From owner-fsj-digest-at-digest.net Sat Jun 9 19:22:03 2001 From: fsj-digest fsj-digest Saturday, June 9 2001 Volume 01 : Number 1341 Forum for Discussion of Full Sized SJ Series Jeeps Brian Colucci Digest Coordinator Contents: fsj: FSJ: Tranny responses -- thanks! fsj: Non FSJ- XJ Stereo fsj: Jeep Sparkplugs fsj: Varilock axles Re: fsj: ownership experiences... :) fsj: Re: extended factory warranty? fsj: Re: extended factory warranty? fsj: Grand Cherokee Re: fsj: Jeep Sparkplugs fsj: parts FSJ Digest Home Page: http://www.digest.net/jeeps/fsj/ Send submissions to fsj-digest-at-digest.net Send administrative requests to fsj-digest-request-at-digest.net To unsubscribe, include the word unsubscribe by itself in the body of the message, unless you are sending the request from a different address than the one that appears on the list. Include the word help in a message to fsj-digest-request to get a list of other majordomo commands. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2001 16:19:31 -0700 From: Jim Pearson Subject: fsj: FSJ: Tranny responses -- thanks! Hey, y'all... Thought I'd combine a couple (!! Thanks, all!) responses into one note, rather than berate the list... please don't take it as a sign that I don't appreciate each individual contributor ; ) [From john:] > I recommend renting a transmission jack, but otherwise it's > straight forward. Bolt out/in. Good news! I'm feeling confident... maybe too much so! > When you reinstall, put the torque convertor into the > transmission, carefully seat it and then once the tranny is > mounted to the engine pull it forward and connect it Sounds like Something Learned The Hardway. I shall print and keep close at hand, should I decide to go fot it.... > >Is there a FSJ archive like on the MB discussion group... Sidenote: It might have already been mentioned here (?) but http://www.google.com has a nifty feature --- type in your search term(s) then add the site you want to search -- e.g. "adjustment "steering box" site:wagoneers.com" Works -real- fast, and takes some of the load off Our Selfless Host's boxes. ; ) [Below From Jim Blair -- Thanks!] > > If that doesn't fix it (seems to be a 75% fix. Many Jeep > listers and Dodge owners have used this trick and got well over a > year's extra running out of tired 727 and TH400 trannies) **Trembling** with excitement..... ** Thanks ** Hope it works. (Can I hold you to it if it doesn't? ; )) That's the best (potential) news I've heard in a while... > have the 727 spec and rebuild book for sale in my parts for $20 with Might take you up on that... but the $64,000 question is still: "Do I really have time to sit down and do this right?" Decisions for the weekend... > Once explained, there isn't a whole lot of hoodoo to it! (a lot of > the guys that rebuild these things barely have enough brain wattage to > put their clothes on the right way around!) This is why I think the answer to above question is: "Yes." If I decide to go for it, I'll drop ya' a line for the manual. Anyway -- thanks, all - I appreciate it -- might just have the confidence to at least pull it out and take it to a shop, to save me the install charges... hmmm.... Thanks much! Have a great weekend! Jim (Fortunately it's summer, so the roadster is out and about... not *quite* jonesin' to get the Canyonero rollin' again... yet...) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Jun 2001 19:57:51 -0400 From: mpolkkidodge-at-netscape.net Subject: fsj: Non FSJ- XJ Stereo I tried to put a Audiovox Rampage (It was a good deal but never again!) in my 89 XJ and Now the stereo shows NO power at all and the dash clock doesn't work any ideas? thanks, Mike ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2001 17:47:57 -0700 (PDT) From: Jeremiah Westpfahl Subject: fsj: Jeep Sparkplugs I just did the plugs in my Jeep yesterday. On those last two behind the AC/heater box & got out some flat cardboard & crawled under the Jeep with a swivel-head ratchet & the spark plug socket. They went in with no problem. Now the ones on the other side behind all those damnable emissions pods & airtubes were another matter, had to have triple-jointed wrists to get around all that bracketing & hoses. Miah Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Jun 2001 19:54:09 -0700 From: john Subject: fsj: Varilock axles >From: "Mike Mehringer" >Subject: Re: WJ axle problems??? > When it comes to how the Quadra-Drive system works, there's nothing >better on the market... DaimlerChrysler did a superb job... what it does is >for example if you have 3 of your tires on ice, and the last tire on solid >ground, the VariLock axles and Quadra-Drive will send ALL power to that tire >on solid ground... which will definately get you out of almost any >situation... it is amazing... I did the little test on my hillside... this is the hill, the 300SD went further up it than did either the new Blazer or Explorer, and they were in 4wd!!!! http://www.wagoneers.com/DieselBenz/300sd-articulation-2.jpg the WJ nosed up and slipped for a second then