Griff04

Took the test drive today to check out the RMS replacement. Drove it hard pulling trailer up to the deer camp round trip 70 miles, everything underneath was bone dry, no oil anywhere. I can mark that off my list. Hallelujah!!!!

Thanks Cruiser, will definitely look at this. Been a long day, spent most of the day at the deer camp then came home grabbed the g-kids and took them out on the river tubing. Gonna sit back and chill the rest of the evening. Aprreciate everyone’s input. Griff04

Keep knocking things off my list. Recent items. 1. JK shock upgrade. 100% better, the shocks I removed were shot. 2. Draglink to pitman arm ball joint replacement, corrected looseness in steering. 3. Rebuilt oil filter adapter assembly, replaced orings, it was pouring oil. 4. Replaced valve cover gasket, it was pouring oil down the backside of the bell housing 5. Finished up RMS replacement yesterday. I was hoping the oil filter adapter rebuild and VC gasket would eliminate all my oil leaks but they didn’t. Test drove across town this morning and it didn’t appearing to be leaking anymore. Taking it to the hunting camp tomorrow dragging my trailer and 4 wheeler, that will be the test. Still got some brake and idle issues at the top of my list....they are next. BTW, the RMS replacement was a PIA!!!!!!!! Griff04

Will add this to my list... Thanks, Griff04

So she sit for a few minutes while I was typing this post, went back and restarted and the idle is fine?? Not sure what the heck is going on!!!

I noticed a few times over the past several weeks that when I first fired her off it went to a really high idle. I tried pumping the gas pedal but wound up having to turn her off and restart it which cleared it. I’ve been so busy with other things like the ac, brakes, and just finished up a RMS replacement that I just added to my list of items to check. Well I let her sit over nite to allow the anaerobic sealer I used on the RMS r&r to cure and it did the same thing only this time I couldn’t get it out of the high idle situation by turning her off. I’ve visually checked over the throttle linkage to look for any binding but don’t see anything. Any ideas on what look at next appreciated.

Well that definitely makes me feel better. Thanks

In the process of replacing the RMS. One thing I noticed after watching several YouTube videos was every video mentioned and actually showed having to remove the girdle on the bottom of the crank. Well when I dropped my pan the first I noticed was mine doesn’t have one. Now the videos I watched all pertained to Cherokees but I would assume the 4.0s would be the same. Sorta puzzled here, should my 88 4.0 have one??? Thanks, Griff04

Albany Ga 31707

That’s interesting and definitely something I need to look at. So that would mean I would have put both shorts on one side...uh?? Thx...

I’ll give it another try using the 2 person method. Need to get the new drums on it before going back through it. Trying to remember what size brake shoes I put on it 1 3/4 or 2 1/4 so I can order them. Looks like I’m going to have to pull the drum back off to measure them. Thanks for your replies.

So one thing the FSM doesn’t mention is when opening the front bleeder and then depressing the brake pedal should the pedal stay depressed during the rear bleeding?? I actually engaged it twice when the light didn’t come on and did not keep it depressed during the rear bleeding.

Thanks Don.

Definitely lighting during 1&2 You will probably save me some time looking for it, where exactly is the brake warning switch ilocated??

Update:: Got to looking closer and noticed there was hardly any noticeable wear on the drum pads, Uh?? Thought I had adjusted them out tight the first go around, evidently I didn’t. Adjusted them until I couldn’t get the tire to turn and backed off a little, did both sides, 100% better now. Also noticed quite a bit of wear on the drum. Initially I didn’t think it was too bad but this may also be part of my problem. Don’t have any way to mic it so may take one and have it mic’ed or just replace both of them. Still curious about the light not coming on and the installation setup I mentioned on my initial post. Any thoughts or ideas appreciated. Thanks.

