In reply to BoneYard_Racing:
Doesn't look awful, but won't fit behind my wheels.
Appreciate the links though! I had previously found the second one but it looked like what you said, harder than it needed to be. First link is good stuff!
In reply to BoneYard_Racing:
Doesn't look awful, but won't fit behind my wheels.
Appreciate the links though! I had previously found the second one but it looked like what you said, harder than it needed to be. First link is good stuff!
In reply to Sonic:
Got any recommendations on spring and shock setup?
I'm not looking to do an axle swap, don't worry. That kit is a rear disc kit. 
HappyAndy wrote:EricM wrote: Engine, it is fine. General tune up stuff. The only way to get any more reliable power is to get the crank out of a AMC 258 and bore it out to 4.5 or 4.7. I have seen 4.9 as well but fuel economy drops off the already somewhat poor mpg.How do these engines respond to turbo charging? I'm thinking LPT (light pressure turbo) in the 7 to 10 psi range, just to give it some extra kick when it needs it, and hopefully not make it a complete gas hog. I watch all these XJ threads with interest, I would like to have an inexpensive tow vehicle myself in the not to distant future, for towing a single car open trailer or a camper, and whatever I wind up with will have to do double duty as the familys backup DD.
Twin scroll super chargers, 5.5 to 8.5 (max) p.s.i. The torque curve is still flat and people claim about 100 ft/lbs extra torque.
I have personally only seen one. It was very strong, I honestly don't know about longevity, though.
Is the transmission still happy at those power levels?
i don't know. stock motor / transmission has done everything I have asked them to do, I don't think it needs anymore power, but you know how people are, too much is not enough.
Lol yeah, and sticker shock just totally killed that idea for me.
In reply to 92CelicaHalfTrac:
On my XJ I made my own leaf packs. I bought a pair of Dodge 3/4 ton van leaf packs from the junkyard for like $50 (Dakota packs also work). I used the stock XJ main leaf, and mixed and matched the other leafs, using the van overload leaf. It gave me about a 2" lift, and was nice and stuff. Even when towing 4000#+ or having 1000# in the back, it would lean only slightly to the back. Once it hit the overload leaf, it basically stopped. It was great. I also used a 1.5" coil spacer in the front to even it out. I ran 16" ZJ wheels with 245/75R16s, which worked very well. For shocks, I initially had Ranco RSX, which were OK, but when I switched to Bilsteins, the ride and handling both improved.
As for how much power the transmission will hold, they used that exact same transmission behind the 4.7l V8 in Toyotas (Tundra, Land Cruiser, 4Runner, LS400, etc), and those make some significant torque, so there is plenty in reserve from a 4.0.
I was wondering about lift... seems any serious leafs add some lift in the back, which makes things confusing when trying to piece things together.
I'm guessing i'm going to end up with at least a 1.5" lift once i get springs and such strong enough in there, huh?
I was looking at this stuff:
http://www.quadratec.com/products/16019_9920.htm
Will these rear leafs be good? Lift? http://www.quadratec.com/products/56010_11.htm
And these front coils: http://www.quadratec.com/products/56018_1003.htm
Or would i do well to just grab the OME 1.5" lift kit? They don't seem to advertise how strong those coils/leafs are, though.
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The auto might very well be the strongest part of a 4.0 XJ, for what it's worth....
Huh. I know the bodies are pretty weak, with front suspension link mounts common to break off of the body (damn rust) but I've never been one to trust furrin' automatics.
Knurled wrote:92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The auto might very well be the strongest part of a 4.0 XJ, for what it's worth....Huh. I know the bodies are pretty weak, with front suspension link mounts common to break off of the body (damn rust) but I've never been one to trust furrin' automatics.
I lucked out here.... there isn't a spot of rust on this thing, not even underneath. 
mguar wrote: OH it's a Jeep? Well Chrysler product, operate at your own risk..
AMC.
