[Sorry for the pics, i just took them in the dark and could not see what i was shooting, i will update with better ones tomarrow]

Hi guys. Im new to jeeps. I drove cars for years, and i live in upstate new york with some harsh winters. I finally got sick of not have 4wd so after this last winter i asked around about trucks and suvs. Being on a tight budget i was in for something use and very cheap. Several people told me that if i wanted something that would go anywhere in the winter i either wanted a truck of a jeep of some kind. Im someone who likes the room and i have always admired jeeps. So i decided i would buy a cheap beater Cherokee.

http://img195.imageshack.us/i/1002611h.jpg/
http://img193.imageshack.us/i/1002612.jpg/
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Not long after i came across this old '87 Cherokee Laredo 4x4 4.0L automatic (66,000 miles on it) in a neighboring town. Several people were looking at it everytime i stopped to see it. It was only 750 dollars. I checked it out quick, and it seemed alright, the front end seemed old but ok, there was some rust under the floors (to be expected with jeeps). I did a quick look under the rear and it seemed rust but the exhaust seemed new. I wasnt very torough in the rear (important later). Under the hood it looked dirty and old but still good. The old guy whoe owned it let me drive it around the block, and it ran smooth. The 4hi and 4low worked great. He was getting alot of offers. So the next day i offered him 600 and he took it. So now i owned an old jeep.

In need of a tune up for sure.
The interior was shot, all stock stuff inside mostly dirty and old, headliner falling down (i quickly jsut ripped the fabric off the foam due to the annoyance)
The exterior was sun burned on hood and roof, and there was a big scratch and rust on the body, as the owner used it to hop in and out of work sites, and he kept tools in it, it was a little ragged, but didnt look horrible at all.

I immediately realized the rear end was sagging and the rear suspension looked quite bad, if not horrible. Rust city for sure.

Also, quite soon after i bought it i noticed a death shake, which turned out to be the steering stabilizer (40 bucks) a not big deal.
One day though on the way home the Jeep started to sputter and kinda of choke like it was running out of gas. Finally it puttered out half a mile from my house. Trying to turn it over absolutely nothing happened. Popping the hood i noticed right away oil leaking from around the oil filter seal itself; soaking my seemingly nice looking starter.
I called AAA and got it to my mechanic. He said the Alternator was blown. And the selenoid in the starter was blown, and maybe teh starter itself was also bad. So i got a new starter (70 bucks) and alternator (100 bucks).
Also the flood lights on it were rusted out and non functionial, so i took them off, which was a pain in the ***, because the gasket around the bracket that holds them onto the bumper makes it really hard to get at the screwbolts. Then feading the cable through to unplug them is almsot impossible without cutting a line, or taking your grill or something off.

So far i love this old jeep, it really runs quite well, i mean 66k has to be fairly low miles for an '87, the only things that worry me are the following:

1. Extreme rust on and under the rear. At least 2 inches saggier than the front end. Leafs and shocks. The rear tow bracket dealy is even almost rusty clean soft on the drive side. Doubtful this thing can even tow. Makes me wonder if the rear end is just gonna fall of on me one day??? http://img194.imageshack.us/i/1002616c.jpg/ http://img32.imageshack.us/i/1002615.jpg/
2. The ebrake line is rusted quite bad, havent even tried it, but i feel like the "bang" when shifting out of park on hills with the Auto tranny is not good, especially on this old thing, yet my father consoles me that its fine, its a solid pin and it doesnt hurt the transmission?
3. Also the brake light is on, and the brakes function like the old drum brakes on the 72 VW Van i learned to drive on; not great.
4. The 4x4 lights dont function, or just flash, when shifting the transfer case. But the 4x4 does work.

What do you guys think of my current jeep situation?? And Tips or feedback would be very very appreciated as im quite new to Jeeps. My previous car was a 92 Honda Accord, before that a 90 Volvo 240.

