Eliminator89

The older Cobras were made by Uniden and Maxon. Uniden, Maxon and Cybernet made about 90% of CB radios back in the day. Didn't matter whose name was on the front. I bought lots a of great radios (for cheap) by buying Radio Shack radios that were exactly the same radio as Cobras, Unidens, Midlands, and Presidents. Only the names were different and the fronts looked different. Open them up, they were the same exact chassis. GE, RCA, JCPenny, HyGain and lots of others were made by Cybernet. Maxon made only AM CBs (I've never seen, nor heard of, a sideband Maxon) for just about everybody. Don't dismiss a brand you've never heard of, it could be a bargain. The Robyn 510D is the same radio as the President Adams, Uniden AX144, the Radio Shack 449, Sears Roadtalker, Midland (don't recall the model number), the Cobra 138XLR and several others. Ever heard of Robyn before today? Recent Radio Shacks have been made by Hyundai (actually a sub-division of Hyundai). Modern Cobras are made in China. Don't know much more than that about modern CBs. Transmitting antennas must be tuned for the frequency they will be used on and the vehicle the antenna is mounted on. Since CBs have 40 channels (40 discrete frequencies), you generally tune the antenna at channel 20. You then check the tuning at channel 1 and channel 40 to be sure the antenna is broadbanded enough to maintain a good match at the upper and lower channels limits (it will change but can't be allowed to get too bad). Some cheap antennas may have a good match at channel 20 but it gets much worse the farther away from channel 20 you go. If the match gets bad enough, you risk burning out the CB's output transisters. Also, if you move the antenna to a different part of the vehicle you better recheck the antenna tuning (it generally doesn't change much but it can). Move the antenna to a different vehicle, you need to retune. With the antenna using the metal body of the vehicle as the ground plane, the placement of the antenna affects the pattern of the signal from the vehicle. Put the antenna in the right rear corner, most of the metal of the body is towards the left front. The signal (transmit and receive) will be noticably stronger in that direction. If you spend a lot of time on the highway and use your CB mostly then, the right rear corner is a good place for it. Your signal will be stronger towards the front and slightly skewed to the left. And you thought this CB stuff was simple, didn't you? Huh? Buy a radio, an antenna, mount them and off you go. Not so.

Centerline of the roof, near the back is best. The antenna uses the body of the truck as the ground plane. You want the best balance of metal around the antenna. The bed is included in this. The difference in performance between the center of the roof and the rear of the roof is umimportant. The difference between the hood or bed rail and the roof is noticeable. The higher the better. The longer the antenna, the better. The more metal surrounding the antenna, the better. Get a good brand name. A $100 CB with a $5 antenna gets out like a $5 CB. Get the antenna tuned or get an SWR meter and tune it yourself. VERY important. Don't just mount it and think its good.

Just saw a photo of an '89 Eliminator and it had cup holders in the console. They seemed to be built into the front of the hutch. Mine has none. Do I have a new junkyard mission? Were they an option? I must have them...Perhaps Cherokees have these? The truck has been laid up for 2 years with a bad engine and I just recently got it back on the road. When I saw that photo, I went out to mine to be sure I'm not a bozo (jury is still out on that) but mine doesn't have them (looks like they may fold out of the front of the hutch). If the Cherokees have them, can that part of the consile be installed in my truck? Anyone have such a console to sell? Lack of cup holders has been an issue from the start. http://tinyurl.com/2z3als

Hijack in progress. So, the Grand Waggy axles are the same width as our MJs? Or at least, close? I have access to several sets of GW axles (they're 60 miles away so I can't get a measurement until this weekend).

Thanks Wildman, he did reply to my email. I tried several variations of Jeepsticker but got nothing. He sent me a link to his site. I have it in my Jeep folder now. I'm planning to repaint and those decals will complete the job. He has the "Eliminator" decal but not the lower stripes. I'm going to send him some measurements and good photos and he say's he can reproduce them.

I found via a search here that these decals are available, though it looks like they are custom made to order. The companies recommended are MaharDesign and JeepStickers.com. The JeepSticker site doesn't seem to exist anymore. I emailed Spencer at Mahar asking if these decals are available. Is there any, more recent, info that you guys might have? Any experience with these products? Any other place to find them?

