What is the most important tip you'd share with MJ owners?

[comanche12]

don't ever work on brakes where there will be contactr with brake fluid while your arm/hand have scratch or any that r bleeding or whatever.

 

i just got lesson learned during at work to rebuild the brake lines. :doh:

[cz777]

if you hear a funny noise like a bearing of the ideal going bad or lower part front noise ----look at rubber of the harmonic balancer coming out ....it can cut other parts apart like timing cover or belt !!!watch out !!! :doh:

[RockMJ]

I know its been mentioned before but take the carpet up first thing! Mine was saturated underneath and caused several rot holes to form and I'm in Florida. The MJ is rust free other than the floors, so take that carpet out!

 

RockMJ

[DrHeadlightNJ]

PB Blast Stop Corrosion Spray I spray the Crap out of the whole underside of My 86 MJ will at least slow down the rust until addressed.

Oh, and true Your wife & girlfriend will get jealous, owned for only 2 mths and girlfriend is complaining that I spend more time with Mary Jane than her. lol

[cz777]

PB Blast Stop Corrosion Spray I spray the Crap out of the whole underside of My 86 MJ will at least slow down the rust until addressed.

Oh, and true Your wife & girlfriend will get jealous, owned for only 2 mths and girlfriend is complaining that I spend more time with Mary Jane than her. lol

damn, yup its your other ''girl friend'' and its a jeep thing of passion ! you can do some things to the jeep ,you can't do to other -sale or shoot them not legally!

[TooTall]

don't (SALE) UR MJ U WILL REGRET IT!!!!

[my86mj]

don't take it wheeling and trash the front end because you think everything is cross compatible with a cherokee. lesson sadly learned the hard way :(

[Pete M]

what did you find that wasn't?

[skidoo_j]

there are 2 wires behind you back bumper.they look like they should be plugged together.they should not!!!!!! they will blow your fuse for your dash lights,door buzzer,tail lights and parking lights!!! well on a 87 anyways.

 

they're for a second license plate vanity light in a bumper. There are two sets of them one on passenger where the plate is intended to go with out a bumper, and the other is on the drivers side more centered.

[foreman1063]

Doing a 8.8 rear axle swap? A couple of tips for ya.

 

Install the brake backing plates backwards so the E-brakes cables exit from the rear of the vehicle. this will allow the cable exit the backing plate and make a nice sweeping arc to the front connector bracket on the frame. When installed with the cables exiting forward, the cables have to make an S shape with tight bends, to line up with the frame bracket.

 

Speaking of E-brake cables, Crown makes a series of cable that are set up for Ford E-bakes on the axle end and Jeep connection on the frame end. After three attempts I finally got the right cable length to work with the front cable adjuster block. The cable your looking for is Crown E-brake cable DBC-01, made to Fit 1987 to 1990 YJ Wranglers, Passenger side rear. Look HERE

 

Hope this helps. :thumbsup:

[Tux_Fan]

what did you find that wasn't?

Isn't his truck an 86? Don't those have different hoods and fenders than the later years? Still should interchange with any 84-86 cherokee though...

 

In any case I have ALWAYS had trouble with rust under the metal window trim. Out of three jeeps the 2 with metal window trim were rusted out underneath that... Switch to rubber window seals...

 

Oh and PULL UP YOUR CARPET as stated previously.

[Live For God]

#1- Pull Up That carpet! Pull up that carpet! Pull up that carpet!

My floor is rusted through in several places. because somebody didn't check it :thwak:

#2- if when you try to rev up it coughs and sputters and tries to die, check the fuel filter

#3- if you find a Comanche in a junkyard see if you can buy it for parts :idea:

#4- cussing doesn't help you fix your Jeep :mad:

[35 Dollars]

Replace torx bolts wherever possible with something a little saner (I have ruined more torx wrenches and bolts than I care to remember).

[conker]

I wish I had signed up in march when I got the truck registered... I took my carpets out 2 months ago and my floor was just a frame rail underneath on the drivers side.

