Alexander Sutton


If you are customizing your Jeep for off-road recreational driving, safety should be a high priority. Off road jeeping can be very dangerous, and safety cannot be overlooked. There are several jeep safety parts available that can help enhance the safety in your jeep and protect you and your passengers while driving.

Some obvious safety parts are seat belts and harnesses. If you are building your own Jeep or you want to improve the safety in your Jeep, there are several seat belts and harnesses available at auto part stores and on a variety of Jeep part websites. Harnesses are good options for anybody who takes their jeeps off road in extremely rough terrain, or for any jeep owner that goes off road and is concerned for their safety and the safety of their passengers. Harnesses are especially good for people who rock climb in their jeep, because if you rock climb you can near vertical, and a harness can help hold you in the jeep and protect you. When you are looking at safety belts and harnesses you should make sure that they are durable and dependable. By looking at reviews for different safety belts and harnesses online, you find the best ones that are available. There are other jeep safety parts available like stronger doors, and interior padding.

When you are shopping for jeep parts you should make sure that whether they are for the body of your jeep or for something like the exhaust system, engine, or tires that they are dependable parts that will work properly and ensure your safety.

Jack Oroville


One thing that many people don’t realize, is that a stock Jeep is not actually engineered for heavy off rood use. Sure, it will handle rough dirt roads better than a standard automobile but if someone wants to do what they have seen Jeeps do on TV in the ads then they are going to have to do some modifications.

Lift Kit Before Off Road Tires

To begin with, large off road tires are out of the question without a Jeep lift kit first being installed. This is because the bigger sized tires will be prone to rubbing on the wheel wells. Even smaller sized off road tires will rub when the Jeep goes over bumps and also when turning sharp corners.

Do-it-Yourself Jeep Lift Kits

If you have always thought that having a jeep lift kit installed meant a huge bill from a mechanics shop then you may be surprised to learn that that is not necessarily the case any more. This is because now Jeep lift kits come in a wide variety including simple and inexpensive kits that can easily be installed in your driveway.

Check Your Warranty

However; before you order your lift kit online you may want to check your warranty to see if it will have any negative effect on it. Don’t be shocked if it does, because this is most likely the case. Also, remember to check the laws regarding height limits on raised vehicles in your state.

Think About a Winch

If you plan on doing any serious off roading then another accessory item you may want to look into is a front bumper winch. If your Jeep model is a smaller, lighter model then you can most likely get by with one of the smaller winches.

Play it Safe With a Roll Bar

There are also a number of off the shelf roll bar kits for jeeps that are now available as well and if your Jeep is a convertible this is something that you should give some serious thought to as well. Remember that it always pays to put safety first and a good roll bar is cheap life insurance that you only have to pay for once.

James C


If you are an older of an older Jeep you probably know already that they need a good amount of maintenance. One of the maintenance items commonly missed is draining and replacing the coolant in the radiator but it is very important. A clean radiator will keep your vehicle running cool and smoothly for many years and help you avoid the many problems that overheating can cause. Read on as I discuss flushing a Jeep radiator.

The first step is to let your vehicle cool down completely. It is dangerous to work on a hot, pressurized cooling system. After the Jeep has cooled down you will drain the radiator by placing a large container under the radiator petcock. Twist the plastic tab to open it being careful not to damage the tab. After you have drained the radiator you can drain the coolant from the block by placing your drain pan under the drain plug on the drivers side rear portion of the engine block. Take the used coolant and place it in a sealed container and put it out of the way of children and pets. After you finish working on your jeep be sure to take it to a safe place to properly dispose of the used fluid according to local regulations. Now replace the engine drain plug and tighten the petcock. Add a 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled water. Distilled water is important because it will not have coolant passage clogging minerals in it. Leaving the radiator cap off of the Jeep start it and allow it to reach operating temperature. As it does so the radiator water level will drop as the system bleeds the air out. Once you are done, turn off the vehicle and put the radiator cap back on. Once it has cooled you can top off the overflow reservoir and you are done.

As you can see, there is not much to this. Any backyard mechanic can change the coolant of their vehicle. Just be sure to take your time, be careful and dispose of used fluid safely. Remember antifreeze is toxic to children and pets so be careful.

Mike Strawbridge


One of the common repairs that needs to be made on an older Jeep Cherokee is replacing broken motor mounts. While the look difficult to access, changing motor mounts is actually a fairly simple process.

Begin by acquiring a new set of motor mounts. Many vendors offer stock replacement mounts style with a lifetime warranty. I use these on my street Jeeps. There are also some heavy duty aftermarket mounts available with either polyurethane or rubber bushing that is fully enclosed in a metal sleeve. I use these on my Rally Racing Jeep.

Begin by placing a jack under the oil pan to raise the engine. Use a block of wood to distribute the load so as not to damage the pan. Lift only high enough to remove the load from the broken mount. You will see it separate slightly when the load is released.

