I'm not a Jeep man at all, but I've owned four 4.0 Jeeps from about the same era as your vehicle. (Two '96 Cherokees, a '98 Grand Cherokee and a '99 Cherokee)
IMO, the brand of oil filter is the least of your concerns. If you have a Mobil oil filter, run it. If you have a Wix, Fram, or just about any other brand, just run it. There are always suggestions to run a bigger filter. I feel it's just not worth it. Run your PH16-sized filter (what the factory calls for) and leave the PH8A-sized filter on the shelf. Worry more about the 90° filter adapter, the rear main seal or the valve cover leaking oil. Worry more about the piston skirt that might break off.
If a certain brand of oil filter construction worries you, alternate brands between each oil change. Just drive. You've got a large fraction of the automotive population putting millions of miles with quickie-lube filters (not me! ) and they are doing just fine.
IMO, the brand of oil filter is the least of your concerns. If you have a Mobil oil filter, run it. If you have a Wix, Fram, or just about any other brand, just run it. There are always suggestions to run a bigger filter. I feel it's just not worth it. Run your PH16-sized filter (what the factory calls for) and leave the PH8A-sized filter on the shelf. Worry more about the 90° filter adapter, the rear main seal or the valve cover leaking oil. Worry more about the piston skirt that might break off.
If a certain brand of oil filter construction worries you, alternate brands between each oil change. Just drive. You've got a large fraction of the automotive population putting millions of miles with quickie-lube filters (not me! ) and they are doing just fine.