beepbeepmyredjeep

I do have the 2wd model. :cheers:

So, I was informed by the tire shop that I need to have my front wheel bearings replaced. I don't doubt it, as the wheels do have some play in them. Of course, the amount they wanted was ridiculous. We're talking ~$500 for parts and labor. I know bearings aren't very expensive from what I've read online. So my question is, how difficult are they to replace? I've usually only worked on vehicles in the engine compartment, so working on the wheels and axles is new to me. Any pointers are of course welcome!

I keep a watch on Craigslist for Comanche and Cherokee parts in my area. Wish I had the extra cash right now to buy it for parts, but things are a little tight since we bought the JK. http://westmd.craigslist.org/cto/1726831014.html

I'm just glad it was the battery and not the alternator. :cheers:

Oh I love how easy it is to work on my MJ. I've got large hands, so having extra room in the engine compartment is great.

CAUTION: You will be working with the electrical system in this DIY. When working with the electrical system, it is always a good idea to make sure the engine is off and the positive terminal is disconnected from the battery. Installing your own alarm system is actually one of the easiest things to do on any vehicle. I installed the Bulldog Talking Vehicle Alarm, but these instructions should work with other alarms with only some minor modifications. Link to the alarm I'm installing: http://www.bulldogsecurity.com/Products/453055347-model-2030-talking-vehicle-alarm-system.aspx Before I begin, a bit about how car alarms work. Most alarms have two sensors, a shock sensor, and a voltage sensor. The shock sensor detects vibrations in the vehicle, such as a bump, shake, or glass breaking. The voltage sensor detects when the interior lights turn on due to someone opening the door. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have a old, weak battery, the alarm will randomly trigger due to variations in voltage. This WILL drain your battery. So, if your alarm randomly goes off when no one is around, time to test your battery. Note that this install was on a JK, but the procedure is the exact same for any vehicle. I've included a picture of the engine compartment of my MJ for reference. You want to install the alarm on left or right side of the engine compartment. You *MUST* install the alarm on a GROUNDED metal part of the engine compartment. If the alarm is not properly grounded, it will not work. Do not attempt to attach the alarm to any parts in the engine, only the engine compartment itself. Do not attach the alarm to the hood, as the hood ground wires have a tendency to break (plus the screws sticking through the hood would look really tacky). In fact, while you're in there it might be a good idea to check (and correct) the ground wires. They should be attached near the hood hinges. Improperly grounded hoods could lead to static discharge, and possible explosion if any gas vapors are in the air. Test to make sure the alarm will fit in the desired location prior to removing it from the mounting bracket. The alarm and bracket shouldn't be rubbing against any hoses, and definitely should not be rubbing against any hot wires. Examine the alarm and note how the black ground wire is attached to the mounting bracket. You'll need to reattach the wire later. If your alarm does not have a metal bracket, you'll need to attach the ground wire to a ground screw. More on this later. Remove the alarm from the mounting bracket, then use the included self-tapping screws to attach the mounting bracket to the engine compartment. Re-attach the alarm to the mounting bracket, making sure the black ground wire is placed between the lock-washer and mounting bracket. (Sorry, wish I took a picture of this, but you'll understand when you see it). The alarm should look something like this when you're done: If your alarm does NOT have a metal bracket, you'll need to attach the ground wire to a ground screw, such as this one: Test to see if the alarm is properly grounded by touching the end of the alarm's "hot" wire to the positive post of the battery. The Bulldog system says "Thank you" if it is properly grounded. Remove the end of the hot wire from the battery, then carefully route the wire along the engine compartment, securing the wire so it won't move. I used electrical tape: Finally, attach the positive terminal to the battery post, then attach the alarm's hot wire to the battery terminal (not the post itself). Optionally, you can replace the alligator connector with a circular connector and attach the circle connector to the battery terminal. This way if someone does break into your vehicle, they can't simply disconnect the clip after opening the hood. Also, you won't have to worry about the alligator clip working loose this way. I haven't done this yet, but here's an example of the connector. If you have any questions please let me know.

Here's the engine compartment.

If he doesn't drive it very much, he *MIGHT* qualify for Historic tags. He'd need to check with the local DMV to see if the vehicle qualifies. I was told by the Maryland emissions inspection that my 1987 MJ qualifies for Historic tags if I don't drive it very much. You should have seen the look on the guy's face when I told him I drive about 40 miles every day to work in it.

I used to work at a grocery store too. I was bagging groceries up front, when I heard a blood-curdling scream come from produce. I ran over to see what was wrong, and the poor girl working produce came across a tarantula inside a box of bananas. The maintenance guy happened to be in the building at the time, so he took the tarantula into the back parking lot and lit it on fire.

