4 Wheel Drive/SUVs/jeep repair

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Expert: - 4/23/2004


Question
Hi Carl-I'm not sure if my question is in bounds for your area of expertise but I'll give it a shot anyway. I've got a 98 Jeep grand cherokee
ltd. It's got 67,000 miles on it. I just took
it in for it's first comprehensive servicing
(I got the car at 60,000) and have been told
that I need a bunch of things tended to like...
1. needs new front track bar
2. front everything-tire rods-all, ball joints-
upper, lower need replacing
3. the pinion seal is leaking
4. needs complete rotors and pads
5. front cv joint on L is leaking

Estimated cost is about 1600-before I get the work done I just wanted to confirm that all
this stuff is reasonable(or just possibly reasonable) for my car. Thanks very much-Seth

Answer
Seth,

Sounds like you went to a Jeep Dealer.  I would take the Jeep to a different reputable shop for another check up.  Make sure that you don't tell them about the previous checks.  This way you can compare items to see if they come up with the same list.  It sounds fishy that you would have that many problems in just 67,000 miles.  As far as some of these items go, such as the track bar, they are not a part that wears out.  If all of these items are faulty, then I would check to see if this vehicle has been in a wreck.  Either that, or it's seen some major air.

  Carl

4 Wheel Drive/SUVs

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Carl Brandt

Expertise

Will discuss suspensions, lifts, lockers along with tire suggestions. Trail ratings and possible requirements needed for specific type of trails. Safety equipment and what you should carry with you. Certified off-road instructor. I am not a mechanic, and 4-Wheeling is a hobby, so if I can't answer a technical question it is due to my mechanical knowledge being related to vehicles that I have owned, or have worked on. I do not have manuals on all vehicles.

Experience

40 plus years of 4 wheeling in a variety of vehicles. At the present time, my major off-road rig is a 94 Jeep Wrangler with a spring over and a 1 1/2" suspension lift. This gives me a total lift of 7" or so. I have lockers front and rear. I have removed the track bars, and sway bar for maximum articulation. I am running a stock 2.5 ltr 4 cylinder with a Jacobs ignition along with a cold air high flow filter. It has 4.56:1 gears with a Dodge NV4500 transmission along with a 3.8:1 Atlas II transfer case. This gives me a final ratio of 105:1 in low gear/low range. Other vehicles I own, are a 96 Ford F-250 with a 6" lift, posi rear end, 36" Hummer tires, 5 speed with a fuel injected 460 ci engine, an 87 Samurai with an 8" lift, Ford 9" rear end with a spool, Chevy Dana 44 front end with an electric locker, 5.88 gears, 16% reduction in high range and a 6.5:1 low range with 35" Baja Claws, and a stock 2003 Grand Cherokee Overland. Trails I have run are the Rubicon (10 times), Dusey Ershim, Fordyce Creek trail, McGrew trail, several trails in Moab, Utah along with local monthly runs.

Organizations
Lost Coast 4x4's Cal 4-Wheel Corva UFWDA Blue Ribbon Coalition

Education/Credentials
Certified off-road instructor - Certificates in engineering/electronics

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