Well, I done it. I replaced the rusted lines with a single line straight to the hose to the rear axle. Replaced both axle lines and one wheel cylinder. I removed the line at the prop valve that attaches underneath and plugged the port. Attached the new line to the front port. I now have brakes again. 8) I see I need to rebuild the rear brakes but they'll do for now. The hardware is a bit rusty but they are working. Now to fix the alternator. It isn't alternating. Let a truck sit idle for a couple years and it goes to pot. :cry:

Ok, so I can use the existing valve, just plug the port under the front and use the front facing port? This would be nice. No junkyard crawling for an XJ valve. I have a short bed 2 wheeldrive. The hose to the axle is in good shape and I plan to re-use it. New line will be run from the front prop valve top the rear of the truck. I had planned to re-use the rear prop valve but advice here is to eliminate it. I don't carry heavy loads so it should not be a problem. 3/16"? looked like 1/4" to me. I'll take a peice to the parts house to compare and be certain I get the correct size.

Ok, if I use an XJ prop valve, what size line do I need to run to the back? The hose to the axle takes a 1/4" line. XJs the same?

Thanks, I was wondering if the rear valve required any special precedure. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll have the new brake lines in and working brakes again. Then, fix the alternator. :(

Guys, whats the bleeding procedure on an '89 with the rear proportioning valve in the system? I plan to bleed the whole system to get fresh fluid in the fronts also.

MJColton, yes I am. I am Rande over there. Been there for a looooong time. JeepcoMJ, thats great. I was thinking about that method after I posted the original messege. I have a T5 in my old Mustang and they can filled that way also. I should have thought of that myself. Getting old, the mind goes....

Well, after 2 years of neglect, I got the Comanche going (see "Its Alive!" thread). The problem was a burnt piston and I just didn't get around to it 'til recently. Now I have it here at home (it was 60 miles away at a friend's farm) and I'm beginning work on the rear brakes. The lines are rusted and rotted. I got the proportioning valve off the rear, the three-way block, the hose to the axle and the line over the axle to the right side wheel cylinder. Very little actually came apart, most of it broke off. I'll begin the replacement tomorrow. So, after that, I pulled the truck around front (to get it out of the alley) and locked it up for the night. Well, I decided to take it down the street a few blocks to get a soda from the machine and thats when I discovered what that key I left on the console was for. I had left the keys loose in the consile in case my friend needed to move the truck while it was at his place. Its been so long now that I didn't remember the ignition and doors used two different keys. I remember now.... :roll: :mad: I'm thinking I'll be replacing the wing window tomorrow as well when I remember an extra set of keys hanging by the back door. Sure enough, its an extra Comanche set. Dodged a bullet there. 8) Then on the way down the street, I notice the headlights seem a bit dim. The alternator isn't alternating. :cry: While I'm here, where is the oil fill plug on an AX15? How do you get to it? Turkey baster? ATF? Oil?

Thanks but I'm going to keep it if its at all possible. I'll either find a new one or have mine rebuilt. For all I know, mine is working just fine. Its just that when I work on something like this, I prefer to replace everything with new.

Mushy brake pedal is bad rear brake lines (squirts everywhere). Rusty. Rrruuussstttyyy!!! Gonna need to replace them from the front to the back. Made a preliminary online search for the rear proportioning valve but found nothing (NAPA, AutoZone, Carpart.com). This may get interesting. Mine is probably still good but I figured I would replace it with new. I know I would probably not die if I eliminate it but its going to remain. I may have to send mine out to be rebuilt if I can't find a new one. So, this means a couple more weeks before its on the road.

"some non-CAD axles had CV joints as well" CV joints at the knuckles or the driveshaft? CAD mean Center Axle Disconnect? I'm planning to visit a Jeep oriented salvage yard tomorrow and get a look at things, take some pics, talk prices.

