Eagle

From the factory service notes handbook: Measure from the top of the axle tube to the underside of the frame rail just inboard of the bump stop. For 4WD models this distance should be 9.2 inches, plus or minus 1/2". (For 2WD models the dimension is 8.2" plus/minus 1/2").

Actually, the stock front distance should be 17-1/2" not 16-1/2". Comanches are very different from Cherokees in the rear because the wheel arches are larger -- both wider and higher. I've measured a bunch of fairly stock Comanches (unfortunately, none new), and the average for the rear is around 20" to 20-1/2". So if you still have the stock flares on and you are measuring 20" center-of-axle to bottom of flare -- you have zero lift in the rear.

YO! x 1000 My wife not only hates my Comanches, she's driving what WAS a pristine 2000 XJ Classic, and she also hates that. (And has demonstrated her dislike by trashing the interior and getting the doors banged in in every parking lot she can find). Dunno about you, but I owned the Jeeps before I met the woman who is now my wife. If she makes an issue of it -- she loses.

And if none of the above -- at least heavier. 8) Seriously, although I subscribe to the "If it ain't broke don't fix it" philosophy, I also subscribe to the "anything can be made more bullet-proof" school of thought. I don't change stuff just to change it, but I'm all in favor of making things stronger and more efficient. But I try to keep a rein on it, because often the improvements that add durability and/or convenience also increase the weight, so I try to balance the weight penalty against the perceived benefit.

Between 1990 and 1991, Chrysler changed the temp sensor. They did two things: First, they reversed the polarity, and second they changed the ohm range. At this point I don't recall which was which, but let's assume the Renix (which includes your '89) has a range of 0 thru 88 ohms. 0 ohms is "cold" and 88 ohms is "hot." The range for the 91+ was 5 thru 105 ohms, but it went in reverse, so 5 ohms is "hot" and 105 ohms is "cold." I don't think they reversed the polarity again when they went to OBD-II, so your '97 sensor is reading backwards for your electrical system. You need to find the correct sensor for your year.

I have a Putnam Class III hitch, an unknown brand Class II tube bumper with integrated 2" receiver, and an aftermarket Fey step bumper that's rated for towing (not sure if it's Class I or Class II). None of them use the bottom bolt. All bolt to the sides of the frame rails only.

I think to make it fit you would have to set it lower than stock, and even then I suspect there would have to be some compromises made. Fire up the tape measure.

On the BA10/5 the plug is a recessed square drive. I don't remember what the size is, but it's metric and you can't find a wrench anywhere that fits it anyway. I have a drain/fill plug wrench made by Peugeot that I bought over 20 years ago for working on Renaults that fits, but it may be the only one on this side of the Atlantic. Most folks seem to buy an inexpensive breaker bar and grind down the top to fit.

$27 Canadian, or $27 U.S.? Those e-Bay panels look okay, but not a great deal. $45 for the panel plus $30 for shipping and you're up to $75. Doesn't seem like a great deal to me. Aren't there other sources for these panels? How does this price compare?

I have no idea, and I have tried. I can't find any manufacturer's ID on it. I took it up to the dealer and went over it with their parts guy, because they also sell aftermarket brands. At first we thought Smittybilt, but the Smitties use round tube and these are oval (wider than they are high). The parts guy said he had never seen anything like it, either on a vehicle or in a catalog. It is definitely a factory item, though. Aside from the machine stamped load rating, the tube end caps are molder plastic that snap in. (Or were ... out of 8 holes, when I got it there were only three or four caps left, and I don't know where those have migrated to now.)

Having driven all three, I think there is no comparison. The AX-15 is stronger than the BA10/5 but, IMHO, shifts harsher and makes more noise. The NVG3550 has a much lower first gear than either one, is stronger, and shifts incredibly smoothly. It is also quieter when driving. It does have one peculiarity -- when sitting at a light in neutral with your foot off the clutch, there is some "chatter." The techs at my Jeep dealer tell me that's typical and not cause for concern. Sounds almost like a sloppy release bearing, but they tell me it's actually the tranny. It's definately the way to go if you have the $$$ to do it. Remember that it won't mate to a 21-spline transfer case, so you'll need both boxes.

