Jeep recomendations/things to look for

[sosume]

Well that was a complete waste of my time. The guy lied on the phone. The frame was completly rusted. Leaking fluids from every angle. Looked like a hack job of a lift. No exhaust....it was rusted off. It was in horrible shape. The only thing new, were the tires. Ugh, I'm going to get a beer and a trader paper. lol.

[jetboat]

I went and looked at several like that ( "frame is perfect" get there and its shot) before I got to the one I settled on. Whats your budget? I know of a real nice mildly lifted one for $5000.

[sosume]

Originally Posted by jetboat

I went and looked at several like that ( "frame is perfect" get there and its shot) before I got to the one I settled on. Whats your budget? I know of a real nice mildly lifted one for $5000.

$5,000 is the most I really want to spend. There's a few mildly lifted one's here for that. Also, If I spend that much I will wait untill my 4 wheeler is sold, to keep my wife happy. I may sell my full size truck too and just get a nicer jeep.

Where you located at?

[BigSki]

Originally Posted by sosume

Well that was a complete waste of my time. The guy lied on the phone. The frame was completly rusted. Leaking fluids from every angle. Looked like a hack job of a lift. No exhaust....it was rusted off. It was in horrible shape. The only thing new, were the tires. Ugh, I'm going to get a beer and a trader paper. lol.

Not to sound negative, but you should brace yourself for more encounters like this when looking at used 4x4's that are more than 10 years old. It always seems that most sellers either flat out lie about the condition of the vehicle or they have a different version of what "good condition" means.

[sosume]

Originally Posted by BigSki

Not to sound negative, but you should brace yourself for more encounters like this when looking at used 4x4's that are more than 10 years old. It always seems that most sellers either flat out lie about the condition of the vehicle or they have a different version of what "good condition" means.

That's exactly right. Everybody's version of "good" is different. So I assumed some body work and maybe a few inexpensive other things. And I should have known, especially since he was so vauge with answeres on the phone.

The frame was shot. The brakes...rusted through....literally holes. No exhaust from rust. It was ridicoulous. The list goes on and on.

Here's what happend.

I got outta the truck walked over and look underneath the passenger side rear tire and was sick. He walked up proceeded to tell me that, it wasn't rust. Rust you can put your hand through. Showed me the half doors in the garage next to a completly restored Chevy SS and gives me the history on it. We walked back out of the garage and I crawled underneatht he jeep. The rust was scary. The leaking fluids were insane. I crawled back out from under it.
I shook his hand and said, " thanks, but this thing needs more work than I'm willing to put into it".
He said, "don't you want to drive it?".
I said no and walked to the truck.
I was there probably 5 minutes.
His version of good wasn't even good. That jeep needed scrapped. I really wish I would have taken pictures. I just was so ticked I wasted all that time and gas for nothing.
I won't make that mistake again. If I cant get detailed pictures, then they don't want to sell it bad enough, or it's in craptastic shape. lol....../rant.

[jetboat]

Im south of Chicago... Ive passed this one several times, stopped and looked once but, didnt check about motor etc. I saw it the first time on my way to look at the one I bought.

For every 10 you look at, 1 might be good. Jeep frames suck and Jeep owners dont take care of them.

straight from my mind to tapatalk

[sosume]

I'm about 6 hours from chicago. That's a bit too far to drive for me. Thanks though.

[sosume]

Found another jeep and have spoken to the owner for a couple of days now. He has been straight forward with everything. He has taken numerous pictures of the interior and under carriage. It looks great. It is a 89, carb v6, motocraft carb, auto trans, 116,000 miles....no rust. I will post a few pics when I am not on my phone.

[sosume]

Ok, here's an exterior shot:



There's more exterior shots, but it all looks the same.

I need some opinions. I have to drive 2 1/2 hours to look at it.
He was asking 5,500.00 in the ad, and over the phone he said the least he would take is 5,000.00. But that was his absolute bottom dollar.....his words.

Here's a link to my photobucket that has the pics he emailed me:
Alwaysbroke2006's Library | Photobucket


What do the jeep guru's think?

I'm hopefully headed to look at it tomorrow night. There is one person ahead of me, from what he told me. And I will no more tomorrow morning.

This is what is in the ad:

ROUGH COUNTRY 4 INCH SUSPENSION LIFT,BRAND NEW 33 INCH WHEELS AND TIRES,SHOCKS,SPRINGS,STEERING STABILIZER,HARD TOP WITH FULL DOORS,SOFT TOP WITH HALF DOORS,BIKINI TOP

[jetboat]

You'll be replacing the crapcountry springs within weeks... either they will break or you'll have kidney damage. The 87-90 yj's had the stronger non c-clip dana 35 rear axle, if your easy on the skinny pedal it will live on the 33's for a while. Brakes are going to be absolutely crap, not that particular vehicles fault just Jeeps with larger tires. You can fix it with a mc and booster from a 95 and some ebc yellow pads.

