Finessing the Jeep Cherokee XJ-Part 4: Body and Bolt-Ons
When it was introduced in 1984, the Cherokee’s unibody construction caused some die-hard four-wheelers to gasp and raise eyebrows. Others scoffed or laughed derisively. Given the “rubber” chassis of the CJs of those days, one wonders how they felt it was superior... anyway, in the years since, the unibody has essentially proved itself worthy of the Jeep name.
For most XJ ‘wheelers, there are no particular worries with the body to note, beyond rust. When it comes to major repairs or modifications though, a higher level of welding and fabrication skill is required. The steel used in the bodies is galvanized and heavily undercoated and this makes welding a bit trickier than plain steel.
The unitized body is a very strong structure overall, but in the harder core realms of XJ ‘wheeling, the body does take a lot of abuse from twisting forces. The two-door is said to be weaker in this regard because it has one less vertical pillar. Also, the larger door puts more stress on the hinges. While most XJ owners agree the 2 vs 4-door differences are real, they seem less able to agree that it’s a big worry. Certainly those with hard core machines should keep it in mind.
Other weak links are the fiberglass tailgates built from ’84-96, which tend to crack. Sunroofs can be a problem for hard-core XJs too, not so much from any weakness, but the body flexing tends to damage the seals and cause leaks.
Left: The two door-bodies are generally considered to be weaker than the four-doors. The extra door pillars are what make the difference. How much this means to you depends on the level of ‘wheeling
you do. Most experts agree this isn’t a factor until you get into the harder core realms. Once you get
to that level, you should look at more serious ways to beef up the basic structure.
Right:A good bumper, like this ARB Bull Bar, will do many jobs. It will beef the front of the chassis, provide solid recovery points, carry a winch and provide a platform for lights. All this and resist the amorous attentions of rhinoceros!
There are various ways to reinforce the XJ body. Solid, beefy aftermarket bumpers go a long way in that regard. Ditto for some of the aftermarket skid plates/belly pans that may also double as suspension link mounts. With these, look for the highest number of mounting points for maximum rigidity. We discussed steering box reinforcements in the last issue, but consider a track bar brace as well, especially if your rig has a drop bracket at the chassis end mount. You can also buy frame stiffener kits from T and J Performance Center that either weld or bolt to the frame rails. If you are really on the wild side, consider an exo-cage, which is a roll cage that surrounds the body. Internal cages are also available and they too will provide a stiffening effect.
Fender Trimming
Fenderwell trimming is often done to aid in tire fitment. Some fenderwell jobs look like Freddy Kruger did ‘em. The front can be easily trimmed. The rear is another matter. The important part is that you don’t slice so deep that you cut into the welds that attach the outer and inner fenders. After trimming, which will require removing the OE fender flares, you will have to mount the flares higher up on the body. You can use the original flares, but aftermarket flares, (like the Bushwacker units on Scott Becker’s XJ in the lead photo) often fit and look better. Bushwacker flares in particu-lar, have detailed instructions for cutting out the fenderwells. Many harder-core XJ Jeepers will trim the front sections of the front fenders level with the bumper, and trim the rear fender’s rear quarters back to floor level. Since this is mostly cosmetic sheet metal, saw away to your heart’s content.
Winches
We’ve covered winches in Finesse before and the XJ has no special needs in this area. We’ll cover it again in broad strokes as a recap. A winch is the great equalizer for a mild rig in tough terrain. In the old days, you winched where you couldn’t drive and that still applies today... if your trail buddies will put up with the time delay (the moral being to wheel with approximately equally capable rigs).
The main criteria to consider when shopping for a winch is capacity. The general rule is to have capacity at least equal to about 1.5 times your GVW. An occasional wincher can get by with an inexpensive planetary unit. Hardcore ‘wheelers that winch a lot should consider a HD planetary winch, or a worm or spur gear type unit.
If you venture forth into the wilderness, you’ll need at least some of these. A tree strap, shackles, a snatch block and a section of transport chain are all necessary accessories if you have a winch — recovery straps should also be part of every ‘wheeler’s kit. ARB’s offerings in this area are typically top drawer items you can count on in a pinch.