Today I pulled the battery out, because the positive post broke off inside the battery. :wall:

http://www.vinquery.com/ I've never tried it myself, but that might help find out what was originally in there.

So, the MJ wouldn't start this morning, so I had to steal, er, borrow my wife's JK. I started working on it when I got home tonight. Tested the battery...dead. Jump started the MJ using the JK. Tested the alternator. No problems with it. Tried to charge the battery...charger indicated it wasn't charging. The battery is still under warranty, so I figured I'd take it to NAPA down the road and have them try to charge it. Loosened the positive terminal, broke it loose, and lifted it up. The post came up with it... :doh: So, my wife is going to take me to work tomorrow, then take the battery to NAPA for a replacement. So, I guess I'll work on my alarm DIY tomorrow!

Oh! Almost forgot to tell you guys the ironic tidbit I found out tonight. We were going through the JK's glove box, and found the original dealer window sticker from when it was brand new. Come to find out, the JK was purchased new from the SAME DEALERSHIP in Westminster, MD that my dad bought my MJ brand new. Westminster is over 50 miles from here, and yet both Jeeps from the same dealership managed to make their way to the same driveway! They're long lost cousins! :clapping:

My GPS of choice is actually my cell phone. I have a G1 (http://www.androidg1.org/) A recent Google update added turn-by-turn navigation. When I'm riding in my MJ I'll hook up the phone to the stereo, turn on Pandora Radio (ad-supported free streaming music to the G1), then turn on Google Maps. Get directions to where I'm headed, switch to navigate mode, then turn off my phone display and go. Google Maps automatically pauses the music to give me voice directions. Plus I can answer calls and use my stereo as a hands free speakerphone system. I'm working on trying to create a docking cradle of sorts to keep the phone on the dash, so I can look at the map from time to time without taking my eyes off the road.

Thanks for the heads up on the tires guys. Sadly we can't afford to replace them right now, but I'll definitely place it on the top of my list of things to do. I did install an alarm system on the JK today, as I had received the alarm as a gift for my MJ, but never got around to installing it. Figured a 2007 soft-top is more likely to be targeted than an old 1987 pickup. :rotf: I noticed there's no DIY post for installing an alarm system on a MJ? I'll probably post something in the DIY section tomorrow, with pics. The same procedures I followed to install the alarm on my JK can be used to install the alarm on an MJ, or just about any other vehicle.

1997 Olds....ABS problems...engine not running right... Finally decided to put it out of its misery. Look what we bought today... :banana:

Ever since they day my dad bought it when I was little, I told him I wanted it when I was older. My wife's car stopped working completely, and we were a little tight on money, so my dad gave it to me, and my wife got my car. Of course, I didn't realize at the time he had another reason for giving it to me...he wanted to buy a Wrangler :rotf: Funny story about the shift knob. It wasn't replaced because of the looks. I was actually driving the truck to work one day when the shifter knob broke loose in my hand. I actually have the original somewhere in the truck still, because I just chucked it behind the seat and kept on going, never even stopped to blink.

Here's a hypothetical for everyone... What if you could build a brand new Jeep Comanche, using today's parts? What kind of body style would it have? Cherokee? Grand Cherokee? Commander? Liberty? What kind of an engine would you put in it? What speed transmission? Lift? No lift? 2WD? 4WD? Go into as much detail as you'd like. Feel free to photoshop your Comanche together using stock photos of other Jeeps.

Yes, I need to replace the headliner... It's a little dirty, but nothing some cleaning can't fix.

So I checked under the floor. No rust! And as promised, here are some interior pics.... I hook up the black cable coming from the tape deck to my android phone, so I can stream music while on the road (I LOVE PANDORA RADIO) and so I can use the stereo as a speakerphone.

This is why I was considering adding a roll-bar. I was going to actually replace the top rear part of the cab with a roll-bar, if I decided to make it a convertible top. But after the comments here, I don't know if the risk of water damage to my near-factory-condition interior would be worth it.

The truck sat in a garage for about 8-10 years, before my dad gave it to me. We had a fun time getting it out of the garage, as the emergency brake had frozen. If I ever get around to cleaning inside, I'll post some pictures of the interior. Sadly the paint is faded (even though the pictures don't show it). I'm thinking about repainting the truck, and having it detailed to match the original detailing. And don't worry, its staying red.

Good lessons learned. Like I said I've been toying with the ideas, but a little hesitant.

Haha, I just realized this is the exact same rims I'm putting on my MJ. I didn't realize these were from a Grand Cherokee. Of course the Cherokee I pulled them off of had no body whatsoever, it was just an empty shell.

1987 SporTruck, ~140k miles. See viewtopic.php?f=7&t=22687 for more pics and info.