XJ/ZJ as budget off roader

[redthies]

So I already have a nicely modded 100 series Land Cruiser, and have owned CJs, TJs and JKs. I am looking for a cheap option to tow behind my truck and camper to explore some relatively easy passes in Colorado and Utah. There isn’t any rock crawling type use planned at this point so a 2–3” suspension and 31” tires is all I’d need. In my search for a cheap TJ I keep coming across ridiculously cheap XJs and ZJs. I’d prefer 4.0 powered versions, but would be interested in some insight from those that have owned one or the other (or both) as to which is a better candidate for a beater off roader. I’m leaning towards the XJ since it is a lot lighter weight, but open to suggestions.

Thoughts?

 

[nwoods]

Lots of threads on the values of the ZJ and XJ. I’d also suggest considering the WJ, which is far more comfortable than the XJ and has a V8, yet still has solid axles front and rear (as do all three). I’ve heard lots of people have frame issues with XJ’s and ZJ’s, but I think that’s mostly for those that build up to 35’s or beyond and do a lot of crawling. The V8 in the ZJ is arguably a better motor than the 4.7L in the WJ, but you can get earlier WJ’s in the 4.0 straight 6 of you want it. For under $5k for a solid WJ, it’s a pretty good platform.

 

[Luckychase5]

Greetings! Remember me from
my Cummins days in the Full Size thread?

Ha! Well I have owned XJ’s, a ZJ, and a WJ. For me, my XJ’s have been great! I blew the engine on my ZJ, and my WJ was a great rig once I got a suspension and sway bars for it. Currently I’m building a budget XJ myself. Besides buying cost, I have spent less than $1K on a 3 inch lift, new 31x10.5 tires (CL special), an double shear track bar, and many other tune up and maintenance parts.

My next mods will take me over that price point with new brakes all around, and one ton steering.

Again, I’ve had great luck with XJ’s and I highly recommend them. Happy hunting


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[comptiger5000]

I'd consider a 96 - 98 V8 ZJ to be the best of any of those rigs. Engine-wise, they're as durable as the early (95 and older) 4.0s but with more power. The 96+ 4.0s aren't great IMO (they periodically break pistons and the 99+ ones crack heads). 96+ V8 ZJs and WJs have the D44a instead of the D35 in the rear, so axle wise, they're good for at least 33s with reasonable use without needing to swap axles.

Out of the box, I'd say the ZJ has the best suspension of the 3 as well. The front is identical to the XJ and similar to the WJ, but the ZJ has a nice coil sprung 4 link (with panhard) in the rear. The WJ has a funky 3-ish link setup that I don't like as much. The XJ has leafs in the rear.

ZJs and WJs are the same in terms of wheelbase (about 5" more than an XJ), but WJs do have a bit more interior space if that's a concern. ZJs have better rear ground clearance from the factory as the gas tank sits higher than on a WJ.

ZJs have a bit of an advantage in terms of cheap parts availability because so much interchanges with TJs and XJs.

As far as unibody strength, XJs are the weakest, WJs are strongest, ZJs are in between. There are kits available for both the XJ and ZJ to beef up the unibodies.

 

[redthies]

nwoods: I’m sure there are a ton of threads on this, but unfortunately whoever writes the software for the search function on these forums has decided that “ZJ” or “XJ” do not have enough letters to be searchable.

Luckychase5: of course I remember you from the diesel side. I read your thread on your XJ. That’s a great score you got. Do you still have your Dodge?

ct5000: Thaank you for the specifics. That gives me more things to research. I’m trying not to overthink this too much as I’m going to try to keep the “investment” to around $2000 maximum.

 

[Buliwyf]

XJ is the best, most budget, wheeler of all time. There's a dozen donors in every single pick and pull yard in the US.

It absolutely slaughters similar SUV's off road. Too bad it doesn't have a frame, but any junior welder can fix them up. Nobody is going to crawl under your ride and laugh at your welds, and if they do, kick the high lift out and squish them. If you fold up the body/frame, you can get another for $300.

Downsides? No leg room. Driver ergos are as poor as a modern chevy truck. And get the 5 speed manual. Slushbox XJ's are no fun, and the manual is really reliable.