idled right up, it was really, really impressive... but then again so was the 300SD. ;) > Unfortuantely the axles cannot handle 100% power to one wheel and the >axle blows up. that makes sense. which means if I treat it nicely it should work fine. but also means I want the extended warranty. ;) >I talked with 2 different service managers (one a friend of >mine) at Chrysler/Jeep dealers and they both explained this to me. I also >read this somewhere, I forget where. I believe there are several service >bulletins on this. They also mentioned many customers complain on the level >of noise those axles produce as well, but I tend to think it's a truck and >the customers are expecting the same noise as a car with independent I think it has a dragging caliper in the rear, smell hot brakes and hear noises from that side... hmmm... it's still under factory warranty, does that mean I don't have to fix it??? oh happy joy joy!!! :) >suspension would give. Good thinking in getting the extended warranty. >I'll try to come up with more info... >Mike M. >'83 300SD W126 later, john http://wagoneers.com/johns-vehicles.html - ------------------------------------------------------ http://www.WAGONEERS.com/ Snohomish, WA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold... jesus, don't leave life without him, please! - ------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2001 23:19:47 EDT From: GW1989-at-aol.com Subject: Re: fsj: ownership experiences... :) Hi John- I'll checkout the shimmy/shake solutions you gave me. I installed a rear set of Rancho 9000's today and a steering damper, and adjusted the steering box. The front set will be in on Tuesday. I think that the problem is with the tires because they are about 8 years old. The guy told me they were round, but I don't trust him. I'm driving down to Palm Springs tomorrow and will take the digital camera. My gold car will look nice with the desert background. Next week an alignment and check out the front end rubber. John, I sold the 300CD to buy the GW! I got $7k! I'm really happy. Craig ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Jun 2001 23:33:18 -0700 From: john Subject: fsj: Re: extended factory warranty? >Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2001 16:13:17 -0700 (PDT) >From: "Paul W." >Subject: Re: extended factory warranty? >First, think of what kind of problems you might suffer from in 7/100K and if >you think it would be more or less than the policy. Secondly, WHO is the >policy from? Is it DIRECT from D-C? Or is it an aftermarket warranty >insurance? I've heard too many horror stories on trying to get aftermarket >warranties to pay >out on a claim. Personally, at $1800, maybe, at $3000 I would pass. >Paul's $0.02 >- --- john wrote: > > I checked on getting an extended factory warranty on the WJ this morning. I'm pretty sure it's the Jeep Dealer contract. The literature I have mentions the extended warranty in a number of places. The least expensive version should protect us from the big problems, like the varitrac diffs or the axle itself. I think the sales guy mentioned a $500 deductible... Considering that one axle with those gerotor jewels setup in a dealership could easily top a grand. If the warranty is transferrable then I'll get the least expensive one for certain. If it's not transferrable I'll probably pass. I think the time limit for getting the extended warranty is within three year/36,000 mile, and it is based on the inservice date. Reading the literature I discovered that the features that mine has indicates it's a later model, meaning that I've got more time... Won't know until I get the VIN straightened out with the Washington State Police and a title. :) I go in on Thursday for the inspection. Will have tags and an answer that afternoon. Will go from the WSP to the Jeep dealer. :) Driving it is like piloting a starship... I've never really liked the way the windshield slopes so far out. I feel detached from the driving experience... ;) And the visibility just isn't the same as a Full Size Jeep, an XJ or a Mercedes Diesel. At Jeep 101 I remember the same thing and gravitated toward the XJ. The WJ is an awesome vehicle and I love the dual climate controls and cassette/cd stereo and those heated leather seats... and the Quadradrive, but that's not a good reason to keep it... that and the FUD factor on the axles... (FUD = fear, uncertainty and doubt). If we keep the WJ and sell the '83 300sd, the '87 Cherokee and use what's left of the insurance settlement, we'll still be saddled with about $13,000 debt, and have to either paint the house ourselves or pay over $3,000. So keeping the Grand Cherokee means I'm in the hole about $16,000. :( That means no vacations and more than likely going further in the hole if something (else) breaks. If we sell the WJ, the '83 300SD, the '87 Cherokee, have the house painted, pay off the other bills we'll have $8,000 to buy a nice XJ. Debt free with a restored J10 and a nice, clean reliable XJ. Hmmm, if I work this right I might be able to