• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Anyone Know A Good Mechanic In Norcal/Bay Area?

T

truckeejeeper

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Northern California
Hey this is a shot in the dark but maybe...I have a 91XJ 4x4 5sp. 4.0HO. I am the original owner, and have most all the repair records. I've done a bunch of work myself, but now I have some serious clunks and rattles coming from underneath the truck, and can't identify them specifically. I think the repairs might be over my head a bit as well (I have no garage, etc.) They are driving me nuts! I'd really like to find someone trustworthy who knows Jeeps who might be able to help me out. Anyone know a decent garage/jeep place/person around here? Don't even THINK of suggesting the stealership, they are worthless. I've got some rust, jeep's probably worth only about $2500 but I have a rebuilt 4.0 in with about 40k miles only, so I wanna drive it till it can't go no more. I love it. Any help? Thanks much - -TJ
 
clunks=

Worn suspension bushings
Worn track bar ends
loose track bar bracket/tie rod ends/steering box mount
u-joints in the driveline spent
engine mounts/tranny mount spent
bar pin clunks on the shocks (if it's stock height, ask around for folks that might have a set of stock shocks laying around).

That's about 95% of the culprits for clunks. Each is about a 1 hour fix and $40-80 in parts.

where are you located? I can have a look at it and help diagnose and maybe fix

SeanP
 
truckeejeeper said:
Hey this is a shot in the dark but maybe...I have a 91XJ 4x4 5sp. 4.0HO. I am the original owner, and have most all the repair records. I've done a bunch of work myself, but now I have some serious clunks and rattles coming from underneath the truck, and can't identify them specifically. I think the repairs might be over my head a bit as well (I have no garage, etc.) They are driving me nuts! I'd really like to find someone trustworthy who knows Jeeps who might be able to help me out. Anyone know a decent garage/jeep place/person around here? Don't even THINK of suggesting the stealership, they are worthless. I've got some rust, jeep's probably worth only about $2500 but I have a rebuilt 4.0 in with about 40k miles only, so I wanna drive it till it can't go no more. I love it. Any help? Thanks much - -TJ
Click to expand...

Did you try a dealership? They got some great techs. :doh:
 
Wow thanks for all the quick responses. I am here in San Francisco, where my (stock) Jeep is my DD and used mainly for frequent Tahoe runs. Thanks 5-90 for your generous offer, I see you're down in SJ. Cool. I think I'm gonna try to go through the list SeanP gave me (thanks) and see if I can nail it down, it may be a couple different things going on I think. I'd love to do it myself if I can in order to learn,(borrow a garage) but really want to diagnose the prob. properly. My bushings all look kinda shot so I'm thinking its something around there, but the track bar-ends and stuff, could be that too. Mostly rattles over bumps and under load (going up SF hills) If I can't find it, I may be giving you a call 5-90, I've been learning from your posts for years now. I'm sure it would be well worth the trip down. Of course if either of you are ever in SF, drop me a line, I'll meet ya- bottomless Parrot Bay and Pizza on me NO PROBLEM.
Anyway, I'll let you know how it turns out. If anyone else has any info/tips please continue to respond. Also, I will search, but is there a standard bushing kit out there for my XJ? Theres gotta be. I'll look. Thanks Y'all-

- TJ
 
You'll probably have to "assemble" the kit if you go with "original equipment" parts - if you go with polyurethane, you can probably source a full kit - but poly bushings will make your ride a little harsher and you'll feel more bumps - entirely up to you (polyurethane is a little stiffer than the elastomer they use for OEM bushings.)

If you decide to go with OEM parts, give Morris 4x4 Center a call (www.morris4x4center.com) - I just bought a couple of full front ends from them because they had better pricing - including shipping - than the jobber deals I usually get locally. They're in Florida, expect shipping to take a week to ten (but if you're not in a hurry, a good mail-order house can save you bucks on a big job...)

Could be bushings, track bar ends, loose shock damper screws, failed upper shock damper bushings in the front (I've had that happen...) a failed engine mount, loose leaf spring clips, ...

Oh - be careful with the "bottomless" - last time someone told me I had an open bar bill I ended up costing them about $250. And that was for a job interview!
 
have someone work the steering back and forth while you look at the steering linkages and track bar. while someone standing on the brakes with the car in drive, have them load the gas a little to see if the upper and lower control arm bushings are showing movement. You can even grab onto the CA's (while the car is off and in park) and try to wiggle movement out of them. if they are 15 year old bushings, they are probably shot and needing replacement all around (including sway bar). You couldn't pay me to run poly on a DD, stay with OEM rubber.
 
