po0dingles

Hi Everyone!

Been lurking here for a while and finally bought a Black 98 Limited today! V8, 4x4, needs some paint and some minor things here and there but I'm loving it so far.

It's taking me a little time to get used to the way it handles (very different from my vette) and there's a lot of "play" in the feel of the steering. The previous owner told me his son asked the mechanic to make it like this because he felt it was too responsive. Is that bs??? I'm considering having it put it back to make the steering more responsive but what do I ask for? Would this make the jeep more prone to roll-overs.

I need a new headliner as the orange foam is completely exposed. The previous owner ripped it all out. I saw a few people here had custom headliners. I was thinking maybe leather or carbon fiber cloth wrap. Any ideas what this would cost to do? I saw some online but wasn't sure it would fit properly or if I need a "pad" to go between the foam and the fabric.

Last, on the highway I was hearing a whirring noise coming from the rear of the car. To describe the sound, it's similar to the noise of disk brakes being applied (not squealing, just the metal on pad sound). Since the truck is 4x4 all the time, is this sound normal? Should I have the rear end looked over by a mechanic? I don't believe it to be a frozen brake caliper, I checked for burnt brake dust and couldn't smell anything. No burnt trans oil smell from the dipstick.

Other than that, the truck's in pretty good shape. As far as mods go, where do I begin? I'm not interested really in making this into a race truck, as it's going to be used as a daily beater. I'd go for headers/intake but leave it at that most likely unless there are cheap hp gains that can be made elsewhere.

Ultimately I'd like to install a moderate lift, some big tires, metal bumpers, rocker protectors, basket, and lamps. Going to be doing a bunch of searches but curious what is most popular around here.

Point me in the right direction! Suggestions welcome!

dave1123

The very first thing I would have checked out are the steering and the rear differential. The handling with two live axles if very solid and flat on turns. My buddy once said "Rides like a hobby horse, corners like a couch." His meaning was it tends to pitch fore and aft but solid in corners. It's quite a change from your 'vette. Don't worry too much about roll-overs. Unless it's jacked, you can spin it before it will roll.

My major concern is the rear end. This and the transmission are the major failure points with Jeeps. Also the viscous clutch in the transfer case. The pinion bearings in the rear axle are usually the problem with the rear end. It's best to get it checked out by a GOOD mechanic. One whose done rear axles before.

The steering is critical. There should be no play in it. Any looseness can cause the infamous "Death Wobble". This is where it starts to shake and you can't control the direction.

The 5.2 is a good motor. With attention to regular service it will last.

Welcome to the world of Jeepin'. You can learn a lot just by reading the threads. You'll be saying "Yeah, I'll have to check that on mine." Check out the first "sticky" post to get some ideas of what you can do with a lift and tires.

You bought the right model. After 98 it became the WJ and it's a totally different animal.

po0dingles

Yikes thanks for the warm welcome and tips! Yeah I test drove one jeep (totally stock like mine) and it was a totally different ride. It felt like I could turn the wheel and not tell what direction I was going...as if the frame/wheels were separated from the body. Hard to describe.

As far as having the rear end and tranny looked at, I'll look for a reputable shop but what do I ask them to do exactly? Do I just say I want the rear end serviced? Also what is a ball park estimate for this kind of work?

I've also heard the motor mounts are prone to wearing out in vehicles this old. I guess I can have them check that as well.

dnuccio

if you tell them to service the rear end, all they will do is change the fluid. tell them you want the bearings checked and replaced if needed. cost depends on the shop, ive seen anywhere from 400-900 when its all said and done

dave1123

When I bought my 97 ZJ, the rear axle was whining. I took it to my local Jeep dealer to have it checked out. The service manager put it up on the lift and used a stethoscope on it, told me exactly what was wrong, but advised me not to put any money into the vehicle because of it's age and condition. Yeah, right! They only charged me for lift time, about $35. Amazing!

po0dingles

Ah thanks! I'm looking at a couple places in south Florida (Fort Lauderdale area) to bring it. Found a couple places on another forum that people recommended but I'm open to other places if anyone has any input.

I assume neither the rear end nor the axle are things that can whine/whurr for very long before they fail completely? I'm sorta hoping I can repair whatever it is on the cheap so I can dump funds into headers/intake/exhaust

Of course that will only put more strain on those parts tho...

dave1123

It depends on what's wrong how long an axle will last after it starts whining. My ZJ lasted about 6 months. When it went, I was going about 65 on the interstate with the radio on and the windows down when I thought I heard something. There was an exit coming up, so I started slowing down when WHAM! The gears exploded. I got out and looked. The diff was smoking! I could move the pinion up and down (after it cooled) about 3/4"! We pulled the driveshaft out and limped home on the front axle. (242 Selectrac) The bearings were so far gone the pinion wasn't even touching the ring gear.

That was 6 months of normal driving with no hard acceleration. It happened after about 45 minutes on the highway at 65 in hilly terrain. The front axle was fine because with the 242 it didn't get used as much. The jeep had 185K on her.

SoCalxJ4.0

It's not a truck. Learn your "Jeepspeak" before you say something stupid like calling it a car next.

cherokee94&99

It's also not a cherokee it's a grand cherokee, he's like those people on craigslist that post grand parts as cherokee parts. You would think that for someone who started a thread to wine about grammer and sentence composition would have taken the time to get familiarized with proper jeep terminology.

po0dingles