$5K Budget Build XJ or ZJ?

[Hotrodpayton]

Matt, i've built an XJ. My dad has it now and I can send you or post some pics. It's as bad as one can be built with the factory axles housings in place. Run down and my opinion
XJ HP 30 with good shafts, yukon gears and spartan locker
8.25 rear with yukon's and detroit both 4.88
Hydro assist, Here's the part I like, i bought a rough country 4" long arm kit, put Liquid metal industry sliders on the rear leaves. It flexes and rides unbelievable, I cut the absolute crap out of the body and had Patrick Murrah re create it with some tube fenders and bumper tie ends. We run Q78 swampers on it and it's an absolute beast. only regret it the weight of the wheels

I personally have a pro rock 60 F/R ZJ with atlas and clayton long arm kit, ARB bumpers, really a high dollar build in its day. it's geared 4:56 and is far more powerful and obviously will take more abuse

But the result is dollar for dollar the XJ is the best of the two because it's budget would be less than half the Z's and it will go places it has no business being in. And the long arm slider combo rides just as good as the Z, the sliders we bought are pure beef and have a progressive angle, both are awesome, but without all the beef parts the ZJ has, id choose the xj

 

[grcthird]

For this particular build, I would go XJ for a couple reasons. High pinion front axle, better transmissions and transfer cases, bigger aftermarket following, easier to fit bigger tires on an XJ than a ZJ. Either way, 5k gets them into places they probably shouldn't be. The 3 inch lift 31's and lockers in my ZJ makes me want to try things that I know would completely trash it if it rolled.

 

[BustedKnucklefilms]

Anyone know who built this originally? Would make a good parts rig for the price.

 

[The Luke]

Anyone know who built this originally? Would make a good parts rig for the price.

You could post it up on Naxja. Guarantee someone knows someone.

 

[jmh78]

I am pretty sure that in late 98-99 the XJ went to a LP 30 also.

Side note though I will make you a deal on a narrowed HP 44 front end, chromoly shafts, XJ/TJ brackets and unibody stiffening parts.

Price drop HP Dana 44 narrowed plus other Cherokee parts

Ford HP Dana 44 narrowed to wagoner width. Inner C’s are tacked on. Has an open carrier and 4:10 gears. Three new Yukon chromoly wagoner width axles. One stub is missing but have a stock wagoner stub with it also. New bracket kit for XJ/TJ included. New Ruff stuff channel XJ frame...

www.hardlinecrawlers.com

 

[xjmarc]

I am pretty sure that in late 98-99 the XJ went to a LP 30 also.

Side note though I will make you a deal on a narrowed HP 44 front end, chromoly shafts, XJ/TJ brackets and unibody stiffening parts.

Price drop HP Dana 44 narrowed plus other Cherokee parts

Ford HP Dana 44 narrowed to wagoner width. Inner C’s are tacked on. Has an open carrier and 4:10 gears. Three new Yukon chromoly wagoner width axles. One stub is missing but have a stock wagoner stub with it also. New bracket kit for XJ/TJ included. New Ruff stuff channel XJ frame...

www.hardlinecrawlers.com

2000 and 2001 had low pinion, all others had high.

 

[BleepinJeep]

What a bunch of cheaters... over here scheming behind my back huh Myrick??

 

[The Luke]

@BleepinJeep nothing to see here.


But while your here, what's your opinion on towing with a tundra? Since, ya know, you tow all over the country, with a tundra.

 

[BustedKnucklefilms]

What a bunch of cheaters... over here scheming behind my back huh Myrick??

Gotta get all the help I can find. I am not a "Professional Jeep Builder"

 

[87TPIYJ]

Sounds like we got a good ol fashioned shitbox build off going on!

 

[rredalty]

Doesn't buying a Jeep to rob parts from defeat the whole budget build? Why not just buy a jeep that's ready to ride and save swapping used parts from one to the other. I would expect a $5k build to be a real, off the shelf parts, $5k build.

