86 or 90s help

[tony r]

new member this site is great ok my question i need a hunting rig that is safe to take on a 500 mile trip or 2 a year with out spending over 4500.00
ok i have a 86 i am second owner with 163k on it that is run down but in good shape i have owned it 10 years. it has a chevy 4.3 & 700r4 with factory 4.11 gears everything else is stock. what do you think would be best sink some money in this one or get a early 90s with a 4.0 that i can get stock parts for from any parts store?????? would love to have ac again but that may run into some money with the 4.3 to jeep system.
if i go newer model any year better than another??????????? thanks tony

 

[Eagle]

Chevy 4.3? Really? Or Chevy 2.8L or 3.4L?

I'm not trying to suggest that you don't know your own Jeep, but if it is a 4.3L then I'm sure you know it's a conversion that was never offered by Jeep. If the vehicle is in good shape, however, there's no reason not to keep using it. The Chevy 4.3 is probably easier to buy parts for in more places than the Jeep 4.0L, as long as you know what you need -- since they can't use the store's computer to look up anything for the vehicle with a bastardized conversion like that.

What do you have for a transmission and transfer case?

 

[tony r]

yes its a 4.3. its second one ,this one is a 92 i put in. 4.3 with a 700r4 trans advanced adapters kit with factory tranfor case that is getting loose.it is a tight fit hard to work on but the original owner said at 67k the factory motor went & his third trans was getting weak so he went chevy with AA help. tony

 

[BUCKYXJ]

I would stay with the 4.3 they are tough little engines that is what is in my tow rig. very easy to get parts for and if you have the EFI then there are not many parts and sensors that you gotta deal with.
DIG IT!

 

[tony r]

what lift do you guys recomend for lift 3" to 4.5" with a good on the road ride? do you need longer control arms?
bucky i wish it was set up with efi, just a carburator right now. tony

 

[BUCKYXJ]

EFI rocks and I would go Rubicon Express but I am cheap and did it the cheap way.

 

[tony r]

hows the ride? how high is yours? tony