Smokeyyank

A 44/9 combo isn't bad. I have said axles that eventually will go under something just haven't figured out what. It is a great combo for running 35s-37s just not hard. Yes you can build them up to take the abuse but $ for $ tons will always win. Downside of tons is the weight. The 44/9 is a lot lighter, but if there is one thing I've learned from wheeling is that overbuilt is rarely a problem. You're alos going to need to add a good amount to the unibody and such to take the abuse of 37's.

What exact parts are you looking at? For the most part they are pretty much the same with subtle differences.

Honestly, I wouldn't even bother with a 44/9 combo for 37's. 35's sure but you're getting into an area that that axle combo will be pushed. For the amount of work/cost go with tons and be done.

WJ d30 won't bolt up. Not even close. You'll have to fab brackets and deal with other things. You can though do the WJ knuckle swap on the d30 which is a great upgrade but requires work and $. What size tires are you running? What terrain are you building it for? As pete said D30 and 8.25 is a solid axle choice. You "can" run 35s on them if properly built. Thats what I'll eventually run on mine.

I get it. It becomes one of those tools that you kind of need once and then that's it. Realistically you could probably sell it after your done and at the least break even on parts cost. More than likely pocket a few bucks.

No need to reivent to wheel. You're going to find that trial and error is going to put you out a lot more cash and time then going with something that others have already done. Yeah you can do it on the cheap but really if you have a crappy die your bends will look like $#!& and not do what you need. I'd go with a gottrikes plan for a bender. http://www.gottrikes.com Once I get moved its the route I'll be going.

3k for those axles isn't a bad deal especially if they are ready to bolt in. If you're running the 33's and the AX15 that would be a good all around combo.

Closed systems are a PITA. If you haven't you can upgrade you cap on the reservoir to the volvo one. It's flatter so it doesn't rub against the hood. Proper burping off the system is a huge issue. When I did mine I did as Pete said and pointed the nose of the truck downhill, filled the expansion tank about way left the cap off and started the truck. I would slowly add coolant as it went down (but you need to be careful since pressure is building up and the cap is off the coolant can volcano). I did that for a few minutes put the cap on took a little drive to get it up to temp and checked the fluid level.

I ran a WJ pump and Durango box on my XJ. It's not a simple bolt on and you need to do a good amount to make it work properly but, worked amazing. Turned my 33's with no effort. Doing just the pump won't net you a lot you need to upgrade the box to the durango box. Only down side is I fd my unibody because I didn't reinforce it properly. For the pump you need to retain the stock MJ fitting on the pump. Don't bore it out or use the WJ fitting as it won't work properly. You'll also need to modify your mounting bracket for the pump, basically either running longer bolts or tapping a thread on one of the mounting points. Make sure to block off the reservoir and you're good to go. If you do the durango box I suggest getting this https://www.c-rok4x4.com/c-rok-online-store/C-ROK-Cherokee-XJ-Durango-Reinforcing-Frame-Kit-p38115458

What can be done with the heads (outside a basic port and polish)? I've only been able to find reinforced seats as being really the only upgrade.

Exactly, always happy to support a local shop. The 4.7s actually move decently quick. I remember when I was a lot tech at a jeep dealer we would always take the overlands out and run the piss out of them. Pretty sure not how your supposed to break them in. I'll also probably do the 08+ intake swap, bored TB, full exhaust and a tune. Should be more than enough to get around in.

Oh I've looked at swap after swap; diesel, LS, 4.0. Unfortunately nothing that really makes a lot of sense other than swapping back in a stocker. I would really like to do a diesel swap but not in the cards right now. As for powertrain, I did consider them. They don't have the best reviews and they also jacked their price up, at least with the 4.7. Of all the bigger rebuilders S&J had some of the better reviews. I can't even count how many places I researched and spoke to. I went this morning and talked to a local shop and will probably go with them. Took some digging to find them but they do all their own machine work in house. The owner is the one that rebuilds everything and they have a few guys to install and do most the other basic items. They took me in back showed me around talked shop for a bit and have a killer price. Also asked them about addressing some of the issue, valve seats, oiling issues and guy knew exactly what I was talking about and what they do to help fix those. Hoping to offload the wifes KJ before it $#!&s the bed. It's at 175k now and she got it from her parents her dad took it the stealership religiously and I've kept on it ever since. All in all been a decent car only left us stranded once because of some fruity ignition issue, eats brakes like a mother but I'm guessing 75% of that is how my wife drives..........

I think they get a bad rap for the most part because people don't maintain them properly. Not saying they are perfect but they are finicky engines that don't like heat. Also a lot of the defects have been addressed now for the valves and oiling issues. I specifically wanted a used one needing an engine. Even after me rebuilding the engine and fixing basic maintenance items I'll still be ahead for any "quality" used car and I'll have a fresh engine along with a lot of other new items. As much as I love a 4.0 they are turds in a WJ. I'm driving my dads right now and it has no power. Also has the 42re which i think is junk. I debated on getting a 4.0 stroking it and putting a shift kit but then it became the issue of having to regear to push 32ish tires. Thought about a another XJ but family has outgrown that for the time. I could barely fit me, the wife, dogs and gear and with the kid now having something a little bit bigger is nice.

Overheating and valve seat issues. Due to to cast iron block with aluminum heads if they overheat they are basically toast. Heads have a problem with dropping seats. Really the only issues but with used it's a complete crap shoot.

Due to the issues with the 4.7's to begin with rather not go used. If this was a flipper I'd go used but it will be getting turned into the family wheeler.

