When people think about going off-road, they often imagine classic Jeep Wranglers. They picture themselves driving through the wilderness with their roof down and their doors open, having the time of their life. That’s a great image, but it doesn’t have to be a Wrangler.
While there are many differences between the XJ Cherokee & Wranglers, a four-wheel-drive XJ can take it off-road any day of the year. These are the top seven must-have Jeep Cherokee XJ parts that you need for off-road adventures
Bumpers
Consider your budget, style, and color preferences because they are many choices. For example, the Smittybilt XRC bumperline was created to maximize rock crawling clearance. Each bumper has raised corners and high approach angles to maximize ground clearance. Robotically welded 3/16 inch cold-rolled steel bars to exact specifications.
This unique design can hold a winch up to 10,000 lb. You have the option to run an aluminum fairlead or a roller fairlead. Bolt-on bumpers can be attached to any vehicle without modification.
Fender Trimming
You can use a Sawzall on your Jeep. It’s a Jeep after all. Don’t cut seams if you aren’t a skilled welder, plus you should also ensure that you are not cutting wires and lines. You can purchase fender flares after the job is completed.
Saw blades can be much more affordable than other lift options. To fit larger tires on your XJ, you will need a bigger lift than for other Jeep models. To fit 33 tires, you would need six inches of lift. By removing excess metal, you can fit more tires with a smaller lift. You should gain two inches from the front and one at the rear. This will not only make it cheaper, but it also lowers your center of gravity. This is great news for those who don’t know much about tricking out Jeeps.
Leaf Springs
Although replacing leaf springs is the best option, it can be very costly to buy new ones. To see what you can find, visit a scrapyard. You can take whole leaf packs from Cherokees, or you can take springs from other cars to create stronger leaf packets. These can be used from Jeep Comanches, Dodge Dakota and Durangos, Ford’s Rangers, and the Chevy S-10. These should not be difficult to locate. The main leaf of your Cherokee can be kept, but it is okay to throw out the rest. The length differences between the leaves are smaller the more uniform they are.
Unibody Stiffener
If you plan to take your animal off-road, it is important to ensure that it is safe and durable. The XJ’s unique unibody design is different from traditional body and frame construction. Because it is not as strong for off-road, untreated cracks can form on the body, and doors and panels will not line up.
Skid Plates
Some Cherokees had skid plates installed by the factory. However, most Cherokees from “Up-Country”, however, came with a 1/8″ thick sheet metal. Even a minor wheeling accident can cause damage to your transmission and gas tank.
Armor
The XJ’s sheet steel actually contains atomic properties. This causes a gravitational force to pull trees and rocks into the sheet metal, while it attempts to bond particles with it. It may seem like this, even though it’s not true.
NP231 Transfer Cases
There are nine versions of the NP231 transfer case that have been up for sale through different production vehicles, https://reman-transmission.com/transfer-cases-code/NP231-NV231. To keep track of all variations, five different serial number prefixes were created. You will find the part numbers on the sticker in your transfer case.
Every version is associated with a letter placed after the serial number. There are 9 versions.
- NP231 is 1983-1989 = No locking hub provision, no low range reduction option (3.91.1)
- NP231A 1990-1994 = Has internal locking hubs and a 3.91.1 low range gear reducer (PN 80073–C).
- The production of the 231C began in 1994 and continued through 2000. It was equipped with external locking hubs, a 2.72 to 1 low range gear reduction (PN 353789), and an optional 3.42 to 1 low range option (PN 80073 B2 or PN 3593792).
- At the end of 2000, a factory overdrive was available as an option for the 231C (PN 3593829).
Your Jeep Cherokee XJ is capable of taking on any off-road challenge for less than you might think. Add an np231 transfer case to your XJ, and you can more than match any old-school Wrangler in an offroad test.
Facebook Comments