Shoot me a PM. I'm in Noe Valley and can probably look at it Friday evening after work. I got an awesome set of tools, my father's a TV repairman.
Tom
 
5-90 said:
Oh - be careful with the "bottomless" - last time someone told me I had an open bar bill I ended up costing them about $250. And that was for a job interview!
Click to expand...

He did not offer a ride home.
 
hey, i might take that offer as well, if anyone is willing to help me take a look.

SeanP said:
clunks=

Worn suspension bushings
Worn track bar ends
loose track bar bracket/tie rod ends/steering box mount
u-joints in the driveline spent
engine mounts/tranny mount spent
bar pin clunks on the shocks (if it's stock height, ask around for folks that might have a set of stock shocks laying around).

That's about 95% of the culprits for clunks. Each is about a 1 hour fix and $40-80 in parts.

where are you located? I can have a look at it and help diagnose and maybe fix

SeanP
Click to expand...

i have a clunking thing happening too and i think it might be one of those but i'm not sure. it usually happens when i change from reverse to forward. for example, i back out of my driveway while turning the jeep at a 45 degree angle, then i put the tranny in D. right when the jeep jerks a little from the shift change, there's a 'clunk' in the front end somewhere.

i think i noticed it clunking after i adjusted the lower control arms about 2 months ago. the trackbar and shocks are less than 9months old.

i think it could be one of the issues stated above.
 
if you don't want to drive down to the south bay and rather stay up in the city, i can recommend Ed's Autohaus (415) 222-6900, located on Folsom, between 3rd/4th. Ed's shop does all the installs for jeepersandcreepers.com customers. i've taken my xj there several times for work done. it's not free (or just pizza) but that's a shop i'd take it to if i can't meet up with a fellow forum member for any reason.
 
330LICIOUS said:
hey, i might take that offer as well, if anyone is willing to help me take a look.



i have a clunking thing happening too and i think it might be one of those but i'm not sure. it usually happens when i change from reverse to forward. for example, i back out of my driveway while turning the jeep at a 45 degree angle, then i put the tranny in D. right when the jeep jerks a little from the shift change, there's a 'clunk' in the front end somewhere.

i think i noticed it clunking after i adjusted the lower control arms about 2 months ago. the trackbar and shocks are less than 9months old.

i think it could be one of the issues stated above.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but start by checking your universal joints - assuming you're starting off in 2WD, there are four of particular interest. Two in the rear driveshaft, and one behind each front wheel. I'd pay particular attention to the front wheel joints - even though they're not under load unless you're in 4WD, they usually get neglected for grease time, and tend to wear faster than the other joints anyhow.

Don't pass up the rest of your suspension as well - but that's where I'd start, were it my rig...
 
Again, thanks for the posts, very helpful. Boatwrench I just got back to the board so I missed your invite. I'll shoot you a PM soon. And thanks for tip on that garage on Folsom. And the tip about bottomless Bar tabs. Might be cheeper to go to the dealership ;) Ill let you know how it turns out-

-TJ
 
5-90 said:
Yeah, but start by checking your universal joints - assuming you're starting off in 2WD, there are four of particular interest. Two in the rear driveshaft, and one behind each front wheel. I'd pay particular attention to the front wheel joints - even though they're not under load unless you're in 4WD, they usually get neglected for grease time, and tend to wear faster than the other joints anyhow.

Don't pass up the rest of your suspension as well - but that's where I'd start, were it my rig...
Click to expand...

yea, the clunk is definitely coming from the front end, on the driver's side. i could check the joints later, but i lubed all the points about 3,000 miles ago. thanks for the advice.
 
330LICIOUS said:
yea, the clunk is definitely coming from the front end, on the driver's side. i could check the joints later, but i lubed all the points about 3,000 miles ago. thanks for the advice.
Click to expand...

True - but was the PO a maintenance fanatic? I'm willing to bet not - most people I've run into out here have no farking clue what a grease gun is. Hell, half of them have no idea you're supposed to actually change your engine oil!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
Cranks, Fires, Dies - 1991 Briarwood Restoration
Replies
17
Views
3K
Jam Master Jay
J
B
Is this the last goodbye? - anyone in UK want a 1993 XJ?
Replies
6
Views
2K
XJI6191
X
8
Intermittent vibration in rear
Replies
9
Views
1K
89XJClay
8
K
XJ Overland build plan, need a sanity check.
Replies
16
Views
6K
jeep ride
J
H
95 XJ Pulsing Vibration At Highway Speed
Replies
13
Views
4K
RCP Phx
R
Back
Top