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Today...took the s-10 springs apart that i am using to build the bastard pack. pb'd the bolts around the fender flares to ease removal..helped but still broke every other bolt. heres a tip if you plan to remove the factory flares and reuse them. pb blast and let them soak overnight, then with a small round wire brush mounted in a drill, gently buff around the bolts prior to attempting to remove the nuts. Worked like a champ, no broken bolts on the remaining 3 fender flares, for what it's worth. Going to power brush the springs from the s-10 and paint them. Already pb'd all the nuts and bolts under the rear of the cherokee numerous times to hopefully aid in their removal. plan is to build and install the bastard pack this weekend. It's all good. Have fun with your jeep.
1998 GC Laredo w/4.0 and AT. About 250K showing. Lives in west FL.
While driving I noticed a 'lack of straight-line tracking'. So I went to a tire/alignment place and asked for more positive castor to be added. They told me I needed lower control arms and some links or something. $800. That seemed like a lot but I was pressed for time so I said OK. The next day with the truck on the lift they told me a mistake had been made - now it was $1800.
I began channeling my inner wolverine and very soon left with the Jeep.
I ordered a front-end-kit online somewhere: tie rod ends and upper and lower control arms. What I got was four controls arms and new ball joints. <g>
This past Wednesday was The Day and The Control Arm Replacement went astonishing well - mark the adjustment washers, unbolt the control arms, stick the new ones in, put the adjuster washers back on their marks, and re-secure the bolts. The Jeep sits up so high that you don't really have to even jack the thing up - just slide under, unbolt them, and bolt the new ones in. Unbelievably easy. So much so that I considered replacing the upper control arms as well - a pair of them came in the front end kit I bought - and the tools were out and I was already dirty. <g>
But the ball joints and tie rod ends all turned out to be good anyway - so I didn't change them - and then decided against changing the upper control arms. I thought: the hell with fixing things which aren't broken - I have Things to Do.
So when I got done and started clearing/cleaning up I noticed a small circle of antifreeze on the driveway about 2" diameter. When I was at -Tires Plus- the mechanic there had pointed at the water pump weep hole, and a single drop of antifreeze, and told me that I needed a water pump - so I assumed now that the pump was leaking. I slid under the truck and saw the same small drop hanging at the seal weep hole. And also that the puddle was not under the pump anyway - it was 8-10" forward and off to the passengers side. I peeked around here and there and moved air dams and shrouds around but I couldn't really see the exact source.
I was actually somewhat happier to find that it was something Other than the pump - as the pump leaking would be a bad seal and require a new pump. Whereas a hose leak would be easy to fix and for a radiator leak I could just add some stop-leak.
I checked the antifreeze level when I bought the Jeep and it was up to right under the radiator fill cap. I checked it again three or four days ago and is was about an inch down from the top of the filler neck. So maybe at that point it has leaked out 1/4 cup maybe?
While working I had been starting and stopping the engine to turn the front wheels from one side to the other - to have better access when I was changing the control arms. So I thought maybe it only leaks when it running? And started it up to idle while I cleaned up. In a few minutes I heard water splashing and looked to find antifreeze raining down from the right side of the radiator area. Peeking down in there I could see antifreeze spurting out all along the radiator's crimped seam.
The SOB literally went from dry and fine, with me driving it pretty fast up and down the highway, to dripping a small puddle, to a gushing leak, in the matter of an hour or two. WTH? How can That happeed? <g>
Of course with that huge leak I couldn't run for parts, so I texted my really attractive neighbor to see if she could take me after she got home from work.
I called around for a radiator and everybody was about $200.for the radiator and about $40. For the water pump. Oh and they all were: "we can have it tomorrow". NAPA, Auto-Zone, Amazing Auto Parts, etc.
About then a young HVAC guy I know called. Cory. I help him with technical issues and just this week got him some expensive evaporator fan motors for some side-job he's doing - but at my cost which is about a .55 multiplier. So I asked Him to haul me around to get the Jeep parts. He asked his wife and I could hear her screaming in the background that he had just got home from work, was too busy, they had to do this and that, run some errands, etc.
There was some muffled back and forth that I couldn't hear and then he said to me: "I'll be right there - text me the address." <g>
While he was on his way I thought to call O'Reilly Auto Parts - there is one near my house up in Hudson FL and I had found them nice and knowledgeable when I was doing whatever the last Jeep Project was - and there found the radiator for only $113. and in stock. Water pump: $23. and also in stock.
