Automan2164

Congrats Ben! Nice short drive to work followed by an honest days work will probably be just what the doctor ordered. Rob :cheers:

Use 99+ Door seals on the MJ to get rid of the wind noise. Thicker, and bigger profile. Rob

And they also have the test drive video.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a27352/jeep-comanche-regular-car-reviews/ The American Motors Corporation was breathing though a cocktail straw in 1985. They had two ways to tread water. One, the Eagle Premier, a four-door Honda Accord cover band with Renault on backup vocals and bass guitar. Two, the Jeep MJ Comanche, an all-American in-house power ballad intended to blast the Toyota Pickup and its bed full of Ska Paradise Orchestra members all the way back to Tokyo. The MJ Comanche pickup was carved from the XJ Cherokee SUV. That's fine, but the XJ Cherokee was a monocoque-unibody car, meaning the frame and body were all one chunk of metal. Every bit of the XJ was structurally integral to everything else. If you cut it down behind the B-pillar to make a pickup bed, what you're left with is a floppy butt that wants to break off and live on its own. Most pickups (especially in the 80s) were body-on-frame. You could make the body any shape you wanted because the body didn't hold the car together; the underlying frame did. How did AMC and later Chrysler make a truck out of an SUV? They pressed a frame into the back of the carved-out unibody. That way, the rear of the vehicle was reinforced to handle the openness and roofless-ness of a pickup. What resulted was a super-strong and super-rigid small pickup with an optional 4.0-liter straight-six engine and a five-speed transmission driving the rear wheels only. The Jeep Comanche was one of the best-handling American pickups of its day. More from RCR on R&T 13 articles The Absurd Spectacle of Noise and Numbers That Is... How the Specter of Bad Luck Shadows You in Every... The BMW M Coupe Is a Bulldog That Will Transform... The Toyota Supra Runs on Equal Parts Hype and... Even today, most body-on-frame trucks get sloppy when you try to whip them around corners as if they are cars. That's because the "body" of the bed and the body of the cab are two different masses. They move separately, all wobbling around like a train of children holding hands while on a field trip to the Chicago Art Museum. The MJs bed is connected by the trailing end of the cab's body and by the implanted frame. The whole vehicle moves as one. You forget that there is a bed behind you unless you look. Under the hood of 1991 and after MJs is the AMC 4.0-liter reverse-flow straight-six. The only difference is the Renix EFI from AMC was replaced with Mopar injection, bringing the horsepower up to 190 from the original 170. The one odd thing about the MJ's I6 is that the clutch-driven fan is not mounted to the water pump like most plants. The clutch-fan assembly sits alone, driven from a separate pulley, offset. This is to make room for an auxiliary electric fan for the radiator. The newly reworked motor combined with the stiff frame turned the Jeep Comanche into one of the best-handling American pickups of its day—MJs are still contenders today with enthusiasts who want a pickup and a Nissan S13. In the late 80s, Chrysler was able to use the Jeep MJ to compete in SCCA Sporttruck races. SCCA rules allowed for variations in engine displacement and configuration. The long torque band of the I6 gave the MJ the ability to overtake daringly and the ultra-stiff rear kept the truck in line to hold onto leads in corners. Watch as two MJs power past the lead Toyota Pickup on the last lap of this SCCA race and maintain position for the win. Also watch the Toyota wobble to try to take it back and sail off into the grass. In the following video, you'll see what is possible when you take the already-stiff frame of the MJ and outfit the truck for autocross and backroad shenanigans. Out of all the mini trucks in existence, the Jeep Comanche is the only one that still looks normal when lowered and also the only truck that can take advantage of different steering and ride geometry. For those of you who can't watch the video right now, here is a long list of all the modifications the owner of this 1991 MJ made. This is how you make an old Jeep into a hoontastic autocross weapon. Brakes: -1996 Cherokee dual-diaphragm brake booster and master cylinder -Wilwood proportioning valve with adjustable rear-brake bias -NiCopp brake lines -2004 Grand Cherokee (wj) brake rotors and calipers (rotors are 1-inch larger than stock, and calipers are dual-piston instead of single) -carbon /ceramic brake pads Suspension: -modified front axle for lower clearance. -lowered the control-arm mounts on the axle by 2.5 inches -V8 ZJ Grand Cherokee springs (which have heavier spring rates) cut to shorter height -Kyb monomax shocks from a 2wd F-150 -larger sway bar -adjustable ball joints to give the wheels about one degree of camber -modified Rusty's offroad/track bar bracket -homemade adjustable track bar (with bend to clear the oil pan) -TJ wrangler pitman arm -stock drag link -Jeep ZJ grand Cherokee tie rod -polyurethane bushings on everything -For now, the rear suspension is just a 2-inch lowering block and a shorter leaf shackle. Will eventually be a custom leaf pack and have a Mustang 8.8 with a limited-slip differential and disc brakes. Driveline: -rebuilt Dana 35 rear end -Wilwood clutch master cylinder with braided stainless-steel clutch line. -short-throw shifter -2003/2004 Mustang Cobra deep-dish wheels (17x9 front 17x10.5 rear)

