Tag: Jeep

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Jeep Tire Rotation

Jeep Tire Rotation
and some tips on handling lugs nuts.

Rotating the tires on a Jeep is essential to long tread life. And with the cost of off road tires, you want them to last as long as possible. You can usually see a different wear pattern develop on the outer edges of the tires due the differences in the forces acting on the front and rear tires. Ideally the rotation would occur before the pattern is visible, but I usually wait until I can see it.

There are several schools of thought on rotating tires. Rotating tires means moving the tires to a different position on the Jeep. For example, you may simply swap the front tires to the rear. This inline pattern is how I most often rotate the tires. Some people add a side to side swap at the same time so that the tires are not only on the opposite axle but also on the opposite side of the Jeep. A swap in the X pattern means the tires will now be spinning in the opposite direction on the road.

Most of my tire experience has been with sports car tires and many of them have directional tires. So, I have gotten in the habit of simply moving the front tires to the rear and keeping them on the same side when I do a tire rotation. Either way you choose, here are some ways to accomplish the task:

How you rotate the tires depends on the equipment you have to work with. Since I have a lift and air tools, I lift the Jeep remove the lugs with an air wrench and move them to the new positions. I sometimes make a trip across my balancer if I have been having any vibration issues.

If you are armed only with the Jeep jack and the stock lug wrench, you are in for a bit of extra work. First, loosen the lugs on the side you plan to swap first. Remove the spare from its mount and have it ready. Jack up one corner and remove the wheel. Replace it with the spare but only put on three lugs. Set it down and move to the other axle. Break the lugs loose and then jack up that corner. Install the first tire there and install all the lugs. Now return to the corner with the spare and replace it with the tire from the other axle. Install the lugs and lower the Jeep. Repeat the procedure on the other side. Be sure to properly tighten all the lugs nuts when you are done.

If you have a jack stand, you can use it instead of the spare tire to save some effort. If you have two jacks you can save even more time and energy.

When loosening the lugs, note that they can be very tight. I prefer to use an air impact wrench for loosening. If you use a ¾ inch socket on the factory lug nuts, be sure it fits properly and is a deep well socket. Using a shallow socket will damage the chrome cover on the lug nut and make it so that no socket will fit it properly. If the cover is damaged, replace the lug nut. If you are faced with trying to remove a lug that is missing the chrome cover, get a cover from another lug nut and slip it inside you socket. This will allow a ¾ socket to fit the damaged lug.

If you do not have compressed air, I have found the electric impact wrenches work very well also. Even some of the battery powered units have plenty of torque and battery life for a tire rotation. Avoid the cheap guns that attach to the car battery. They are useless for tire rotation.

If you do not have an impact wrench, a long handled ratchet or breaker bar with a ¾ inch deep well socket works well. Be prepared to stand on the wrench handle if they were last put on at a tire shop. I don’t like to use a 4 way wrench because most of them are not deep enough to engage the lug nut properly.

Also, while the wheel is off inspect the lug studs threads. If there are damaged either chase the threads with a die or replace the stud. If the lugs are damaged in any way replace them. I prefer to run 13/16 hex lugs on my Jeeps instead of the stock size. However, I have to always remember that the stock lug wrench will no longer fit when I travel.

When tightening the lugs nuts, I always use a torque wrench. I prefer to use the clicker type for lug nuts for two reasons. First, the beam type wrenches are too hard to read sideways. Second, I would rather have precision than accuracy in lugs nuts. In other words, I don’t care if they are 73 or 76 I just want them all the same. BTW, I set the wrench at 75 ft lbs for the lug nuts.

I use a torque wrench because not only have I had the misfortune to have a wheel come loose while driving, I have seen wheel hubs damaged by too much torque. Also, a respected mechanic friend of mine, Jim Alton says that improper torque can cause brake shudder on Jeeps.

Rotating the tires at each oil change will help keep up with the uneven wear. Also, while the front wheels are off, it is easier to lubricate ht various grease fittings in the front suspension.

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Jeep Cherokee Thermostat Replacement

On the last few cold mornings, I noticed the heater in my Jeep Cherokee was not putting out heat like I wanted. I also noted that the temperature gauge was not reading as high as normal.

I knew that the thermostat must be opening too soon. The only cure is to swap it out.

