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Previous Jeep Creep Q&As:

October 2010

September, 2010

August, 2010

No Jeep Recall

Leaning TJ
I have a 2000 Jeep TJ with a noticeable lean to the right rear (1-inch below the left rear). The Jeep has a 2.5L engine with a Dana 35 rear. I have read many articles and forums about this and have heard several different opinions about both the cause and the fix. I intend to replace the springs and shocks when I lift the Jeep, but I do not want to invest the money in springs if the problem will just come back. I would like to make sure that I know what the root cause of the lean is and what would be a correct fix. Below is a list of some of the potential causes and their fix that I have read previously:

Cause #1: All Jeeps come from the factory with some lean.

Fix: Add sway bar disconnects and adjust to level the vehicle; or, add a spacer to the side sagging; or, replace the springs.

Cause #2: Due to the open axle, all torque from the engine is applied to the RR wheel causing premature wear of the spring.

Fix: Replace the differential with a full locking differential and replace springs; or, replace the differential with a limited slip differential and replace springs; or, install a Powertrax Lock Right kit and replace springs; or, upgrade axles to Dana 44s and replace springs.

Doug Utley

Doug, #2 is hilarious with a 4-banger!! Maybe that would happen if there was a big block Chevy up front pumping out tons of torque and hundreds of horses, but not with the 2-1/2 liter 4-banger. Anyway, the lift kit will cure the lean, with or without a locker.

Florida Fiver
I have an ‘81 CJ5 6-cyl 4-speed and prefer to have a 5-speed transmission. What would be your choice and this 50/50 off-road?
Jimbo
Lake City, FL

A T-5 out of an ‘80s CJ will bolt right in, although some driveshaft modification may be necessary. Or you could use an NV 3550 transmission from Advance Adapters. Are you sure you have the horsepower and gears to pull an overdrive?

Cherokee Flasher
I have a ‘96 Cherokee Sport. When I turn on right turn signal, it flashes the indicator lamp, the right front, and ALL rear lights (brake and turn). Looks like a dead short from right brake to left. All bulbs and sockets are OK. Could the flasher be grounded? Left works OK; 4-ways are OK. Step on brake while in right turn mode and it stops flashing.
Retired lawman
Westerville, OH

It could be a crossed wire in the taillight coupler; however, start by replacing the bulbs in the affected taillight one at a time. Sometimes a shorted filament in the bulb can cause this effect. If the Jeep has a towing light connector in the system, this could also cause the problem (the relays are in the rear of the Cherokee under a panel on the side). And, lastly, it could be the multifunction switch.

If you don’t mind taking the time, remove both taillight assemblies. Plug the left one into the right pigtail. Do the lights work correctly? If so, it’s in the right taillight assembly. If not, it’s forward of the coupler.

Also, try pushing the hazards on and off about 12 times or so. Do the hazards continue to work? Do the symptoms change as you’re doing that?

If you do go with LEDs, make sure the kit includes resistors. LED taillights use so little juice, the flasher thinks a light is missing in the system so it flashes very rapidly.

Sneaky Leaky
Great site! I have a 2002 Jeep Wrangler (6-cyl.) and there is a slow coolant leak that started today but I can’t tell where it is coming from by looking through the top or crawling underneath. It just seems to leak while under pressure (running) and it is very minimal. Supposed to be 110 degrees this weekend and I am afraid to drive it. Any suggestions on how I find this sneaky leak? Mark
Gilbert, AZ

You can put food dye in the coolant to help you find the leak. Then pull the radiator—if it’s in the radiator and not some other portion of the cooling system—and have it repaired. Or you can buy a tube of Alumaseal and add it to your coolant (follow the directions on the tube). I’ve been using Alumaseal since the ‘60s with excellent results.

Buick V6
I have a ‘70 jeep with 225 Buick V6. Will a SM465 CM transmission bolt up with out a lot of problems?
Phil
St. Pete, FL

You need to go to Advance Adapters’ website. All the information you’ll need for the conversion can be found there.

Trail Tip
I am trying to find if the Dusy-Ershim Trail is open or closed this time of the year? Does anyone know where to look or who to contact?
Edwin

Try www.californiajeeper.com/dusy_ershim/review.htm. On www.californiajeeper.com you’ll many more trails, including maps.

Rattling Wrangler
I have a 1997 Wrangler Sport 6-cyl. with a 5-speed transmission that was stock until I put on a set of 33x12.5x15 BFG A/T tires a few months ago. It has low miles, around 81,000, and it ran like a dream. Didn’t rub at all, very smooth on the highway. Kind of drove like a car. Then a few weeks ago I decided I wanted to put a 4-in. lift on it, so I had a local 4x4 shop install a Skyjacker 4-in. short arm kit with new coils, shocks, front and rear control arms, transfer case lowering kit, etc. All the necessary parts to successfully lift the Jeep.

Now here’s my two-part question: First, the rattle. Whenever I am in first and accelerate from a stop, there is a rattle coming from what sounds like in front of, and below, the shifter (below the radio under the floorboard). It has the same sound as a loose passenger seat rattle, like a fast tap, tap, tap (metal on metal). It only happens when I start in 1st gear for about 3 seconds, goes away, and then starts again about 40+ miles per hour and is constantly tapping as long as I keep it above 40-45 mph. Can you please help me (and my mechanics!) figure out what this is? We’ve dug our hands all around there under the shifter, above the tranny and can’t find anything.