There are no O'Reilly's places really close by Here like the others but they Did have all the parts in stock. Plus; they were much less expensive. So I had Corie take me to the closest one - still about eight or nine miles - and I also got a thermostat, gaskets, a repair manual, some RTV sealer for the water pump, and a gallon of antifreeze. The total with tax was only $201. altogether and I had added a bunch of stuff to the original "radiator and pump" for $250." List.
On the way back I had Cory stop at ABC Wines because I was out of beer. I thought I grabbed a case of Corona and they charged me $20. For it - but when I got home I found it was only a 12-pack. Oh no; wait - it must have been $14, - because limes were a A Dollar Each and I got five of them. That's why it was $20.
Although he had originally accepted a glass of wine when he first arrived, because I was out of beer, I know he drinks beer and I wanted to be able to offer him one. That's why I got him to stop for beer. I guess he accepted because this morning I saw that I only have one beer left and nothing at all was done on the Jeep cooling system.
Today I fought it all apart and back together by myself but also discovered that my grille and headlights are held in with epoxy, wood screws, and hot glue. I also replaced the radiator cap Justin Case but I still can't imagine what makes a header/tank blow off the side of a radiator like that.
Re-upholstered the DS armrest - and glued up headliner
So far today I have re-upolstered the drivers side arm rest in leather. The PO had used black duct tape which annoyed my forearm. All the used door panels I found were also cracked so the other day I saw a craft store and there bought a square foot of soft black leather and a can of industrial strength spray adhesive. I was looking for my phone holster / cleaning out the truck today and found the leather. Half of it was enough and unless you are looking it you'd never notice the leather patch. While I was spraying goo around I pulled down all the gapping areas of the headliner and doused the foam and the cloth with spray adhesive.
I had previously tried using drywall corner bead adhesive but that was only successful for a few weeks.
After letting it tack up for 4-5 minutes I rubbed it all up into place with a rag on my hand. And . . . . so far = so good. <g>
So far today I have re-upolstered the drivers side arm rest in leather. The PO had used black duct tape which annoyed my forearm. All the used door panels I found were also cracked so the other day I saw a craft store and there bought a square foot of soft black leather and a can of industrial strength spray adhesive. I was looking for my phone holster / cleaning out the truck today and found the leather. Half of it was enough and unless you are looking it you'd never notice the leather patch. While I was spraying goo around I pulled down all the gapping areas of the headliner and doused the foam and the cloth with spray adhesive.
I had previously tried using drywall corner bead adhesive but that was only successful for a few weeks.
After letting it tack up for 4-5 minutes I rubbed it all up into place with a rag on my hand. And . . . . so far = so good. <g>
For that kind of stuff I've always used 3m super 77 spray adhesive. I've tried the off brands and they don't work as well.
I un-boxed the napier v2 flares the boys in brown delivered yesterday. Good thing they are heavy duty...the box took the typical kicks and beatings. You just can't win ups smashes everything and fedex loses my packages.
This afternoon I wandered around junkyards searching for all the parts that the owners swore were there. Then tonight I ordered a new header panel, head light assemblies, and bushing and links for both sway bars.
Finished up throwing on my front tube fenders. I will blog about it tomorrow on my build thread. I'm beat, I drank two beers and they might have well been sleeping pills.
If you look in the Jeep service manual it is a kit not a tool. It positions the two o-rings, spacer and clip into the correct position. The inner piece is then removed and discarded. I am referring to the quick connect repair kit for replacing the seals on the fuel rail for the fuel line and return line. Available at Morris 4x4 Center. Mopar number 83504447 in 3/8 dia.
This is the seal replacement and included the spacer and plastic clip along with the two rings. For some reason the dealers call it a quick connect repair kit.
How much did they run you? I want a set for my rig. Going to the yard this morning.
$29.99 a piece. I got lucky as there were only 2 cherokees there. One had no axles, and the one I pulled it from only had the one side I needed. They were pretty picked through. I wanted the headliner cuz it had the integrated speakers, but somebody tore the headliner in half for some reason
03-02-2017, 07:18 PM
Stock fender flare removal tip
