What repair manual do you prefer?
- Thread starter ollie
- Start date
KarlVP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hardcoreville, WA
For a beginner. Chiltons or haynes.
Or E-bay for the factory service manual.
If you are mechanically inclined you will be surprised how far you can dissasemble your rig with a $120 sears tool kit before you get into trouble. A lot of the time it isn't the ability to take things apart and put them back together, its the knowledge to know the why and the how.
Or E-bay for the factory service manual.
If you are mechanically inclined you will be surprised how far you can dissasemble your rig with a $120 sears tool kit before you get into trouble. A lot of the time it isn't the ability to take things apart and put them back together, its the knowledge to know the why and the how.
megabyte5689
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Kansas
Haynes is pretty good, but if your getting into the engine teardown, I wouldn't prefer haynes. Haynes is good for other stuff. but for an engine rebuild I wouldn't bother.
MG_43
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Deer Park, Wa
FSM for sure, only way to go.
5-90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hammerspace
Having had most, let me say the following:
The best use I've found for Haynes manuals (for domestic vehicles) is as a doorstop, pad for resting castings on, or as a shim for the short leg on my workbench (that I haven't fixed yet.) They do a better job on imports, but their domestic manuals - not so much (for some reason.)
Chilton's is a decent manual for the beginner and occasional tech, and they're reasonably informative. At least you get your $20 worth on a Chilton's.
The FSM is, hands down, as good as you can get. It about twice as hefty as a Chilton's (three or four Haynes manuals' worth!) and it's got breakdowns for pretty much everything. There are some "tips and tricks" that didn't make it into the FSM (they're written for dealer techs, not hobbyists,) which will probably be the focus of my next book - after I finish Swappology. Expect to pay $60-100 for these things! If you're looking for something in the last 12 years or so, you can probably get them from Chrysler Tech Authority (www.techauthority.com?) and you can usually turn them up on eBay or places that deal in automotive manuals and licensed reprints. Yes, it's spendy. Yes, it's worth it!
If you're in a hurry, you might want to search around here. Chances are good that whatever you're planning on doing has been covered. As far as information like torque specs and the like, check the Tech section of my website - I've been listing them there as I accumulate FSMs.
The best use I've found for Haynes manuals (for domestic vehicles) is as a doorstop, pad for resting castings on, or as a shim for the short leg on my workbench (that I haven't fixed yet.) They do a better job on imports, but their domestic manuals - not so much (for some reason.)
Chilton's is a decent manual for the beginner and occasional tech, and they're reasonably informative. At least you get your $20 worth on a Chilton's.
The FSM is, hands down, as good as you can get. It about twice as hefty as a Chilton's (three or four Haynes manuals' worth!) and it's got breakdowns for pretty much everything. There are some "tips and tricks" that didn't make it into the FSM (they're written for dealer techs, not hobbyists,) which will probably be the focus of my next book - after I finish Swappology. Expect to pay $60-100 for these things! If you're looking for something in the last 12 years or so, you can probably get them from Chrysler Tech Authority (www.techauthority.com?) and you can usually turn them up on eBay or places that deal in automotive manuals and licensed reprints. Yes, it's spendy. Yes, it's worth it!
If you're in a hurry, you might want to search around here. Chances are good that whatever you're planning on doing has been covered. As far as information like torque specs and the like, check the Tech section of my website - I've been listing them there as I accumulate FSMs.
fizassist
NAXJA Member #1052
- Location
- Los Alamos, NM
The first accessory I get for any car is an FSM. I usually keep a Haynes manual in the car for reference, but if I really need to dig in to something at home, I always have the FSM handy.
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90Blue_XJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- In yer postz fixin yer spellinz.
Another vote for FSM. As Jon says Haynes make a good doorstop............no not even a good doorstop. FSM is the only thing 100% reliable for all info. They are year specific in most instances but some things cross year lines and even model lines. I have even refered to my FSM to rebuild a transfer case on a TJ. So if you are going to spend your money on a manual it may as well be the best you can get....FSM.
elfshadow
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Central OH
Definitely the FSM. I started with the Haynes manual and quickly found myself looking for the FSM.
97CountryXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Duh Mudhole, Iowa
X-infinity
FSM has all the information that you need. A Haynes or Chiltons manual is more of a cliffnotes of the FSM, ok for quick reference.
FSM has all the information that you need. A Haynes or Chiltons manual is more of a cliffnotes of the FSM, ok for quick reference.
1985xjlaredo
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Kansas City
FSM depending on which year and what format it is in. My .pdf 1988 manual pretty much sucks. THe pics are crappy and alot of the info is not only pertaining to a XJ but also an SJ and a CJ. Best bet is to get the Chiltons and the Haynes with a FSM also. Depending on which year you get, you can find the "old" chilton which is better than any FSM I have seen. This would be the one before they went to the bigger style format and way before Haynes bought them and ruined a good manual.
IH8RDS
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hampton, VA
I used to use Haynes untill I got the FSM. I printed out and binded mine.
beakie
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
IH8RDS said:
doing that as I type this right now, thankfully work has a laser printer, printed in book format 2 pages per paper, both sides. will take up much less space, and still get all the info I need.
I must say tho, for someone who was worried about changing plug wires and dif fluids when I got my first Jeep my Haynes was indispensible for the first 2 years. I never even heard of an FSM, and looking at it now, I think some of the instructions would have been over my head if I had jumped into it before learning the simple tasks that Haynes has in it.
If your new to the world of Jeeps, engines, electronics and such, get yourself a Haynes or Chiltons (never seen a Chiltons around here) and if you feel confident with whats going on in there grab an FSM too.
As above, I leave my Haynes under my rear seat 24/7 (cept last week when I broke down after cleaning the Jeep out argh)
88manche
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Portland, Oregon
I have a FSM and a Haynes. I keep the Haynes for the simple stuff, But I use the FSM for just about everything. Haynes will have just about everything you need.
As for ease to read, the FSM will just say "remove U-bolt nuts, swaybay link, and U-bolt plate." The haynes will usually go into more detail, and tell you how to do it, usually step by step with pictures. I prefer the FSM unless I'm new to something.
As for ease to read, the FSM will just say "remove U-bolt nuts, swaybay link, and U-bolt plate." The haynes will usually go into more detail, and tell you how to do it, usually step by step with pictures. I prefer the FSM unless I'm new to something.
See if your local library subscribes to the Mitchell online manuals. They're almost as good as the F.S.M. Actually, I see you're from Winnipeg. Go here, if you have a library card, and the info. should be free: http://wpl.winnipeg.ca/library/onlineresources/searchdatabase.asp I'm just not sure how good their databases are. Barring that, my order of preference goes: F.S.M., Mitchell, Haynes, and Chilton.
tribal_4x4
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Roseville
i personally like haynes better. much more detail in what u need to do
