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Is it worth the hassle?

2K views 21 replies 6 participants last post by  Mike934 
#1 ·
Hi all, I've actually been a member here for a few years but haven't been on for a while cause I sold my Jeep. But now I have an 87 Cherokee. I bought it but now I'm wondering if I should just run a away.

Here's a little about it.

It has a Rubicon Express in the front, some custom looking leafs in the back. Spicer drive lines, CV in the rear. Can't find my SYE online anywhere. It's leaking like a sieve out of the rear, not the shaft seal.
ARB front and rear, Rear needs O rings. Yukon 4:56 gears, rear end howls some. Rear axle seals leak, possibly because of the ARB. Chromolly axles (not verified). No back brakes, miscellaneous wiring issues and useless/mystery wires every where. Thor armor on rear panels. Noisy engine that has a really annoying idle issue, I'm thinking a couple loose rod bearings. AW4 that does ok, but definitely has some "character". 1 ton steering, but the frame was a little tweaked in the front because of no bumper or support ans has some plate welded to the "frame" to beef it up. I put a temporary cross member on the front to help. The body is kinda beat up and the carpet gets wet in the rain. Etc. Etc.

I'm into it for $3500 so far. Am I just throwing good money after bad? Should I just cut my losses and start over? I go back and forth on it all the time. It's such a Heep, but somehow I have grown attached to it.

Sorry so wordy, but there's actually a lot more I could say about it.

I'll try and get some pictures up. Thanks every one.
 
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#5 ·
I really hate to say it, but this does sound like a bit of a lost cause. Maybe the best thing you can do at this point is to part it out either for yourself into another XJ or to others to try to recover some of the $.
 
#16 ·
I'm thinking I'll just try and fix this old jeep up instead of getting a new one. It might be the wrong decision, but it seems like the easiest,quickest way. The engine is the only big thing, but it might just be one of those noisy old engines. I don't even know what year it is for sure. It's been changed. What year did they go to the tube style exhaust manifold? Supposedly it's from an 89, but I've come to the conclusion that the seller was a liar.
 
#18 ·
The log style was 87-90. Anything further was tubular...doesn't mean its not a old motor with newer header.
Check out round the 3rd & 4th cylinder, on the drives side. You will find 4 number. 2686 is 87-90. 7120 is 91-95. 0630 is 96-99. 0331 2000-2006.

I would clean it up, grease things up, solve small issues, like leaks, warm parts ect ect. You've got a great base so build off it and fix it up some,
 
#20 ·
Just got off the phone with rubicon express. Your seal number from national 473317. Or you can get it at timkco, or napa..just gotta have them cross reference for their part number, My kit I have is from 97+ which uses a separate seal, so no need for the red flange(seal holder) or seal. Your kit is for pre 96 which rely on the tail cone as a seal..so the HnT replaces the cone, thus no seal..so your kit has the red flange and seal. :) hope that helps ya out.

Napa should be able to get you that seal or cross reference for the right part number if nothing else. Here it is on amazon for a few bucks.
http://www.amazon.com/National-Oil-Seals-473317-Seal/dp/B001L5ORHA
 
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