 

[tonybolton]

Doesn't buying a Jeep to rob parts from defeat the whole budget build? Why not just buy a jeep that's ready to ride and save swapping used parts from one to the other. I would expect a $5k build to be a real, off the shelf parts, $5k build.

It's all about LIKES and SUBSCRIBES, what ever clickbait ya gotta use to keep the internet wheelers supporting ads and sponsorships. "OMFG, YOU WON'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH WE PAID FOR THIS GRADE 8 FINE THREAD BOLT!!!!!!"

 

[The Luke]

"OMFG, YOU WON'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH WE PAID FOR THIS GRADE 8 FINE THREAD BOLT!!!!!!"

.....are you going to tell us? I have to know!!!

 

[tonybolton]

.....are you going to tell us? I have to know!!!

Why don't you just come to our meeting to find out more. (((seewhatididthere)))

 

[BustedKnucklefilms]

It's all about LIKES and SUBSCRIBES, what ever clickbait ya gotta use to keep the internet wheelers supporting ads and sponsorships. "OMFG, YOU WON'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH WE PAID FOR THIS GRADE 8 FINE THREAD BOLT!!!!!!"

It's a Build Off not a Buy Off. I'm sure we could go buy some shitbox rig for less than $5k and wheel the crap out of it but that doesn't really make for a good series I don't think. The purpose of this is for Me and Bleeping to build some cheap Jeeps and see who is the better builder/driver. Our job is to inform and entertain. I don't give two shits about sponsors or ads I just want to make content that my our viewers enjoy. You also won't find any of that made up drama stuff like you see on TV.

 

[The Luke]

It's a Build Off not a Buy Off. I'm sure we could go buy some shitbox rig for less than $5k and wheel the crap out of it but that doesn't really make for a good series I don't think. The purpose of this is for Me and Bleeping to build some cheap Jeeps and see who is the better builder/driver. Our job is to inform and entertain. I don't give two shits about sponsors or ads I just want to make content that my our viewers enjoy. You also won't find any of that made up drama stuff like you see on TV.

I will say, that I was a fan of ya'll strapping goofy crap to the tops of your rigs in the Trail to Sema series.

 

[TBItoy]

It's a Build Off not a Buy Off. I don't give two shits about sponsors or ads I just want to make content that my our viewers enjoy. You also won't find any of that made up drama stuff like you see on TV.

So what you're saying is you're looking for an Mitsubishi Raider or Isuzu Ascender to build.

I'm in.

I guess let Bleepin build a Liberty or Commander since he's all jeepy and whatnot.

There's like 6000 hits on youtube for "cheap jeep build", and bleepin literally has an entire series that is already done with a ZJ... so is he just going to re-hash that and call it done.

 

[Zjman]

Man there's a lot of rich people up in here. A 5k rig is a **** box. I get the theme here but damn that's little harsh to guys wheeling 5k rigs

 

[The Luke]

Man there's a lot of rich people up in here. A 5k rig is a **** box. I get the theme here but damn that's little harsh to guys wheeling 5k rigs

That'd be me. I'd love to have a high dollar buggy. But that's not where my priorities lie. So for now, approx 4k beater rig. And it does perfectly fine for what I want to do.


I'll watch whatever series ya'll end up doing with this. Just because I enjoy stuff like that. But, I would like to see one that is a little more outside the box.

Maybe that's why I like Dirt Every Day so much? Those dudes look like a couple guys I could hang out with, they will wheel anything they get their hands on, and die laughing every time they do it.

 

[TBItoy]

That'd be me. I'd love to have a high dollar buggy. But that's not where my priorities lie. So for now, approx 4k beater rig. And it does perfectly fine for what I want to do.

$4k beater ring on tons, 42s, beadlocks, full cage family cage...

a $5k build budget XJ on stock axles better be clearing doubles on the mx track and blasting bounty hills