Which is better 4wheeler/jeeps

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71dusterdan

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I know I know this isn't directly Mopar, and certainly not Abody, but you guys are my home, don't want to join some new strange forum. Surely there are guys and gals here with some knowledge about the subject.
I am looking at building a "get me damn near anywhere vehicle." My options are limited by circumstances to 1of 2 vehicles. I'm not interested in the vehicle you say I should get, other than these two, because you think it is "more gooder." My options are the small Jeep Cherokee, or the Grand Cherokee from the same era. Neither will be stock, so I am looking for your experiences based on aftermarket support, durability, chassis design etc. thank you for your time and now let's sit back with our popcorn and watch the $h!t sandwich. Lol:happy1:
 
More after market support for the small cherokee.
And they are lighter and some come with 5-speed manual trans.

I presently have 3 jeeps from 1948 to 2003 and plenty more of them over the years.
 
You can get a V 8 in a grand Cherokee but not the small Cherokee
 
Yea but the small one has metal bumpers and the grand has plastic that hangs down low, plus you cant lift the grand as high as a small one.
No need for a v-8 in a off pavement vehicle, low torque is king with the ability to still pull at 500 rpms, I would look for one with a 4.0 six and a 5-speed.
 
The Cherokee's inline 6 has plenty of grunt. My daughter bought one for $200 because it had a cooling problem (it came with a closed loop cooling system). She changed that to an open system and drove it for 2 years, only problem was a crank position sensor (mounted in the back of the block sandwiched into the firewall) that would get a bad connection with the connecting terminal and the Jeep wouldn't start till ya wiggled it around. Good trail rig when running right. I'd recommend upgrading axles if you're going to big tires.
 
Thank you gentlemen. I know I could count on you. In my neighborhood the Cherokee's bring more money, so that makes a Grand more appealing to me. The steel bumpers on either "truck" would go bye bye, for some steel bumpers of my own design. Definitely love the 4.0, a 5 gear is damn near impossible to find as well, but I'd love to have one. A Grand with a Magnum engine wouldn't bother me, I would certainly appreciate the extra room. This will be tough... It may come down to the best I can get for my budget when I pull the trigger.
 
Not sure if cost is a factor, but if you're going to modify them to high heaven, the Cherokee will be cheaper in the long run. Tons of stuff out there for XJs, the vast majority is reasonably priced.
 
threefortyduster said:
Not sure if cost is a factor, but if you're going to modify them to high heaven, the Cherokee will be cheaper in the long run. Tons of stuff out there for XJs, the vast majority is reasonably priced.
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X2 dont get in a hurry there are plenty of them out there.
Buy the cleanest one you can afford, also pull the back carpet up, they have problems rusting out in the rear.
 
FYI
My dad sold his super clean 99 grand last week to a neighbor.
4.0 auto, clean body, heated leather, new tires, brakes, exhaust, it had 193K miles on it.
He sold it for $1000 he only put 5 miles on it since September.
I bought the grand from a local dealership when it was a few years old and it had 54K on it, so it was a well babied pampered vehicle.

Keep looking for a little one, they are cheaper to modify and have less electrics to go bad.
Also check auctions, almost any 2-door is a 5-speed.
State, Forestry divisions used alot of 2 door jeeps.
 
If you don't need the extra size and weight of a ZJ (towing), go for the XJ. Then, before you get too froggy with the suspension mods, start using it and see what exactly it can't do. You'll be surprised. Lifting Jeeps costs $$$, how tall is your pile of money?

Learn more here: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/

FWIW my DD is an 05 LJ Rubicon with 33" tires and a remarkably stock suspension. Takes me and my fishing pole anywhere I have any business driving.
 
C130 Chief said:
If you don't need the extra size and weight of a ZJ (towing), go for the XJ. Then, before you get too froggy with the suspension mods, start using it and see what exactly it can't do. You'll be surprised. Lifting Jeeps costs $$$, how tall is your pile of money?

Learn more here: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/

FWIW my DD is an 05 LJ Rubicon with 33" tires and a remarkably stock suspension. Takes me and my fishing pole anywhere I have any business driving.
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X2
Unless you are running in deep mud, 33" and a winch will get you there.

Of my current jeeps, 2 have stock suspensions, 1 is lifted with 33" tires.
Two of them have winches which have saved my butt a couple of times.
 
Thanks Gents, I am a strong supporter of traction traction traction. Great tires and great diffs can make a killer truck. I am just starting to look. I definitely agree the baby Cherokee is definitely simpler and the preferred truck. However I am not going to pass on a real nice Grand, in hopes that a Baby will show up.
 
98 and earlier grand are easier and cheaper to lift.
Plus they have simpler electrics.
 
As far as off road performance, the Grand is better.

But the regular Cherokee is an awesome off road vehicle, especially with the factory off road package. It's just a torque motor, transfer case, and two axles, great for off road.

I used to test them off road, and either one will get you where you need to go. Go with what you can mod the easiest and are comfortable in... I have one of each myself, ZJ & XJ....


We just put some awesome Goodyear tires with kevlar side walls on both of them. My son invited his friends over on Superbowl Sunday and went to pick them up and drop them off afterwards in his Jeep with the new tires. We got a foot of snow that day, and the Cherokee (XJ) took it no problem. Now my son's friends like and want a Jeep like his....
 
71dusterdan said:
Thank you gentlemen. I know I could count on you. In my neighborhood the Cherokee's bring more money, so that makes a Grand more appealing to me. The steel bumpers on either "truck" would go bye bye, for some steel bumpers of my own design. Definitely love the 4.0, a 5 gear is damn near impossible to find as well, but I'd love to have one. A Grand with a Magnum engine wouldn't bother me, I would certainly appreciate the extra room. This will be tough... It may come down to the best I can get for my budget when I pull the trigger.
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There's a few in the salvage yard in Joliet, IL if you need parts for an XJ....
 
71dusterdan said:
Surely there are guys and gals here with some knowledge about the subject.

I am looking at building a "get me damn near anywhere vehicle." thank you for your time and now let's sit back with our popcorn and watch the $h!t sandwich. Lol:happy1:
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So, what, or better yet, how do you intend to use this proposed vehicle? Sight seeing on gravel roads? Driving back into your favorite fishing hole through treacherous roads? Are you looking for a four wheel drive that will be capable of just about any back woods unimproved road, through mud and snow, a wheeler that will "get you damn near anywhere"? If so, either of te rigs you made mention of will work great!

But... If you are wanting to get into more serious wheeling, I hate to burst your bubble, but you'll never be able to go where the real wheelers go. Not trying to be insulting here, but neither one of those rigs you mention can compete with other, more capable off road rigs.

Either way, you'll have a lot of fun out there! Go prepared!
 
krazykuda said:
Here's my Jeeps and their tires, the good tires really help in the bad weather.... If you want to see them in action, come on down, I'm only 1 1/2 hrs from Rockford....

My '99 XJ:

View attachment 1714798269

View attachment 1714798270

The XJ tires:

View attachment 1714798271

View attachment 1714798272

My '98 ZJ:

View attachment 1714798273

View attachment 1714798274

Kevlar reinforced sidewalls:

View attachment 1714798275
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Good year duratrac's excellent all terrain tire, I have a set on my wrangler.
They wear excellent and are not that noisy.
 
My vote goes for the XJ, bullet proof! Mine has yet to let me down, low maintenance cost and aftermarket stuff for days! I used to hate the whole jeep fad, until I got mine. Now I can't see not owning one. I picked up a 96 grand Cherokee orvis edition for my brother, only had 70k on the clock. Saved his *** in the snow a few times already!
 
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