I picked up a Stant Supersat at Advance Auto. I used the order online – pick up at the store option to save a couple of bucks.

My Jeep is equipped with a K&N air filter and intake tube so I don’t have an air box in the way any more. I loosened the power steering pump and moved the drive belt out of the way of the thermostat housing. I have done it without loosening the belt but it is much easier with out the belt in the way.

The later model XJs have the belt routed where it is not in the way. However, on an earlier XJ like my 91 the belt interferes with getting the bolts started back in the housing. I previously wrote about changing a thermostat on a 99 XJ.

I popped off the radiator and heater hose. I disconnected the temperature sender wire.

I then removed the two 1/2 inch head bolts and popped the housing off the block. I set up a pan under the Jeep to catch the antifreeze. I also laid out newspaper to soak up the splatters as anti freeze is very slippery on the floor.

I cleaned up the bolts and the housing using the wire wheel on my bench grinder. I then use a scraper and a scotch brite wheel in my drill to clean the block face.

I noticed that the new thermostat did not have a bleed hole in it, so I drilled a small hole in the flange. It is hard to bleed all the air out of a 4.0 if there is no hole in the thermostat. Most of the ones I have bought lately have a hole but this one did not. So, I made one.

Getting the new thermostat to stay in the block while setting the housing is always tricky. I knocked mine out the first time and only noticed it when the antifreeze started to run out as I was filling the system.

I put a dab of Permatex on the flange to get the thermostat to hang in place long enough for me to slip the thermostat housing in place over it. I used additional Permatex to make the gasket stick to the housing. I held the housing in place with one hand while I started the bolts with the other hand. I was able to get it all in correctly on the second try.

I tightened the bolts and left the hoses off until I filled the system. I then reattached the hoses and filled the radiator completely with anti freeze. I then put back the temperature sender wire.

I put the belt back on and started the engine. I checked for leaks and made sure the engine came up to the proper temperature. I let it cool and topped off the radiator with coolant. I enjoyed having a nice warm heater again this morning.

Stant Superstat Super Premium Thermostat, 195 Degrees Fahrenheit - 45209


Stant Superstat Super Premium Thermostat, 195 Degrees Fahrenheit – 45209

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Replacing the steering box on a Jeep Cherokee

Replacing the steering box on a Jeep Cherokee

The steering box on a Jeep Cherokee rarely goes bad. Mine has over 345,000 miles on it. However, I recently changed one that had been damaged in an engine fire. These instructions will also help if you want to upgrade to a larger steering box.

Begin by removing the air box and electric fan to gain access. Remove the hydraulic hoses. The fittings at the box are 18mm. It may help to have a crow foot line wrench but I always make do with a stubby 18 mm open end.

Remove the bolt that secures the sector shaft to the box. It may not look like it, but the bolt has to come all the way out to release it from the splines. Use a pry bar if necessary to slip the sector shaft off the splines. Use some penetrating oil on the slip joint in the shaft if it seems like it does not want to compress. If you try to compress it and it sticks, the rubber joint at the top can be damaged.

Disconnect the pitman arm from the tie rod. You will need a tie rod puller to do this job. Be careful not to damage the rubber cup on the tie rod while removing it. Put some tension on the joint with the puller and then use a sharp strike with a hammer to free up the joint. Trying to pull too hard will likely damage the puller and not release the joint. A sharp blow from a hammer on the side of the pitman arm will pop it right out.

The box is held to the unibody by three bolts. These have 5/8 inch heads and are held in by thread locking compound. Use a long handle ratchet to get them out. There is an aluminum spacer between the unibody and the pump. Sometimes the bolts will seize in the aluminum. If the spacer breaks, you can replace it with a stack of washers on each bolt. Also, if using a larger steering box, you may have to space the box further away from the frame rail.

With eh bolts out you can lower the box down behind the sway bar. Be careful because it is heavy.

Removal of the pitman arm is difficult. Use the proper puller and possibly heat to remove it. If possible, get a replacement with the pitman arm already attached.

To reinstall, hold the box in place and start one of the bolts. It may be helpful to have an assistant hold the box from above while you align it and start the bolts from below.

