Eagle

If the tube isn't intended for towing, there should not be places to attach safety chains, and there SHOULD be a prominent notice "DO NOT USE FOR TOWING."

Which line blew out? If you replaced the lines to the rear, it sounds like that's what you think blew out. You should have still had a slightly low pedal, but about 70 percent braking, because the fronts should have still worked, and they do most of the work. I drove my red MJ on front brakes only for more than 6 months until I figured out what was going on with the dual lines to the rear (and that in addition to a line I had also blown out the rear height sensing valve). Heck, if your height sensing valve works correctly and you don't have a load, you are essentially driving on front brakes only all the time. So if you had NO brakes after something blew -- you blew more than just one line to the rear.

Yes, I was. Yeah, I expect that the tires may have some dry rot and the battery won't live five years, but this was a NEW Cherokee Limited. I checked it over. It had not been driven. All window stickers were still in place. It is definitely worth $22,000.

Are you asking about the steel hard lines, or the rubber flex hoses?

Sounds to me like an excellent company not to do business with. "We'll sell you a bumper with a Class 3 hitch receiver tube built right into it ... if you don't ever tow anything with it." In response to "What can we do to make you happy?" my answer would have been "Issue me a full refund of my purchase price, including shipping. If you want your bumper back, send a UPS call tag." In fact, if you paid by credit card I think I would remove the bumper from my vehicle, and tell the credit card company to cancel the charge because the item was not as advertised. Oh, yeah, then there's this part: Well, to be honest about it ... no, I don't believe that for a nanosecond. How can Reese (or anyone else) have a patent on a standard size of rectangular structural steel tubing that can be bought in ten-foot (and probably 20-foot) lengths from virtually any steel supplier in the country? I'm sorry, but that statement strains credibility beyond the breaking point. I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night.

If it is, the brake warning light will be on. Is it? Translation?

What fork are you referring to? What do you mean the front driveshaft spins? Does that mean when the vehicle is moving the driveshaft turns but isn't driving the front wheels, or does that mean when the vehicle is in 4WD and parked, you can reach under and turn the front driveshaft by hand?

Yeah, yeah, y'all think I'm a crusty old curmudgeon but I'm really a softie. Except for what just happened, and I don't even know what I can do about it: A couple of weeks ago I started thinking about picking up a used late-model Cherokee for my teen-age granddaughter (who will be coming to live with us soon) to drive. I wanted a late model because most of my heaps are standard, and for her I wanted both automatic and Selec-Trac. Plus the new ones have dual airbags, which is a big plus for a kid. I asked my dealer if they had any XJs on the lot, they said no. Couple of days later I got a message on the machine from Suzanne, at some used car place up-state that I've never heard of. She said my dealer had referred my name to her, and they had a bunch of Cherokees. Including ... are you ready for this? ... a 2001 Cherokee Limited that was NEVER SOLD, with TEN miles on it. So a week ago last Friday I went up to see what they had. I didn't like the used ones. They were rough, and higher mileage than what I was hoping for at the prices they were asking (average around $6,000 for XJs with obvious problems and between 155,000 and 175,000 miles on them). But the new one was perfect. It was more than I had thought about spending, but how often do you find a ten-year old NEW vehicle that's exactly what you're looking for? My wife is away. I asked the sales lady if I had to act like NOW or if I had time to wait over the weekend to discuss with my wife. She said there were three other people interested, and whoever gave her money first would get it. Fair enough, I would have said the same (if there were indeed, three other people in the wings). So I handed her a check for $1,000 as a deposit and she wrote up a sales contract. I explained to her that I didn't have $22,000 in my checking account, so I would have to have my broker sell something to raise the money, which would take a few days, and then it would take three more days for that check to clear after I deposited it. So it would be about ten days before I could pick up the vehicle. "No problem, it'll be here." She also said she would hold my check until Monday to give me a chance to talk with my wife. My wife said okay, so I called Suzanne on Monday (a week ago yesterday) and told her we were "Go," and to deposit the check. Fine. So I got the money, and I put it in the bank. Got home yesterday (Monday, a week after telling Suzanne to deposit my deposit) to find a message from Suzanne informing me that ... SHE SOLD MY CHEROKEE! WTF? Does anyone work for a dealer? Is that even legal? Can I sue? Can I get the sale canceled by the Department of Motor Vehicles? I have encountered some shady dealings in my day, but this is so far over the top I get agitated even writing about it. Damn, I am [bleep]ed!

