Tracked Traction: 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee ZJ – Sold?

December 6, 2022, Update – We confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found, we’re assuming this ride is “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

There’s a two-word answer to why military tanks and civilian snowmobiles don’t have wheels: flotation and traction. Track-equipped vehicles are the only way to get there in areas where drivers want to explore deep powder snow or sand. Modern materials and out-of-the-box thinking have led companies like Yankee Metal Works to develop their removable track systems.

This 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee, once listed in November 2022 on Craigslist in Casper, Wyoming, features a Dominator Track system.  The seller added a High Country four-inch lift kit to make room for the tracks and removed the front bumper.  The seller notes that all of the stock suspensions, as well as the original wheels, are included in the sale.  As a prior owner of a first-gen Grand Cherokee, I can’t even begin to imagine how much more capable my ZJ would have been with a similar set of these tracks on the sandy shores of Island Beach State Park in New Jersey.

Once offered for $15,000, Classic.com, the analytics and search engine for the collector car market, confirms the ask is in line with the one-year rolling average of this guide’s summary for ZJ-generation Jeep Grand Cherokees produced between 1993 and 1998.  By clicking on the green dots in the graph below, you can navigate to each comparable car sold as a way to help you evaluate the price of the truck featured here:

Chrysler launched the first generation of the Grand Cherokee, internally known as the ZJ, in the spring of 1992 as a 1993 model.  Although Chrysler takes credit for launching the highly successful ZJ, the development of the vehicle started under American Motors Corporation (“AMC”) leadership before the former bought the latter in 1987.

Produced from 1993 through 1998, all Jeep Grand Cherokee ZJ models featured a standard front driver’s-side SRS airbag in the steering wheel. The Limited model offered a digital climate control system. All models offered a digital Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) that monitored critical vehicle systems and provided audible and visual feedback when a fault was detected (doors, hood, tailgate, engine coolant level, engine oil level, and front and rear lighting systems were some of the systems monitored by the EVIC). In addition to monitoring vehicle status, the EVIC could also display current date and time information and vehicle service interval reminders, and could be set via buttons on the EVIC screen. An overhead console provided a mini trip computer with the current direction of travel and exterior temperature information in Celsius or Fahrenheit, as well as elapsed time, mileage remaining until the fuel tank is empty, and trip mileage for two trips (Trip A and Trip B). In addition to the mini trip computer, the overhead console provided storage for a single garage door opener, two pairs of sunglasses, and included four overhead map/reading lamps. Keyless entry allowed for easy access to the vehicle without having to insert the vehicle’s key into the door lock cylinder, and could also arm or disarm the class-exclusive vehicle security system.  Finally, a premium AccuSound factory audio system by Jensen (or Infinity Gold on 1994 and newer models) and a 120-watt amplifier located underneath the rear bench seat could be paired with an in-dash CD player and five-band graphical equalizer for a high-fidelity audio experience.

A fully mechanical full-time four-wheel drive system could split torque when a wheel was losing traction, and send all available traction to that wheel in order to keep moving. In addition, the system, called Quadra-Trac, could automatically detect when four-wheel drive was needed, and automatically switch from rear-wheel drive without input from the driver. The Grand Cherokee ZJ also offered Chrysler’s 318 cubic inch Magnum electronically fuel-injected V8 engine as an option, which produced 220 horsepower and 280 foot-pounds of torque for up to 5,000 lbs. of towing capacity, and was the only SUV in its class at the time to offer a V8 engine as an option.

The Jaunt Junkies YouTube Channel features this video of their Jeep Cherokee equipped with Dominator tracks getting to their remote cabin easily:

If you need traction to get where you want to be this winter, this Dominator Track-equipped 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee for sale may be the right choice for you.  The seller plans to include the set of original tires and wheels so that you have flexibility when traveling on paved roads.

Here’s the seller’s description:

Snow or go: What would you do with this Dominator Track Equipped 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee For Sale?  Please comment below and let us know!