Jp Magazine – October 2019

(Tina Sui) #1
18 Jp jpmagazine.com OCTOBER 2019

A good street/trail 4x4 needs


a suspension designed to keep


all four tires on terra firma in


moderate off-road situations, while also
providing a good highway ride. The stock
suspension under the cherished Jeep XJ
Cherokee (1984-2001) does a commend-
able job of doing just that, with solid axles
supported by leaf springs out back and a five-
link short-arm suspension up front. The XJ’s
suspension provides a comfortable highway
ride and is pliant enough to handle lighter
off-road forays. In stock trim, this modern-
classic Jeep SUV always feels nimble and
light on its feet—on- and off-road.

Moving


Up


Taking a stock Jeep


Cherokee XJ to the


next level in off-road


performance with a


BDS 6-inch long-travel


suspension and PSC


power steering upgrade


By Bruce W. Smith
[email protected]
Photography: Bruce W. Smith

However, if an XJ owner wants to take
on more challenging Jeep trails, run the
mud, break trail in deep snow, or venture
into the deeper parts of the woods, taller
tires for more ground clearance and a
suspension w it h longer leg s to keep t hese
tires planted are a must. Those were the
very reasons Mike and Sydney Davis
brought their 1998 XJ Sport to Dunks
Performance in Springfield, Oregon.

The BDS Connection
Like any vehicle that’s 20-plus years
old with 160,000-plus miles under its belt,
the factory suspension and a lot of other
parts were ready for replacement. The
shocks were just placeholders, the suspen-
sion bushings were ragged, the steering
was a little loose, and the springs were not
holding the weight like they did when new.
Bottom line: This XJ Cherokee was ready
for a suspension makeover.
There are literally dozens of ways to
rework a n XJ ’s suspension to g ive more
travel and allow taller tires to be used. In
this instance, the owners wanted a 6-inch
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