I know, I know. Sticker shock really. I had just renewed my plates on the Cherokee the day before for $130. I'll do something. Just may go with a more generic Jeep plate now. Couldn't transfer over the XJ plates. Mopped myself into a corner on that one. Rob

I like the touches of chrome, but thw wheels are a bit much. I think I'd like to try plastidipping them matte black or grey. Rob

Thanks everyone for the comments. The UConnect is cool. Love the navigation and the 9 speaker stereo with the sub. Just enough to really make the sound quality better. Crazy though... The PO nor the dealer wiped it clean. I was driving home from the dealer and noticed a "House" icon pop up on the nav screen. Curiosity got the best of me so I punched it in. 5 minutes away, so I drove by. Big u-shaped ranch with 3 car garage on 2 acres in an affluent neighborhood. The rest of the "Recent destinations" are O'hare and Midway airport terminals in Chicago, places 250 miles away in WI... Those 85K miles were highway. The nav even shows the max reached speed (102) and the average moving speed (45). Tells me it did a lot of highway driving if the average was as high as 45 MPH. Crazy... Because I have the guys first name (from his voice naming the first phone entry), his home address, frequent stops which are most likely friends and family... All from a vehicle. Got under it and did some inspecting today. Found everything in great shape, and brand new brakes and rotors on all 4 corners. The pads are still shiny black with Mopar PN's clearly visible. Yesterday I had the dealer repair a rock chip the GF found on the windshield Sunday, and picked up my slush mats today. The more and more I look at this thing, the more and more stupid clean it is. I couldn't find a door ding on it, only found a small dent in the above the passenger door, and a little rock chip by the Jeep emblem on the hood. Plans are to get a set of splash guards and roof rails and call it a job for now. Other thing I realized was I never got you guys better pics! Rob

