In your Jeep Creep questions, please list your first and last names, your hometown, and your state/province/country, so that we can publish that information here. If you don’t provide this information, we may not be able to publish your question and answer. Don’t forget to be as complete as possible with the description of your Jeep and its problems, too.

One Jeep Recall:

10V-085
Chrysler is recalling model year 2010 Jeep Commander and Grand Cherokee vehicles. They may have been built with an improperly manufactured rear track bar. Reduced vehicle stability could occur increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect the rear track bar bushing retaining hoop and replace the rear track bar if any are found to be mis-positioned. The safety recall is expected to begin during April 2010. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. 

Trail Tips

This month I’m instituting a new feature. I’m calling it Trail Tips, and I’ll be including up to three tips each month shuffled in amongst the questions and answers. I’ll be numbering them sequentially so if you keep a file on the tips, you’ll know right away if you’re missing any.

Trail Tip #1—Include a bar of hand soap with your trail kit. If you should puncture your gas tank, rubbing a liberal amount of hand soap on the hole will seal it temporarily. It’s gotten me home more than once, and it’ll seal a hole up to a 1/4”. Make sure it’s true soap such as Palmolive or Lava or it won’t work.

Grand Gauges Check

Hey, I have a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee and recently the “check gauges” sign appeared, and my battery gauge read zero. When I tried to start the Jeep, the dials all spun, making a clicking noise. When I jumped the battery, it ran for a bit with me sitting in it occasionally revving the engine. However, when I left it alone it just died. I am in some dire need.
Chris

Chris, I think you’ve fried the alternator or the fan belt is slipping (although you would hear it squeaking if it was slipping).

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Update the Suspension

What would I need to replace on the suspension on a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee to make it drive like it did when it was new? I just replaced the ball joints and it has 175,000 miles on the vehicle.
JL

With that many miles without a shock replacement, I’d say your shocks are shot. Once the shocks are replaced—if something else isn’t damaged or worn out—your original ride should be back.

Better MPG?

I have a 1998 Jeep Wrangler 6-cylinder, and I get awful gas mileage. I have a crack in my exhaust manifold and I was wondering is it better to put the stock manifold back on it or try and put headers on it? I have heard different opinions, that the headers will give me a little better gas mileage. Is this true? If not, is there anything you can do to a stock Jeep to make it get better mpg?
Thanks,
Doug in Gainesville, Florida

Doug, almost everything you do to a Jeep to make it better off-road makes it worse—mileage-wise—on-road. However, with your model-year Jeep, an aftermarket exhaust header would increase mileage incrementally but it would take you many years and many, many miles to offset the header’s price with your savings in fuel costs. Just keeping the Jeep in tip-top tune-up shape and all the filters clean and flowing will do more for your mileage, and you don’t have to worry about a smog test.

Trail Tip #2—The next time you change out your fan belt (or belts) save the removed belts for an emergency trail repair should a fan belt let go. I’ve carried a fan belt taped to my CJ7’s radiator support strut for years. Then, when you change the belt again, replace the saved belt with the more recently removed belt and continue this practice for as long as you own your Jeep.

Wet TJ

I drive a ‘97 Jeep TJ Sport. Lately, when it rains or snows or the Jeep gets really wet, it refuses to start. It will try, but won’t turn over. Someone mentioned that it might be a problem with my distributor getting wet. Is this correct? And if so, what can I do to fix it? Thanks, Porsche

First, make sure the spark plug wires are in good condition. If you’re not sure about them, replace them. Then make sure the distributor cap and rotor are in excellent shape and not burnt (if they have burnt spots, you should replace them before proceeding). Third, buy a can of clear lacquer spray paint and spray the cap and wires to seal them against moisture.

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Bigger Meats

Hey, Jeep Creep, I got a few questions. 1) I have a 2004 TJ and was looking to upgrade to 31.0 X 10.50s and make the ride a little smoother, but I’m unsure the best way to go about it? I’ve checked out 2” suspension lifts by Rubicon Express and Superlift and I know the basics are shocks and spacers but I want to improve my control arms (mine have bent before) and springs while possibly being upgradeable. Is this needed or is a basic lift fine? I’m not worried about a few hundred bucks variance as long as the whole thing is quality and not crap. What do you think?
Thanks,
M.D.
Salisbury, MD

MD, if all you want is a 2” lift—and you’re worried about weak control arms—I’d suggest a simple 2” body lift. This will give you the additional tire clearance but won’t change your ride and your center of gravity is very nearly the same as well. Plus, if you later decide for a suspension lift, you already have a leg up with the body lift.

Waggy Upgrade

Do you have any info on a 1986 Jeep Wagoneer 2.8l engine swap to a Chevy 4.3l V6? Maybe some type of book or manual?
David Fowler
Oklahoma City, OK

David, Advance Adapters has all the information—including instruction books—and parts that you’ll need for this swap.

Trail Tip #3—When you’re on a trail, don’t just look ahead. Keep your eye on your back trail as well and make note of prominent landmarks. Trails look completely different when going in different directions and you never know when you may have to turn around and find your way out.

Bushed Bushings

I’m replacing the upper control arms in my 2001 TJ, and need to replace the bushings in the axle housing that attaches to the upper arms. No one knows where I can find the bushings except the dealer who wants an arm and a leg. Any ideas?
Josh Lemons
Mesa, AZ

Almost any suspension manufacturer can supply these to you. Go on the website of 4-Wheel Parts, 4-Wheel Hardware, or Quadratec and you’ll find just what you need.

A Fiver from DePere

Does anyone know the measurements of a door from a 1978 Jeep CJ5? I want to build a hard half-door.
G-Dawg
DePere, WI

If you can’t take the measurements yourself from the Jeep, try Bestop’s customer service department. Bestop is the best place to find soft tops and they make tops for CJ5s, perhaps they can give you the measurements if you don’t have the CJ5 at hand to measure it yourself.

Sport Swap

I am in need of swapping out the engine in my 2000 Wrangler Sport (4.0L 6-cyl) and have found a 1999 Wrangler engine (4.0L 6-cyl) for it. I know Jeep made some changes to the engine from ‘99 to ‘00. Would this engine be compatible and what things would I need to look for, modify or upgrade, if any?
A. Perino
Chicago, IL

About the only difference might be in the emissions controls. If you use all the emissions components from the OEM engine, you shouldn’t have a problem.

Trail Tip Teaser—Keep an eye out for next month’s tips. I’m going to tell you four or five methods for fire starting without matches.

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.