• 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.

Junkyard Rant

HawkZero

HawkZero

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Oak Harbor, WA
I just dropped by one of the local yards in Ridgecrest to pick up my ZJ brakes. I paid 40 bucks per side and was told I would get the whole enchilada. Calipers, backing plates, rotors, brake lines etc. This particular yard won't let you pull your own parts, but I made sure to emphasize that I needed the ZJ disk brakes off a 94-98 Grand Cherokee. They took my money and said come back to pick them up tomorrow.

Show up today and they had backing plates and rotors, nothing more. They also couldn't tell me what year they came from. Anyway, I refused to take delivery of the stuff and that I would come back monday to talk with the yard manager or owner to find a way to resolve this. I predict that I will get my money back and go to the next yard down the road. At least that yard will let me go look through the junker cars rather than take the yard managers word for it.

Anybody else have problems with yards where they won't let you pull your own parts or even go back and look through the yard?
 
Don't do business with them. If you can't (a) pull your own or (b) check the parts out first, then they're just like AutoZone, except the parts are used.
 
I have a sickness that makes me want to rummage through a junk yard.
I have been to yards that won't let you pull your own parts, but they let you identify what you want and watch as they pull them for you.

Have any of you been to Ajax? They have the coolest junk yard 'cars' I have ever been in. The biggest POS that one could imagine, but with all the tools and a cutting torch mounted on them. I like to go there just to take a ride around the yard in a junked Pinto!

:D
 
You don't have the "sickness" unless you have dedicated 'junk yard' pants and shoes like my buddy and I have!
Nothing like Guy Shopping at Ecology, bring your tools, grab a grocery cart and start 'shopping'.
I don't know what I would do if I couldn't pick what I wanted and find what I don't need.
 
Junkyards are the best entertainment 2 dollars can buy!:D I have a special flat bed wagon, full tool box and assortment of cordless cutting tools just for my "used part safaris". Me and a buddy once took the day off from work and hit about 5 yards, started in Ontario and finished up in Sun Valley.....it was a glorious day that netted me my first D44. Anyway, 80 bucks is too much for those parts, I pulled the rear disc setup from an 8.8 for about $50.....PAP wants about $100 for a complete disc to disc rearend (about $125-130 with taxes and all)--------Hans
 
-96JeepSpeed- said:
X2. I love junk yards. My freinds think im idot. But whats better then buy working condition used parts for dirt cheap and using them?
Click to expand...
Yeah, my wife calls it "Disneyland for guys":) Hey, I've been to Spring Valley before, one of the best places to get hard to find trans/transfercase parts is Border Parts......are they still around?-------Hans
 
If your refering to the place that starts with a P and ends with an S. Then yes I have dealt with them and was not impressed. They could tell me any info or let me look. Basically take it or leave it attitude. I guess they have people knock their door down for parts. Speedway which is behind there is decent. I have bought a 231 and D44 from them. I would go back again. But not the other yard, screw them!
 
Like I said in the other thread, there were four ZJs in a row at the Anaheim Pick-a-Part. All had rear discs. And this weekend is 1/2 price.
 
What are you putting the brakes on? We just went to Ecology and pulled some 95-01 Explorer calipers/backing plates. I think Tom paid like 20 bucks total for both. Always take them up as one piece. :) Anyway, I've got them mounted on his D44. Doing some pictures and will post a "howto" when it's all done. This is for the XJ Dana 44 using explorer brakes.
 
I've noticed most folks down in the LA basin pay lots less for parts than us folks up in the high desert. Maybe there is a premium based on our location? For example I was quoted 100 bucks for a factory tow hitch and harness, 40 bucks per side for brakes. I did manage to get a early model tank skid for 20, but that is the exception. (I saw it in a pile of junk near some wrecked TJs.)

Anybody willing to pull some stuff and hang on to it until I make a trip down there? I can try and make it worth your time with some cash and maybe some squadron shwag! My next trip will be to Anaheim and is scheduled for 24 september for an annual convention. My next trip will be the following week to take my daughter to Disneyland for her birthday.

