New expedition XJ for me (pics)

[dieck]

Hey Guys,

I picked up a used 2001 xj Sport in Dallas at midnight last night. I drove all the way from austin in the middle of the night to pick it up because it is pretty close to perfect for me. After driving it home I have lots of ideas of the things I'd like to tweak with it, but by and large the last guy did most of the things I would have done.

I got it with 58K miles

I'm working on a list of all the :snorkel: mods he has done to it. Here is a partial list

Front & Rear lockers
ARB bumper with winch
roof rack
sliders
rear bumper w/tire carrier
Snorkel (YAY)
more lights than I need (8 external lights)
recovery tools
4.5 inch rubicon express lift
bushwacker cut out flares
33inch Goodyear MTRs (practically new)
teflon coated wheels
Slip Yoke Eliminator
Not sure on the gears but it's either 4.56 or 4.88
Interior is pristene
Exterior is ok with a few marks (but i'll do worse)

I picked it all up for $12,900 which with all the mods I think is a decent deal.
http://heath.dieckert.com/albums/XJ/IMG_7595.sized.jpg

http://heath.dieckert.com/albums/XJ/IMG_7594.sized.jpg

http://heath.dieckert.com/albums/XJ/IMG_7593.sized.jpg

http://heath.dieckert.com/albums/XJ/IMG_7591.sized.jpg

http://heath.dieckert.com/albums/XJ/IMG_7590.sized.jpg

http://heath.dieckert.com/albums/XJ/IMG_7589.sized.jpg

http://heath.dieckert.com/albums/XJ/IMG_7587_001.sized.jpg

[BigAl]

Throw in an ice chest and it looks like you're ready to go:)

[jerdog53]

Looks to me like it has about every thing you could need for some good adventures!

[hattrik21]

Nice looking rig.

[dieck]

It is nice looking but it avged between 9 adn 10 mpg on the way home from dallas. I need to investigate to see what's up. It's adequately geared and I would expect the mileage to be better. I'm going to take the rack off the top and see what that does. Also thinking maybe there's a bad 02 sensor. I would expect to get at least 15mpg.

[JPFreek1]

Now that is one kick @$$ XJ!!!! Congratulations!!!!!!!!

:clapsmile

By the way, has it ever had a tune-up? If not, I'm sure it probably needs one at 58k miles. I'd recommend NGK Titanium plugs, as well as a new set of plug wires.

[dieck]

Now that is one kick @$$ XJ!!!! Congratulations!!!!!!!!

:clapsmile

By the way, has it ever had a tune-up? If not, I'm sure it probably needs one at 58k miles. I'd recommend NGK Titanium plugs, as well as a new set of plug wires.

It's only been driven about 5000 miles in the last two years, so I'm betting not. Do you have a recommended tune up schedule and activities? I'm new to XJ's.

[articulate]

Wow, I think that's a great deal too. Low mileage and great mods.



Throw in an ice chest and it looks like you're ready to go:)
Fridge. :)

[dieck]

Wow, I think that's a great deal too. Low mileage and great mods.
Fridge. :)

Yeah, I was thinking of getting a fridge for it. I need to get all the routine maintenance going on it then will think about a fridge.

[dieck]

So here is my list of stuff I want to do in the short term. Open to any advice from you veteran jeepers.

1. Brake pedal hard and brakes unresponsive. They work if you cram them down, but not as well as I would expect. Perhaps brake booster? Not sure on this one.

2. Truck pulls slightly to the left. Alignment? bent steering rod? Hmmm. Will crawl underneath and see.

3. Change and flush all fluids. Anything special I should think about?

4. Change wires and plugs (per suggestion)

5. check 02 sensor (bad mileage)

6. service rear tire carrier (siezed need to break free for easy opening)

7. grease and lube everything

8. General cleaning and vacuuming

[JPFreek1]

It's only been driven about 5000 miles in the last two years, so I'm betting not. Do you have a recommended tune up schedule and activities? I'm new to XJ's.

