Recent content by HappyDog

Costco sells very nice single-piece lugnuts for under 50 cents apiece. I also detested the sheetmetal coverings on the factory lugnuts because they kept falling off.

I was getting a strange scrubbing sound from my 1997 XJ (183,200 mi) which I couldn't really localize. It was at the front of the engine, but not on top. The front seal in the timing cover was leaking anyway so I decided to replace the water pump, tensioner pulley, and timing chain and...

Thanks BigAlpha!

One front axle U-joint on my 2001 XJ is toast so I am going to replace both. Most of the driving is on paved roads, and what dirt-road driving is done is on decent, though washboarded, roads. No rock-crawling. My understanding is that I should use Spicer 5-760x. I looked around and found two...

Two clubs you should know about are http://www.santabarbara4wdclub.com/ which can also be found at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Santa-Barbara-4-Wheel-Drive-Club-4X4-FUN/214721728662318 as well as http://ci4x4.webs.com/ ci4x4 is based in Oxnard-Ventura area. Both clubs have fun and...

I'm nearby and have done a bunch of stuff on my Cherokees. I wrench but don't weld. PM me and my wife and I can meet with you and help assess your new acquisition. --HappyDog

Re: SoCal Karma 2014 Thread Even though it appears it will be easy to install the LockRight in my rig, and the offer is exceptional, it appears the locker is not appropriate for my driving style. My rig is primarily a DD with occasional dirt road driving -- highway and street manners are very...

Re: SoCal Karma 2014 Thread I'm interested, but I need to either change the ring and pinion, or swap the carrier with the D-35 with ABS that I have. I'm looking into how difficult it will be to make use of this axle on my rig. Can you give me until noon tomorrow to make a decision? Thanks!

Evidently "acceptable vibration" is like beauty -- it is in the eye of the beholder. There are people who have found the Brown Dog motor mounts, even the rubber ones, to be too stiff for a daily driver -- they transmit too much vibration. Take a look at...

Sorry, I forgot to comment on the wiring harness. I don't think it matches your needs well enough for the price. You will need a circuit breaker for trailer power, and there's a wonderful spot for one in the passenger footwell fuse panel which normally runs the power seats. I don't have power...

Lots of people buy and love the Tekonsha Prodigy, but I bought something else. Here's why: 1. The Tekonsha is really a little computer that boots up each time the ignition is turned on. The upside is that it runs through routines to make sure the brakes are actually connected -- the line is...

Right so far Not right at all -- the sensor tells the PCM the rotational position of the crankshaft so it can trigger the injectors and the spark at the proper times. The PCM also uses the camshaft position sensor to determine whether a particular cylinder is coming to TDC on compression...

It's usually helpful to use a strong light and look closely. Another common source is the joint between the oil filter adapter and the engine block -- there are 3 O-rings there that eventually get cooked and no longer seal well. Is the leak really lightweight oil? If so, check the power...

I replaced the harmonic balancer on my 1997 XJ today. I had previously scoured NAXJA and other sites to determine which replacement balancer to buy. Several people had trouble with the Dorman, but those that used the Power Bond seemed to have no problems. So I bought a Power Bond from my local...

I have no experience with the Black Magic pads or rotors. When I bought the 2001 (my first XJ) I didn't like the brakes because I needed to really bear down on the pedal to get it to stop quickly. At first I thought I had a problem with the vacuum booster, but it tested out fine. I had replaced...