After it has sat for awhile (or after you bleed down the fuel pressure with the Schraeder valve) you should hear the fuel pump run for 5 to 10 seconds when you first turn on the ignition, BEFORE you start to crank. If not, the ballast resistor is probably bad. The good news is ... it isn't really necessary, so for diagnosis purposes you can simply bypass it (jumper the two contacts). No spark, however, suggests that possibly the CPS has decided to go south for the winter.

Stamped right into the metal: Tongue weight 350 pounds Trailer weight 3,500 pounds Is that Class III or only Class II?

What bottom 2 holes? The factory bumper brackets use four bolts through the side and one through the bottom.

Fernando, I spoke with a friend last night who has one of the genuine factory Stage 3 cam kits for the 2.5L engine. He bought it for an MJ but his plans have changed and he now does not plan to use it. He is willing to sell it. If you are interested, send me a PM and I'll get you his e-mail address. If you are interested, all negotiations will be between you and him. I don't want to be a "middle man."

I have two, one is a Putnam brand Class 3 hitch and the other is what appears to be an aftermarket tube bumper incorporating a Class 3 hitch. Both bolt to the side of the frame, using three of the four stock bumper bracket holes. Sorry, I don't have pics available.

I don't have specifications on the carburetor, but my friend in Greece bought it through Rusty's Off-Road in Alabama. Rusty's has a web site, and perhaps someone here has the link to it available. For the camshaft: Jeep offered three performance cams for the 2.5L. They were the same grinds they also offered for the 4.0L. Of course, DaimlerChrysler has sold off their stock, but the used to show up on e-Bay sometimes. (I bought a Stage 2 from one of the guys in NAXJA. I haven't installed it yet, but I'm not planning to sell it.) Stage 1: Part Number P4529656 Duration 240/240 degrees Overlap 24 degrees Center Line 108 degrees Lift 430/430 Stage 2: Part Number P4529657 Duration 248/248 degrees Overlap 32 degrees Center Line 108 degrees Lift 440/440 Stage 3: Part Number P4529658 Duration 256/256 degrees Overlap 40 degrees Center Line 108 degrees Lift 450/450

Fernando, because your truck has a carburetor and no computer controls, it would be very easy for you to install a Jeep Stage 2 camshaft kit and a new Weber carburetor. The factory camshaft kits are still available occasionally in e-Bay, or we can get you the specifications and you can buy a similar camshaft from one of the aftermarket companies such as Crane, Crower, Iskendarian, etc. It can make a big difference. There is a gentleman on the NAXJA forums who posts under a name something like "Hoss Hoffer" (if I remember correctly) who is running a factory cam kit in a 2.5L Cherokee, and he says it is very good on power, and the cam did not destroy his fuel economy.

XJ tail lights are totally different.

The Country Edition was an XJ trim package that basically replaced the Wagoneer for a couple of years. It had pretty much all the bells and whistles, and I think most if not all even had the phony woodgrain on the sides. It is NOT the same as the Up Country suspension option on late-model XJs.

The 4-cylinder is a good engine, but if it has a 4-speed that means it's a 2WD, and it means it has 3.54 gears. It also means an early year MJ -- not a problem if it's an 87 or newer, but if it's an 86 the engine compartment is subtly different, which makes converting to a 4.0L engine later more difficult. (Not impossible, just adds another layer of modifications you would be happier avoiding.)

I NEVER talk to myself. That's what imaginary friends are for

Ha, ha. Just visited Argentina last week. Like when I visited Peru last year, I saw vehicles with diesels that were never intended to have diesels, and a LOT of newer cars and small pickups with diesels that have never been offered with diesel power in the U.S.

1989 was the year. I have an early 1989 with the BA10/5

It isn't a return line. It's a bypass line. The way you modified your system, you have full braking to the rear even with no load. That's why it like to swap end on you. You might have better performance if you use an XJ front combo valve, or put a Wilwood adustable proportioning valve in the line to your rear brakes.