I generally like to do a tune-up every 50k miles but honestly, it just depends on how regularly the vehicle has been maintained, type of use, etc. But I think between every 40-50k miles is a good bet.

[RunninRubicon]

What a nice XJ! Loaded to boot.
Removing the roof top is a great idea for gas mileage ..added drag
Replenish the diffs and transfer case w/synthetic lubes.
Check the pressure in those tires
and your tune-up plans sound appropriate.

Good luck, Tall tires suck gas....no free lunch.

[DaJudge]

I am running 33s with 4:56 gears in my '01 and get 14-15 with my roof rack and spare on top. You should be able to get yours up with some maintenance.

Also, '01s don't have plug wires. Coil 'bar' is attached directly to the top of the plugs. Check the boots carefully and change the plugs is about the extent of a tune-up.

I love my XJ hopefully you will love yours!

Glen

[dieck]

I am running 33s with 4:56 gears in my '01 and get 14-15 with my roof rack and spare on top. You should be able to get yours up with some maintenance.

Also, '01s don't have plug wires. Coil 'bar' is attached directly to the top of the plugs. Check the boots carefully and change the plugs is about the extent of a tune-up.

I love my XJ hopefully you will love yours!

Glen

Thanks Glen, I am enjoying it. I realized there were no wires when I tried to change them last night...:oops:

The XJ gets a lot of attention for a 7 year old vehicle. I'm not sure yet if I like that or not...

[dieck]

What a nice XJ! Loaded to boot.
Removing the roof top is a great idea for gas mileage ..added drag
Replenish the diffs and transfer case w/synthetic lubes.
Check the pressure in those tires
and your tune-up plans sound appropriate.

Good luck, Tall tires suck gas....no free lunch.

Thanks, I was thinking the same thing. Last night I took the rack and lights off the top, aired up the tires to 40lbs, ran some seafoam through the intake manifold and gas, and checked the air filter. Seems to be running a bit better and less top heavy in the corners. I'll probably put the roof rack back on for adventures but leave it off for daily driving. We will see what the mileage does this tank.

[pete.wilson]

Hey

Congrats on your finding. Not only looks great but is practical in it's setup; should do good for you, and if you want to park it in my driveway....Thats ok too! Jeeps Rock!!!

[toledotimber]

If it has the AW4 transmission, just remember it does NOT take ATF, no matter what any dealer or shop says. It takes Dexron/Mercon.
EDIT: Nice looking Jeep, by the way.

[dieck]

If it has the AW4 transmission, just remember it does NOT take ATF, no matter what any dealer or shop says. It takes Dexron/Mercon.
EDIT: Nice looking Jeep, by the way.

Wow! I'm glad you told me. What is the best mechanical and maintenance reference for a 2001 XJ?

[OverlandZJ]

Nice looking XJ Dieck!

Not to take away from the good tech you'll get here, but check out www.naxja.org. It's a Jeep Cherokee XJ specific site with tons of tech for this particular vehicle.

What RPM are you running at 65 MPH? Reason i ask is i get ~20MPG (highway) in a very similar built XJ. I'm running around 2200 at 65-70 with 4:56 and 33's.

[toledotimber]

The best would be a Factory Service Manual, but as John B. pointed out, NAXJA is pretty darn useful. I keep a Haynes and several regularly used parts of my F.S.M. printed out in my XJ, then I have a few F.S.M.s at home on my computers. I'm also a librarian, so I have access to some really great stuff at work. The F.S.M. really is the best, however.

[T&A-XJ]

Nice XJ. 4.56s and 33s yield excellent mileage IMHO. My 1990 with that set up and 230k+ still gets 20mpg on the highway even loaded down with the family and gear for a weekend. I tried running with the tire on the roof and it killed power and mileage so now its in the back until I build a new tire carrier rear bumper.

[XXXpedition]

nizzzzzz

[dieck]

Nice looking XJ Dieck!

