Eagle

Where is that written in the law? Maybe in your state. Definitely not in Connecticut. And I doubt either of us knows about California. It used to be that Kelly was always higher than NADA, which is why dealers used NADA to figure your trade-in value but the tax assessors always used Kelly. I haven't followed used vehicle prices for several years, so it wouldn't surprise me if things have changed.

First, why are you assuming that the insurance company is going to try to "trick" you? Most of them are honest. They aren't out to "trick" anybody. They aren't in the business of giving money away, though. You found a book that says a 1987 Comanche might be worth $7,000? I doubt that very much. Especially not for a 2WD. And if the body has some rust, then the truck is NOT perfect ... it's rusty. Sorry to be a Dutch uncle, but you have to be realistic in your expectations. If you think they are low-balling you, you can decline their settlement offer and get a second appraisal. What do you think the truck is (was) worth? And how do you justify that valuation?

That has nothing to do with death wobble. Death wobble is elusive precisely because it is a harmonic. A loose track bar neither contributes to the harmonic nor takes away from it. There is no such thing as a track bar that is "too loose" to result in death wobble. The early 1999 Grand Cherokees (the WJs) had a DW problem ... with the export suspension only. I think the Up Country suspension was the same, because I had a totally stock '99 WJ go into death wobble cruising on a state highway in New Hampshire. The vehicle was totally stock and had less than 10,000 miles on it. DW can be cured by changing to different rate front springs. That's what Jeep did with the WJs. It may be cured by changing to harder (or softer) rubber bushings. It may be cured by changing to different shock absorbers. It may be cured by rotating the tires. The key point is that it is a harmonic. In order for death wobble to occur, one front wheel starts to wobble or bounce, and then the other front wheel starts to wobble at the same frequency. Once that cycle starts, they feed on each other and it escalates. That's why the only way to stop it is to slow the vehicle virtually to a stop. But the harmonic takes place as a result of a number of factors being "just right." Change any one of the factors, and the death wobble is eliminated. On my '88 MJ, at one time it would go into DW when going around sweeping right hand curves, but not when going around sweeping left hand curves. Go figure. That said -- the wheels/tires of any motor vehicle are individual gyroscopes. If you can remember playing with a gyroscope as a kid, when spinning they do NOT like to be moved out of their plane of rotation. So a vehicle tire/wheel inherently resists wobble, and there has to be something seriously wrong to allow the first wheel to wobble enough for death wobble to be initiated. And that's why I remain of the opinion that the primary cause is wheel balance. I just put new tires on my wife's (all stock) Cherokee. The tires were mounted and balanced by a friend, using a "road force" balancer. There is a shimmy at exactly 55 MPH. Fortunately, it doesn't escalate into death wobble, so I won't ask him to rebalance the tires. It's only a small shimmy. But ... the balance was done by a guy who cared (he knew these were for my wife's Jeep), using the very latest and best equipment ... and the balance is off. If you think you can have the high school drop outs at Pep Boys balance oversize off-road tires and have them done right, you are only fooling yourself. Rotate your tires and see if the death wobble goes away, or changes the speed at which it starts.

:agree: You'll replace the actuator, and then find out that what was really bad wasn't the "actuator" at all, but the vacuum harness that activates it. I don't even know if that's still available. When it was, it sold for about $25. Then you'll change that, and discover that the problem really wasn't the actuator OR the vacuum harness, but a busted shift fork inside the disconnect. Just slide it over manually, shim it in place, and forget it. There are write-ups on exactly how to do it in the DIY area here.

The factory sometimes cut the rod and/or main bearings .010 smaller than spec and installed bearings to match. There are codes stamped into the passenger side of the engine block to indicate what size bearings should be used.

Four what? Four inches, or four shackles? The ZJ springs are going to give you ONE inch in front, so you need ONE inch in the rear. Look for shackles 2 inches longer than stock.

I have never heard of anything called a 4WD "actuator" and I find myself wondering just what the heck this used car shyster is talking about. I suspect it may be the transfer case.

You don't have a Cherokee any more. The MJ rear springs are under the axle -- blocks will lower it, not raise it. Those ZJ V8 springs are good for about 1 inch in the front. You can get about the same in the rear using extended shackles. Just remember that you need shackles 2 inches longer than stock to get 1 inch of lift.

:agree: Shop around. IIRC it can be pricey.

Or your headlight switch may be getting tired. There is no fuse for the headlights. The switch has a circuit breaker built into it, and the circuit breakers can get weak. If that turns out to be the problem, what will happen is the length of "run" time with headlights will get progressively shorter. The fix is just to replace the headlight switch.

The two throttle bodies are completely different. I believe a few people have been able to adapt, but your existing throttle body will not directly bolt to the newer intake manifold. And the old intake manifold will not bolt to the new head without modifications.

Which temp sensor did you disconnect, the one at the back corner of the head or the one in the thermostsat housing?

^^^ Very possible. Good thinking.

Yes ... and those parts in my post immediately above yours are the parts to rebuild that hub.

Oxygen sensor? It may have been running lean, and then the O2 sensor finally failed and dumped the ECU into "limp home" mode -- which for the Renix I believe is the same as warm-up, open loop mode and defaults to a rich fuel mix.

http://www.quadratec.com/advisor/jeep_o ... _brake.php See parts # 16 thru 20. For 1984 to 1989 only.

^^^ What he said. The '87 2.5L has ONE injector, in the throttle body. The fuel is injected into the airstream as it enters the intake maniforld. Unless you had something very strange affecting the intake valve, there is no way that one cylinder on a TBI engine can get leaned out.

Not hardly! You can probably remember what you had for breakfast this morning.

The early hub units for the 4WD vehicles WERE serviceable. Last I knew, Quadratec still sold the individual parts. But by the time you bought the inner and out bearings, the two seals required, and I think there was one other part needed ... you were within a couple of bucks of buying a complete hub/bearing unit. And rebuilding the hubs requires a 12-ton hydraulic shop press. But, technically, the guy at O'Reilly's was correct. The later hubs (1990 and newer) are not rebuildable.

I thought TJ coils generated 2 inches LESS lift in an XJ or MJ as opposed to in a TJ.

Pete - When was the last time you looked for Cherokees in a junkyard in Germany? For that mater, when is the last time you looked for an automotive junkyard in Germany?

Apologies. I missed the fact he was asking about the late-model XJ. Mea culpa.

The 97+ door will fit but that will require relocating the striker on the door post. The '96 and older should be a direct bolt-on.

Yep. Several years ago one of the original members of NAXJA said the same thing. He then rolled his Cherokee in a city street, two blocks from home, at under 30 MPH when he had to make a sudden swerve. I think he was dodging a kid who ran out into the street, but the actual cause isn't important. What's important is that the factories don't throw metal on vehicles for no reason. It costs money, and it adds weight. If they didn't think it was absolutely necessary, you can bet it would not be there. And that's for a stock height vehicle.

What are your alignment specs?