Found a back door for options lookup. Looks like the 3.09 stayed. The vitals: Equipment Listing VIN 1C4RJFAGXCC150722 Vehicle Description 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO 4X4 SPORT UTILITY 4-DR Monotone Paint 700 Amp Maintenance Free Battery Rain Brake Support Ready Alert Braking Electronic Stability Control Hill Start Assist Four Wheel Traction Control Trailer Sway Damping Anti-Lock 4-Wheel Disc Brakes Active Head Restraints Rear 60/40 Folding Seat Child Seat Upper Tether Anchorages Supplemental Side Air Bags Child Seat Anchor System-LATCH Ready Advanced Multistage Front Air Bags Center Rear 3-Point Seat Belt Supplemental Frt Seat Side Air Bags Floor Carpet Cargo Tie Down Loops Cargo Trim Panel w/Storage Net Luxury Front/Rear Floor Mats w/Logo Passenger Assist Handles Base Door Trim Panel STANDARD EQUIPMENT Full Length Floor Console Overhead Console Illuminated Cupholders Quadra-Trac I ® 4WD System 195MM Front Axle 3.09 Rear Axle Ratio 195MM Rear Axle Conventional Differential Frt Axle Conventional Differential Rear Axle Acoustic Laminated Front Door Glass Tinted Windshield Glass Front Door Tinted Glass Deep Tint Sunscreen Glass Flipper Liftgate Glass Rear Window Defroster Sun Visors w/Illum Vanity Mirrors Power Heated Mirrors, Fold-Away Sentry Key Theft Deterrent System Hood Insulation Premium Insulation Group 140 MPH Primary Speedometer Var Intermittent Windshield Wipers Rear Window Wiper/Washer Dual Note Electric Horns Auxiliary 12-Volt Rear Power Outlet 12V Auxiliary Power Outlet Power Accessory Delay Air Filtering Power Locks Pwr Front Windows, 1-Touch,Up & Down Illuminated Entry Vehicle Information Center Glove Box Lamp Front & Rear Interior LED Lamps Interior Removable/Rechargeable Lamp Halogen Headlamps Automatic Headlamps Fog Lamps Enhanced Accident Response System Bright Grille Chrome Bodyside Molding Sill Molding Body Color Fascias Bright Day Light Opening Moldings Body Color Door Handles Bright License Plate Brow Jeep Badge 4X4 Badge Integrated Liftgate Rear Spoiler Laredo Badge 24.6 Gallon Fuel Tank Speed Control Standard Duty Engine Cooling Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat Removable Short Mast Antenna Power Rack and Pinion Steering Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel Normal Duty Suspension Tilt/Telescope Steering Column Compact Spare Tire Non Adjustable Pedals Power Locking Fuel Filler Door English/USA Language Protective Coating and Remover Headliner Parts Module Seat Parts Module Instrument Panel Parts Module Door Parts Module Front End Parts Module Front Suspension Parts Module Rear Suspension Parts Module Tire & Wheel Parts Module Front Suspension Damper Parts Module Rear Suspension Damper Parts Module Build To U.S. Mkt. Specifications GVW Rating - 6500# U.S. Dealer Retail Zone 51-Chicago Four Wheel Drive (4WD)/(4X4) Left Hand Drive (LHD) 2012 Vehicle Specifications WK/6042 Vehicle Family Price Class H Vehicle Order Tracking U.S. Specifications Label Illinois Ship to State Code Carb. Code 03 Smog Code 06 Illinois Sold to State Code Prem Leather Trimmed Bucket Seats Black Laredo E Group 180 Amp Alternator Supp. Side Curtain Frt/Rr Air Bags Cargo Compartment Cover Leather Wrapped Shift Knob All Automatic Transmissions 5-Speed Auto W5A580 Transmission 3.6L V6 24V VVT Engine RR View Auto Dim Mirror w/Microphone Dual-Pane Panoramic Sunroof Remote Proximity Keyless Entry Remote Keyless Entry Keyless Enter-N-Go Air Cond ATC w/Dual Zone Control Premium Instrument Cluster w/Tach 115V Auxiliary Power Outlet Garmin Navigation System Heated Front Seats Pwr Driver/Pass 4-Way Lumbar Adjust Power 8-Way Driver/Passenger Seats Body Color Exterior Mirrors Security Alarm Front License Plate Bracket OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT Bright Side Roof Rails 50 State Emissions Engine Oil Cooler Exterior Mirrors w/Heating Element Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat 9 Amplified Speakers w/Subwoofer Steering Wheel Mounted Audio Ctrls 506 Watt Amplifier 6.5" Touchscreen Display Radio 430N SIRIUS Satellite Radio SiriusXM Travel Link Uconnect Voice Command w/Bluetooth Audio Jack Input for Mobile Devices Remote USB Port P265/60R18 BSW AS On/Off Rd Tires Michelin Brand Tires Compact Spare Wheel All Aluminum Wheels 18X8.0 Aluminum Wheels ParkSense Rear Park Assist System ParkView™ Rear Back-up Camera Remote Start System Tip Start Universal Garage Door Opener Tire Pressure Monitoring Display Flex Fuel Vehicle 40GB Hard Drive w/28GB Available Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering For More Info, Call 888-539-7474 1-Yr. SiriusXM Radio Service 1-Yr. SiriusXM Travel Link Service 7.5 Additional Gallons of Gas Spring - Left Front Spring - Left Rear Spring - Right Front Spring - Right Rear Customer Preferred Package 2TX Customer Preferred Package 26X Distribution Services Tracking 7 11/01/15