Ok, thinking of converting to 4 wheeldrive. I don't know the systems on the MJ/XJs very well. I hear of vacuum disconnect front axles and non-disconnect axles. As I understand things, the vac axles are high-pinion and the nons are low-pinion. The vac axles are in earlier trucks and the nons are in later trucks. The non have larger u-joints on the axles and the vacs have smaller joints. So, the nons are a bit stronger but you lose the high-pinion advantage. That shouldn't be a problem as I will not be lifting the MJ. I also would like full-time but hear the 242 is not that strong. I have a 219 in the shed. I also have a 208 (I know, not full-time) in the shed also. Both are from behind 727s (Jeeps) and I have an AX15 in the MJ. So, it seems it would be easier for me to get a 4 wheeldrive AX15 (external slave this time, no more $700 slave replacements) and a 231 and forget the full-time. But I would REALLY like to have full-time. The truck will see mostly street use with an occasional trail ride (no level 3 or 4 trails). I've had two full-time FSJs (one '79 BW1339 and one '80 NP219) and really like that for winters here in Minnesota. I thought the BW better but since they are passenger drop, and rebuild parts non-extistant, thats out. I have read that the D300 adapter from a CJ will fit the 219 or 208 to the tranny. Did the 242 come behind the AX15? If not, can I put one there anyway? Taking the easy way has never been my style but I'm getting older and lazier... You guys don't mind giving opinions do you? :roll:

Thanks guys. I've looked the box over closely but haven't yet removed the flairs. It looks repairable as is. The door skins look like they'll work just fine. The rest of the box is in good condition. I'll remove it and blast everywhere I can get to, fix the wheel opening rust and then treat the metal and paint. I like the truck but I'm not sure how far I want to go just now. I've searched car-part but haven't looked into the dealer parts. I figured they'd be so high in price I never actually checked. After the rust repair and engine rebuild this summer, I'll re-assess. I would like 4 wheeldrive for the winter. That would be another major undertaking but then, how many 4x4 '89 Eliminators are out there?

Yes ladies and gentlemen, the Comanche sputtered to life today for the first time in TWO(!) years! Two years ago I blew a piston. Took a notch out of the side of the #5 piston, the lands and the rings. I parked it and went on with my life. I always meant to fix it but... Today, I got it done! Geez it took a long time to get it to fire. My brother had done the piston replacement when we were going to fix the truck for his son. He also replaced the rod bearings. The young man totally screwed the pooch on this deal and I took the truck back. So I've been working on it and finally got it done. And, I only had 2 bolts left over. Good thinking by the Jeep engineers to include a couple extras. When my brother and his son disassembled the top of the engine, they neglected to mark the injector wires for firing order. After chasing my tail for a while, I got them right. I also found when my brother put the head back on, he had one pushrod out of place. that was an easy fix. I was not looking forward to removing the valve cover agian, so I pulled the oil cap to look in there. I could only see one rocker arm. Wanna guess which one was causing the trouble? Yep, that one I could see. That was the bad one. What are the chances? Yes, I bought a lottery ticket... So, now I need to check the brakes. They were mushy and the pedal went too far down. Should be good to go next weekend.

Wildman, the 2 door Cherokee rear flares are different from the MJ flares? If so, is the wheel opening so different that the MJ flares won't fit correctly? Then using the 2 door Cherokee flare to fit the 2 door Cherokee replacement panel is a possibilty. I'll probably check the usability of the front fenders. My quarters are just rusted around the top of the wheel opening, I don't need a complete quarter panel.

Sherman has 2 door Cherokee rear quarter skins that look like they'll work. http://store.shermanparts.com/cgi-bin/s ... mg_num=075 A bit spendy but what can you do but bend over...its only money, I'll make more. At least I have a source now. Thanks.

Sort of gives it that "post-apocalypse" look. I'm going for the "pre-apocalypse" look though.

I was thinking if they are not available I may have to take some door skins and cut and fit to replace the metal around the wheel openings. Do you know if rear quarter panels are available for 2 door Cherokees? I could make those work. Maybe cutting door skins would be the way to go. I can still find decent doors around here. 3800 in an MJ, sounds like FUN!

Anyone know of sources for sheet metal? Specificly, I'm looking for bed sides. Mine are getting rusty around the flares. Just don't know where to look. I did a search here but found nothing. Here in Minnesota, junkyard trucks are usually very rusty too. So far, no joy looking locally. Getting the MJ going again so I'll likely be around here more.

Thanks Pete. I appreciate the help. Just another project for this summer (like I need another).