Access to the left side mount can be facilitated by removing the air box. Use two 18 MM wrenches to remove the main bolt. Then remove the two bolts that hold the motor mount to the frame. One of the bolts may be more easily accessed from below the Jeep.

If you have run the Jeep for a while with a broken motor mount, inspect the exhaust manifold for cracks while you are in there. Once the motor mounts separates, the exhaust keeps the engine torque form rotating the engine leading to cracks in the manifold.

To install the new mount, set it in place over the mounting bolts and start them in just a turn or two. Now install the main bolt through the mount and tighten it down. The main bolt can be very difficult to line up if the mount is bolted in place first. Now tighten the frame mounting bolts.

To change the right side mount, you will have to remove the oil filter adapter from the engine block. It is a good idea to replace the o rings when reinstalling the adapter. These O rings are available as a kit from the Jeep dealer and many online sources.

As on the left side, remove the main bolt. The bolt will hit the oil filter adapter before it clears the motor mount so that is why the oil filter adapter has to be removed from the block. Next remove the bolts that hold the mount to the frame.

Place the new mount in position and loosely fit the frame mounting bolts. Install the mina bolt and tighten. Now tighten the frame mounting bolts.

Reinstall the oil filter adapter using new o rings as appropriate.

Lower the engine and enjoy your new motor mounts. If you have installed aftermarket style mounts, you will likely notice slightly more engine vibration. The extra vibration is most noticeable when the starter motor is engaged. Once the engine is running, there is very little extra vibration transferred to the body of the Jeep.

Mike Strawbridge


Failure to start falls into two categories:

The engine will not turn over – the starter motor will not run

Or

The engine turns over but will not fire and run.

This article will address the second cause. If you engine will not turn over, see my other article.

The Jeep Cherokee like other vehicles needs two things to run: Fuel and ignition.

Fuel delivery can be easily checked with the use of a fuel pressure tester connected to the test port on the injector rail. In the event of an emergency, you can sacrifice a tire pressure gauge to test for proper fuel pressure. The correct pressure will be around 35 to 40 lbs depending on the vacuum state of the engine.

If you suspect a fuel delivery problem, first listen for the fuel pump to run. On most XJ Cherokees the pump will run a couple of seconds and then stop when the key is first switched to the on position. If the pump does not run, check the wiring to the fuel pump. Start to see if the proper voltage is present at the ballast resister located on the left front fender. You can also remove the fuel pump relay and use a jumper wire to energize the fuel pump.

If the fuel pump runs but does not produce the correct fuel pressure, check for leaks in the fuel limes. There is a rubber line inside the fuel tank that if it breaks will allow the system to loose pressure without any visible leaks. This one can be a real head scratchier to find.

If you have the proper fuel pressure and still the engine will not fire, check the ignition source. The ECU relies on two signals to determine the spark timing. The Crankshaft position sensor and the camshaft position sensor. The Crankshaft position sensor is located on the bell housing on the left side of the engine. There is a wiring connector on the manifold that sometimes corrodes. Check for a good connection at this point. Also, check the wires leading to the sensor as I have seen them damaged.

The camshaft sensor is located inside the distributor housing. The most common problem with this sensor is the wiring again the connector to the wiring harness. Also note that there are several ground wires that connect to the back of the engine block near the distributor. If these grounds wires are loose, the ECU can malfunction. Check these while checking the camshaft position sensor wiring.

If the distributor has been removed for any reason, verify the indexing of the distributor. If the distributor is even slightly off, the computer will not allow the engine to fire as a safety precaution. See my other article on distributor indexing.

Another part that can stop the flow of power to the ignition is the rotor in the distributor. Remove the distributor cap and verify that the contacts of the rotor are making contact with the cap and the tip is not excessively burned.

Mike Strawbridge


After having heard and read many horror stories about Jeep 4.0’s that don’t run after pulling the distributor, I was very careful about installing the distributor in my new Titan Stroker Motor.

The procedure in the factory recommended procedure is surprising simple. Here is my method of implementing the recommended procedure.

Use a 3/4 inch wrench to rotate the engine to the zero degree mark on the Damper. This is easier if the electric fan is not in the way. Also, you must ensure that you are on the compression stoke of the engine. One way to ensure this is to watch the motion of the valves and make sure that you are using the mark just after the intake valve closes.

Another note: If you damper is old, this is a good time to make sure it is not twisted by checking that the engine really is at TDC when the damper lines up with the mark.

With the cap on the distributor, scribe a line just to the left on the number one terminal. Transfer this line down onto the metal distributor housing. On the Renix version, it will be near where the wires come out.

Use a screwdriver to set the slot in the oil pump drive to 11 O’Clock.

Now take the distributor cap off. Eyeball the mounting tang over the mounting bolt hole in the block. Pick up the gasket you just dropped and put it back on.

Set the rotor to point to about 4 O’Clock. This will be a bit to the right of your mark.