 

To fix your rear suspension problems you could always do an AAL(add a leaf) to give the leaf springs their arc back, but from what I hear this is only a temporary fix.

As for the banging when you shift if out of park on a hill, good or bad I don't know but I always try to avoid mine doing that at all costs (Park, set the ebrake, place in park, then let off the brake pedal)

And if your brake light is on then there is a malfunction in the brake system somewhere and it should be looked at. Brakes aren't anything to fool around with.

 

The AAL thing i have read small ammounts about. But this existing leaf looks pretty bad, pics in a min.

Also someone told me i should just replace the rear shocks and it will be fine?

As for the shifting out of park on hills *bang*, i said before, the ebrake is so rusted and crapped out looking i dont think i should even try using it, in case it locks on.

 

Heres the jeep






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underhood










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Rusted out tow hitch and bumper



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Rusted out rear end and rear suspension











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Rusted floors



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Front end




So what do you guys think? Think this things gonna just fall apart???

 

New shocks will not lift a sagging rear.

Either the springs have lost their temper due to PO carrying around heavy tools in the back all the time, or spring mounts themselves have rusted and are breaking away.

Fix the brakes right away.

I would not use the e-brake; it may lock up on you unless you replace all cables and make sure they move freely.

 

Be careful with that steering stabilizer. It will stop death wobble temporarily but there is probably an underlying problem. Seeing how old your jeep is you might want to replace the track bar bushings, or all bushings under there to be safe. I just did the same thing (replaced the steering stabilizer) because I can't afford a new trackbar and shocks for a few weeks. But I have been warned several times... just passing it along.

 

Well i had the mechanic look over the front end incase helped the death shake was something like tie rods, track bar, wheel bearings, etc, he said it all looked good, and slapped the new stabilizer on and it drives like a drive.

It goes in on monday for a tune up and look over the rear end.

The rear is really concerning me the most at this point just due to how rotten/rusted it is. Id love to AAL and replace the rear shocks but only if its worth it. So much rust, i fear that replacing the rear suspension would be almost impossible due to the rust welding at all the bolts? Anyone delt with rust on this level before?

 

Yeah. Part it out. Rust is major body damage.

Or find a Jeep with a good body and blown engine and do some swapping of parts.

Might be easier. And safer.

 

His tires are in poor condition and might be contributing to the wobble.

 

i honestly didnt think anyones rust problem was as bad or worse than mine...congratulations buddy you just took the cake... those leaves are awful. if you want to keep that thing, im gonna say go to the junkyard and get some new leaf springs, floors and go get tires somewhere. good luck with that thing.

 

Yeah thats what im afraid of, but deep down i know it was that bad. Ive been looking at other blow engine and the like parted out XJs in my area. People still seem to want an awful lot for them.

I am hoping to make it through winter time with it. But i wonder how realistic that is???

 

Wow, that is some bad Cancer.
Not to be the "Bummer Man", but I would not drive that on the road.
Find a rust free one and use that for parts.
That has Broke down, accident written all over it.
JMHO, YMMV

 

Just got my jeep back from my local mech.
He tuned it up. Welded the sway bar back in place. Bleeded the brakes (fixed them). Checked the ventilation and assessed the rear end rust.

His assessment was that all the hard points for the parts are intact well enough to fix the sag: replace leafs and shocks. He says its not nearly as bad as it looks and that it will definately make it through the winter. He doubts the rear end will fall off or anything.

unfortunately it wont ever tow anything with that hitch ever again. He says he could cut it the rest of the way off and install a aftermarket hitch if i can find one.

 

I'm not sure how many of the folks replying are from upstate NY, but I'm from Syracuse and that isn't honestly all that bad...I mean, seeing it with my own eyes would be better but most of the vehicles around these parts look like that and they function fine, just make sure there aren't any rot holes in your frame.

Whereabouts in NY do you reside?

-Nate

 

I live in warren county. So im northerly of you. I got family in 'cuse, travel there from time to time. go orange. and i love me some middle ages brew fest beer.