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:mguar wrote: OH it's a Jeep? Well Chrysler product, operate at your own risk..AMC.
That is to say AMC-Renault, originally with Chevy engines for some reason.
(because All Makes Combined, that's why)
I'd been thinking of XJs because they are small yet useful. The chassis package (that is to say, if you account for the gaping airspace under the thing) was actually about the same size as my old Subaru, which means it is SMALLER than the VW that I'm thinking of towing with.
I'm not a Jeep guy, though... I think of what it'd be like to drive if lowered three or four inches, with Bart wheels shod in 275-60 rubber. Might make up for the fact that it is a truck which rhymes with sucks.
Honestly... i didn't really want one when i was shopping. I was looking for a 4runner or Pathfinder, looked for months for the right mid-sized SUV.
Decided to just say "berkeley it" and got this Jeep. LOVE IT. It drives pretty well the way it is.
I towed an XJS on a single axle trailer behind my '98 XJ Cherokee from Maine to SC with no real issues. Tranny cooler, weight distributing hitch, trailer brakes are all a must.
Beyond that, on mine I had a set of longer shackles to give it 3/4" or so of lift and get the rear back up to where it should have been. I also swapped the rear wheel cylinders out for earlier ones to go up one size. Seems the first couple of years of ABS used a bigger cylinder and allowed the ABS to keep it from locking up, but by my '98 they had inexplicably gone down one size. Since in over 100k of driving I went through 3 sets of front pads and only half a set of rear shoes, I figured it could reliably use more in the rear on a regular basis. Best $25 upgrade ever.
With the rear springs as soft as they are, one other thing to keep in mind is headlights. Very little change in tongue weight changes the rear end height and headlight angle a ton. I carried whatever size of torx bit the headlights needed for aiming in the glovebox every time I towed.
I'm working on my XJ so I'm going to bump this up.
Here is the reco I got from the Cherokee Forums for 2" lift with 30" tire height:
Old Man Emu Medium Duty 2" Leaf pack $125
Rustys 2" Front Coil Springs $99
Bilstein 5100 series 2" lift shocks $320 *Not sure on the best source for these, as Quadratech only has 4" Bilsteins listed, haven't called them but I'm sure they can get them.
I'll also need different bumpstops according to documentation online, not sure which.
That brings me to ~$550, which I don't feel bad about considering these are new OME leafs and new Bilsteins.
I'm going to replace balljoints, UCAs/LCAs, and TREs:
CF member "GS Audio" said: Oh....an let me help the XJ owners looking to do a full overhaul like I am doing. Here's the parts list (with ZJ upgrade parts): All Moog p/n's for a 96 XJ Sport Upper BJ - K3134T Lower BJ - K3161T Tie rod - DS1238 Tie Rod (end) - ES3094L Tie Rod (end) - ES3096L Track Bar - DS1235 Tie Rod Sleeve (qty 2) - ES2079S Tie Rod (ZJ upgrade - replaces DS1326S and ES3095R) - DS1312 Best source to confirm your specific model is this Moog site: http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/default.asp
I can then do tires in 30x9.50 (if I were towing, I'd compare to 235/75's, because I'm really not sure what would be best) on my current steel wheels and all the commenters are in agreement that I'll be in good shape for a DD. Keep in mind that if you go over 3" of lift you could have vibration issues, etc that require even more components.
Also, read a little on the ZJ to XJ rear disc conversion, seems easy enough and my local pick n pull has literally 10+ ZJ's with these parts untouched, so I'm definitely going to tackle it.
One last note out there, OME is known as one of the best riding leaf packs, and they may make a HD version that would be better for towing.
Just thought I'd throw it out there. FYI, I've found the best info on CF and NAXJA, less wading through the Wrangler discussions. Good luck and keep me posted how it works out.
My issue is that i'm trying to avoid a lift at this point, unless someone tells me that i'm dumb for trying that.
The OME kits are sure hard to ignore, though.
Quadratech also sells the HD OEM Leafs for less than $120 iirc...
