Grand Cherokees

[BigSki]

Who else has them? I got a 2003 WJ last year, the quintessential 'soccer mom' SUV. Haters be haters, so I'm told... I love mine. I got rid of a 1990 F350 that I could no longer justify owning. I was worried over not having 32 sq/ft of open cargo space behind a cab, but in all honesty, it hasn't been an issue.

When I got the Jeep, it had 175K on the Odo. Both axles were completely worn. I found a set that had 85K on them and they came from a Quadradrive Jerp, so that meant they had factory Vari-lock limited slips. Last winter with Mr. polar Vortex breathing down our necks, the ice and snow didn't even phase this SUV. It drove and handled as if it were on dry, warm asphalt.

Mine is pretty much stock, just getting caught up on maintenance. I plan n keeping it stock, it works fine for what I use it for.

[chino63]

Originally Posted by BigSki

Who else has them? I got a 2003 WJ last year, the quintessential 'soccer mom' SUV. Haters be haters, so I'm told... I love mine. I got rid of a 1990 F350 that I could no longer justify owning. I was worried over not having 32 sq/ft of open cargo space behind a cab, but in all honesty, it hasn't been an issue.

When I got the Jeep, it had 175K on the Odo. Both axles were completely worn. I found a set that had 85K on them and they came from a Quadra-trac Jerp, so that meant they had factory Vari-lock limited slips. Last winter with Mr. polar Vortex breathing down our necks, the ice and snow didn't even phase this SUV. It drove and handled as if it were on dry, warm asphalt.

Mine is pretty much stock, just getting caught up on maintenance. I plan n keeping it stock, it works fine for what I use it for.

My sister had one and I have a few friends who love theirs, pretty reliable as I never really work on them, just service work so far, oil leaks, etc.

[BLKXJ 96]

I have an 2002 with a 4.7 v8, 2" lift and 32" BFgoodrich KM2's. It has 168k miles no major problems so far.

[koltes36]

I've got a 95 zj grand cherokee and 7" of long travel lift and 35" tires I don't think anyone can deem it a soccer mom SUV. Lol I love mine and wouldn't trade it for anything else

[BLKXJ 96]

Originally Posted by koltes36

I've got a 95 zj grand cherokee and 7" of long travel lift and 35" tires I don't think anyone can deem it a soccer mom SUV.

Yep, gotta get the car tires off of em and get it sitting tall.

[BigSki]

I'm personally not a fan of big lifts/tires on these Jeeps, the WJ's are so capable off road with just the addition of a good A/T tire, it's ridiculous. The body design is pretty sleek and stylish, even though these rigs are between 10 and 15 years old now, they don't look it.

[BLKXJ 96]

I agree with the big lift thing, a lot of guys will put the biggest lift on that they can because they assume bigger is better and the truck straight up doesn't work or is dangerous to drive. Mine seems to be just right....

[koltes36]

Not the best pic but u get the idea not a daily driver because of the not so polite road manners with the locked axles but its built to be a 1:1 rock crawler and it works great for what I use it for I agree with the big lifts to a point that point ending with any mommas boy jeep that doesn't see anything but pavement and they only put on the lift to see how big of tire they can fit

[zjcrazy94]

Here is my ZJ

It's on about 5 inches with 35's

[kgb424]

I just recently bought 97 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with the 5.2 liter V8, but what I really like is the heated seat warmers my ass is toasty baby, I paid $600 for it and waiting for the title I sold the brush guard and bought set 15 x 8 Outlaw rims, I thinking with black lugs and the black center cap with the silver Jeep emblem in the middle would look bad ass, the rims on the Jeep now are studded snow tires and I have the matching spare, will keep them for next winter, thinking of going with a simple 2 1/2'' lift and 31'' tires and wheel it, I also seen a nice 52'' curved Led light bar with mounts so it sits at the top of the windshield and not on the roof and also looking a 2 foot light bars for the front bumper

[Neil2704]

Funny I saw this thread. I'm actively searching for one as we speak. I recently sold my xj Cherokee and my two best buds now have lifted jeeps and I don't.

[tuanies]

Yep, have a '97 Grand Cherokee Laredo on Old Man Emu springs, Bilsteins and 30" Yokohama Geolandars. Love the thing, but don't get to drive it much.

[Shinchu]

indeed this is funny... i cant decide between a ZJ or XJ... ZJ sure looks comfy, and available v8? hmmmm... but everyone swears the XJ 4.0 is a better engine than anything you can get in a ZJ.
and quadratrac axles you say? i wonder how hard it would be to fit those under an XJ? i know the steering components will fit.

either way its not going higher than 3" and 32's. a buddy at work is selling his 2000 XJ with 4.5" on 31's with bumpers and a roof rack. cant remember ODO (160k-ish?) but he only wants $5k. in cali that's a steal.

mind you i cant do anything until my lease is up on my current daily, 2016 scion FRS. its got exactly a year to go.

