Black Betty (Bought then Rebuilt)
07-14-2013, 04:12 PM
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Black Betty (Bought then Rebuilt)
So, I've been looking forever on CL for a decent XJ to buy. I originally wanted a stock one so I could do the build myself and learn along the way.. But one day an XJ came up that looked like what I wanted to build myself. It was listed at 3000$.
So I figured why not shoot an email to the owner it couldn't hurt. So I did and I asked a few questions about it just to know a little more than what was on the post.
Seemed legit after talking to the woman who was selling the jeep and I asked for a few days to get some money together. She said she would hold if for 5 days max. I tried and tried to scrape money together but couldn't get more than 1,000 bucks. So I emailed her and apologized for wasting her time and that I could only scrounge up a 1000, but if she would like to sell it to me for 1000 I would gladly buy.
A few days later she emails me saying she got a flat tire that day and she was over the jeep and she would take my offer for 1000 bucks.
Drove the next day down to where she was an checked it out. Deffinetely was not worth 3000!! I almost didnt give her 1000 bucks it was so muffed up.
Anyways, sorry about how long this post is. Here is a photo of it in her driveway when I picked her up.
We inflated the tire and drove it goodyear and they patched it for 20bucks. and she was highway ready!
So I figured why not shoot an email to the owner it couldn't hurt. So I did and I asked a few questions about it just to know a little more than what was on the post.
Seemed legit after talking to the woman who was selling the jeep and I asked for a few days to get some money together. She said she would hold if for 5 days max. I tried and tried to scrape money together but couldn't get more than 1,000 bucks. So I emailed her and apologized for wasting her time and that I could only scrounge up a 1000, but if she would like to sell it to me for 1000 I would gladly buy.
A few days later she emails me saying she got a flat tire that day and she was over the jeep and she would take my offer for 1000 bucks.
Drove the next day down to where she was an checked it out. Deffinetely was not worth 3000!! I almost didnt give her 1000 bucks it was so muffed up.
Anyways, sorry about how long this post is. Here is a photo of it in her driveway when I picked her up.
We inflated the tire and drove it goodyear and they patched it for 20bucks. and she was highway ready!
Last edited by Stolz; 07-14-2013 at 04:22 PM.
07-14-2013, 04:25 PM
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Here's a photo of the engine, has a K&N air filter, K&N oil filter, and you can't see it obviously but she has a flowmaster as well. Not sure which flowmaster is on her but eh it's there.
07-14-2013, 04:30 PM
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Here's another photo.
32 inch BFG All Terrains
4.5 inch lift (not sure which company)
Some rust and some damage to rain gutter, she claims a previous roof rack did the damage.
32 inch BFG All Terrains
4.5 inch lift (not sure which company)
Some rust and some damage to rain gutter, she claims a previous roof rack did the damage.
07-14-2013, 04:41 PM
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So, when I picked it up I drove it roughly 100 miles back home on the freeway and by some miracle I made it. Because when I got home and started driving it around town I quickly found out that I had the infamous Death Wobble. I got DW once on the side roads and was confused on what had just happened. (I'm young in the ways of the Jeep). So the next day I'm cruising a good 70mph on the freeway and I hit a pothole and all hell breaks loose. My jeep is bouncing around vibrating like I'm re entering the earths atmosphere as I am breaking and swerving through traffic to make it to shoulder. I made it to the side and it stopped around 20mph, but man was I scared.
So I looked up online what would be the problem and stuff and I had a shop look at it and they told me to start with new front shocks because they were dead and useless pretty much. And a new steering stabilzer.
So I went online and bought the same front shocks I had on before, since I dont know my lift company or exact size I thought I should play it safe.
So here's the old shocks out.
And the new ones in
Here's a picture of the old steering stabilzer as well
and the new one, has some dirt and weird sun light on it
BTW shop told me problems and I did the work at home with a friend. Learned a lot with these two simple replacements! Had a blast.
So I looked up online what would be the problem and stuff and I had a shop look at it and they told me to start with new front shocks because they were dead and useless pretty much. And a new steering stabilzer.
So I went online and bought the same front shocks I had on before, since I dont know my lift company or exact size I thought I should play it safe.
So here's the old shocks out.