Not to take away from the good tech you'll get here, but check out www.naxja.org (http://www.naxja.org). It's a Jeep Cherokee XJ specific site with tons of tech for this particular vehicle.

What RPM are you running at 65 MPH? Reason i ask is i get ~20MPG (highway) in a very similar built XJ. I'm running around 2200 at 65-70 with 4:56 and 33's.

Thanks John. I've been lurking on NAXJA and other xj related sites for a while to help decide what I wanted to buy. I had created a build sheet of what I wanted and was really excited when I found one already built like that. :)

[dieck]

What RPM are you running at 65 MPH? Reason i ask is i get ~20MPG (highway) in a very similar built XJ. I'm running around 2200 at 65-70 with 4:56 and 33's.

The speedo looks high by about 15 - 20% I don't have the exact number yet. I'm going to figure out what gears he has in it this weekend. I think it's either 4.56 or 4.88. I've been tuning it up over the las few days and the mileage looks to be improving a great deal. We'll see what this tank gets me.

[OverlandZJ]

The speedo looks high by about 15 - 20% I don't have the exact number yet. I'm going to figure out what gears he has in it this weekend. I think it's either 4.56 or 4.88. I've been tuning it up over the las few days and the mileage looks to be improving a great deal. We'll see what this tank gets me.

I'd be willing to bet your getting better mileage than you think, with up to 20% you probably dont have the proper speedo gear for the gearset/tire combo.

[dieck]

I'd be willing to bet your getting better mileage than you think, with up to 20% you probably dont have the proper speedo gear for the gearset/tire combo.

That's the scary part, I corrected the distance traveled and was still getting only 10mpg.... It's doing better now tho with the tuneup stuff getting knocked out.

[WJinTRSC]

NICE XJ!! I was also going to mention the speedo gear. It's REALLY close to what I wanted to do to an XJ before I found a deal on WJ. I think you got a good one and once you get the gas mileage and tune-up solved and over with, you'll be very happy with it. Good luck!!

[dieck]

Here are some updated pics. I took the rack, lights, and recovery gear off the top and removed the rear bumper mouldings that were hanging off from the previous owners bumper install job.

Mileage is looking better already. Enjoy

http://heath.dieckert.com/albums/XJ/Picture_017.sized.jpg

http://heath.dieckert.com/albums/XJ/Picture_011.sized.jpg

http://heath.dieckert.com/albums/XJ/Picture_008.sized.jpg

http://heath.dieckert.com/albums/XJ/Picture_007.sized.jpg

http://heath.dieckert.com/albums/XJ/Picture_005.sized.jpg

http://heath.dieckert.com/albums/XJ/Picture_001.sized.jpg

[RunninRubicon]

Very Nice. I really like the wheel tire package, complimented by your bushwacher flares. Black on black-around black and silver. A guy would think your a Raider's fan!

[John90XJ]

So here is my list of stuff I want to do in the short term. Open to any advice from you veteran jeepers.

1. Brake pedal hard and brakes unresponsive. They work if you cram them down, but not as well as I would expect. Perhaps brake booster? Not sure on this one.

2. Truck pulls slightly to the left. Alignment? bent steering rod? Hmmm. Will crawl underneath and see.

3. Change and flush all fluids. Anything special I should think about?

4. Change wires and plugs (per suggestion)

5. check 02 sensor (bad mileage)

6. service rear tire carrier (siezed need to break free for easy opening)

7. grease and lube everything

8. General cleaning and vacuuming

1 XJ brakes are notably weak to begin with. Try adjusting the rear drums. They tend to wear and not self adjust. Once that is done, adjust the e-brake because it probably doesn't work well either.

2 If it pulls, make sure the tire pressure is even and then do a simple driveway alignment check. Measuring the space between the front tires from the same spot front and rear of the tires, adjust the tie rod until the measurement is even, essentially a ZERO toe. Then adjust the draglink to make the steering wheel straight again. Also, be certain you are driving on a flat road, not one that is crowned. It will tend to pull somewhat on crowned roads. If that is the case, that's just the way it is.