Lower the distributor in to the hole and allow it to engage the camshaft drive gears. The rotor will turn as the gears engage. When it hits bottom, the rotor should be pointing at the mark you made earlier. If not, try again.

Put the mounting clamp on and tighten the bolt.

From the stories I have heard, the computer will not work if the distributor indexing is off even one gear tooth. By using this procedure, yours will be right. Check off another item from your list of Jeep Cherokee motor problems.

Alexander Sutton


Taking a Jeep off-road is a lot of fun, and it’s a hobby (and sport) that’s growing in popularity across the country. If it’s your first time going off-road, or even if you’ve been doing this sort of thing for years, it’s always smart to double-check your gear so that you can have a safe and fun experience. Despite the standard safety precautions people take when going off-road, accidents are still possible and often happen. Minor injuries can result, but even more major injuries can be stabilized until help arrives if you have a proper Jeep survival kit that is always present in the Jeep and never removed from the vehicle.

Your Jeep survival kit should include the following items: bandages, tape, gauze, anti-bacterial cream, aspirin, calamine lotion, cold pack, heat packs, snake venom kits, razor blades, sanitary pads, anti-nausea tablets, tweezers, and hydrogen peroxide. This is a short list of the essentials, and you might find that you need to add more items depending on your own personal needs or the personal needs of your family.

You should also be sure to pack extra drinking water as well as food like jerky, nuts, dried fruit, and other easily packed, easily stored, high in protein and carbs, food. Space blankets should also be included. They’re extremely small and compact, but will provide warmth if you get stuck in a cold environment or over night. Flashlights and spare batteries are also a good idea, as well as a lighter or matches in a water-proof container.

Mike Strawbridge


One of the more vulnerable points on the otherwise very reliable Jeep Cherokee is the alternator. The alternator is located very low on the engine and is susceptible to damage from mud and water during off road conditions.

Usually the first indication of an alternator failure will be the check engine light. The ECU controls the alternator and will detect when it is not responding properly to its commands. The second indication will be a drop in voltage.

To replace the alternator:

1. Remove the battery and battery tray.
2. Remove the air box and loosen the bolts on the power steering pump to loosen the belt. It is not absolutely necessary to loosen the belt to reinstall the alternator but it make sit a lot easier.
3. Working from under the Jeep, remove the main power wire from the alternator. This will be the large wire with a cover over the bolt
4. Next remove the control wires. On some older models these are held in place by a somewhat unusual 7mm bolt. There are four bots total holding this connection in place.
5. Now, working from the top, remove the upper and lower mounting bolts.
6. Note the stamped steel stiffener on the front of the engine that the alternator bolts to. Loosen but do not remove the bolt next to the alternator bracket. This will help get space to reinstall the new alternator.
7. To get the alternator out of the engine bay, you will likely have to raise the engine slightly. The easiest way to do this is with a jack under the engine oil sump. Be sure to spread the load with a block of wood to avoid damage to the sump.
8. You may also have the slightly bend the AC lines if they interfere with removal of the alternator.
9. Install the new alternator in place.
10. Lower the engine back into place and reinstall the mounting bolts.
11. Tighten the bolt beside the mounting bolt if you loosened it earlier.
12. Replace the control wiring harness.
13. Replace the main wire. And reposition the cover.
14. Tighten the belt.
15. Tighten the power steering bolts and replace the air box.
16. Remove any wrenches that you may have left lying around.
17. Reinstall the battery tray and reconnect the battery and give it a test run.
18. The check engine light should be gone immediately and the battery voltage should begin to climb.

Note that if you allowed the battery to discharge before you replaced the alternator, it is a good idea to charge the battery from a different source before installing a new alternator. The new alternator can be permanently damaged by placing a high charging load on it at its initial startup.

Alexander Sutton


You’ve got your brand new Jeep, a group of friends, and a great piece of land to go driving. That sounds like a recipe for a very good time, but before you take off to have your fun, you should check out this checklist of essential Jeep items for off-roading safely. Once you have these items packed and secured if your Jeep, you’ll know that you’ll be ready to take on anything and face any sort of emergency that might happen while you’re out in the wilderness. These items are especially important if you ever go off-roading alone, or with children.

The biggies are drinking water, a first-aid kit, and a fire extinguisher. If you ever get stuck and need to wait for a rescuer crew-whether that’s your buddies or Search and Rescue-you’ll be able to survive for much longer and avoid serious illness if you have drinking water. You should have a few jugs beyond what you would normally bring for a trip. Also, if there are any accidents or injuries, a first-aid kit and a fire extinguisher can go very far in keep a bad situation from becoming worse. There are plenty of travel-sized fire extinguishers, and you can make your own first-aid kid with items that you deem necessary.

You should also include a tool kit, spare parts, and a jack. Fan belts and tires can become damaged, especially on particularly rough terrain. If your fan belt breaks and you don’t have another one, you’re going to be screwed until somebody can come and rescue you. Having a good spare tire and an extra fan belt can make your journey safer and your life much easier.