As previously stated, check for damaged frame etc. Price seems steep but, Jeeps seem to be valued like gold.

straight from my mind to tapatalk

[sosume]

Originally Posted by jetboat

You'll be replacing the crapcountry springs within weeks... either they will break or you'll have kidney damage. The 87-90 yj's had the stronger non c-clip dana 35 rear axle, if your easy on the skinny pedal it will live on the 33's for a while. Brakes are going to be absolutely crap, not that particular vehicles fault just Jeeps with larger tires. You can fix it with a mc and booster from a 95 and some ebc yellow pads.

As previously stated, check for damaged frame etc. Price seems steep but, Jeeps seem to be valued like gold.

straight from my mind to tapatalk

Headed to look at it tonight. I leave work at 3:30, so I should get to louisville about 7 his time.

So the rough country suspension is junk?

I'm only going to use the jeep for going to work and some gravel road crusing. It will be my daily driver, about 5 miles a day is all I drive though. My wife says I have to sell my truck if I get a jeep. :(

He keeps telling me it's not interstate friendly. Which is fine, I don't have anything but 2 lane black top roads around here anyway. He said it's loud, from tire noise, and rides like a jeep.
Road noise doesn't bother me, my z71 has true duals with no mufflers and kelly safari 285's on it. It is LOUD.

The jeep does seem a bit pricey, but there are rusted out junk jeeps for more than that around here and I don't get why.

Making decisions like this makes me sick. ugh.

[jetboat]

Bedliner the inside and it will quiet it some.

Rough Country are hit and miss, usually more miss than hit. The springs tend to be realllllllly stiff. They also wear and sag really quickly. Its not a huge deal breaker but, something to know going in. Looking at the pic, its already lower than it should be. Some good springs aren't that expensive and removing the track bars will loosen up the suspension. Also, allot of people torque the bolts wrong and that makes it very very stiff.

Stock gears and 33's will make that motor beg it had 2 more cylinders. You can regear to 4.10 pretty cheap by swapping axles. 4 cyl manual trans yj's all had 4.11 fronts so you can grab one of those, then an explorer rear can be had for $200 with lsd and 4.10.

[sosume]

Originally Posted by jetboat

Bedliner the inside and it will quiet it some.

Rough Country are hit and miss, usually more miss than hit. The springs tend to be realllllllly stiff. They also wear and sag really quickly. Its not a huge deal breaker but, something to know going in. Looking at the pic, its already lower than it should be. Some good springs aren't that expensive and removing the track bars will loosen up the suspension. Also, allot of people torque the bolts wrong and that makes it very very stiff.

Stock gears and 33's will make that motor beg it had 2 more cylinders. You can regear to 4.10 pretty cheap by swapping axles. 4 cyl manual trans yj's all had 4.11 fronts so you can grab one of those, then an explorer rear can be had for $200 with lsd and 4.10.

Well, I bought it. To me it rides like an old lifted jeep. It's not bad, hell my last 98 z71 rode worse than this jeep and it wa stock. The only thing I don't like is the lack of power. It was a looooooong ride home down the interstate. I am probably going to need to regear it. It does fine for the roads im on every day, but it could be a lot better. Overall it's a very nice jeep. I have
already been stopped by several people and they have complimented on it.

I appreciate all the info! Do you know of any good jeep forums?

[jetboat]

jeepforum.com
Pirate4x4.com
wranglerforum.com

Dont bother stuffing new gears in the stock axles, find a 4cyl front and a ford 8.8 rear. Far cheaper and stronger.

[sosume]

Originally Posted by jetboat

jeepforum.com
Pirate4x4.com
wranglerforum.com

Dont bother stuffing new gears in the stock axles, find a 4cyl front and a ford 8.8 rear. Far cheaper and stronger.

Awesome. Thanks! I will check those out.


Will everything bolt right up to the axles. Just a simple swap?

[jetboat]

Some people will say the 8.8 is a bolt in but, the spring perches are 5/8" off on each side. Its best to cut them off and install new ones. That also legs you fix your pinion angle that is prolly wrong now from the lift. I'm actually swapping one in right now in my yj. The front axle is a simple bolt on.

straight from my mind to tapatalk

[sosume]

Originally Posted by jetboat

Some people will say the 8.8 is a bolt in but, the spring perches are 5/8" off on each side. Its best to cut them off and install new ones. That also legs you fix your pinion angle that is prolly wrong now from the lift. I'm actually swapping one in right now in my yj. The front axle is a simple bolt on.

straight from my mind to tapatalk

Damn, thanks for the info! I sure do appreciate it.

I think the first thing I have to get are the smittybilt 6" fender flares. The tires stick out past the fenders and the state cops around here look for any excuse to pull people over. I asked the guys, who own jeeps, at the DMV when I did the title work if they thought I should get the flares and they said yes. All it takes is one state cop in a bad mood and I'd get a ticket.

[Lilgreenjeep1]

Don't let people tell you rough country springs are bad had them on 3 my xjs even flipped my springs to stretch my jeep 4" which makes them weaker 2 years of hard wheeling with 37" pitbulls and 14 bolt axle no problems it's all personal preference

[Lilgreenjeep1]

Look at the rust look for in the locations common if only there eaZy fix many patch kits and very eaZy to truss and make stronger