3 I didn't see what kind of lockers you had in the axles. If they are ARBs or something else complex, verify that you are using the recommended fluid. If they are limited slips, with clutches, don't forget the friction modifier additive as recommended. If Lock Right or Aussies, a lunchbox locker, synthetic 85-140 tends to quiet the ratcheting sound somewhat. For the balance of the fluids almost anything will work as long as it's the right spec. Mercon Dexron ATF in the AW4 and the t-case. The brand is not as important as how you maintain them. Keep 'em clean and they'll last 270k miles like mine.

4 Saw that you changed the plugs. The 4.0 tends to run better on cheaper plugs like Champion or Autolite. Simple resistor plugs without any fancy multiple tips and exotic metals seem to perform the best.

5 Changing the o2 sensor(s) is probably warranted but has it thrown a check engine light? Are you running a quality gasoline? Clean air filter? Clean fuel filter? I saw you removed the rack. Smart move. Even on big trips, I leave mine off and try to keep everything low and inside. That's worth about 1-1.5 mpg for my rig.

7 Don't forget things like the driveshaft zerks and if you're really adventurous you can pull the front axle shafts and do the lower ball joints which would normally require a plug to be removed and a temporary zerk added for lubing. You should also check things like the axle u-bolts for proper torque, control arm bolts, cooling hose condition, all the things that could leave you stranded or break inconveniently.

8 Have fun with that....mine gets it every year or so whether it needs it or not. ;)

[dieck]

Well I'm a little smarter than I was at the beginning of the day. I figured out I have 4.56 gears front and back in the jeep. I bought and installed a 39 tooth speedo gear so the speedo is dead on now and verified with GPS.

(special thanks to http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoSpeedoGears.htm for their excellent speedo gear charts and writeup)

I got a new air filter and sprayed break free on the bolts for my do-it-yourself alignment tomorrow. The truck seems to be getting much better mileage now. Now that the speedo is correct I filled up the tank to see how I'm doing.

Interestingly, the truck seems to run better after the speedo gear swap, and I'm wondering if there is any engine management that gets thrown off when the truck is overgeared and the speedo senser not corrected. ??

Tomorrow will be:

Do it yourself oil change
Do it yourself alignment
Do it yourself steering wheel centering
new wipers all around (old ones are tired)
and if I'm still feeling good I'm going to extend the diff breathers and lube up all the parts underneath.

[OverlandZJ]

Well I'm a little smarter than I was at the beginning of the day. I figured out I have 4.56 gears front and back in the jeep. I bought and installed a 39 tooth speedo gear so the speedo is dead on now and verified with GPS.

(special thanks to http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoSpeedoGears.htm for their excellent speedo gear charts and writeup)

I got a new air filter and sprayed break free on the bolts for my do-it-yourself alignment tomorrow. The truck seems to be getting much better mileage now. Now that the speedo is correct I filled up the tank to see how I'm doing.

Interestingly, the truck seems to run better after the speedo gear swap, and I'm wondering if there is any engine management that gets thrown off when the truck is overgeared and the speedo senser not corrected. ??

Tomorrow will be:

Do it yourself oil change
Do it yourself alignment
Do it yourself steering wheel centering
new wipers all around (old ones are tired)
and if I'm still feeling good I'm going to extend the diff breathers and lube up all the parts underneath.

The GoJeep website is an awesome resource, i even extended out an invite to Marcus to visit this website...told him there were plenty of his fellow Aussie's already here.

On the speedo gear...dont believe it has anything to do with the engine management as far as air/fuel mixture is concerned. Thats the Tach's job.

Something else i recently learned about speedo gears...i found my son's YJ would stall when coming to a light or stop sign after i rebuilt the transfer case...turned out to be that there was no speedo gear. When i installed the correct gear the stalling went away. That one stumped me for awhile.

