Eagle

A key point to remember is that 31x10.50-15s on factory 15x7 rims with 5-1/4" backspacing, will tuck up inside the wheelwells when the suspension is compressed, which is why we can run 31x10.50s on stock rims with no trimming of the sheet metal or flares. ANYTHING that moves the tires farther out (less backspacing and/or wider rims) results in the outer shoulder of the tire (or the tread itself) making contact with the bodywork when the suspension compresses, thus requiring trimming. There are no aftermarket rims offering 5-1/4" backspacing. Even in 15x7, a rim with 4-1/4" backspacing puts the tires 1 inch farther outboard. Then add another inch for 15x8 rims, and now the outer sidewall and shoulder will ride 2 inches farther out than stock. In states that require the fenders to cover the tread of the tires (which, I think, is just about every state), that 2 inches is enough to make your new tires and wheels illegal.

I have an Acer Aspire One, and I love it. It isn't my primary computer, but it's trying hard to replace my notebook as my secondary. Even with the OEM standard 1GB of RAM it runs the full Microsoft Office suite, and even runs my old version of AutoCAD LT. I use an external CD-ROM drive for installing software. But it is a bit slow. I have seen conflicting reports -- can the Aspite One be upgraded to 2GB, or even 4GB? If so, is the upgrade an additional module, or does it replace the OEM module?

The tire foam products I've been using (STP and another I can't recall at the moment) have silicone in them. Silicone is good for rubber.

Sorry, this is incorrect. The Pioneer level was trim only. Carpet instead of rubber floor mat, cloth seat instead of all vinyl, 3-spoke "sport" steering wheel, and gauges (but no tachometer) instead of idiot lights. The off-road package was optional. Tachometer was optional. Anything other than the base 15x6 steel wheel was optional. 4WD was optional. Most other features were optional. In 1988 even a radio was optional. You can't generalize about Jeep's trim levels. Almost every feature was available on the lower levels as an extra-cost option, and it was rare to see a base or SporTruck that didn't come with at least a couple of options ... which leads to much confusion as to what was standard in each line.

The XJ had the exact same jack and handle, stowed under the rear seat. If you can't un-stick your jack, just pick up an XJ jack from a junkyard.

^^^ This.

I don't know about the most common, but I do know it's getting more and more difficult to find ANY 15" tires suitable for a Jeep. I thought Goodyear had completely dropped the original Wrangler Radial, then I discovered that Wal-Mart still has it ... only in size 235/75-15. And it is still listed on the Goodyear web site ... in only that size. I think that the original is far better than several of the newer Wrangler XYZ series tires that Jeep has been using as OEM, so I just grabbed a set from Wal-Mart while I could get them, and put them in the garage rafters until Spring. As soon as I can afford it, I'll gather up another set of decent OEM Jeep alloys and buy another set before Goodyear discontinues the 235s.

You're even more of a purist than I am, then (at least in some ways). My excuse is that I have a fleet of multiple MJs and XJs, different years and different models. It's just easier all around to standardize as much as possible on wheels and tires so I can swap across vehicles without upsetting the balance of the universe.

If his is the inline 6-cylinder, the transmission will not bolt up to your 4-cylinder.

Too many people don't understand how that works. All other factors being equal, the most economical engine speed is the speed (RPM) at which it produces maximum torque. In a real-world vehicle, various drag factors increase as road speed increases but, in general, the 4.0L engine will not produce maximum fuel efficiency when run below 2000 RPM. Somewhere around 2500 RPM at highway cruise seems to be the sweet spot.

Who has 27" tires? That's a 205/75-15. Yes, that was the base tire in the early years, but most Mjs and most XJs probably came with 225/75-15s, which are slightly larger than 28".

I agree completely. Same with my '88 Cherokee, which I bought new. The difference is that I bought mine with a tachometer, so I always knew how slow the engine turns, and I have always treated it as a 4-speed except on the highway. Even on highways, I have to downshift for passing if there's any traffic. And that's with stock tires. With 31s, 5th gear becomes almost useless. With 31" tires and 3.07 gears, in 5th gear at 65 the engine is only turning at 1696 RPM. That's several hundred RPM below the torque peak. Even 70 MPH is only 1827 RPM. 3.55s are better, but still not "good." IMHO the minimum ratio for 31" tires is 3.73, and even that only gets you to the equivalent of stock tires with an automatic. 4.10s is what I think is the optimum ratio with 31s.

This is incorrect. I have had the light come on when the CAD was not functioning. Loss of power could mean a failing catalytic converter. It could also mean, especially if the truck has been sitting, that a mouse family has taken up residence somewhere in the exhaust system and the nest is restricting exhaust flow.

The guy is jerkin' your chain. Maybe he's just ignorant, but I don't think so. I bought a Cherokee new in 1988. It was ordered in late 1987 and delivered to my dealer mid-January of 1988. All the paperwork said AMC/Jeep. Chrysler didn't "take over" until several months later in 1988, and there were no Chrysler production changes until the 1990 model year. For both the Cherokee and Comanche up through 1988, the FSM is actually the 1986 FSM and it includes in the main book the 2.5L 4-cylinder (carburetor version), the 2.8L V6, and the diesel. There were add-on, separate books to cover the 4.0L engine, the BA10/5 transmission, the NP231 transfer case, the NP242 transfer case, the AW-4 transmission, the 4.0L fuel injection system, the 2.5L fuel injection system, and the electrical wiring.

