# what jeep???



## Kauffballs (Jun 2, 2004)

I am looking to buy a jeep and was wanting some advice on the best years of the cj7? looking at the mid 80's. Is there a big difference between the mid 80's cj7 and the mis 90's wrangler? are there better engines to look for?
Thanks for any input.
Scott


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## Viking48 (Jan 24, 2006)

Kauffballs said:


> I am looking to buy a jeep and was wanting some advice on the best years of the cj7? looking at the mid 80's. Is there a big difference between the mid 80's cj7 and the mis 90's wrangler? are there better engines to look for?
> Thanks for any input.
> Scott


I'm far from being an expert and I think a lot depends on what you plan to do with it but when I was looking I decided on the Wrangler because of the increased stability. It's been a few years but it seems like there was a suspension improvement in the models around the late 90's - early 2000's. I wanted a 6 cyl which is pretty bulletproof and has plenty of power and I wanted a standard so my grandson could learn to drive one. I wound up with a '99 Wrangler. YMMV.


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## CodyB4C (Aug 8, 2006)

96 and under have leaf springs, 97 and newer have coils. The cj's look alot better then the yj's in my opinion and the cj's came with a v8 option, the inline 6 is a good motor though. If you get one old enough it will be an AMC Jeep. Just dont get a 4 cylinder...


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## Brokejeep (Oct 12, 2008)

I have owned many from the 40s to 90s and have built many up to 03, all have their good and bad points.

If you get a mid 80s CJ for off road get one with a T176 Four speed or automatic and 258 or V8, if it's for the street with stock tires then any one will work , if you want bigger tires like 33''s you want at least a 258 and don't get a five speed unless it has at least 3.73 gears in the axles, I have pulled many t-5s because of big tires and tall gears.
Don't bother with an 87 up yj with a 258 carburated engine unless you want to build it with new engine, tranny and axles.
The 4.0 liter engine is great with lots of power in the yjs also the ax15 tranny is decent the transfer case is ok but you can build it up and make it very strong, the front axle is ok also and can really beef it up, the rear axle is the weak point in the jeep and I wouldn't spend money building it I would swap in a dana 44 or a ford 8.8.

I have built many jeeps from the ground up over the years but can't do it for a living any more because of injuries and have been out of the game now for about four years. I'm not trying to be a know it all but if I can help just PM me.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

have had a few myself ..........cj-7 produced from 1976-1986, 

ditto on the 4 speed and the 3.73 gears, skip the 3 speed if poss.
some years had alot of probs with the auto trans.

look for a renegade or golden eagle, those usually had the v-8

look for the locking front hubs, not the full time 4wd models

the last year or so had heavier axles, would be something to get if you are trying to hop up the engine.


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## Bukmstr (Nov 12, 2004)

I know you said jeep, but this year I came across a 1992 4x4 Isuzu Trooper that I bought for my lease. So far this thing is bullet proof. The guys on my lease have a trans Suki Mule that they use to take to the stand. So far on every hunt I have dropped off everyone since my trooper is wisper quiet and can anywhere their mule can.

Just a thought to maybe look at other huntin buggies. IMO older imports may be a little more reliable than older jeeps. My .02


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## Kauffballs (Jun 2, 2004)

thanks for the info. I am looking at an 1983 cj7 with a 6 cyl and standard 4 speed with a hard top. How do I find out which tranny it is? Is this the 258? Is there a way to tell how it is equipped from the vin? I mostly want to runaround town and some low key offroad a few times a year when hunting.
Thanks 
Scott


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## Brokejeep (Oct 12, 2008)

If the shifter is curved kinda S shaped it is a T-4 if it has just one bend in it down low and then straight it is a T-176, I forgot about one earlier it's called an SR4 this transmission is junk, on this transmission unless it's worn out you would need to press down on the shifter to go into reverse this transmission should have been only in 80-81 models only though.
The 6cyl should be a 258. I say should be because jeep never did anything by the book and people change things all the time.
If you are only going to be doing light wheeling the t-4 will be fine unless it's been severely abused.
I never used the vin#s because I never had a book with the codes and I'm not sure it would help much since so many are modified.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

if it's a deal buy it, i had an 84 just like that

run it up fairly fast in ea gear and let off the gas and see if it pops out of gear =worn throwout brgs.

also put in 4wd and do a slow tight turn in ea direction and listen for popping = bad joints

also look around the steering box/frame for cracks though, it can be fixed easily, but should be noted.


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Get a 2003 Jeep Rubicon. I own one and it has got me into and out of some of the most rugged areas most will ever see in an automobile.

Here's one for sale in Baytown for $15,000 with >$2000 in modifications.


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## Kauffballs (Jun 2, 2004)

I am going back to see it today and look at the shifter. what is the fix for a mis 80's cj7 not wanting to go down the road very straight at 60 mph? not real bad but not like my f250.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

does it have a lift kit on it?
if so, it might not have been re-aligned after the install.

on flat ground, turn the front wheels straight ahead and put a long straight edge like a piece of straight board or iron on the face of the back wheel to align with the front wheel and look for any offset.........that causes "crabbing"

loose/worn ball joints or tie rod ends common too


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## Brokejeep (Oct 12, 2008)

Could be tires, wheel bearings front or rear, steering box loose or bad or box brackets are broken or cracked, ball joints, tie rod end or drag link end, bushings in the leaf springs and shackles or a bent spring, cracked frame around the steering box . 
If it has power steering you need to unlock the steering wheel but not start jeep and have someone turn the steering wheel side to side while you look at some of the things listed above, at first turn the steering wheel just enough to take out the slack not enough to start turning the tires, then after checking every thing that way then turn the steering wheel side to side just enough to turn the tires a little. You want to look at every thing to see whats moving and has slack and if there is any popping sounds.
If you have a jack you can jack up the front one side at a time and grab the top and bottom of the tires and push and pull and turn the tires to check the ball joints and wheel bearings for excessive slack and feel how easy tire turns or makes noise while turning.
If you have never driven a CJ before just remember they are not cars and were never meant to drive like one. They ride rough and most drive terrible but they are fun and are fairly easy to work on.


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## bigdaddyriverrat (May 24, 2004)

Stay away from the 4 cyls, and if you live in an area where you have to pass an emissions test the 90-94 Jeeps have had issues with the testing. My 92 was a pain to get to pass. Personally I like any Jeep with round lights! Late 90's Mid 80's.


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## ballard55 (Jul 14, 2008)

First consider what you will use the Jeep for. Will this be a daily driver? Or a weekend beach/offroad toy? What is the longest trip you would take in it?

If you want a daily driver, and for long trips, you might want to consider the more modern coil spring suspension.

I have a 1977 Jeep CJ-7 with a 350 Chevrolet engine from a 1969 Camaro and a TH-400 automatic transmission. It's full time 4-wheel drive. I wouldn't consider anything but an automatic transmission. But it's not a daily driver and I wouldn't make a three hour drive from Houston to Port O'Connor in it. But it's great to drive around for short trips on a beautiful day.

If it's 25 years old, you get Texas Classic Truck plates and are also exempt from emissions testing for inspection.

Look around on Ebay. There are some very good deals on Jeeps that have been rebuilt. I bought mine for about half of what was spent to built it. The paint job was $5500 alone.


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## Kauffballs (Jun 2, 2004)

how do you find out what gears a jeep has? the jeep is an 83 cj7 straight six and i think a t-176 trans.
Thanks for the help.


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