On the alignment, i set mine at 1/16-1/8" toe in.

When you get a chance, would you be kind enough to snap a pic of the trimming that was required to use the Bushwackers with the Safari snorkel.

[dieck]

The GoJeep website is an awesome resource, i even extended out an invite to Marcus to visit this website...told him there were plenty of his fellow Aussie's already here.

On the speedo gear...dont believe it has anything to do with the engine management as far as air/fuel mixture is concerned. Thats the Tach's job.

Something else i recently learned about speedo gears...i found my son's YJ would stall when coming to a light or stop sign after i rebuilt the transfer case...turned out to be that there was no speedo gear. When i installed the correct gear the stalling went away. That one stumped me for awhile.

On the alignment, i set mine at 1/16-1/8" toe in.

When you get a chance, would you be kind enough to snap a pic of the trimming that was required to use the Bushwackers with the Safari snorkel.

Thanks for the feedback and tips. I didn't do the bushwhacker and snorkel install as they were both on the truck when I bought it last week. But I'll certainly snap some pictures next time i go for a drive.

On the alignment it was about 1/2 inch toe in and I adjusted it to aprox 1/16th or as close as I could get to it with the eyeball/tape measure combo. It's not an exact science to be sure, but the shimmy and pulling to the left is gone. I also centered the steering wheel. Both the alignment and the centering was so easy I kicked myself for even considering the $80 professional job. I love learning new things and doing it myself. :) This is my first rig with solid axels front and back so I'm still learning.

[dieck]

There are about a million grease zerks under this truck between the stock ones and all the aftermarket stuff the previous owner installed. Do I use the same grease for everything? Any recommendations?

Also, I cleaned and respooled the winch and tested the battery. Both are in tip top shape. I'm likeing this truck more and more!

[John90XJ]

There are about a million grease zerks under this truck between the stock ones and all the aftermarket stuff the previous owner installed. Do I use the same grease for everything? Any recommendations?

You should be fine using the same stuff for everything with one possible exception. If you've got polyurethane bushings, you might want to try some of the poly specific grease. I've had success with white lithium.

[dieck]

You should be fine using the same stuff for everything with one possible exception. If you've got polyurethane bushings, you might want to try some of the poly specific grease. I've had success with white lithium.

How do you know when you've added enough grease? Can you add too much? (this is a very newb question I know)

[John90XJ]

How do you know when you've added enough grease? Can you add too much? (this is a very newb question I know)

I push until I see new grease coming out. Since mine is primarily a trail only rig, I push until I'm certain all the water is out as well.

And make sure you clean up the old stuff since it tends to make a mess and attract dirt.

[dieck]

I push until I see new grease coming out. Since mine is primarily a trail only rig, I push until I'm certain all the water is out as well.

And make sure you clean up the old stuff since it tends to make a mess and attract dirt.

I did it tonight, all went well, was easy.

[dieck]

I got over 15mpg all city driving on this last tank. And that was not being easy on the gas. Beats the 10mpg I got on the first tank. So far I removed the roof rack and lights, ran seafoam, aired up the tires, and changed the air filter.

For the next tank of gas I will change the oil and lube the drive shafts. After that tank, I will change the belt and plugs.

We'll see what the next tank brings

[toledotimber]

I use Mobil1 synthetic grease on everything (including my greasable poly. anti-sway bar links). I pump it in until the old grease starts coming out, EXCEPT for the the ball joints. I just pump the gun until the boots feel good and firm. I don't have any scientific reason why, but my dad always said never to pump the ball joints so full that they "pop" the old stuff out. He's been right more often than not in my lifetime, so why not listen, I figured?

[John90XJ]

I got over 15mpg all city driving on this last tank. And that was not being easy on the gas. Beats the 10mpg I got on the first tank. So far I removed the roof rack and lights, ran seafoam, aired up the tires, and changed the air filter.

For the next tank of gas I will change the oil and lube the drive shafts. After that tank, I will change the belt and plugs.

