hey guys, my name is Vlad from NY and im in the process of selling a built 5.0 mustang (307rwhp & 316rwtq) and i'll be getting into a JEEP real soon

i just checked out a 99 with 84K that im really dying to get but i took it out for a test drive and i have a few q's and concerns

(1) the steering wheel seems to tense up just so slightly and its not a smooth turn through the entire radius...it will get a little hard, then turn loosely and then tense up again and get looser again and so on...not sure what this is and should i be concerned? its not a major lock up or anything, it gets just slightly tense

next thing is
(2) it sounds like it has bad hub bearings in the front...it is a pretty noisy ride although the owner claims thats normal...it sounds like im on the brake when driving, although im not...it moves normally but its a noisy ride, you hear the wheels turning

(3) lastly, are the brakes on these very harsh?...meaning do you feel every bit of your braking through the pedal?

THANK YOU GUYS and i look forward to getting to meet everyone here

 

1 and 2 sound like something in the steering. check all linkages, make sure everythings tight, look for worn out bushings, etc. might just need some grease action. the sound could be hubs, wheel bearings, ball joints, axle shaft ujoints, etc. do you feel it, or only hear the noise? good brakes shouldnt feel like that. check the pads/rotors and drums. might just need a good bleed.

 

1. My steering doesn't tense up, it turns smoothly.
2. My ride isn't that noisy, it's not silent, but it doesn't sound like I'm braking. I know road noise can be attributed to tires, some are noisier than others (I have Fortera Silent Armor, which are supposed to be quiet)
3. My brakes don't seem harsh.

 

the brake rotors are probably just slightly warped and need to be turned out. here in illinois it only costs $9 a rotor to turn them and make them smooth again. my brakes use to be real shaky until i turned mine out and it fixed em.

 

I obviously needs some work. If you like the Jeep make an offer that takes the issues into consideration. If you're handy at working on cars all of those issues are something you can take on. If you need to take it to a mechanic, it could get expensive. It's tough to tackle any of the issues with the information you've provided, but these Jeeps are easy to work on. To me, it sounds like he's let things go on this Jeep, and that'd be something I'd be concerned about. Good luck.

 

X 2 on making the guy an offer taking needed repairs into consideration. This type of situation is what is so great about the XJ. You should be able to get this guy to come down on the price and get it for a deal. Then you get on the forum and we'll walk you through the repairs so you can do them for the price of the parts, only. Then you have an awesome ride for a great price and you've made some new XJ Buds.

 

WOW
i cant even describe how amazed i am right now at just how friendly and helpful you guys are. I've been on mustang forums for a few years now and never did i get such help on such short notice. THANK YOU and i am very happy im here =)

but as far the jeep goes...i will meet with the guy on sunday again and take the car to my local mechanic just so he double checks everything but im almost certain that i will be taking it. If he is willing to play with the price and drop it 500-600 from the original, i will be getting in it in a few days !!! =)

 

if at all possible try and find another jeep at a dealership and take it for a ride that way you have something to compare it to that is if it is running properly....however I can tell you that it shouldn't turn hard like you explained and the braking should be just like any other vehical smooth and relatively quiet but none of those problems would steer me away from the jeep though.

 

Sounds like the power steering pump might be having some issues. It may sound dumb, but check the fluid level in the reservoir.