Here’s the second part: Like I said, the Jeep had such a smooth ride when it was stock with the 33s. Since I put the 4-in. lift on, I feel every little bump, dip, and crack in the road. Sometimes on the highway I get launched upward out of my seat! Plus, the rear end sways back to forth at any speed. I know a sway bar might help with this, but is there hope I can get a smooth ride back again? I don’t go off-roading much, just some innocent mudding every once in a while, so comfort is priority!! Everyone is telling me “Well, that’s what happens when you put on a 4-in. lift”, but I don’t want to loathe riding in my Jeep. Even going to the store means a rough ride—bumps, swaying—and then there’s that rattle!!!
Please help me! I am this close to selling it and starting all over.
John Heisler
Studio City, CA

Part 1: I believe this is caused by the increased angle of your forward U-joint (on rear driveshaft). If you tilt the rear of the T-case downward somewhat, it should correct this problem. Also make sure the rear U-joints are aligned properly and weren’t reclocked out of sync when the lift was installed.

Part 2: I have a feeling the difference in your ride is caused by new shocks. I’m not sure how many miles you had on the odometer before the lift, but I’d bet the OEM shocks had never been changed out. Over time, the shocks wear and get softer but it’s done so gradually that you never noticed. Now that you have new—and stiffer shocks to better control the taller Jeep—you’re noticing every bump and joint in the road. While I’ve enjoyed Skyjacker lifts on several of my vehicles over the years—my ‘82 CJ7 has a 4-in. Skyjacker lift—their shocks can be a bit stiff for many people. I suggest you set them aside for now and install a set of Rancho 9000 shocks. They are fully adjustable through nine levels of support—I run my JK shocks at about 7 on the highway and about 2 or 3 when I let the air out of the tires to go off-road—so you can set them to your comfort level. An anti-sway bar would help tremendously without compromising the ride. (Save the Softride Skyjacker shocks for later on if you decide you want to use them on the more technical trails—such as you’ll find up around Big Bear.)

Tranny Trail Tip
Here are some interesting facts about Auto tranny cooling in JKs. What you think is the A/C condenser in front of the radiator is in fact that and the tranny cooler. The top 2/3 is A/C condenser and the bottom 1/3 is tranny cooler. TC (tranny cooler) is also behind air blocking metal and plastic, so at low speeds and crawling, little or no air flow gets to the TC. If you do any low-speed wheeling it will behoove you to put on an additional cooler. In the 2011s, Jeep has rerouted the exhaust system and cats to get some of the heat away from the tranny. Putting in skid plates also restricts the air flow around the tranny. Jeep replaced mine under warranty, but not all dealers are as user friendly as Perkins Jeep in Colorado Springs. So be warned, a $100 cooler is cheap insurance.

TJ Lift Kit
I have a ‘92 Jeep Wrangler and I want to put some 40-inch tires on it. But I don’t know what size suspension lift I need? I already have a 3-inch body lift on it.
Jimmy Moore

I have a 4-in. suspension lift and a 2-in. body lift on my ‘82 CJ7 and the 35-in. Goodyear MT/R tires still rub occasionally in tight turns. If you’re dead set on the 40-inchers, I’d go with a 6-in. long arm lift such as the one we’re installing on an ‘89 Cherokee right now. Check out “Master ‘Kee” here on Off-Road.com next month. Also, Jimmy, some body cutting is required to fit the larger tires. Go to http://www.4wd.com/ for cut-back steel front fenders that work well for these tires.

Crazy Conversion
I have quite the dilemma. I have a ‘94 2.5-liter manual Jeep Wrangler YJ. It started having a hard time going into 3rd gear and eventually into and out of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. I just replaced the stock clutch with a Center Force Stage 2, so I knew it wasn’t that. My buddy told me my synchronizers were going out and I picked up a transmission and transfer case off a ‘93 manual Wrangler. Before the parts came in, my rear U-joint broke, taking with it everything leading to and including the rear of my transfer case. I also picked up an ‘87 4.0-liter automatic Jeep Cherokee. I’m currently running 33s on the Wrangler and would like to put 35s on it soon. I also have leaf springs and would like to eventually go long-arm coil springs eventually. With the tire size, I’ve lost 5th gear completely. I’d like to improve the power of my Jeep getting as much for my money as possible. I know the Wrangler 4.0 will fit, but will the Cherokee 4.0 engine fit? I know I’d have to pick up another manual transmission and transfer case if it does fit, but could I get similar power improvements by just reducing the gears and putting the new used manual transmission and transfer case back on the 4-cyl. and keeping it in the Wrangler? I don’t want to put a ton of manpower, most of which I’ll be doing myself, into this project if it sounds better than it actually will be. Do you have any advice or suggestions? I’m really stuck.
Artie Leonard

I suggest you leave the 2.5L four-banger in the Jeep. Swapping in a 4.0L is lots of work (read that time and money) and it’ll need a bigger transmission to manage the torque. Go to 4.88:1 gears for the 35-in. tires.

As usual, each month, I’m shouting out a huge THANK YOU to Paul Schupp at Rock Lizard 4x4 in Kingman, Arizona, for his invaluable assistance in answering many of the Jeep Creep questions.