We'll see what the next tank brings

Also, check what kind of gas you're buying.

When I was commuting every day in my rig, choosing Chevron over the value brands was usually good for as much as 1.5 mpg more. It outweighed the 5-8 cents per gallon more it cost. We have grocery stores that sell it out here that are always cheaper but in some instances you get a little less value for the money.

Something to think about.

[dieck]

Also, check what kind of gas you're buying.

When I was commuting every day in my rig, choosing Chevron over the value brands was usually good for as much as 1.5 mpg more. It outweighed the 5-8 cents per gallon more it cost. We have grocery stores that sell it out here that are always cheaper but in some instances you get a little less value for the money.

Something to think about.

Good tip on the chevron, that is my preference too. My main focus right now is to get the truck running very efficiently and to start getting it to what I would consider expedition ready. This required more investment of time and $$ than just getting a used car to be reliable for daily driving.

When I buy a used vehicle I can't rest easy until I know waht state it's in mechanically. Usually this means replacing ALL of the fluids and doing all of the maintenance myself the first time. You just learn so much about the vehicle and it's quirks. That gives me insight into the spare parts, tools and fluids I should take on my adventures.

[dieck]

I use Mobil1 synthetic grease on everything (including my greasable poly. anti-sway bar links). I pump it in until the old grease starts coming out, EXCEPT for the the ball joints. I just pump the gun until the boots feel good and firm. I don't have any scientific reason why, but my dad always said never to pump the ball joints so full that they "pop" the old stuff out. He's been right more often than not in my lifetime, so why not listen, I figured?

I lubed all the zerks I could find with Mobile 1 last night. Are there any zerks on the front drive shaft? I could only find one on the shaft itself... On the rear shaft which is a SYE, I found three, one on the shaft and one inside each joint.

[OverlandZJ]

I lubed all the zerks I could find with Mobile 1 last night. Are there any zerks on the front drive shaft? I could only find one on the shaft itself... On the rear shaft which is a SYE, I found three, one on the shaft and one inside each joint.

On the rear shaft...you should see one more spot that needs greasing. It's the ball socket between the second and third u-joint. This is not a zerk fitting however, you need a needle fitting for the grease gun.

There is one of these on the front driveshaft as well.

[dieck]

On the rear shaft...you should see one more spot that needs greasing. It's the ball socket between the second and third u-joint. This is not a zerk fitting however, you need a needle fitting for the grease gun.

There is one of these on the front driveshaft as well.

Thanks. Anybody have a picture of this? I'm having a hard time understanding where this is... :)

[OverlandZJ]

Thanks. Anybody have a picture of this? I'm having a hard time understanding where this is... :)

Here ya go, note the dimple at end of screwdriver.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d24/ExpeditionXJ/willys002.jpg

[dieck]

Here ya go, note the dimple at end of screwdriver.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d24/ExpeditionXJ/willys002.jpg

Wow, thanks for the quick picture. So if I have a needle I just depress this to get the grease in? Zerks are intuitive for me, but this not so much.

[OverlandZJ]

Yes, if it's dirty like my spare hit it with some WD40 and a small brush to clean it up. If it doesnt want to take grease, lightly tap a punch to loosen the ball? at the top.

That ball socket is often overlooked in a double cardan shaft and can dry out and cause a vibe and noise.

[John90XJ]

My understanding is that not all of the Double Cardan joints have a center section grease fitting.

[OverlandZJ]

My understanding is that not all of the Double Cardan joints have a center section grease fitting.

Hmmm...wasnt aware of that, thanks for posting that. Any idea what did or did not have the fitting?

The shaft pictured is an original Mopar front XJ shaft. I'll have to check my newer Woods shaft.

[John90XJ]

Hmmm...wasnt aware of that, thanks for posting that. Any idea what did or did not have the fitting?

The shaft pictured is an original Mopar front XJ shaft. I'll have to check my newer Woods shaft.