And the new ones in
Here's a picture of the old steering stabilzer as well
and the new one, has some dirt and weird sun light on it
BTW shop told me problems and I did the work at home with a friend. Learned a lot with these two simple replacements! Had a blast.
07-14-2013, 04:47 PM
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Year: 1996
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Engine: 4.0L
Check all of your bushings. Make sure everything is bolted down tight. What kind of trackbar? How are the bushings? Main dw things. Steering stabilizer, not as much.
Oh, next time, if you find out you have something serious wrong with it, that you may not be able to control, please don't take it on the freeway at 70... Just .02
Oh, next time, if you find out you have something serious wrong with it, that you may not be able to control, please don't take it on the freeway at 70... Just .02
07-14-2013, 05:10 PM
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It was worth 1000, was just exaggerating. Main reason was it wasn't registered for a bit so there were some back fees at the DMV to pay on it. But still got a killer deal.
@SoCalxJ4.0 Maybe I didn't make it clear enough the first time that I didn't even really know what DW was then and that time on the freeway was the first time I got it bad(true death wobble). The other time was a slight wobble nothing close to the real DW. And obviously I didn't take it on the freeway knowing I had DW or after I knew I had the DW. Since then I've replaced my front shocks, steering stabilzer, and tightened my track bar (was loose). Re-greased my control arms.
Since these changes I have not had DW and do just fine on the highway. Still need to replace a few bushings and I'm saving for a new adjustable trackbar.
Saving up will be a little slow considering I got engaged a two months ago and have to save most my money for wedding/honeymoon.
@SoCalxJ4.0 Maybe I didn't make it clear enough the first time that I didn't even really know what DW was then and that time on the freeway was the first time I got it bad(true death wobble). The other time was a slight wobble nothing close to the real DW. And obviously I didn't take it on the freeway knowing I had DW or after I knew I had the DW. Since then I've replaced my front shocks, steering stabilzer, and tightened my track bar (was loose). Re-greased my control arms.
Since these changes I have not had DW and do just fine on the highway. Still need to replace a few bushings and I'm saving for a new adjustable trackbar.
Saving up will be a little slow considering I got engaged a two months ago and have to save most my money for wedding/honeymoon.
Last edited by Stolz; 07-14-2013 at 05:13 PM.
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07-14-2013, 06:45 PM
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Year: 1997
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You would be better off taking the stabilizer off for a bit and driving and see if the wobble is truly fixed because a stabilizer can help smooth the transition from steering left to right and vice versus but it can also hide other problems and be just a band aid to a real problem.
07-14-2013, 08:42 PM
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It was worth 1000, was just exaggerating. Main reason was it wasn't registered for a bit so there were some back fees at the DMV to pay on it. But still got a killer deal.
@SoCalxJ4.0 Maybe I didn't make it clear enough the first time that I didn't even really know what DW was then and that time on the freeway was the first time I got it bad(true death wobble). The other time was a slight wobble nothing close to the real DW. And obviously I didn't take it on the freeway knowing I had DW or after I knew I had the DW. Since then I've replaced my front shocks, steering stabilzer, and tightened my track bar (was loose). Re-greased my control arms.
Since these changes I have not had DW and do just fine on the highway. Still need to replace a few bushings and I'm saving for a new adjustable trackbar.
Saving up will be a little slow considering I got engaged a two months ago and have to save most my money for wedding/honeymoon.
@SoCalxJ4.0 Maybe I didn't make it clear enough the first time that I didn't even really know what DW was then and that time on the freeway was the first time I got it bad(true death wobble). The other time was a slight wobble nothing close to the real DW. And obviously I didn't take it on the freeway knowing I had DW or after I knew I had the DW. Since then I've replaced my front shocks, steering stabilzer, and tightened my track bar (was loose). Re-greased my control arms.
Since these changes I have not had DW and do just fine on the highway. Still need to replace a few bushings and I'm saving for a new adjustable trackbar.
Saving up will be a little slow considering I got engaged a two months ago and have to save most my money for wedding/honeymoon.
08-13-2013, 09:50 PM
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Well the driving the jeep the other day I noticed a weird smell. And what do you know, my carpet was on fire. And I have rusted floor boards! The flowmaster below seemed to have rushed the rust right above it made a large whole causing the flowmaster to light the carpet on fire mid drive. Was a pretty fun night.
