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How bad is the BA-10?


Simple Man
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I just came across a 1987 MJ for sale. It looks really clean but you guys have me scared of the tranny.

 

The plan is 32" tires w/ 4" of lift and it will run the Rubicon. I know how to stay off the skinny pedal but am I still asking for trouble?

 

Should I wait for a late 89 or newer? I don't want to do a tranny swap.

 

Please respond quickly if I should make a move on this truck.

 

Thanks,

 

 

Doug

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If a tranny swap is out of the question, I personally would pass on it (unless it's a great deal), but then I have no inhibitions about throwing in a new trans (only done it once in my life so far). But then it *could* run just fine for you. There are a lot of then still out there. Don't forget that you WILL want new gears for those 32" tires. Manual tranny + 3.07 ratio gears + 32" tires = suckiness. What circumstances are causing you to avoid the swap? 87-89 can be great trucks if you throw in a newer trans.

Jeep on!

--Pete

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I just don't need another project.

 

I have a '47 Willys with a 4.3, SM420, dana 44's etc. but it's not done and probably won't be done this season.

 

I have an '88 Wrangler with noise in the xfer case and it won't pass smog.

 

I shouldn't abuse my wife's '98 XJ but it's been down to Rubicon Springs once before. I was very careful.

 

The 32's would only go on for wheeling. I'd run 31's on the road.

 

The dealer is asking $3995 but they are having a sale this weekend. It's not in my area, I'd have to take a chance on a $200 round trip ticket. If I like the truck I drive home. If I don't like the truck I fly home.

 

I don't have to buy a truck right now. My 2wd S-10 will get me buy. I'm thinking I should wait until I find and '89 or newer closer to home.

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that's a lot of money for something so far from home. Especially for a trail rig. For that much you should be able to find one with the lift/gears/tires already done. I'd hold out for something better/closer/cheaper.

Jeep on!

--Pete

 

P.S. I didn't need another project either (being broke and all), but I still ended up buying a $300 rust bucket and have plans to install a new trans/t-case(242)/axles(4.10s) and install a 3" lift/31s to make my new daily driver (currently borrowing my mom's car). I figure I should be able to sell off the removed parts and pay for most of the new stuff. Don't think of it as "another project", but rather a couple weekends worth of work and then it's done. :D

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you could get lucky and it's already had a swap done. I was.

I gave 1500 for this MJ.

MJ.jpg

It's an 87, newer paint straight body. 4.0 had an AX-15 in it, 231, bucket seats, full guages, Pioneer package with skids.

Even had a custom roll pan.

Rollpan.jpg

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My 88 Cherokee has the BA 10/5. It's now at 253,000+ miles. It has been to Paragon several times, and run Old Florida Road and a number of other trails in the Mohawk Trail region of Massachusetts. If you gear appropriately for 32s and go easy on the throttle, it'll be fine. I certainly wouldn't pass on a nice Comanche for that reason.

 

I have a Cherokee and a Comanche with BA 10/5s that work fine. I have an MJ with a blown AX-15, another one with a 4-cyl and a blown AX-5, and my friend's 19914 XJ just blew the AX-15 in that. (No, I didn't beat on the two AXs that I have, I bought 'em cheap because the trannies were blown.) Either the BA 10/5 isn't as bad as everyone says, or the AX trannies aren't as good as everyone says.

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2000 was the first year for the NV transmissions. Stay away from TJ trannys unless you like extra work with your swap. The TJ (and YJ for that matter) have trannys that rotate the t-case up a bit more than MJ/XJs. It can be a great way to gain some ground clearance, but the trans is different in other ways and some fabbing and coaxing of metal is necessary. Besides, 00+ TJs got a less refined trans anyways. My sis had a '00 TJ and the trans whine was not insignificant.

Jeep on!

--Pete

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