So I picked up a WJ cheap. 04 Columbia with the 4.7HO. Super clean low miles, but needs a new engine. The guy I've worked with in the past for rebuilds I can't get a hold of. Haven't had a lot of luck finding any local rebuilders that I feel good about or aren't charging a fortune. I've looked at a few long block places online but it really seems to be a mess in regards to reviews. Most of the time it seems the issue is in regards to warranties or dumb asses installing something wrong and blaming the builder. Just wondering about some opinions on what to do? So far the places I've narrowed it down to for a long block are..... XP $2495 and I have to ship my engine to them as they don't have long blocks ready. Below is the 2.7 285 that they do https://spprecision.com/products/47-285-long-block-crate-engine-sale.html S&J roughly $3000 https://www.sandjengines.com/search/rebuilt-auto-engines/2004-Jeep-Grand_Cherokee-- Any input is appreciated.

Awesome! Thanks for doing that. Updated mine for moving up the hill next month. Sitting all by my lonesome self

Hey work smarter not harder right?!

Colorado sucks....... Worst place ever

Really other than just making sure it starts, runs and drives there's not a lot of "problems". Make sure to test the basic daily functions wipers, heat, windows, lights. If it's rusted that's your call. Personally I've learned to walk away from rusted unibodys regardless of the mechanical shape.

98-99 are the best years for the XJ. I'd daily that. Headliner needs to be replaced but nothing else I'm seeing that super rough. Give it a scrub down and tune up and you're good to go.

Google. From there just chatting with people and seeing who you feel comfortable with. You can always post something on FB but tend to get a lot of garbage. Since it's such a small town your options might be limited but on the plus side the people that aren't good at business probably aren't doing it anymore. If you're planning to be somewhere more than 2 years own. Rent is easy and risk is low, but anything past a year is really just throwing money away.

I'll offer my advice as I'm going through this right now. This will be my 3rd home purchase in under 6 years so fairly abreast of things. Sorry it's a lot but should be some good tidbits in there that I only learned from going through it. Before anything don't take out any loans or make any job changes. This will completely derail everything. -First, as much as a dislike them find a realtor. It's your first home and trying to DIY will be a royal pain in the @$$. Don't just use a friend but try to find someone who is knowledgeable about your area and willing to be your advocate. Especially being the buyer there are a lot of realtors that are only looking out for there commission and not you. Remember if you don't like them kick them out and find a new one. Don't depend on your realtor to do it all make sure you are a part of the process. They are working for you. Make them earn their over inflated commissions. I was all over our last realtor and found stuff that she "missed". -Get pre-approved. I've always worked with a broker as they have access to multiple loan options and help in getting the best rate. Most of them will charge a "fee" it can either be a fixed fee or X% of your loan. It's a good idea to shop for lenders to get the best rate. Don't just work with the first person you talk to or who your realtor suggest. They will all have different everything. When you get pre-approved all you are doing is giving them the basics of your income so they can see "how" much you can afford. Every lender has to be able to provide you a Not to exceed estimate of all your cost prior to closing. -Start getting all of your financial documents in order. This was a major issue my first go around and my broker dropped the ball and delayed my closing. You need paystubs, taxes, bank statements, know your FICO, if you have a 401k how much is in there, know how much debt you have and any other weird things (I used to have a company credit card and they defaulted on their payment and it showed up on my credit report because my name was on it). The better prepped you are to give them those documents the easier it is. -For your mortgage, go with a 30 year fixed. There should not be a penalty for paying more than your mortgage amount. Yes a 15 year will get you a better rate but if you can't make a payment you're hosed. You can also set up payments to be bi-weekly that will help pay down your loan faster. If you can pay it off quickly go for it. No sense in paying interest and lining the banks pockets. There are a lot of programs for 1st time home buyers that can help especially with closing cost and if you can't put 20% down to avoid PMI. So after you've gotten those things lined up you can start looking at houses. From there things move fast once you put an offer in most times the process goes...... -Put in an offer on a house, either at asking, below or above. If you bid over you'll need to have that cash as the bank won't loan more. If they accept your offer it will go as below, if not you're back to square one. -You'll need to be able to put down earnest money within a few days of your offer being accepted. Most times it a % of the homes value. It's basically a good faith deposit that will go towards your closing cost. If you don't have the cash and someone "gifts" it to you make sure its traceable, so either check or cashier check, no cash. -You'll need to hire a home inspector. They will go through the house and make sure everything is working how it should. This is where you can submit contingencies back to the seller. They can either fix those items or not. The lender requires a PPI, no bank will loan you money without this being done. You should also be allowed to be there when your inspector is going through the house. -Have someone come out and scope the sewer line or check the septic if applicable. My first house the sewer line was cracked and had started to leak in the yard. Would have never known unless I hired someone to scope it. It's not required but good insurance. Seller had to replace it and cost 10k. Rather him pay and not me. -Once your contingencies are agreed on then it's getting your loan approved. Hands down the most stressful part. This is where it's good to have all your finances in order. Mae sure to not put any cash into your bank account. It becomes a headache because it's not traceable. -You'll have to have an appraiser come out. Your home has to appraises at or above your offer. If it's below you either need to pay the additional or the seller has to agree to the reduced price. -You'll need to get homeowners insurance in place. Talk with your current auto insurance and see what they offer. Again shop around, but you need this done before closing. -You will have closing date set and this is where you'll need to pay closing cost and sign your life away (seriously so many documents it's insane). Closing cost most times consist of how much you're putting down, taxes, escrow money, lenders fees, appraisal cost, credit report cost, title insurance and some other fees. I'd expect on a 70k house about 2-4k in closing cost not including your money down. All I can remember for now. Congrats and good luck!!

cruiser54 has all your answers..... http://cruiser54.com/ Really swapping from RENIX to OBDI isn't worth it. OBDII has some advantageous. HVAC will depend if it's a R12 system vs R34. Fuel pump might need to be swapped.

Pass, 8.25 is the best bet.