Help me ID a/c compressor in my 94

Hi, my first post here. Ive spent the last few hrs trying to figure out this question. I recently bought a 94 cherokee country 4 door, automatic 4.0. My a/c compressor clutch bearing is bad and im trying to figure out if my a/c compressor is the oem compressor, or if its out of a 97-01. Im going to replace just the bearing... Im in question because on top of the compressor it says 709T. From what i can read on the sticker on the side/bottom says Sanden R134A, serial # 6023203470. I cant read the model#... From the info ive found it says the 709T compressor is out of a 97-01. Is this correct? What year did jeep start using R134A? And is this the oem compressor from 1994? Thanks

Take the clutch plate off, use a snap ring pliers to remove the pulley.

Look at the back of the pulley. Is there a snap ring holding the bearing in?
If so, it is rebuild-able. If the bearing is staked in, it's not.

From what ive read the staked ones are perfectly rebuildable. The stakings come right off... Im not gonna take it apart without having a new bearing on hand, hence why i need to positively id this compressor...

OK, well I tried.

709T compressors were used in a wide range of years. It gets kinda confusing, because as you already know the clutch setup changed...

AFAIK:
* 91-94?? or so are R12 systems with threaded fittings for the lines on the rear cover casting of the compressor.
* 95??-96 are R134a systems with threaded fittings.
* 97-01 are R134a systems with a machined surface on the top set up to receive a one-piece, brazed and machined aluminum dual-port fitting with O-ring seals for the refrigerant lines.

I do not know which years used which styles of clutches, though. I recall it being a major headache when I attempted to rebuild the clutch on the compressor in my 98 XJ and ended up giving up because average outside temperatures dropped back down before I managed to collect the right parts.

I can tell you that your compressor isn't out of a 97-01 unless someone got custom refrigerant lines made, because they won't fit the compressor at all. About the latest that would fit your 94's factory refrigerant lines is a 96, in my experience. Possibly even earlier. I really hate the 96 and down style compressors because up here, many of the threaded rear compressor housings (which are cast aluminum...) corrode to the steel flare nuts used to hold the lines on, so instead of the lines unscrewing, they simply crack the housing nipple off.

Heres a little follow up. This is important info others need to know. Turns out my 94 came with a factory R134 compressor, unless a dealership replaced it at one time. My compressor model # is U 4625. From the info i found most did not come with this particular compressor. I found a place off ebay that sells bearings for these compressors, however my model was not listed. I emailed them and for $22 they sent me a new bearing. Today i got around to doing the job. Normally the compressor cluch comes off easy, and the pully is a bitch. Im a honda mechanic of 11 years, so ive done 1000+ compressor clutches... Anyway, the xjs compressor clutch was stuck. Took a lot of prying. Bent it a little here and there, but it came off. The pully actually came off very easy with a rubber mallet. The bearing on this compressor pully was not staked, just a snapring. The old bearing knocked out easy, and i used a vise, piece of wood on the face of pulley, and the old bearing against the new bearing to press the new bearing in. My trick to this job was unbolting the compressor and putting a wood block under the front of it to pivot the frontend up, allowing plenty of room to get the job done. Note: on most vehicles u do not need to evacuate the a.c. system to remove the compressor clutch/pulley. Only if u dont have enough access would u need to evacuate the system to remove the compressor, but thats not the case on an xj. I did use a hammer to straighten out the clutch in the areas it bent during dissassembly.
Heres the important part. I measured the bearing dimensions of this particular compressor, just so anyone else attempting this job has the certanty they order the correct bearing.
O.D. 55mm
I.D. 35mm
Width. 20mm
I believe this is the same bearing dimensions of the 97+ xj
I think most 96 and below have a smaller size bearing.
Hope this information helps out anyone else with this compressor model in their XJ.

I just moved from NJ to colorado. Sold my rusty YJ before the move. Got me a rust free XJ now, and the build begins. I paid $1300 for this, put about $1500 into repair items. All i have left is to replace my steering shaft underhood, due to the rubber bushing slipping when cold, but once heat gets to it, its tight. When that list issue is fixed, i will be ordering a 6.5" longarm setup. Liking rugged ridges price... SYE. My xj has the 8.25 rear. Im going to put either OX, ARB, or an E locker front and rear, 30+ spline upgrade, and last but not least 35" tires. One step at a time....