on and on. The club I used to wheel with had a few blazers on tons. They all ended up dovetaling the front and rear, boatsiding them and still scraped on everything. They were stable, but it wasn't worth the damage and constant replacing of sheet metal.

 

[blznnp]

my blazer is probably almost close to the wheel base of a K5.....maybe, and it can be a challenge. I have all of my stuff tucked as tight as I can but I still get hung up. whatever you do, don't wheel with Nate, you will want nothing but a XJ

 

[OrangeSkidPlate]

The big thing for me is that it has to be a DD so dovetailing and bobbing isn't really an option. I loved the old blazer that I had and definitely liked it in mud, but the jeep makes me hate mud. I definitely like how I have put two dents in my jeep the whole time I have owned it. The blazer would get knocked on everything. I guess what it comes down to in my mind is 5.7 or 4.0. I have had great experience with both and bad with the 4.0. Carburetor is a big down side and I know nothing about TBI swaps, and I can sometimes, once in a blue moon get over 20 mpg in the jeep. I think I'll try and fix the unibody and then see what happens.

 

[mbryson]

TBI is pretty dumb but cool enough to be very reliable. It's kind of "hybrid" fuel injection. . I like it for its simplicity but love that it has fuel pressure at almost any angle. It's a great swap into an older framed Jeep and then you get the best of all combos. Small body, decent reliable power train and the top comes off

 

[Deweyxj]

DD Vs. Trail Rig is allways a fight! :amy: Tons & 40's on a Blazer with gears & fuel injection will prolly wheel really good! , but on the road, be tollerable to drive & maybe get 10-12 mpg.:-\

An XJ on tons & 37's with gears & body strengthening will wheel like crazy!, but you will want to trailer it!

Been there, done that, still doing that!:busted:

 

[OrangeSkidPlate]

I think I am going to stick with the xj, its on craigslist here in Butte. Just put a new flywheel in it so I better keep it a little longer. I'm pretty sure by the time its done it will weigh as much as a stock k5 so that's a plus.