Cotter pins are a "once" use item, and should never be re-used :no: Correct. One or both legs gets bent over 180 degrees to lock it in place. By the time you bend it, straighten it out for removal, then bend it again -- it's pretty well work hardened and on the ragged edge of failing. I confess to having reused them in an emergency, but it really is a "NO-NO!" And no hubs come with cotter pins. The cotter pin is not part of the hub assembly, it's part of the stub axle assembly. Cotter pins are a "consumable" item in automotive repair shops. Tie rod ends sometimes come with replacements, but I can't remember anything else that does. If you don't have an assortment of cotter pins next to your toolbox, you're not a real Jeeper.

If I remember correctly, the advertised curb weight was approximately 3,400 pounds (1545 kg). If you are running larger tires and wheels, and/or have added a lot of equipment or armor, add those weights to the curb weight.

You are supposed to leave it compressed and clipped when installing, and when bleeding. After the system has been bled, when you first step on the clutch the clips will pop off and things will (ideally) work normally. Don't forget to recheck the fluid level after the clips pop off.

Couple of random ideas: 1) The radio. Is this by chance an aftermarket radio? Is there any chance that your truck has a "headlight sentinal" option, and that whoever installed the radio tied into that circuit somehow? Of course, that should keep it going for more than 5 seconds (should be more like a minute and a half), but if things got fried, who knows? 2) Flasher: I would almost bet that you need one or two replacement parking light sockets in the front. When the sockets go bad, they lose their ground. When the headlights are off, the turns find a false ground by backfeeding through the headlight/parking light circuit. When the lights are on ... that false ground path isn't available, so the turns do other funny things.

The factory clutches are ("were") supposedly made by Luks.

You could have just jumpered it .. as I suggested. The 87s didn't even have it -- the ballast resistor was added in 1988 to reduce the amount of noise generated by the fuel pump.

:agree:

Once you get it, detailed photos and dimensions of the mounting plate(s) would be much appreciated. I had found a diagram about 5 or 6 years ago, but that was several computer crashes ago and I no longer have it.

Google turns up conflicting info. Some sources say the MJ with auto and 4.0L engine could tow 5,000 pounds, one source says 4,000, and several others say 3,500. I know the XJ was rated to tow 5,000 with a Class II hitch and automatic, but my recollection is the MJ was only rated to tow 3,500. And that was with the tow package, which included the Dana 44 axle. I have towed a transporter with an XJ on it behind an MJ. The MJ had a 5-speed, 4.0L, and 3.73 gears. It was NOT pretty. It was a one-time deal to bring home a partially stripped XJ that had to be moved or get scrapped, so I moved it. Never again. There was not enough weight over the rear axle, even with the weight on the trailer located to put about the right weight on the hitch. The trailer pushed the truck around all the way home. This was an aluminum transporter trailer, and the XJ was pretty well stripped so it didn't weigh nearly full advertised curb weight. I'll guess I was pulling about 4,000 pounds, total.

My brother owned an SC/Rambler for awhile, and I used it as a daily driver during my last year in graduate school. The thing was awesome fast, and we had put on a standard (non-scoop) Rambler American hood so it was a total sleeper. I came home one weekend and stopped by to watch the end of one of our Javelin/AMX club autocrosses. After the competition was over, they allowed spectators to run their cars through the course. The SC/Rambler was on cheap, skinny highway tires, not at all prepped for autocross ... and I ran a time that would have gotten me third place for the day. With the scoop, it ran a 13.6 second quarter mile in stock trim. In many ways I'm sorry I didn't buy it from him when he sold it, but I didn't have the cash at the time so ...

And a Dana 44 rear axle. Realistically, for the truck described I would consider the maximum towing capacity to be 2,500 pounds.

Go to a Pep Boys, Auto Zone, Kragans, Shucks, Advance Auto or whatever and buy a generic round shifter boot for $5.

Consider using Loctite on the threads of the new bolts. Squirt some brake cleaner into the holes in the head to degrease the threads. Put Loctite on the bolt threads and let it partially set up, then tighten. Don't use red -- that's permanent. Blue would be okay (medium hold), or probably even purple (light hold/small fastener).

Then you want stainless steel. Grade 8 is not stainless, and will rust.

But only on one circuit -- the front OR the back. That's what the warning light warns you of. It has nothing to do with fluid level.

Mate, you HAVE to start takin' pics without the flash. I'm sure she's adorable in real life, but that photo with the red eyes looks like spawn of Chuckie.

V.C.? Vacuum canister?