An '87 with a junkyard engine in it really isn't worth all that much. The body on yours isn't totally trashed, but it's not exactly showroom mint, either. It's a Chief, which means at least it's not a base model and has guages rather than idiot lights, but the most valuable part of the truck as it sits is the roll bar. The Dana 35 rear axle is also not a "must have" choice. The wheels aren't from an '87, and they also aren't alloy so it sorta makes you wonder why somebody even bothered to put them on. I paid $500 for an '88 Chief in better condition with lower miles, and I paid $600 for an '87 Pioneer in better shape with lower miles. Both of those were around 100,000 miles when I bought them. The sad truth is that you have a truck that is realistically worth between $500 and $750. If you have twice that much in it and don't want to sell for less than what you have invested, I believe you have yourself a long-term investment on your hands. I know I wouldn't pay $1,500 for it, and I'm not saying that to be insulting. What matters to me is the body, interior and chassis. I can do mechanical work -- I'm not good at body work. I sympathize with your situation. At this point, I have invested between $3000 and $4000 in my $500 '88 Chief, and it doesn't run because the clutch rusted to the flywheel. I don't have the time to fix it, the frame is developing a crack, and I should sell it -- but I'd have to give it away and I'm not quite ready to do that just yet.

The brackets you need are already attached to your bench seat. The only difference is that an MJ with buckets doesn't have the wire connecting the two pedestals, and the one on the passenger side has an adjusting lever. You could use it, and just set the seat at mid-travel or all the way back before bolting it into the truck. The "rocking chair" feature isn't part of the seat pedestal, it's part of the seat. What you want is to find seats from an MJ that doesn't have the rocking chair seats.

If you're getting any "ratcheting" on turns, it means you need to add friction modifier to the gear lube. That's not really a "problem" in my book, because it proves that the limited slip clutches aren't worn out and that they still have some grab left in them.

If they have already cracked near the bead, it's too late. Otherwise, spray them well every couple of weeks with one of the foam tire care products. Be sure to spray the back sides as well as the outsides. Also, keep the pressure up more or less to spec, and if possible move the truck or jack it up and spin the tires a quarter revolution every few weeks.

Yes, and no. A limited slip differential was a factory option, but Jeep called it Trac-Lok. "Posi" is short for "Positraction," and that name belongs to Generous Motors.

The metal clips (what I call "speed nuts" are supposed to be stuck on the wheels. They are spring clips, with teeth that grab the plastic nubs of the cap and provide something for the screws to screw into. The ones on the wheels are not "stuck" -- they still have the screws holding them onto the wheels. Jim's eighth photo shows what they look like from the back side of the wheel. Those five hex heads are the sheet metal screws that go into the spring clips. Please note that I did NOT suggest using ViseGrips -- I wrote "needle nose pliers." If you use ViseGrips you'll crush the spring clips/speed nuts. If you use needle nose pliers, you can grab one edge and carefully remove the screw. Then you should be able to press the clip back onto the nub on the center cap.

Of course, you could cheat -- connect a toggle switch to the 4WD light and just flip the switch on anytime you shift into 4WD. Back in the halcyon days of my youth, that's what I used to do when I converted cars from "three on the tree" column shift to 3-speed floor shift.

These are the ones with the speed nuts on the back: The only difference between these two is that the second has a chrome(like) center and outer ring. They both look like this on the back: What happens is that some previous owner who doesn't know how they work pries the caps off from the front, which pulls the nubs on the cap out of the speed nuts and leaves the wheel with the speed nuts visible from the front and the hex-head sheet metal screws still in place on the rear. It's extremely unlikely that you'll break the screw trying to remove the speed nuts, but it's very possible that you can destroy the speed nuts if you don't soak everything down beforehand with PB Blaster, and if you don't proceed with a bit of care. You need access to the back of the wheel to put a socket or nut driver on the head, so obviously the final attempt gets done with the wheel off the vehicle. But you can spray the rusty speed nuts with PB Blaster from the front. I have had good luck rescuing the speed nuts and pressing them back onto the nubs of the caps. Jim, your first two photos are the front and back of the snap-in center caps for the 10-spoke turbine wheels. There are no screws involved with those, so that can't be what he's asking about. (However, if you have a few of those gathering dust, send me a PM. I need a few.)

If you lock the CAD in the engaged position, you don't need any vacuum switch. With the CAD locked, the vacuum only operates the 4WD light, and it's pretty easy to tell when you're in 4WD by the position of the lever ... and the whining noise from the transfer case.

I already answered this. http://comancheclub.com/topic/36293-1986-hubcaps/

Can you weld? Or do you have a friend who can weld? You CAN buy replacement floor pans for an XJ and weld them in. They won't fit right, but they can be made to work. $$$$$ You can spend some time and effort cutting the floors out of a wrecked XJ and weld them in. $$1/2 Or you can do what I did. Lowe's sells sheet steel in two thicknesses. I used the thicker. They had one width that was perfect from going from the frame rail to the transmission tunnel, and a narrower size was perfect for the frame rail to the outer sill. A friend's father welded them in for me. Undercoated the bottom, and used a quart of bedliner on the topside. $