How To Build It - The 1984-2001 Jeep Cherokee - Four Wheeler Magazine
The XJ, boxy Cherokee, little Cherokee, the not-Grand Cherokee—no matter what you call it, the ’84-01 XJ is quite a Jeep. The engineering cues cut in the XJ can be found in ZJs, WJs, TJs, YJs, JKs, and practically every coil-sprung solid-axle Jeep built since. The front suspension with four control arms, a track bar, and coil springs are so similar to ZJs, TJs, and WJs that parts interchange between them and the XJ. The added wheelbase makes XJs pretty capable off-road, and the extra set of doors on... There is little question that the first few years with the GM 2. 8L V-6 should be avoided unless you plan on an engine swap—in fact, the 2. 5L four-banger from a similar year might be a better engine. Also, as the XJ aged, Jeep made improvements to the Unitbody, drivetrain, and other components, so the platform got better over the years. The last few years don’t have the high-pinion Dana 30 that is better than the low-pinion Dana 30 that replaced it. Otherwise, if you have a XJ of almost any year, someone has built it. Long-term wheeling will cause the Unitbody to develop cracks,... Source: www.fourwheeler.com