Reconnect the tie rod and install the cotter key. Attach the sector shaft and install the bolt. You map have to use a hammer and lightly tap the end of the shaft in place. Alternately you can use a chisel to spread the coupling apart before attaching it to the steering box.

Reattach the hydraulic hoses. Lift the wheels off the ground and turn the steering from side to side. Make sure there is no binding. Fill the system with fluid and repeat the side to side motion. Start the engine and turn the wheels from lock to lock to purge the air from the system. Make sure the reservoir stays full of fluid while purging. It is common for the fluid to foam while purging.

If the pump sounds like it still has air as indicated by a growling sound when turning the wheel, turn to one of the stops and hold the wheel there for a second while the pressure relief opens. You will hear the valve open when you hold it against the stop. Repeat a couple of times to purge all the air.

Test drive the Jeep to make sure the steering is centered and has the proper feel. Adjust as needed.

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Iron Gap Road Videos

When we got to the bottom of the hill on Iron Gap Road, we were faced with a creek crossing. Dropping down into the creek was challenging due to the spring that wet the rocks about half way down and by the off camber nature of the drop.

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Black Mountain Adventure

Black Mountain Off Road Adventure

The XJlist folks met once again for their Annual Fall Crawl at Black Mountain in Harlan Ky. The trails of Harlan County offer a wide variety of trails and fun. This year however a new varied element was added to the mix: changing weather.

The group began arriving Thursday morning coming from east west and south to meet at camp 3 half way up Black Mountain. Most traveled in rain all morning to reach the park where the skies were clear. But the morning rain had made the step gravel climb to the camp site very slick.

After paying for camping and buying a Harlan County Sticker, I asked the guy about the road. He assured me that it had been graded since I had been there in the spring and if I made it up then I should have no trouble. Note that he drives a Sentra.

I put the Suburban in Low Range and headed up the hill. I noticed a bit too late that it looked like someone had had a hard time getting up and had done a lot of spinning. I got on the throttle to build momentum but it was too little too late and I came to a stop with all four wheels spinning. Then I started moving backward.

I tapped the brakes and the trailer brakes helped hold it in place. However moving backward turned up not to be an option either as I started to slide toward the edge of the road where there is a huge drop off. I did however slide far enough tot the right for Jenny to squeeze past and hook a strop to the front. With a tug from her Jeep, I made it up just fine. I looked back and saw Neal’s Jeep parked on the side and realize that he must have made it to the same spot with similar results and unloaded his Jeep to make it up the hill.

Once at camp, we set up our tent and greeted our friends. The weather was quite warm and then suddenly a breeze popped up. Matt’s tent was set up but not staked. He looked up juts in time to watch it float over the edge of the cliff into the kudzu below. He managed to catch it before it got out of reach unlike a few years ago when he had to don his repelling gear and be winched down and back to get his tent from a similar incident.

After a leisurely time of unloading, airing down and disconnecting sway bars, we headed out to explore some new trails. We began with a new cut off form trail 45 called Pappy’s Bypass. It was a narrow muddy trail with lots of switchbacks and great views of the fall leaves in the valley below.

We reached White Tail camp and the weather shifted. It went from warm and clear to thunder and hail. We sought cover under the shelter and watched as the storm blew over quickly and then shifted to snow. As the snow died down we began to play on the rocks and hill climbs there.




After some play time we headed back along trail 15. This trail is fun when dry and very exciting when wet and slick. The very last section consists of a couple of very steep switchbacks where you just have to make a controlled slide down. Lots of fun to end the first day.

Back at camp Evan had arrived and started a fire. We sat around and caught up with our friends and cooked supper.

The next morning we saw snow on the upper parts of the mountain but none in our camp. We headed up to Middle Fork and considered a run up 15. Several of the group played on the first steep hill. Some made it and some did not. Knowing the second hill is the one that is really a challenge in the wet, we split into two groups – Swampers and other tires.

We met back up where 15 and 12 come together. Surprisingly we arrived at the rendezvous point at exactly the same time. We merged the groups back together and headed to ward the stadium area which has several hill climbs. Along the way Neal noticed a small rock garden so we went back and played on it and posed for photos on the hills there.

Matt noticed his cross member had come loose and his transfer case was dangling. We made a very temporary trail fix and left his Jeep there while we explored further down the trail.