I really don't know.....talking to my favorite mechanic online right now and he's not sure either. We just know more often than not they don't have a zerk or needle fitting.

I must admit I don't know if you can inject with a needle AND not have a fitting, like twist to one side and shoot it into the exposed area.

To be honest, I've never had an issue with mine.

[toledotimber]

I *think* most do, there's just a plug there so you can't see the fitting.

[Dave]

The front shaft on my 2000 Cherokee did not come with a serviceable DC joint.

[dieck]

Status update. I fiinished most of the 60k service, doing it myself this time to learn the truck better. I was pleased with how easy it was to change the oil and filter. After getting the sparkplug rail off which was a PITA, the plugs were very easy to change. Changing the belt was a cinch too. I touched up the alignment again to very slightly adjust the toe in, and am overall very pleased with how simple and easy to work on the jeep is with just a few hand tools. The best tweak by far tho is that I added 2 deg shims on the rear axel to straiten out the rear drive shaft. I was getting nasty vibe past 65mph even with the SYE and this completely eliminated it all the way up to 90mph (which was scary, I won't be doing that again on 33's). I was amazed at what a difference 2 degrees makes tho.

One quick question if you are still reading. The front of my rear D35 axel has developed a leak where the rear drive shaft attaches. I'm assuming this was caused by the drive shaft vib. Any bets on if this will stop leaking now that I've fixed the vib, or do I need to go in and replace the seal?

[dieck]

Also, I have a tru-trac in the rear D35. I've heard conflicting advice on if this needs any friction modifiers or special lubes. I thought that it had no clutches and was all mechanical, which would lead me to believe that it requires nothing special. But just about everyone I talk to swears it requires some nasty smelling stuff.

[John90XJ]

Also, I have a tru-trac in the rear D35. I've heard conflicting advice on if this needs any friction modifiers or special lubes. I thought that it had no clutches and was all mechanical, which would lead me to believe that it requires nothing special. But just about everyone I talk to swears it requires some nasty smelling stuff.

Replace the pinion seal. It's not hard and the problem won't get better until you do it. Make sure you have an airgun capable of getting the pinion nut re-torqued.

EDIT: I just read the factory service manual for both the D35 and the Chrysler 8.25 and they give a fair amount of detail about measuring bearing preload and how to get it set back to spec once you've replaced the seal. If you would like the details straight from the FSM, let me know and I'll email them to you in a .PDF. FWIW, we usually just rattle them back on until it "feels" right and not worry about it. When I pulled my D35 apart after about 200k miles, it looked fine and the gears were then sold off to someone else.

You don't need friction modifier in a gear driven LSD. Just use the recommended gear oil. The FSM says to use 75-90 for normal operations, 80-140 synthetic for trailer towing. Here is the Eaton manual: http://www.eatonperformance.com/PDFs/TrutracOwner-1.pdf

[dieck]

Replace the pinion seal. It's not hard and the problem won't get better until you do it. Make sure you have an airgun capable of getting the pinion nut re-torqued.

EDIT: I just read the factory service manual for both the D35 and the Chrysler 8.25 and they give a fair amount of detail about measuring bearing preload and how to get it set back to spec once you've replaced the seal. If you would like the details straight from the FSM, let me know and I'll email them to you in a .PDF. FWIW, we usually just rattle them back on until it "feels" right and not worry about it. When I pulled my D35 apart after about 200k miles, it looked fine and the gears were then sold off to someone else.

You don't need friction modifier in a gear driven LSD. Just use the recommended gear oil. The FSM says to use 75-90 for normal operations, 80-140 synthetic for trailer towing. Here is the Eaton manual: http://www.eatonperformance.com/PDFs/TrutracOwner-1.pdf

You are amazingly responsive. Thank you. It's interesting how much incorrect info there is even among the people that install this stuff for a living. I'll dig into the right steps to prelace the pinion seal.

[John90XJ]

You are amazingly responsive. Thank you. It's interesting how much incorrect info there is even among the people that install this stuff for a living. I'll dig into the right steps to prelace the pinion seal.

