1984-1988 Jeep Cherokee/Wagoner XJ

The Transfer Case
The standard T-case for the XJ Cherokee was the new part-time unit, the Command-Trac NP207 for "active" control of the driveline and was available with a Trac-Lok limited-slip. It was similar to the NP208 on the SJ, but it had a vacuum control switch and a synchronizer assembly for shift on the fly. Meanwhile, the Wagoneer II had the "passive" full-time Selec-Trac - first introduced on the '82 SJ models - making the NP229 standard, although the Cherokee could be optioned that way. Shift on the fly arrived in this T-case around 1985, and the limited slip came about a year later. Both featured front axle disconnect and were two-piece aluminum cases. In 1987, there was a new Command-Trac NP231 and a new Selec-Trac NP242.

The Suspension/The Axles
Behold, the Quadra-Link front suspension. The solid-axle setup had at the front end four locating arms, two coil springs, and a track bar, in addition to a stabilizer bar and dual-action gas shocks. The rear was comprised of a solid axle, semi-elliptical leaf springs, gas shocks, and a stabilizer bar. An automatic load-leveling system was optional. The front axle was always a Dana 30, but three different versions of it were used over the years. At first, a high-pinion Dana 30 was used until 1991 - some with and some without an axle disconnect. This is essentially the same axle that can be found in the YJ.

The high-pinion non-disconnect front axle (the most desirable factory XJ axle) was used from 1992-'99, and the TJ low-pinion Dana 30 was used in 2000-'01 XJs. In 1995 the front axleshafts were changed to accept larger more desirable 297x or 760x U-joints. Out back was a semi-floating Dana 35 without C-clips (1984-'86). From then on the C-clip version of the Dana 35 was used until the end of production alongside the 27-spline Chrysler 8.25 (1991-'96) and the 29-spline Chrysler 8.25 (1997-2001); a Dana 44 was optional in 1987. Gear ratios ranged from 3.07:1 all the way up to 4.10:1 depending on the drivetrain configuration. Because the Wagoneer was the more "cush" of the two XJs, its suspension was tuned toward touring. The Off-Highway Package was intro'd in 1987 and with it came skidplates, 4.10s, beefier suspension parts, and tow hooks.

'07 Jeep XJ?
This was spotted in China; is it the first glimpse of a future Jeep? Not exactly. It's a Jeep in production over there, but it's not anything newsworthy, at least for them. DaimlerChrysler has a licensing deal with Beijing Motor to make vehicles (in exchange for royalties), and with that comes molds, production parts, and anything else needed to build a vehicle. Problem is, the assembly line appears to be run by a bunch of drunken monkeys that pull whatever production pieces they like to Frankenstein a vehicle. While this one is predominantly an XJ, you'll also spot Durango taillights and a WK grille. And the monkeys in charge of naming the mutant Jeeps have no concept of what a 2500 truck would mean here; in other words, that's not a 3/4-ton Jeep.