The snow was really coming down at this point. Those of us with out doors were getting our seats soaked as Matt sat in my passenger seat and soaked his pants. Cold and wet we made out way to the Truck Challenge course and the soup bowl.

We quickly found a pile of rocks to play on and Josh and Evan gave a go at swimming in the soup bowl. I started to explore the area a bit when I heard a strange noise. The noise turned out to be my front drive shaft separating from the front yoke. One of the strap bolts had sheared off and I lost a cap in the process. I pulled the shaft and prepared to make my way back to camp in 2wd.

Back at camp, Matt started work on his cross member while I worked on extracting the broken bolt from the yoke. Once it was out, Wayne Sr gave me a spare bolt and a strap. Evan donated a U joint. I pressed in a new joint and waited for daylight to install the shaft.

Matt had no luck fixing his cross member so he elected to leave his Jeep at camp and ride shotgun. We built a huge fire and enjoyed telling stories well into the chilly night.

The next morning it was cold and clear with lots of snow visible o the mountain. The plan was to go back up the twisty trail 15 and then work our way back through the massive park on trail we have not run before.

Trail 15 took most of the morning as Mitch G got scarily sideways near the top and required a strap and assistance from Frosty’s Toyota to get pointed back up the hill.

Josh made a run and his Swampers pulled him up easily. So we staged him with a strap near the top to give a tug to those who needed it. Jenny made a run and had a huge mudslinging fun time making it look easy. I followed her up and made it without assistance as well.

Once we had all the Jeeps to the top, we headed on to White Tail for lunch. We ate lunch under spitting snow and then headed out for a trail ride. Neal and Evan headed to town for fuel while I lead the group toward trail 22. We had planned to run T.R.O.U.B.L.E. but when we got there it was covered in very slick leaves and it looked like no one had run it in a while. The consensus was that it would be more fun to go up than down so we elected to skip it for the time.

I lead the group on to 18 which has two fun climbs back to the main trail. The first had a big log on the side that was impossible to avoid in the slick conditions. I think Jenny’s bumper cap was the only casualty of the otherwise very fun climb. The second climb was fun as well with a big rock that scraped a few wheels as we climbed.

We all collected at the Lower rock garden and played there for a while. Jenny made good use of her new Crusher tires and crawled easily through the lower section while frosty and Josh ran the garden backwards toward her.

After getting our fill of the Rock Garden we headed off to let Jenny redeem herself on rail bed. Last time here, she slipped on the exit and had to be extracted.

This time Rail bed was even more intimidating. The rocks were wet and slick and most of the smaller ones and even some of the big ones had washed down the hill.

Near the three quarter mark of the trail, Mitch popped a tire off the bead and Neal drove backwards down the trail so his onboard air line would reach. After the tire repair, Neal positioned his Jeep to use the winch to help people over the nasty V notch made by two big rocks.

There are three exits to rail bed. One requires a lot of clearance to get over a huge boulder. The other is the one that Jenny slipped off of last time and is now even more narrow and dangerous. The only viable option for most of us was a steep muddy climb. We positioned a winch at the top and another Jeep with a strap to assist.

Jenny made it over the V notch fine and was almost up the muddy hill when she hung her diff on a rock and had to have a strap to help her get the rest of the way out. I got hung on the same rock and had to have a bit of a tug as well.

Once every one was up and out, we gathered some fire wood and made a dash back to camp. The sunset on the snow covered mountains made for a beautiful drive back to camp.

The crew made dinner in record time and we enjoyed our huge steaks and potato boats as darkness settled in. Me enjoyed looking up at the bright stars and enjoyed another evening of fellowship around the camp fire. For desert, we warmed up some apple and pumpkin turnovers that my mother made for the trip.

Sunday morning dawned crisp and cold and we all fought ice as we packed up our tents and gear. A heavy layer of frost covered out trailers and everything left outside. We took our time loading up and the remaining group made a final stop at the Harlan Huddle House before parting ways.

This trip was one of the most adventurous yet for me even if we did not conquer as many obstacles. The cold wet weather made simply driving the trails a challenge. Three days of sliding and sliding has defiantly given me a better feel for driving my Jeep and improved my confidence. Black Mountain Adventure area sure lived up to its name this trip!