Jeep Cherokee (Non Grand)

I was just thinking a slammed 4x4 jeep with box flares might be something fun to play with, and since the auto trans/4.0 motor are rather strong maybe a turbo in the mix, lol... I can dream anyway. Call it a budget typhoon, or perhaps a lancer delta integrale for the states.

We should hear back from the back today if they'll loan us money on that blue 98 with 101k miles i linked earlier. Cross your fingers for me!

The sucky part about that one is that i'll have to make a 6 hour round trip drive in the intended Challenge vehicle to go look at it, and again to pick it up.

That's a good looking Jeep. Ours is a two door, but I prefer the 4 doors now....easier to get my junk out of the back seat.

Yeah, it's got pretty much everything i would have done to it except for rear brush guards.

And she really likes the color, which is important.

They want $5k for it, i'll be happy to leave with it for $4500.

With around 100k miles I would make sure the ball joints and tie rod ends aren't worn. This is something common at this mileage if they haven't been done yet.

miatame wrote: With around 100k miles I would make sure the ball joints and tie rod ends aren't worn. This is something common at this mileage if they haven't been done yet.

Cheap and easy to do if it needs them though, right?

ball joints arent technically difficult, they just suck to get at and a high quality ball joint c-clamp style tool is key plus is helps to have or make an angled sleeve since jeep didnt make all pressing surfaces parallel.

WilberM3 wrote: ball joints arent technically difficult, they just suck to get at and a high quality ball joint c-clamp style tool is key plus is helps to have or make an angled sleeve since jeep didnt make all pressing surfaces parallel.

Are we talking afternoon job or weekend job?

Seems that parts to do all tie rods and ball joints will be under $200, and that's perfectly fine. Could always use that as bargaining power if they're actually on the way out.

The previous one i was trying to get had 156k miles on it, and drove like it was brand new, but i imagine it had already had everything replaced by that point?

Ive run into a lot of sticking brakes on cherokees that came down to little grooves worn in the caliper slides where the pads sit. Fairly simple problem.

Just FYI.

Also i feel the same way about the 4drs now.. Ive had 3 4.0/auto 4dr 2wd cherokees that i sold thinking i wanted a 2dr/5spd... only to belatedly realize i really wanted exactly what i already had 3 of...

the steering stuff couldnt be easier and its pretty cheap too. if you have any intentions of offroading it if you search on naxja or jeepsunlimited there are threads showing the parts to use. IIRC the v8 grand cherokee lower tie rod is bigger and beefier and since its the lowest part its the most likely to get bent. plus i dont recall it being any more money.

if everything comes apart nice, without a lift, with mapp or better, WITH QUALITY BALL JOINTS (our challenge $ friendly ones fit HORRIBLY, actually didnt fit without lots of filing), a BFH and a good clamp it's doable in a long afternoon. but if you havent done it before and/or had the vehicle/parts in question apart before i'd allocate a weekend just in case.

you take the brakes off then you can either take the whole hub/axle shaft out at once or you can take them out separately, but its probably easier to knock out the axle shaft (if it doesnt just separate on its own) if you have a vice to hammer it out on, or a press, but its not likely in that hard. but i'd do the axle shaft u-joints while youre in there. to get out the wheel hub you'll need a 13mm 12-pt socket, preferably 1/2dr. if the hub's super stuck after the bolts are out i have 3 hex bolts that i thread in a bit and hammer on them from the back to knock it out.

WilberM3 wrote: i have 3 hex bolts that i thread in a bit and hammer on them from the back to knock it out.

Speaking of which! :) When do you want to help me do ball joints?

miatame wrote: With around 100k miles I would make sure the ball joints and tie rod ends aren't worn. This is something common at this mileage if they haven't been done yet.

yeah.

And if you lift it any, you've just welcomed old man Death Wobble to dinner. You'll need an alignment, fresh tie-rod ends, and a fresh track-bar end (or whole new bar assy) to make him go away. The exact cause can be a bitch to find

Found this one as a backup if the blue one turns out to be a pile.

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/2054687985.html

Hopefully i can talk him down to my budget. I don't want to pay more than $4500. From the email he sent back to me, the truck has been extremely well-cared for.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51105

for $5k you can get that...

That doesn't look like a REAL road-friendly rig, and it's a bit far.

Huge DO WANT though.

The red one won't go down to $4500, though. Trying to decide if i want to pay $5k for it. I think i like the blue one better, though. Less mileage, and looks better.

ignorant wrote: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51105 for $5k you can get that...

ha, i just came looking for this thread to post that link...

Well, another week, and no Jeep.

I called the dealer on that blue one, and the A/C didn't work, so they should have fixed it over the weekend. They also say that it has "some rust, but nothing serious."

I don't think i feel like paying $4500 for a 12 year old jeep with rust, so i'm considering that one a backup now.

Found a dark Blue 2000 Sport 4x4 with 165k miles on it with NO rust, and all maintainence done, everything works for $3k. I'm crossing my fingers that it's as nice as it sounds, trying to go look at it this week.

Wish me luck!

93celicaGT2 wrote: That doesn't look like a REAL road-friendly rig, and it's a bit far. Huge DO WANT though. The red one won't go down to $4500, though. Trying to decide if i want to pay $5k for it. I think i like the blue one better, though. Less mileage, and looks better.

if the lift has been done right, which i believe that one has, it will drive like stock on the highway. which is to say, not great, but not terrible either.

i have 3 hex bolts

Speaking of which.. I hate the damn torx bellhousing bolts!! (2 tops ones). Whose retarded idea was that? Whats the point?!?

if the lift has been done right, which i believe that one has, it will drive like stock on the highway.

Best thing i ever did for one of my cherokees was put smaller tires on it. All of a sudden i trusted it on the highway!

In reply to Vigo:

i believe external torx were invented to sell more tools and break spirits. man i hate them. but at least you can hammer a 6pt socket on an e-torx and it'll work better than trying to fit an allen key in an internal torx.

Where's the best place to get aftermarket parts for this thing? Picking one the Dark Blue 2000 Sport 4x4 in 10 hours.

Looking for:

Mudflaps (looking for OEM level fit)
Rain Guards (found them everywhere)

What i'm having a hard time finding is tail light guards. Looks like Manik used to make them, but i can't find them being sold anywhere anymore.

And fog lights. Is it worth retrofitting the lights from the Classic/Limited, or will aftermarket be significantly better?

Brush guards, bull bars, and taillight guards are called damage multipliers for a reason. Id stay away from them.

You can probably get some good piaa or hellas fogs for not too much scratch