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Still looking for a Jeep for myself. Will not be a DD so gas mileage isn't a huge concern. I've got a lead on a 79 Cherokee (SJ?). It's got the 360 and D44's front and rear. Full-time 4wd (quadradrive?). The price is right. I've heard that the full time T-case (quadradrive?) is garbage and to steer clear. It looks stock. I would be doing SOA and 33's or 35's.

Basically, I'm asking what I should look out for on these rigs besides rust?

Thanks,

Carl

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Carl
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This is from memory, but the full time TC was called QuadraTrac, sported vacuum controls, an optional low range and was a favorite butt of Consumer Reports back then, for reliability issues. The International Full Size Jeep Association

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is a good place to look for information.It is not so much that the TC is "garbage", but that the vacuum controls canbe quirky, it takes a special fluid, and parts can be hard to find.Retrofitting a manual transfer case is a conceivable option. Things to look out for on these rigs are rust, rust and rust. Anything else that breaks is in principle fixable. If the price is really right, the body is OK and you have some available real estate, then you can start collecting running or scrap vehicles for spare parts. The engine is an obsolete thing, as AMC is out of the full sized Jeep business. Piston rings, gaskets and bearing inserts should still be available however. Although the transmission is likely internally a Chrysler products 727, the case and bell housing adapter is different. This means that rebuilding it shouldn't be a big deal, but a cracked case can lead to a parts hunt. Electrical, convenience parts like door handles, lift gate motor, AC evaporator, etc. can be problematical to find, as is the case with any old car. Weatherstrip and mouldings, good luck. Brake shoes, bearings, U-joints, carburetor rebuild kits, ignition parts shouldn't be too bad.

Earle

"Carl" wrote in message news:UN2dnbi4IdGGbELZnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com...

Reply to
Earle Horton

Thanks, Earle. I'll check closely for rust. He says its got 90,000 miles, the price is 1500. The body looks decent.

Carl

Reply to
Carl

Yup, that's the Borg-Warner 1339 QuadraTrac. It's not a bad case, really, but there are better. I have one of these in my '79 CJ7 and it has been good to me. Parts are still available, check the 4WD Hardware catalog. It takes a special fluid, don't use anything else in it! The transmission in front of it is a Turbo 400.

The low range WAS optional. If it is there, there should be a small lever on the floor in front of the driver's seat to control it.

The vacuum control for locking the differential in the t-case is in the glove box. It will be labelled "Emergency Drive"

On the CJ7 w/QuadraTrac, the rear pumpkin is offset (to the right, I think). This makes swapping in a different t-case trickier. If this is the case in the SJ, you'll need to find one with the correct drop or swap axles too.

Rust is indeed a big issue with Jeeps of that era. I am convinced that my CJ7's body was made out of compressed rust...

"Earle Horton" wrote in news:44e0003f$0$23730$ snipped-for-privacy@reader.athenanews.com:

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Red Jeep

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