I have to say it isn't "quick" by any means, but I would definitely call it adequate. Driving home from mom's house I averaged 23 MPG also. Even behind someone who couldn't pick a speed. The Uconnect is nice, and displays track info off streaming bluetooth, so that's very nice also. Impressed so far. I want to spend more time tomorrow in the daylight giving it the once over. Rob

I don't know that as of yet. I need to have an insider run the VIN. We were definitely last hour-ing it tonight. Signed the papers shortly after closing time on the 31st day of the month. Service dept was closed, and the salesman played naive when I asked about the Chrysler history. The Autocheck showed all dealer maintenance with them and the oil change reminder on the window backed it up. I just wish it still had the original sticker with it! How hard is it to just fold it up and put it with the owners manuals!? People annoy me with vehicles. Rob

Welp. Had an interesting day. Decided to go down to the dealer and try a couple on for size. I wanted to find one that had about the same options as the auction one (basically none). I found a white '12 that had 33K on it. Options were right, so I went in to talk about driving it. We talked price, they wanted $28K for that one and change. He told me he had another '12, closer to my range (Told him $20K). It was a local trade, Laredo with 85K and just about every option. We took it out and I liked it a lot. Salesman was kinda dry, maybe more dry than I would like. When we came back he pulled out the history. Bought new from that dealer, and serviced there all the way up to the last oil change. One owner. Has leather, navigation/dvd, subwoofer, heated seats, panaramic sunroof (the all glass one), keyless proximity fobs, towing package, automatic climate control... Pretty much all the good stuff. I got to thinking about that auction car, and how much I was going to have to spend on adding the things it didn't have... More miles, and this one being optioned like it is.The price was ok. They wouldn't budge much on the $21750 they had it listed for, but I beat them up a bit in financing and warranty. Threatened to walk a few times. All in all, ended up taking it home. I appreciate the input fellas! Hopefully this one lives up to the hype! Rob :cheers:

Kinda. I was sort of liking the Ridgeline RTL also. Everyone has that friend in the group of friends that is the "Jeep Guy". I'm that guy. I feel like I'd be giving up my torch a bit if I pulled up in a Honda. Rob

Thanks all for the great input. Sounds like a solid vehicle, like something I would want to pick up. I found one at another local Municipality up for auction. It's a 2011 Laredo with the 3.6 and 113K. They sold another admin unit WK2 last month with new tires and a noted power steering leak for $13,000 after buyer premiums, so that gives me hope. While I would love one loaded to the gills, if I could get into one cheap, feel it out, and go from there, it works for me. I had some friends here and elsewhere look it up for me, and it's current on recalls. Those checks also surfaced some other stuff, like options and gear ratio (3.06. Hopefully different in a WK2 Don!) It's a pretty basic model, but may be a cheap entry into the segment. I've been trying to find out how to add factory things I would want, like touchscreen or remote start after the fact. I also work in the public sector, so I was going to give the listing agency a call an inquire about service schedules and records for increased peace of mind. I'll ask for any info I can, some are tighter than others with records. See how the dice roll! Rob :cheers:

It sad to say, but the old XJ is finally starting to show its age. My '97 Country has treated me kindly over the past few years, but it's time to poop or get off the pot. I don't have many vehicles in my radar, but the WK2 is one of them. I miss my old ZJ, with the room and features. I know a WK would get me a lot of nice features, but then I would have the old V6 as an option, and I really don't like the way they look. The WK2 has the Pentastar in the lineup, as well as just being a (IMHO) a damn good looking vehicle. I am going to shoot for a price range with 20K being the top end. I know in doing this I am going to end up with something with higher miles, but that really doesn't concern me much. Auto trader says 20K price range is doable, but I want to ask my friends here if they have any opinions on it. I would like to find a Limited or an Overland, because if I am going to have a car payment, it's going to be loaded. I've found some overlands with 100K right around 20K. I guess my only questions really come down to drivetrain and reliability. I hear great things about the 3.6, and a couple have popped up with the 5.7. Both seem to have similar mileage, so I'm not terrified of that. I would be leaning towards the 3.6 just due to the rumor mill. Are the transmissions better than the Chrysler transmissions of yesteryear? Any other big problems or things to look out for? Thanks in advance, Rob