[tuanies]

Originally Posted by Shinchu

indeed this is funny... i cant decide between a ZJ or XJ... ZJ sure looks comfy, and available v8? hmmmm... but everyone swears the XJ 4.0 is a better engine than anything you can get in a ZJ.
and quadratrac axles you say? i wonder how hard it would be to fit those under an XJ? i know the steering components will fit.

either way its not going higher than 3" and 32's. a buddy at work is selling his 2000 XJ with 4.5" on 31's with bumpers and a roof rack. cant remember ODO (160k-ish?) but he only wants $5k. in cali that's a steal.

mind you i cant do anything until my lease is up on my current daily, 2016 scion FRS. its got exactly a year to go.

The 318 V8 is pretty rock solid, damn thing has been around since the 60's.

[kgb424]

It's funny now that I own one, I see Cherokee's and Grand Cherokee's every where, some lifted, some got racks, some got light bars, some are soccer Mom's and little old lady's cars and some are beat cause they have had the shit wheeled out of them

Especially beaning in Nevada and very close to Lake Tahoe, just now realizing I could go anywhere and wheel, from where I live there 3 or 4 roads to get the open BLM land that goes clean to Utah if you wanted too go

I just started going wheeling with a guy in my neighborhood and have met a lot of cool people that love working on their rigs and their buddy's rig and all wheel together

So I'm jumping in with both feet, going with a small lift and 31's for now, have been looking at the long arm four link setup and lift it correctly and go with 32'' or 33'' or even 35''

I want to get a feel for wheeling before I got bigger cause the Jeep is nice, it could easily be my new daily driver and wheeler or wheeler only

Have not decide yet

[BigSki]

I gave a bit of bum info- the vari-loc diffys came from a quadra-drive WJ., not quadra-trac. Quadra trac is open diffys w/ the full time 4wd t-case. Q-drive uses the same t-case and adds the vari-loc LS diffys front and rear. I don't think that the ZJ's offered Q-drive. When my last WJ died I got a 3rd gen 4runner, which I like but it's not as comfy as the WJ was. I just couldn't find one worth owning here in MD, these WJ's seem to rot away faster than the 4 runner.

my opinion on 4.0 vs 4.7 in the WJ - I've owned both and had to pull the heads on the 4.7 to fix a dropped valve seat. The go-fast pedal is fun with the 4.7, but you will curse the day the chrysler engineers were born when you have to do any work on it. It's a miserable pile to work on. The 4.slow is adequate for everyday use and small trailer pulling, just don't jack it up 6" and try to squeeze 33's under it and wonder why it handles like a pile of turds and why it has no power.

[kgb424]

I have also seen a 5.9 litre or 360 offered in a Grand Cherokee but think they are in new years than my 97, not sure, I still check Craigslist and Facebook Market place for Jeep parts, you never know what kind of good shit you can score

I found the Outlaw rims on Craigslist for $75 bucks and they guy drove half way to meet me, my Jeep was on Craigslist and less than 10 miles away from my house, you can score some deals, I waited months

Was looking for a 70's or 80's K5 Blazer or a K body Style short bed, but could not afford one, I ran across the 97 and contacted guy and got it cause I liked it almost instantly

[tuanies]

Originally Posted by kgb424

I have also seen a 5.9 litre or 360 offered in a Grand Cherokee but think they are in new years than my 97, not sure, I still check Craigslist and Facebook Market place for Jeep parts, you never know what kind of good shit you can score

The 5.9 Limited was only a limited run 1998 model only - but its the one to get - has every option you can get.

[BigSki]

The ZJ's have the benefit of sharing axles with a Wrangler (TJ?) of the same era and they use the same lug pattern so there's always cheap wheels/tires to be found. The WJ had axles that were unique to only it, odd width and a different lug pattern compared to the ZJ.

I like my 4runner but I'd trade it in a heart beat for a clean '04 WJ Laredo.

[svt923]

Originally Posted by BigSki

The ZJ's have the benefit of sharing axles with a Wrangler (TJ?) of the same era and they use the same lug pattern so there's always cheap wheels/tires to be found. The WJ had axles that were unique to only it, odd width and a different lug pattern compared to the ZJ.

I like my 4runner but I'd trade it in a heart beat for a clean '04 WJ Laredo.

The WJ has the same lug pattern as the JK.

Stock takeoffs from a JK are a cheap and easy upgrade to 17 inch wheels.