 

[Whaler]

You said "cheap, tow vehicle for easy passes." Hard to beat the XJ for that. It's incredibly light, incredibly cheap and remarkably capable. They built millions, parts are cheap and you'll find one in just about every junkyard if you want to pull parts. If you're just using it to explore from the truck/camper base-camp then you won't be loaded down with gear, so why would you need anything more powerful than the 4.0?

 

[ultraclyde]

I'm using a '97 V8 ZJ as my part time DD and first 4x4. I bought it cheap and neglected but with low miles and no rust. I've put a lot of work into it, but I'm aiming for a higher level of finish than you probably need. I'm running a 2+" Old Man Emu spring set and Bilstein 5100s and it's comfortable and has gone everywhere I've asked. I really like the truck.

If you go ZJ, look for one with as few of the luxury accessories as possible. The Laredos were more down spec and probably more reliable because of it. Parts are plentiful and cheap, as are the trucks. The down side is there aren't too many around in good shape anymore, especially in the rust belt.

I suspect that the ZJ and XJ are pretty similar for what you want to do. If you want the V8 power, get a ZJ. If you want slightly simpler get an XJ. Pick your budget and find the best condition one you can, whichever one you run into first.

 

[Justincredible]

I'm a big fan of XJs, but finding clean ones is nearly impossible these days.
ZJs and WJs are following suit, but there were more of them bought just for commuting purposes, so you can still find the occasional on that isn't beat.

 

[Luckychase5]

Redthies: sadly I had to sell the truck, we bought a condo in downtown Portland, and it didn’t fit. However we just got a new house, and I’m on the hunt again. Thinking a 2006 or older Cummins short box, or a 1500 Ecodiesel, especially now that AEV is outfitting them.

I hope you get an XJ and we can hit some NW trails together!


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[Outdoorsben]

I have owned an XJ and WJ in the past. WJ for daily driving (mine was a limited full time 4wd) and XJ for camping and trail use. I have never owned a ZJ so can’t speak first hand.

 

[redthies]

I’m a fan of the straight 6, and the looks of the XJ, and given that I already have a very nice 100 series, the lighter and more offroad bias of the XJ is winning so far. What are the typical rust areas to check out, and which t-case do I want? I always get the various “trac” models confused...

 

[comptiger5000]

In terms of offroad capability, the 3 are pretty equal (XJ is a little smaller, but ZJs and WJs have a little more tire clearance and are more likely to have at least a rear limited slip from the factory).

Transfer case wise, either the 231 (command-trac) or 242 (selec-trac) is fine (XJs came with both). In a ZJ / WJ, you'll sometimes find the fulltime cases, but those are fine too as long as they're working correctly, as they still lock in 4lo (excluding the 93-95 Quadra-Trac). Personally, I like the 231 better than the 242, as the full-time mode in the 242 is pretty useless (being an open center diff) and the 231 shifts in / out of 4wd a lot better.

 

[Whaler]

Typical rust areas I've seen on XJs: rocker panels are the worst culprit, roof drip rail, above the windshield (especially behind the rubber glass trim), floorboards: especially the front passenger floorboard because some years have a leak stemming from the cowl

 

[drinkdrankdrunk]

So I have a WJ that I absolutely love, but it's pretty heavy compared to the XJ/ZJ. If it's just a beater off road rig, then go XJ, if you think you'll be doing any actual driving in it go ZJ. I love the 4.0 in my WJ but it's a bit sluggish as I'm sure you know, and I have little to no faith in the 4.7, but I really like the 5.2 in the ZJ. If my WJ were to ******** the bed I'd definitely look at picking up a 5.2 ZJ. As someone said before look at lower trim levels as there's just less ******** to go wrong. The 4.0 and the 5.2 are both incredible motors, but Jeep really screwed the pooch on a lot of the electrical stuff. Combine that with the fact that the vehicle is now 20+ years old, and little things like window regulators and heated seat elements are going to go bad. If it's strictly a tow-behind vehicle then I'd say an old XJ. Super light, manual windows, keep it simple. If you think you'll spend a good amount of time in it, I'd really consider a ZJ with either the 4.0 or the 5.2.

As much as I love my WJ, it takes a little work to get it off road ready, especially the front driveshaft, which isn't a huge undertaking but it is a bit of a hassle to deal with. Also get some frame stiffeners if you get the XJ.