The good, the bad, and the annoying.

[Dechion]

The good:

 

I was able to score a nice little 2 door 94 Cherokee sport with almost no rust, 4.0 high output, full gauges, with 4wd (which my MJ lacks), excellent interior in the same grey as my MJ... New alternator and starter, decent tires, My poor little brain is just spinning. :D

 

The PO, a friend of the family with a farm is currently storing my boat for the winter. This thing just happened to be parked next to the same barn. Finally, after a good amount of chatting about it, he agreed to sell it to me. I am sitting here thinking I struck the motherload of parts to fix my truck up nice for only $500.

:cheers:

 

The bad:

 

You know that big snow storm that knocked the crap out of the midwest recently? Well, its my daughters first winter driving. She decided that the engine in the family car (an '03 Malibu) was in need of a bit of custom work...

 

So she caved in the front end on a pole. :fs1: (She is fine) :cheers:

 

So much for the family car.

 

You can see where this is going right? :wrench:

 

That awesome pile of parts sitting out by the barn is getting dragged back to my house this weekend, and my lovely wife is already asking how long it will take me to get it on the road. She did not seem happy with my answer. "As soon as it's ready."

 

The annoying:

 

Well, I know that the rear axle (Dana 35, I didn't get that lucky) has been stripped of all its brake components. I think the only thing left are the wheel cylinders, and they have been exposed to the elements with no drum on them for like 2 years. I am just going to assume they are shot and replace them. :ack:

 

The PO also pulled the starter to put in another jeep, only to find a bad wire on the other jeep before even pulling the second starter. Never got around to putting it back in, so it's in the back seat. I think i'll have Autozone take it for a spin before I put it back in, might as well test it and make sure it's still good.

 

In theory, a battery, the brakes, and putting the starter back in should be enough to get it back running again. We shall see.

 

The worst thing though is the reason it was parked in the first place. Hinge problems with the drivers door. :(

 

I am assuming that the hinges have pulled out or something equally bad, but I won't really know until I get it in the garage and see what I have to work with. I didn't want to open the door outside in the snow and risk it not sealing back properly or somesuch.

 

That's really the only part that worries me, though I'm sure it's not so screwed up that it can't be welded, or even replaced if needed. The rest is all just time consuming, bolting back on the missing parts.

 

All in all this is shaping up to be a very interesting little side project.

[Akula69]

There is a good DIY thread in here on cutting the hinges off and putting a steel plate inside the hinge mounting area to strengthen it. I can't seem to find the link at the moment....

 

EDIT: probably 'cause it isn't a thread here:

 

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=986973

[dakal]

ha. sounds like my experiences with the truck.

[Dechion]

Was doing a bit of looking on the net, and I found this service bulletin from Chrysler.

 

http://www.i-car.com/pdf/advantage/online/2002/july/2301702.pdf

 

It not only details the failed weld on the hinges, but gives a part number for the Chrysler kit and procedure to repair and/or reinforce them.

 

Might be old news, but I thought I would share.

[Pete M]

EDIT: probably 'cause it isn't a thread here

 

 

 

It's here. :thumbsup:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=15316