[Butchershop]

Make sure your tetanus shot/booster is up to date. Every 10 years for adults. Little Clostridium Tetani just waiting to pounce into an open flesh wound. And there will be open flesh wounds! Mark it.

[redcomanche]

Rock Auto has a lot of Comanche parts for reasonable prices

[Minuit]

On that topic, if you can help it, try your best to replace parts with high quality or Mopar parts. The OEM crank sensor on my truck lasted 145,000 miles. A cheap replacement lasted 800 but thankfully it didn't strand me. Cheap eventually becomes expensive.

[HOrnbrod]

^^ Wise advice. I always use genuine Mopar unless it made of unobtainium.

[JeepComancher]

First, don't believe everything you read on here, or elsewhere.  Look for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th opinions on the matter at hand. Search this and other Jeep forums.

 

Second, buy a shop manual. For Junkyards: Row52.com

 

My opinion: The 97-up front end is ugly, it will make your MJ ugly.

 

My Jeep Experience: Since 1994

1988 XJ (Aunt's - sold)

1987 XJ Laredo 4WD (2nd -sold)

1987 XJ Base 4WD (first -sold)

1987 Wagoneer Limited 4WD (-sold)

1994 XJ Sport 2WD (-sold to buy 4WD 1994)

1989 XJ 4WD (-sold)

1994 XJ Country 4WD (current daily driver, for sale...)

1989 MJ @WD SB (became a parts car, bed will become my new trailer later this year)

1992 MJ 2WD LB (Dad's truck)

1990 XJ Laredo 4WD (2012 for wife)

1990 MJ 2WD (2013)

1990 MJ 4WD (2013 future daily driver)

1988 XJ (don't recall details -sold)

 

~Benjamin

[HOrnbrod]

Thanks for sharing your opinions regarding ugly MJs. Also for your words of wisdom based on you and your family's longtime Jeep experience Benjamin. Agree 100% with buying a shop manual. A very informative first post here.

 

In spite of that, welcome to the CC.

[JeepComancher]

If you are coming from an XJ to an MJ, accept that you not be able to make those nice tight turns anymore (without alot more speed...).  The trade-off: A much smoother ride.

 

After reading all these posts, glad I have California Jeeps.  Sad for all those salted road bound Jeeps..

 

AMC 6 Cylinder, longest produced engine. 1964-2005.  (232, then 199, then 258, then the 242...)

 

P.S. 97-up front end, it's like they almost forgot to put a turn signal on the front clip, then slapped one on.  If I had a 97-up, I'd put the older front clip on (any of the 3 or 4 versions). But then, I wouldn't want a Chrysler modified Jeep anyways, way too many extra issues...

[92tanMJ]

If you are coming from an XJ to an MJ, accept that you not be able to make those nice tight turns anymore (without alot more speed...).  The trade-off: A much smoother ride.

 

After reading all these posts, glad I have California Jeeps.  Sad for all those salted road bound Jeeps..

 

AMC 6 Cylinder, longest produced engine. 1964-2005.  (232, then 199, then 258, then the 242...)

 

 

P.S. 97-up front end, it's like they almost forgot to put a turn signal on the front clip, then slapped one on.  If I had a 97-up, I'd put the older front clip on (any of the 3 or 4 versions). But then, I wouldn't want a Chrysler modified Jeep anyways, way too many extra issues...

 

Well thats the first post I read here and honestly that just made me so sad :(

[MJ_Milam]

If your front blinkers are giving you trouble, it's probably the rusted out ground tab on the sockets.

I know this all too well. This kicked my @$$ the first time i experienced it. knowing this is definately worth it's weight in gold! :doh:

[reprod89]

the one thing my father taught me (RIP) use old film caster a good for storing spare fuses if you ever pop one on the trail and it dosen't hurt to have a small mobile tool box on hand with tow strap also if not to help yourself for those who are prone to gitting in trouble (my sister & her ex's)

[rmoore1031]

If you do the LED dash light mod, upgrade your old thermal relay to a new style one.