Thinking the Cherokee's end is near. I just can't keep up with trying to keep a steering box in it (literally ... keeps breaking the front frame rails or ripping out of the unibody). The rear has started to rust to the point that I am very worried about the leaf springs coming up through the floor. Maybe if I can get this one built to the point it can be a good trail rig, I can take the time to work on the stuff on the Cherokee. '
Was looking for full frame jeeps that aren't entirely rusted out. Saw this one on FB for a few weeks keep dropping in price. "Needs a little work" was all that's in the description. That's accurate.
89 Jeep Wrangler
First glance ... it has a wrong side drop axle. When I went to look at it, I was more curious as to how that was accomplished than anything. I was expecting it to have a driver's drop transfer case.
But the frame wasn't terrible - only 2 holes - and the body has enough left to save ... unlike my last YJ.
This is where it gets interesting.
Someone also converted it to a 4.0L. The wiring is hacked to death. I leave the battery unplugged because I'm afraid of it catching on fire. None of the gauges are hooked up. I'm not sure if an early XJ computer would drive these 89 gauges.
Appears that the engine / transmission are from a 91/92 Cherokee because it has an internal slave AX-15. Definitely Cherokee belt routing.
Narrow track Wagoneer Dana 44 axles. I'm going to try to make these work.
The body isn't great. There's about 1/2'' of bondo under the LR Window from it eating a tree. Not rust, just a big dent. I threw on some YJ doors I had and they... kinda fit. I think there's some tweaking going on. I'll need to weld in some floor, maybe fix some torque tubes and the back corners.
The clutch didn't work when I picked it up. I bled it and it's worked for at least 24 hours. I think something's wrong with the slave cylinder. It ran PIG RICH. I let it run for 20 minutes and it had 0 oil pressure on the aftermarket gauge. Checked the oil and it was more gas than oil. They unplugged the coolant temp sensor that was hoked to the computer to run an aftermarket gauge so it thinks it's -40 out and fueling for that. The centering yoke in the rear driveshaft was bad, I just replaced that and put new u joints in.
They also mated it via adapter plate to a CJ-7 Dana 300 case (worth 1/2 of what I paid for the Jeep).
Still have to get the cooling setup figured out. I'm going to ditch the electric fan and swap in a YJ water pump / shroud/fan. I might keave the electric fan hooked to a relay so the XJ computer can run it if it gets warm. Right now it has a bad XJ fan clutch connected to the water pump with no shroud. That does absolutely nothing.
The axles have some highway gears in them. Until I regear , the old q78-16 tires are going to come off and I'll pput on the all terrains that came off my truck. I'm thinking .. if I keep going with this ... 4.88s and lockers in the differentials. Then I'll run a 35 or 33'' tires. It will be a trail buggy so the gears are the most important thing to pay attention to.
I wouldn't mind getting this to the point I can drive it to and from work occasionally. I know the rear driveshaft won't be happy with 4.88 gears on the highway.
Would like to get the gauges working. I'm not sure if the 89 Wrangler gauges can be driven by a 91/92 xj computer.
Was looking for full frame jeeps that aren't entirely rusted out. Saw this one on FB for a few weeks keep dropping in price. "Needs a little work" was all that's in the description. That's accurate.
89 Jeep Wrangler
First glance ... it has a wrong side drop axle. When I went to look at it, I was more curious as to how that was accomplished than anything. I was expecting it to have a driver's drop transfer case.
But the frame wasn't terrible - only 2 holes - and the body has enough left to save ... unlike my last YJ.
This is where it gets interesting.
Someone also converted it to a 4.0L. The wiring is hacked to death. I leave the battery unplugged because I'm afraid of it catching on fire. None of the gauges are hooked up. I'm not sure if an early XJ computer would drive these 89 gauges.
Appears that the engine / transmission are from a 91/92 Cherokee because it has an internal slave AX-15. Definitely Cherokee belt routing.
Narrow track Wagoneer Dana 44 axles. I'm going to try to make these work.
The body isn't great. There's about 1/2'' of bondo under the LR Window from it eating a tree. Not rust, just a big dent. I threw on some YJ doors I had and they... kinda fit. I think there's some tweaking going on. I'll need to weld in some floor, maybe fix some torque tubes and the back corners.
The clutch didn't work when I picked it up. I bled it and it's worked for at least 24 hours. I think something's wrong with the slave cylinder. It ran PIG RICH. I let it run for 20 minutes and it had 0 oil pressure on the aftermarket gauge. Checked the oil and it was more gas than oil. They unplugged the coolant temp sensor that was hoked to the computer to run an aftermarket gauge so it thinks it's -40 out and fueling for that. The centering yoke in the rear driveshaft was bad, I just replaced that and put new u joints in.
They also mated it via adapter plate to a CJ-7 Dana 300 case (worth 1/2 of what I paid for the Jeep).
Still have to get the cooling setup figured out. I'm going to ditch the electric fan and swap in a YJ water pump / shroud/fan. I might keave the electric fan hooked to a relay so the XJ computer can run it if it gets warm. Right now it has a bad XJ fan clutch connected to the water pump with no shroud. That does absolutely nothing.
The axles have some highway gears in them. Until I regear , the old q78-16 tires are going to come off and I'll pput on the all terrains that came off my truck. I'm thinking .. if I keep going with this ... 4.88s and lockers in the differentials. Then I'll run a 35 or 33'' tires. It will be a trail buggy so the gears are the most important thing to pay attention to.
I wouldn't mind getting this to the point I can drive it to and from work occasionally. I know the rear driveshaft won't be happy with 4.88 gears on the highway.
Would like to get the gauges working. I'm not sure if the 89 Wrangler gauges can be driven by a 91/92 xj computer.
