Ever wonder what the XJ, TJ or ZJ stands for

    JEEP IDENTITY - Ever wonder what the XJ, TJ or ZJ stands for when people mention Jeep. Well think no more. The letters generally aren't anything more than a way to designate the vehicle with a code. Note that some prototypes may be missing and the dates may be off by a few production years on some models.


    MA: In 1941 this was the first prototype in the development of the Jeep. The M indicates a military vehicle and the A the first model.
    MB: This is the standard WWII military Jeep built from 1942-1945. The B indicated the second model of the series. (Just a note the Ford versions of the same Jeep were called the GPW. G for government, P for 80 inch wheel base and W for Willys.
    CJ-2: The first of the civilian model Jeeps. CJ stands for Civilian Jeep built from 1944-1945.
    CJ-2A: Civilian Jeep built from 1945-1949
    CJ-3A: Civilian Jeep built from 1948-1953, slight differences in body measurement.
    M-38: A military version of the CJ-3A but without tailgate and other modifications. Willys called it the MC model. Built from 1950-1955.
    CJ-3B: Very similar to CJ-3A but had a higher hood and allowed the use of the F-head engine. 1953-1964.
    M-606: Military version of the CJ-3B built from 1954-1968.
    CJ-4: Prototype in 1950 never saw production.
    CJ-V35U: Modified CJ-3A built in 1950 for the Navy.
    VJ: Early 2 wheel drive Jeepsters built in 1949-1950.
    M38A1: Military Jeep. Also known as the MD was a forerunner to the CJ-5. Built between 1954-1957 and maybe as far as 1971.
    FC-150: This was a pickup, cab forward, 80 inch wheelbase built from 1956-1964.
    FC-170: This was a pickup, cab forward, 103 inch wheelbase built from 1957-1964.
    CJ-5: Civilian Jeep, 81 inch wheelbase built from 1954-1971 and the 83.5 inch wheelbase from 1972-1986.
    CJ-6: Civilian Jeep with a 20 " longer wheelbase than the CJ5 built from 1956-1975.
    CJ-7: Updated CJ-5 with a 93.5" wheelbase built from 1976-1986.
    CJ-8: Pickup design with a 103.5" wheelbase called the Scrambler. Built from 1982-1986.
    CJ-10: Pickup version 110" wheelbase built for the military and sold overseas there was a shorter model call the CJ-10A.
    C-101: Jeepster built from 1966-1973.
    M-151: Military vehicle built by Jeep and designed by Ford. Full independent suspension with a unibody design.
    M-422/M-422A1: Built by AMC for the Marines in 1964.
    M-715: 1 1/4 ton truck built by Jeep in 1967-1969.
    DJ: various models of 2 wheel drive Jeeps similar to some CJ models.
    MJ: The Jeep Comanche pickup. Built from 1986-1992. J stands for Jeep and M is just a model number.
    XJ: The Jeep Cherokee built from 1984-2001.
    SJ or FSJ: A Fullsize Jeep Wagoneer or Cherokee built from 1963-1991.
    J: A fullsize Jeep Gladiator pickup built from 1963-1987.
    YJ: The Jeep Wrangler model built from 1987-1996.
    TJ: The Jeep Wrangler model built form 1997-Current.
    ZJ: The Grand Cherokee built from 1993-1998.
    WJ: The current Grand Cherokee model built from 1999-current.
    KJ: The new Jeep Liberty.

    good info, knew most of it, however it provides little to no explanation for the models in the title of your post :wavey:


    Quote


    YJ: The Jeep Wrangler model built from 1987-1996.
    TJ: The Jeep Wrangler model built form 1997-Current.
    ZJ: The Grand Cherokee built from 1993-1998.
    WJ: The current Grand Cherokee model built from 1999-current.
    KJ: The new Jeep Liberty.

    Quote from luis

    CJ-5: Civilian Jeep, 81 inch wheelbase built from 1954-1971 and the 83.5 inch wheelbase from 1972-1986.


    Pretty sure the last year of the CJ5 was 1981.

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

    question: 1996. what happened that year?


    in this post it says that a YJ was considered to be in production during that year.


    on the wikipedia post it says YJs lasted until 1995.


    I know that 1997 was the first year for a TJ, well at least the first year they had coil springs front and rear. I googled 1996 jeep wrangler, and found some images, which look like in 1996 the jeep wrangler had round headlights like a TJ, but rear leaf springs and front coil springs. ***EDIT*** ok maybe its a stupid control arm i'm seeing in the pic (its blurry). but still ... ***


    anyone know what happened this year and what it officially is called?


    Sal

    Officially, there was 1996-model year Jeep. However, both YJs and TJs exist with 1996 on their door stickers. Square headlights: YJ. Round headlights: TJ. :) Anything with both coils AND leafs... either a XJ (heh) or somebody did something custom (like the Fabtech coilover kit). The YJ D30 is the same as the early XJ axle (high pinion and vacuum disconnect), but the steering setup is different between the XJ/TJ, it's not as simple as just replacing the leaf perch with a coil base (sadly) to do a conversion.


    btw, I had a customer with a June 1987 CJ-7! No YJ parts, all CJ. yeah... gotta love Jeep. :)

    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.

    thanks Jerry. So you're saying that in 1996 you could buy a YJ or a TJ? or you could buy 1996 YJs and 1997 TJs at some point in that year? (... and from the factory the TJs with round headlights always had coil springs and the YJs with square headlights always had leaf springs)

    in 96, you could either buy a 0-mile "1995-model YJ" made in 1996, or a "1997-model TJ" made in 1996. There weren't many 96 YJs built, I think I've only had one customer with a 96 YJ in 12 months of being on the phones at Quadratec.

    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.

    no ish, thats pretty cool. i had no idea. looking forward to further information. i was pretty sure my buddy has a 96, but i always assumed he was wrong cuz it had circle headlights.

    check the door sticker to see when it was built. he might be right about having a "96". :)

    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.

    Grand Cherokee part is wrong too being that the WK is the new Grand from '05 till present.

    1999 Grand Cherokee WJ 3" lift JK Moabs 31" tire
    1993 Grand Cherokee 7" Long Arm, Badgeless, SOLD
    1981 CJ-7 4" Lift, 31" MTR's, Pretty Blue

    Quote from whatevah


    in 96, you could either buy a 0-mile "1995-model YJ" made in 1996, or a "1997-model TJ" made in 1996. There weren't many 96 YJs built, I think I've only had one customer with a 96 YJ in 12 months of being on the phones at Quadratec.


    That is why '97 TJ's are so weird... there is a huge mix of parts from YJ's and TJ's that they used interchangeably under the hood.... The also have 3.54 ratio dana 44s where all the rest of the years are 3.73's.....dont buy a '97 is what I am trying to say.. I owned one and it was a very early one so it was especially odd....

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