get the XJ lifted... just a little bit dear... ;) Maybe those Detroit TrueTracs with the electric lockers will be out... we NEED those to get out of the driveway dear... ;) ( I can just hear her now saying here we go again... no, actually, she'll be saying, no, you're not touching MY Jeep. ;) The WJ is amazing though, and I'm going to thoroughly enjoy driving it for the month or two it takes to get it titled and sold... But reality is harsh sometimes. :( The only people I know that have a vehicle this nice are usually dual income folks with grown kids... and they still have a car payment... You know in another 5 to 10 years these things will be out there for folks like me. :) I can wait. Payments of any kind usually beget more payments... :( With our kids soon to leave and mostly on their own and both in college, we're pretty much free to resume traveling if we're not making a bunch of unnecessary payments. That trip to Hawaii was really nice, and I hear there are more islands to explore. And we'd love to get back to Europe. I'd like to see Israel and Australia. :) It would be fun to take a trip up to Alaska on the ferry and explore up there too... One can't have their Grand Cherokee and world travel on my salary. ;) So, at this point it's beginning to look like the WJ stands for WINDFALL. I bet we could find a nice XJ for $5,000 and use the rest over money to make it to Germany for some schnitzels... ;) (If the '87 XJ had A/C we'd consider keeping it, it's doing really well, over 17mpg in town!) Making car payments has never made sense to me. House payments are bad, but usually the house appreciates. Cars depreciate, and rather quickly... It's far, far cheaper to fix up an older car than it is to pay car payments, at least that's my view of it... of course fixing up an older car can be a major hassle... sorry for thinking out loud... ;) y'all are a great source of ideas, feedback and encouragement. Most of my friends are saying we should keep it, and it's tempting... we'll see how it goes... :) The only reason to sell it is so we aren't in debt. Life is too short for car payments. :) john - ------------------------------------------------------ http://www.WAGONEERS.com/ Snohomish, WA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold... jesus, don't leave life without him, please! - ------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2001 00:58:20 -0700 (PDT) From: Carnuck-at-webtv.net (James Blair) Subject: fsj: Re: extended factory warranty? A: My wife is starting to agree. The '99 Ranger is going up for sale (probably get back $14,000 out of the $20K she paid for it) and I picked up an '81 VW Rabbit diesel for $250 that needs a head gasket and rad. Only 60K on it, and the motor was swapped (turned out the pump was all that was wrong with the old one. My buddy got it from his grandma, and drove it to work, but got only 10 miles before the rad popped and the head gasket is weeping out the side now.)    From: john "Life is to short for car payments" ************************************* JimBlair, Seattle,WA '84 J10, '86 Comanche http://www.geocities.com/eaglemania2002/ http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=13998 ************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 09 Jun 2001 09:43:04 -0400 From: mpolkkidodge-at-netscape.net Subject: fsj: Grand Cherokee John- Have you considered a early model GC? ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2001 16:48:46 EDT From: RKH911-at-aol.com Subject: Re: fsj: Jeep Sparkplugs John Miller up in reno has a bit of his wheel well cut away to access the rear PS plugs. I believe the PO had done the "custom hack job" but it seemed a perfect solution to the prob. Note: I have yet to take a saw to my Waggy! LOL. Rob Harrison 85 Grand Wagoneer ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 09 Jun 2001 18:19:38 -0700 From: john Subject: fsj: parts I moved some stuff around, cleaned things up, sold some stuff... http://wagoneers.com/ebay/ the 1406, GW spoiler, 300SD tach, rock sliderz, xj hitch, GW pwr windows, xj mirrors, and a few other odds and ends are gone... remaining goodies should be easier to find. The items I'd like to find a good home for quickly are those European Style lights for the 126 Chassis. Also a pair of Electric Mirrors for a Grand Wagoneer. Looks like the following vehicles are for sale: 1987 Jeep Cherokee Laredo 1983 Mercedes 300SD 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited We will be looking for a '92 and up Jeep Cherokee, prefer light color, low mileage, top of the line. I've tried to talk my wife into a Grand Wagoneer or a 300CD, can't do it... But I agree with her about paying off everything and just getting a nice clean XJ. :) - ------------------------------------------------------ http://www.WAGONEERS.com/ Snohomish, WA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold... jesus, don't leave life without him, please! - ------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of fsj-digest V1 #1341 **************************