Hi, I currently own a 79 Jeep Cj-5 and am looking to buy a 91-95 Wrangler in the next few months. I was wondering what sort of things should I look for on these Jeeps? Do they have any notorious problems? I understand that there are several different models avaliable (SE, Rio Grande, Sahara) what are the differences in each of these models? Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Gary
I have a 95 YJ SE model.. It has NO options.. No AC, No power steering.. Manual everything... It didn't even come with a stereo.. The Rio Grande, if I am not mistaken was basically an SE model that all maxed on options.. AC, Power Everything, and different wheels...Hope this helps..
Ben
All the differn't wrangler for these years are just trim levels as i understand. Sahara for example would have nicer seats, stereo, A/C and a 4.0 as best i can remember.
None of these trim levels indicates a bigger differentail or limited slip or anything like that.
I hope iam not wrong this is what i remember being told.
Nothing too look out for then any other jeep, ball joints, u joints. The 91 and later has multiport fuel injection and the AX 5 or AX 15 trans. Change all fluids when you get it.
Make sure no fluid is coming from the bell housing of the transmission, might mean at the least a leaking rear main seal and at worst (my wrangler) a leaking clutch slave cylinder. The vacuum system for 4WD can be problematic. A manual disconnect called a posi lok can be bought at
I would try and get one with the 4.0. I like mine MPG around 18/19 and when it fails, plan on using a 4.2 crank and connecting rods along with a differnt cam making it a 4.5 L
-Brian O|||||O 91 YJ 4.0
Thanks for all the info! I would be looking at the nicer Jeep model problably with ps, pb, ac, tilt, etc etc... Which model would that be? (Out of the ALL models avaliable) Are the Ax 5 and Ax 15 trans any good? I'm not interested in the autos at all. Just the manuals. Thanks again,
Gary
Brian wrote:
transmission,
Wrangler
Actually I will be buying the 6 cylinder, so how good is the AX 15 trannie?
It's a pretty sound Japanese unit. If you are going to put a big lift on then you might want to change it, but by that point you will have replaced everything below the floor !
I would go with a TJ, which means post 97. 99 is the year that they got everything right. This gives you airbags, superior rear seat seatbelts, and coil spring suspension, but still has the fuel injected inline six which should give you 200,000 miles.
If airbags and seatbelts are not that important to you (an absolute must for the drivers in my family) you still need to consider the coil springs. I do not know about the YJ, but my 49 with leafs is a battle ship to turn. The TJ can 'turn a square corner' plus stepping up on curbs or going over those silly little bumps at the nose of parking spaces is no bother at all.
A fair criticism of the TY is that you give up being able to fold the window down.
Oddly enough, that stuff about all the Wrangler differences being in trim packages and not where it matters sounds distressingly close to a book I'm now reading: "The Decline And Fall of the American Automobile Industry" (Brock Yates, 1983). In that book Yates excoriates the Big Three in general (AMC was too poor even then to be nimble in the design department) and GM in particular for ignoring public buying trends around 1980 in sporty, economical, compact cars and instead pigheadedly adding highly profitable trim packages with gobs of chrome to bloated, ugly sheetmetal hiding flaccid, antiquated running gear. _Optional_ "Nicer seats, stereo and A/C" is an example he uses over and over.
Some things never change it seems.
Brian wrote:
[snip]Fine tranny, alot better then it's french pedacessor, but change the fluid when you get it. As you don't know who did what to it. Running the YJ through water can result in water leaking in contaiminating the fluid. I am replacing mine soon with a salvage unit for about $500. The TJ is alot better with the coil springs, if you get a skyjacker 2.5 in suspension kit for example, the YJ it will ride pretty nice.
-Brian
O|||||O YJ 4.0
You can always pull the stoopid button vent on the tranny and put a piece of gas line in the hole to make a nipple for a high water line on the tranny like the t-case and diffs have.
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT'sBrian wrote:
Think about it, though. Who is the majority of the market? Not the mechanics. What does the majority of the market know about the powertrain? Almost nothing (they know a bigger number for HP and smaller for MPG is better, but that's about it). What does the majority of the market know about trim and chrome? Everything. So where are they going to put their money? Where they see it having more value, and that's in the trim. The educated few will base decisions on the mechanical design and construction. This is just basic business, and it doesn't apply just to cars.
-D
Are you referring to the windshield? My owners manual ('05 TJ) explains how to fold the windshield down, and the windshild and hood have the brackets for tying it securely.
-D
I cannot belive I said "TY". It was early and I was working on my first cup of cofee.
What I meant was that one day I noticed that on my 99 with the windshield wipers where they are they would have to be removed from the cowling to fold down the front windshield, or else take the glass out of the windshield, which would be eclectic to say the least.
:-). I figured it was probably a typo.
That is correct. The YJ and CJ-7 (and -5?) have this problem too (or at least it appears so without an up-close inspection). Anyways, the video shows how to remove the wiper arms : 1) raise the arm so the wiper blade is off the window 2) slide the latch/tab up 3) lift the arm off the pivot gear
No tools necessary. If you look close you'll see a little tab at the base of the arm. It is "locked" in place when the arm is in its normal position with the blade against the windshield (therefore step #1).
Hmm, Nathan pointed out that the subwoofer makes the center console too small for his 1911. Now that I think about it, it is also too small to hold the wiper arms, which is where the video suggests stowing them.
-D
The CJ's don't have wiper issues when lowering the windshield, don't think the YJ's do either. That is a TJ thing.
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT'sDerrick Huds>
So then what you are trying to say Lee, is that there are no actual packages avaliable which offers the ideal options I am looking for? They are just "moneymakers"? My wipers on the CJ-5 are fine whenever I put the windshield down also...
Gary
Ok. How does it work on the CJs and YJ? I've seen pictures that show really old CJs have the wipers mounted on the top of the windshield. I can see how that wouldn't be a problem. I'd like to know how the newer ones with the mounts below the windshield don't get in the way.
-D
The hood has two padded inverted loops that the windshield rests on with a footman loop in the middle to tie it down to. These are set so the windshield folds perfectly level so there are a couple inches of clearance between the glass and the hood. This clears the wiper arm pivots and arms just fine.
It's really cool running with no doors and no windshield on the bush trails. But if you have a smart assed kid you are 'letting' drive, you gotta watch out for low hanging branches... ;-)
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT'sDerrick Huds>
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