Last time I made it down I picked up wheels from GauchoMD. Even with the gas etc it was a great deal.
 
Oatmeal said:
Yeah, my wife calls it "Disneyland for guys":) Hey, I've been to Spring Valley before, one of the best places to get hard to find trans/transfercase parts is Border Parts......are they still around?-------Hans
Click to expand...

Yep. I'v got lots of parts from there. Owner is VERY knowlegable (SP?) of just about every jeep thats ever been made. I live about 3mins away.
 
Last edited:
HawkZero said:
I've noticed most folks down in the LA basin pay lots less for parts than us folks up in the high desert. Maybe there is a premium based on our location? For example I was quoted 100 bucks for a factory tow hitch and harness, 40 bucks per side for brakes. I did manage to get a early model tank skid for 20, but that is the exception. (I saw it in a pile of junk near some wrecked TJs.)

Anybody willing to pull some stuff and hang on to it until I make a trip down there? I can try and make it worth your time with some cash and maybe some squadron shwag! My next trip will be to Anaheim and is scheduled for 24 september for an annual convention. My next trip will be the following week to take my daughter to Disneyland for her birthday.

Last time I made it down I picked up wheels from GauchoMD. Even with the gas etc it was a great deal.
Click to expand...

A few years back when I did the ZJ brake swap, you couldn't really find any ZJs at P.A.P. So I had to go the same route, and go to a yard they pull it for you.. They wanted $100 bucks, I paid them and they said to come back in a couple of hours..... Thats when they reallized I made out, they didn't think they had to crack the diff open in order to pull the axles out in order to get the backing plate off. They told me next time it will be $200......
 
HawkZero said:
I just dropped by one of the local yards in Ridgecrest to pick up my ZJ brakes. I paid 40 bucks per side and was told I would get the whole enchilada. Calipers, backing plates, rotors, brake lines etc. This particular yard won't let you pull your own parts, but I made sure to emphasize that I needed the ZJ disk brakes off a 94-98 Grand Cherokee. They took my money and said come back to pick them up tomorrow.

Show up today and they had backing plates and rotors, nothing more. They also couldn't tell me what year they came from. Anyway, I refused to take delivery of the stuff and that I would come back monday to talk with the yard manager or owner to find a way to resolve this. I predict that I will get my money back and go to the next yard down the road. At least that yard will let me go look through the junker cars rather than take the yard managers word for it.

Anybody else have problems with yards where they won't let you pull your own parts or even go back and look through the yard?
Click to expand...

Dropped into Pearson's Auto Wrecking in Ridgecrest this morning to resolve the issue. I guess the big fat guy that I spoke to was the owner, but when I explained what I paid and what I was promised, his quote was "Just give me your card back and I will give you your money back. You have to be crazy to think you could have complete brake assemblies for $80."

Last time I ever do business there.

So back to square 1. Im not sure if I'm willing to spend the 100 bucks in gas to get to Anaheim this weekend or not.
 
xjohnnyc said:
Like I said in the other thread, there were four ZJs in a row at the Anaheim Pick-a-Part. All had rear discs. And this weekend is 1/2 price.
Click to expand...

Where were they at? Cause I didn't see any there today. :dunno:
 
They weren't any at the Katella yard?
 
Scott and I went to the Wilmington yards today. There were a couple of ZJs, but they were pretty much stripped down to nothing.

Sorry Stephan, last weekend is all a blur. I know there were 4 ZJs in a single yard, and I'm pretty sure it was one of the OC yards.

I did pick up a set of Explorer backing plates and calipers for THE MJ.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
96 XJ rear axle ratio
Replies
3
Views
1K
RCP Phx
R
M
Installing heated factory seat
Replies
3
Views
838
mortenhj
M
R
Compatable Dash Harness Years for 1990?
Replies
9
Views
2K
RedBolide
R
B
Drum Brake Tip
Replies
7
Views
2K
cruiser54
C
Root Moose
Mild Lifting with OEM Parts
Replies
12
Views
1K
Tim_MN
Tim_MN
Back
Top