My pinion seal took a dump this year on the way home from Moab to the PNW. It was about 1,100 miles of gear oil puking out and sailing backward and onto my rear hatch and window. Pretty disgusting. It was the last one however as I did an 8.8 conversion on my return. But done correctly, they last a long time and you might even want to look at the D30 up front and see how it looks if you're in the mood for doing it.

The manual calls for measuring the inch/pounds of torque on the pinion itself prior to undoing the nut. Then there is an additional amount of pinion preload that should be put on the nut when you torque it back down in order to return to the correct torque. Like I mentioned there is a right way and an expedient way....depending on your inclination, both seem to work.

[toledotimber]

It's interesting how much incorrect info there is even among the people that install this stuff for a living.
You hit that right on the nose. I keep getting fliers/coupons from Jeep dealers and quick-lube places here in Toledo for tranny flushes, oil changes, et cetera. Most of them list exactly how much fluid and what type they're going to add; the funny part is that just about every one lists almost verbatim "full ATF flush." I even called two to see if they were just using ATF as a general term. Nope--they actually believe that the AW4 engine uses it.

Simply amazing, especially when coming from actual dealerships.

[John90XJ]

If it has the AW4 transmission, just remember it does NOT take ATF, no matter what any dealer or shop says. It takes Dexron/Mercon.
EDIT: Nice looking Jeep, by the way.


Seems this might be a little misleading.

ATF can be Mercon/Dexron but using some other ATF, like Type F or Mopar ATF +3 or +4 is not recommended in the AW4.

ATF is considered a generic term.

[toledotimber]

Seems this might be a little misleading.

ATF can be Mercon/Dexron but using some other ATF, like Type F or Mopar ATF +3 or +4 is not recommended in the AW4.

ATF is considered a generic term.
True, but when asked if they use Dexron/Mercon, they say "No, why?"

[John90XJ]

True, but when asked if they use Dexron/Mercon, they say "No, why?"

For them, there is Jiffy Lube. :)

[dieck]

Status update.

I replaced the Goodyear MTR's with BFG ATs 285/70/17. They are balanced with airsoft pellets which has worked out smashingly. The ride, handling, braking, and mileage all improved with the new tires. The new tires are not as aggressive as the MTRs but for expedition travel and daily driving, I think they are a nice compromise. They are 8 ply so resist puncture well, and handle being aired down well.

Mileage is now between 15 and 16 mpg in town and 17 - 19 on the highway. I consider this excellent for a rig on 33's with the air resistance of a brick.

A few other tweaks I've made are:

- Replaced windshield wipers
- Cut down sway bar quick disconnect pins. They were hitting and interfering with the front springs.
- Collecting spare parts and tools to carry in the rig
- Improving my in truck storage
- velcro mounted ipod
- Added a scanguage which I LOVE. Very useful little tool.

Things that I'm working on:

- tracking down a couple mystery cluncks in the front and read drivetrain
- install oil drain valve
- get fullsize matching spare and wheel to mount on rear bumper (my american racing victors are no longer made so I have to find one used)
- get new rubber floormats
- figure out why the AC compressor squeels and makes strange rodent noises
- fix air vent that seems to be permanently on defrost and causes condensation on windshield when AC is on (suspect vacuum leak)
- look at what it will take to run same drive shaft front and rear for reduce sparing
- permenantly install a beefy inverter
- look at a speaker upgrade
- look for a good in car GPS
- get smarter on solid axle maintenance and repair

[chuber1994]

I know it's been forever.... But any updates? More pictures? This thing sounds sweet.

[jeepdreamer]

Holy resurrecting Moses's first Jeep thread! Zoink! :)

[theksmith]

Holy resurrecting Moses's first Jeep thread! Zoink! :)

no kidding, 2007! we should start taking bets: OP never responds, OP sold it in 08 for a JK, OP turned it into a rock buggy, etc... ;)