The winch isn’t the end of the job. A winch needs amps and they are in short supply with a stock battery and alternator. The minimum upgrade is the largest marine type battery you can fit, such as a ProComp Super HDX or Optima. The next step would be an alternator upgrade, like a 140 amp Powermaster. Third would be a dual battery setup. In an XJ this will require relocating/replacing the air filter assembly.
We also must touch on recovery points. If you have stout aftermarket bumpers, they usually come with the hookup points you need. If not, you must pay attention to mounting them. The unibody does not have sufficiently strong places to mount hooks alone, so you will need to get brackets that bolt to the bumper bracket mounts. Jeep used them for the “Up Country” option that included hooks, so they can be found used. Several aftermarket companies also build bracket kits.
The x-ray view of the XJ unibody. While it has an integrated “chassis” that carries the running gear, the body structure is an integral part of the assembly.
If you run tires larger than 31s, the odds are good that you’ll have to do some fenderwell trimming. Up front, as shown here, the cutting is straight forward, but in back, you can only trim as far as the welded seam that connects the inner and outer fenders. Going further requires metalworking skills not always found at the home shop.
Tire Carriers/Roof Racks
The bigger the tire, the less chance you have of fitting it inside. Beyond a certain point, it simply won’t fit, unless you want to give up a lot of inside storage space — the back seat for example. Hey, it’s a tire, it can stay outside. The optional factory swing away carrier will carry a 31x10.50 but the aftermarket swing-away carriers are the answer for bigger tires. All of them I have seen are combined with a rear bumper so you are killing two birds.
For some reason, you see lots of roof racks on XJs. They are available from many manufacturers, such as ORU. If you are sensible about loads, roof racks are a viable answer to the space problem of this relatively compact SUV. A substantial roof rack could cost you a couple of mpg at freeway speeds.
A rear mounted spare on a HD swing-away carrier is the best option for most big-tire XJ owners. Warn’s unit comes with a very stout bumper that features towing points. The tire is high enough to not cause trouble with the departure angle. The downside is partial rear view blockage. Note also the nicely tucked rock sliders.
Skid Plates
Rock sliders are probably job one in the skid plate department for most XJ Jeepers. And we’re talking about substantial ones that can take a hit, not the show tube stuff or running boards. Sliders can also add a certain amount of body stiffness. The fuel tank definitely needs more protection than the recycled tin can the factory installed.
As mentioned, belly pans are doubly useful in protecting the undercarriage and stiffening the body. Some of them replace the t-case crossmember and some supplement it. The axle end control arm mounts will really take a beating and it pays to reinforce them. You can buy weldon or bolt-on plates, or build your own as a simple fab/weld project. Diff protection is also in order for rockcrawlers.
One final element to keep in mind is that if you add every skidplate in creation, you will add a lot of weight. Weight will cost you performance, fuel economy and perhaps durability, so buy according to an apparent or demonstrated need. Lots more than you need could have you looking like the guy that shows up for a zoo tour in a safari outfit.
At some point everyone gets stuck. This guy looks pretty close, but he’s got a Warn XD9000i on a Trans4mer mount. A 9000 pound winch is about right for an XJ. 9000 pounds is a little overkill, but it doesn’t break the bank. Note also that this fella chooses to carry his spare in the air.
Lights
Let the amount of time you make night runs dictate the number of lights your XJ mounts. Here are the basic lighting needs; a set of uprated halogen or HID headlights and at least one powerful backup light with a manual switch. The next level would be a pair of wide angle driving lights up front. Fast movers should have a couple of spots for reaching out farther. The undercarriage lamps you occasionally see are actually quite useful in lighting up the area around the vehicle without glare. Bear in mind the amp draw and uprate your battery and alternator accordingly. You can get more elaborate from here, up to the Close Encounters of the Third Kind point, where you will set bystander’s hair afire.
SOURCES
4-Wheel Parts
www.4wheelparts.com
800-284-9840
ARB
www.arbusa.com
Bushwacker
www.bushwacker.com
Explorer ProComp
www.explorerprocomp.com
Off-Road Unltd.
www.offroadunlimited.com
Rubicon Express
www.rubiconexpress.com
Warn
www.warn.com