Time for some pics! Road trip and Bear. Colors looked great going up. Arrived at the cabin. The American falls. The US view of the Canadian falls was under construction. The KOA had a dog park, which was great to burn some energy. Other end of the American side. Waiting on the Maid of the Mist. Hike up to the side of the falls. Drenched at this point. Came back with the pooch for the night show. All sorts of colors, but red, white, and blue was a favorite. Bear found a couple miniature versions of himself at the park. Next day was a hiking day at 30 mile point lighthouse. Had a really cool stone shoreline, with tumbled rocks from the waves. Now here is a question for you guys... We found this buried in the shoreline, maybe 1/2 mile from the lighthouse. Part was on shore, part jutting out into the lake. What is it? Looked to have a conveyor and a window at the lake end. On the shore, there was this. Inside looked to be a pendant control of some sort. The trail went on for a ways, then lead to an oak grove with this amazing rock shoreline, without the 15-20 foot cliff preventing access. Super tired Bear. Dunkirk Lighthouse. Presque Isle Lighthouse.

I've been working out of a smaller 2 car garage since I moved in here 8 or so years ago. I have the box from when I was a dealer tech on the left, behind the compressor and torches. I picked up an old center post tire machine 5 years ago that is on the other side of the MJ, along with the Comanche Couch (Back 2 foot of an MJ with a bench seat nestled in against the wall). I run a blue tooth speaker when I'm wrenching. I have a shed for all the MJ parts, as well as had to install an attic ladder to hoard up top. Since this picture, I've added a HF blasting cabinet in front of the MJ, metric nut and bolt assortment on the left of the work bench, and a new cart.

This started as a two door XJ. That trough is where the rear seat folded down ;) 4 door. Look at the short doors. Nicely done, but I would want to crawl all over it. I guess I would also have to ask... why? Rob

Thanks for the suggestions fellas! I checked over the XJ yesterday, got the oil changed, cluster bulb that was out replaced, and detailed the interior this week in anticipation. Right now we are mostly packed and I'm just relaxing before the drive. Decided against the RV when I was looking for places to park it. It wasn't the RV itself, so much as the KOA near the falls had a "Deluxe Cabin" fall special with $25 extra a night off. The deluxe cabins are pretty much 28 foot trailers trimmed out in nice pine. They come complete with private bath and shower, kitchenette, queen bed, tv, all that jazz, and even a private fire ring and a propane grill. I've mapped out a few Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives places to eat, and am trying to find some good hiking trails. I saw a post about the old Fire watch towers, and I would love to find one near the East side of the state. The views/history look incredible. Leaving in a few hours. Rob :cheers:

Had me until the interior shots. Looks half cocked. Color isn't right on the mini console, the roundish Dakota seats look out of place in the square '96 interior. I would have liked to see either a nice MJ bench, or some first gen leather buckets. Rob

I was looking at renting out of Buffalo. Seems to be the closest to the falls. I would be down for a MN trip, but this has more of a destination. Rob

Time to go on a mini vacation. The GF and I took a week off of work for next week. As we didn't really have anything planned other than not being at work, we were tossing around ideas. One of my co-workers suggested Niagara Falls, as its about a 9-10 hour drive away from Chicago, and a nice little get away. We talked about it, and both loved the idea. Sort of at least one of those things to check off the list. Neither of us has a current passport, so we will have to enjoy the splendor state side. We planned on leaving the pooch with my mom, but she's currently still recovering from spinal fusion, and doesn't think that she's up to it. I'm not against bringing the dog with us, but it may be a problem if we want to go out to eat, or check out some attractions that may not be all that "Dog Friendly". We were thinking of doing hotels, or finding the ones that are dog friendly, but we couldn't leave him in the room. He would go absolutely nuts. Plus, I kinda wanted to be able to roam a bit. I don't want to have to plan out some itinerary. Maybe a day or two at the falls, then what? The GF had the fantastic idea of renting an RV. We could leave him in the RV and not feel like we are trapping him in the car, and we wouldn't be a bother to the room that shares a wall with us. We could cook our own meals to help keep the costs down too. While initially looking at a rental by Chicago and driving it out there, I found out that they charge $0.34 a mile. Yikes. The rental itself is reasonable though. Then she hit me again... Why not just drive out there, then rent one in NY? Solved. Now that we kind of have a plan, I wanted to come here and see what else you guys may have to add or as a tip. Even better, those whom have done something similar, or are from the NY area, what else should we do while we are out there? Any cool parks? Any points of interest? Someone told me to hit up the Catskill mountains since we will be so close. I'm kind of excited about this, and can't wait to try something new. Maybe I can meet up with someone out East. Rob :cheers:

I had an 86 base that came with the optional AM radio. My '87 Metric Ton was a true stripper, in goofy sense. It had vinyl buckets, but no radio. Rob

Thanks! The pack came to me when using the ammo can like a shoulder bag. It makes the bigger yards much easier to navigate. Keeps your hands free to pry and peek, and also keeps you mobile when just scouting. Often times I will walk the yard first looking for Jeeps, grab any smalls, and if I see something I want that's big, I'll go back with a wheel barrow if I'm in one of those yards. I hate dragging a cart or barrow around if I am just looking around. Rob

I have a couple of those "Old School" yards by me. Muddy, hilly, no organization, cars on the ground without stands. The first time I went to an LKQ with set prices, compacted gravel, cars off the ground, and wheel barrows, I thought I discovered Mecca. As for the wrenches, steal away. I did the same but modified the idea. The one I took from the guy used a length of small cable and a clip. Rob :cheers:

Just wanted to share the new bag I picked up over the weekend for my 'Yard bag. In the past, I've used just about anything. It started by just carrying in tools. After that, I used an ammo can that held a fair amount, but no bigger items. It was heavy, and awkward to carry if you didn't have a free hand, or suck to carry around in big yards. I usually cut off and tied on a serpentine belt to the handle and slung it over my shoulder for long hikes. That worked ok, but it needed to be better. I switched over to a Condor Tactical Bag. It is a smallish range bag with a ton of pockets and held all the tools well. I loved it. It had a nice shoulder strap to sling it across my body and be able to carry whatever score I had. While I liked it, it was more of one huge compartment, and I seemed to always be digging down to the bottom to find my tools. The new bag I found when trolling youtube awhile back. It is a 5.11 Tactical All Hazards Prime bag. It's quite pricey new ($250ish) but I picked this one up off eBay from a Law Enforcement seller who just used it as a live shooter training bag. I only paid about $65. It has so many pockets and expandable stuff. Tons of the molle tags for adding stuff, and a bright interior to make it easier to see tools in the bag. It also finally has a spot for my longer tools, like my hammer and my collapsible prybar so I can stop carrying them. Same with the power tools. This bag has a compartment where I can put my cordless impact, sawzall, grinder, or drill also without carrying them. Enough chat though... I took a bunch of pictures on the ceremonial tool transfer. Most of the tools I usually carry. Surprisingly enough, I've pulled axles, interiors, transfer cases, and many parts using just this amount of tools. The only thing I really need to add is a deep well set, which I am probably going to do in 3/8ths. Old bag on left, new on right. New bag all loaded up. Front pocket, gloves. Small compartment, drivers, bit drivers, DVOM, tape measure, electrical tape. Behind the front of bag, sort of netted bottom expandable area, perfect for the power tools. Medium compartment. Velcro attached pouches on the left, molle straps on the right. Pouches have the wrenches and 1/4, 3/8's sockets. Biggest, rear compartment. Nothing in here yet, more or less saving this for small parts or other items, as whatever is in here will fall to the bottom. Really cool through sleeve on either side to hold the longer items. Dedicated small pouch on top of bag that is soft lined and perfect for glasses or sunglasses. Right behind the back plate, it is set up for a water bladder like a camelbak. Just need a suction hose for the shoulder straps. Heavy shoulder straps with vented material to keep dry, and the back plate has a recessed cross so it breathes on your back. All set up and ready for adventures. After playing around with this bag today, I love it. I am looking forward to using this in the yards, and having everything I need at hand. I hate finding something in the corner of some huge yard, and having to walk all the way back. So what are you guys using? Rob