ZJ rear brakes + trailer brakes and you should be in better shape I'd think. I normally never think of rear brakes because they don't provide much stopping power, but I am able to press my XJ brakes hard enough to lock the rear tires with the drums. What a piece of E36 M3 mine is... currently. As you can see I'm building a parts list to turn this beast into a respectable DD.
J308 wrote: Quadratech also sells the HD OEM Leafs for less than $120 iirc...
Yeah, the HD OEM ones were what i was looking at. Along with the HD front coils and some good shocks. Think those should do well enough?
I think i'm just going to do the G2 rear disc conversion. After pricing everything out, it's only $100-$150 more than doing the junkyard hopping thing + new rotors and pads.
And it's the easy button. I like the easy button.
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: I was wondering about lift... seems any serious leafs add some lift in the back, which makes things confusing when trying to piece things together. I'm guessing i'm going to end up with at least a 1.5" lift once i get springs and such strong enough in there, huh? I was looking at this stuff: http://www.quadratec.com/products/16019_9920.htm Will these rear leafs be good? Lift? http://www.quadratec.com/products/56010_11.htm And these front coils: http://www.quadratec.com/products/56018_1003.htm Or would i do well to just grab the OME 1.5" lift kit? They don't seem to advertise how strong those coils/leafs are, though.
This stuff is what i was looking at, leafs, coils, shocks.
i have a pair of those quadratec HD replacement springs and i put them in with a 2" budget boost (1/2" plate and 3" longer shackle) and the rear of my jeep ended up right around 3" higher than stock. i liked the ride, a bit taller and stiffer, and theyre cheap enough too. i took out the rear swaybar and it didnt really alter too much with the new springs
miatame has the OME 2" (i think, maybe 1.5") springs, whichever one is a full leaf pack and with the same 2" budget boost got around 3.5" or so (4.5" now with OME's add a leaf additionally) but with just the new leafs and BB it worked really well, albiet expensive compared to other options. but i have to say his rear suspension flexed really well w/o sways offroad if that's a concern and drives great (for a jeep) onroad. unfortunately i didnt get any good comparative opportunities to really test out mine before the earth reclaimed most of it.
i dont think they were offering the HD front coils when i bought mine. a good 1" lift to roughly match the HD rears is a pair of V8 grand cherokee front coils.
Ok, so the HD stuff should yield about a 1" lift. I can live with that. 
Any benefit to messing with the swaybars for my uses?
Not that I'm aware of. Most of the "lift" crowd says makes little difference if they are in or out on the street. hahaaaa...
Oh.. and a scotch bright is cheaper than new rotors...
I asked the question of where the "HD" designation came from on these exact parts. Someone answered that they were an OEM option... not sure if that is a certain tow package or just the "Up Country" spec that has something like a .75-1.00" lift factory.
The HD stuff sounds like a plan to me. I don't want to lift either, but I do want a few tire choices and some snow commuting + camping + destination mtb'ing. Under 2.5" and you aren't killing stock drivability and mpg. The big lifts and 33"+ tires are defo not my thing.
UPCountry springs are taller and stiffer labeled HD in the parts books
I need to take a good look at mine, it sits higher than most stock xjs i've seen.
Doesn't have skid plates though, which I thought was on the upcountry.
Also FWIW, I know you checked on the brake conversion, so how much was it?
This writeup looks great and has it at ~$96 using backing plate, caliper mounts, and calipers from a grand cherokee in the junkyard and pads/rotors from a parts store:
Junkyard parts- $20 Rotors, pads -$76 Total so far- $96
Edit: But Dayum new parts look so freakin good!
I'm definitely going the JY route and following this writeup. Like I said, the local PNP has 10+ of these, so I'll just find one with pads/rotors in good shape. Most of the commenters who have done this say it's the best money they ever spent on their XJ. Honestly I had no idea these things had drums when I bought it. Did I mention it was a piece?
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