I did a complete brake overhaul a few weeks ago, although the braking did improve they were still a spongy but haven’t paid that much attention to them until I started pulling a trailer. I was looking through the FSM and learned I had skipped a step by not doing the bleeding procedure for the by-pass differential valve. The procedure stated that with one of the front bleeder fittings open and after depressing the brake pedal that the brake warning light on the dash should come on. My light never came on, it works beause if I read correctly it’s the same light as the emergency brake light which works when they are engaged. The brakes still feel spongy after the procedure, did it step by step and then rebled everything, I used a vacuum pump for bleeding purpose. Am I missing something? Also, I’m attaching 2 pics, 1 of FSM drum schematic and 1 from the driver’s side drum assembly. If you look at what I have and the FSM drawing the adjuster and adjuster cable are opposite. I put them back together exactly the way they came apart, even the brake adjuster clip has an “L” on it. Is mine backwards??

JK shock upgrade. Did the JK shock upgrade today. Referenced the following thread, excellent write-up by jerpderp. Overall went well, pressing the bushings back in was the biggest PIA Found a set of take-offs on EBay and got them for $65. Bought the pin eliminator and bushings off Amazon. All in probably $120. Very happy with outcome, much better ride and definitely handling.

Did you do the paint work yourselves?? Griff

Great write-up, used it today. About 45 minutes start to stop. Most of that was spent finding my fan and Gatorade, it’s hot down here in southwest Georgia. Great ingenuity on using the sockets as a pressing sleeve, worked like a charm, would have taken a minute to figure that out. Wipers much better but still slow, don’t have anything to judge them against. About the same as the CJs I’ve owned. Overall 10 out 10 on the write-up. Thanks, Griff04

I’ve got to do something with my shocks. Been reading up on the JK swaps. The PO intstalled a small lift but not sure what shocks are on it or coils/springs. Man it rides rough!!!! The black JKs are common on EBay but from all the posts I’ve read the Rubicons seem to be the most popular. Is there that that big of difference between the Rubs and the standard black ones??

Hey JD, There was definitely some slop in it. I drove it tonite to work on the interstate, 70-75mph, and it went right down the middle with no wandering and tight steering. Unless some drastic pops up I’m considering this closed out and marking it off the “need to do right now” list. Once I go back to replace the boots on the TB I’ll work on the items you mentioned. Thanks for the reply. Griff04

Hey DC, already ordered the felpro from Amazon along with a Mopar OEM oil pump....figured while I was there I’d go ahead and replace it also. Thanks for the reply, Griff.

Got the connecting rod end that attaches to the pitman arm off today and replaced. Checked everything else which appeared to be tight. Took a prybar to the trackbar and is it solid also. The boots do need replacing which I will get to, once I pull it I’ll further inspect for wear and proceed as needed. So I have a track bar question...I took some measurement off the frame to the outside of the tires, passenger side sticks out 3/4” more than the drivers side. That would be a 3/8” adjustment to get it dead nuts...will the 3/8” cause an issue?? After buttoning it up I drove it for a short distance and man what a difference it made. Actually much tighter and didn’t notice hardly any drift. I’ll drive it to work tonite on the 8 lane and can tell more about it. I’m attaching a pic of the rod end I pulled off. The pic is looking straight down the stud end where the castle nut screws on. It’s pretty oblonged out which I don’t think it should be. Pretty sure that’s where my steering slop was coming from.

Hey Cruiser, Yes, pretty much eliminated everything else. I’ve replaced VC gasket which was leaking, replacing the o-rings in the oil filter adapter which was pouring, looked at the distributor seal it’s okay....actually checked all the items on your tip #12 and then some. I ordered my Felpro RMS seal/ oil pan gasket, and Mopar OEM oil pump from Amazon last nite, not going to be here until next week. I figured since I was already there I’d do the oil pump also. I know there’s vehicles out there with the original oil pump still in them with a lot more miles but if it failed on me later on and trashed the motor I’d be kicking myself. Thanks, Griff

While looking for my oil leak I took a look at the front end components...definitely slop where the draglink attaches to the pitman arm. Will start from there and work my way through it. Got a RMS to replace on the list @ #1 right now. Thanks for the input, griff04