Need help from the Jeep gurus

[greenheadgrimreaper]

I am looking at buying a beater vehicle for weekend use.

I have found a couple of TJ's with the 4cylinder manual setup. I have read a lot of forums where some say " wait on a 4.0," and others that said they don't mind at all or that they love it.

I keep seeing talk of "freeways", etc.

My use of the vehicle will be to go to the local wma pulling an honda rancher and 12 foot utility trailer, and pulling a 16 foot jon with trailer and motor to the ramp for fishing- Lake Washington would be the absolute furthermost limit of how far it will tow said boat (3 hours).

As far commuting goes, I might run to Starkville on HWY 25 in it occasionally, but mostly I will be zipping around the countryside on backroads or going to town. The Jeep will not see very many freeways...nor will it see very much off-roading...

I guess what I am wanting to know is: will a 2.5 meet my needs stated above? The price of the 2.5's vs. the 4.0's is enough to make the former fit into my budget. I'll need to put a towing package on both of the vehicles I am looking at, but I don't see myself having funds/needs for a 18 foot fiberglass boat in the near future.

I think I can get one of these TJ's for around $4k. It has never been off-roading, but the heater/ac is not working. Is that a fair price? I don't care about AC but that heater needs to get fixed asap...

[hntrpat1]

it will be fine

[grnhed]

The 2.5 is a pretty reliable little motor. The jeep is pretty light and doesn't require too much, and 2.5 has the power where it is supposed to be. With that said, I would stay away. There is a reason there are a lot of them available at a cheap price. You are limited in what you can iwith and to your Jeep without upgrades and mods to the motor, gears, etc. That 4.0 is a great motor, several of my buddies run them. I have a rebuilt and bored 258 in my CJ.

[greenheadgrimreaper]

Point taken grnhed, but let me ask you this: In terms of "limitations" on what I can do, for my stated needs in my original post, am I limited on using the Jeep for those purposes?

The only thing I need the Jeep for is towing a jon boat or 4 wheeler and utility trailer mostly small distances. Other than that it will be used for running around local places on rural roads. Will the 4 banger not suffice for this?

[edub20]

Point taken grnhed, but let me ask you this: In terms of "limitations" on what I can do, for my stated needs in my original post, am I limited on using the Jeep for those purposes?

The only thing I need the Jeep for is towing a jon boat or 4 wheeler and utility trailer mostly small distances. Other than that it will be used for running around local places on rural roads. Will the 4 banger not suffice for this?

Go rent one from a car rental place with the 4cyl and try it out Give it hell

[Roach]

I've got the 4.0 in a 2000 Sahara but I'm running 285 tires...with the bigger tires, I would not consider the 2.5.

[deltadukman]

I have an 80 series landcrusier and its got a large straight six in it. I too tow a fourwheeler and and 16' boat with a 40 hp on it. Where you will have trouble with it is on the hills. It may run fine on flat land, but the hills will be a killer. Slap on a set of small mud tires(and you know you will want them) and it becomes more sluggish. I dont know that motor inparticular, but the old addage is there is no replacement for displacement. A 3 hr ride turns into 4 because you can barely keep up with the speed limit, sluggish off the start, etc.

[blkdout]

You have to also consider will you be adding any accessories? Tires, winch, bumpers etc all add weight. I would wait on a good 4.0 to come around. Also unless you need your vehicle for work it will probably be driven more than just weekends. If the heat is not working because the heater core is out tha is about an $800 job at a shop so may be something else to consider. The whole dash has to come out

[grnhed]

Most of the issues have been listed already, but even for the needs you listed, I believe you will find it under powered. You might be fine banging around back roads with street tires, but that's about it.

[DeltaCotton12]

I have a 97 TJ with the 2.5 and have pulled boats and trailers with it. I had it with stock 31's and also had 33x10.5's with the axles re geared to 4.88's. It currently has 32" street tires with the axles still at 4.88.

My advice from experience, find one with the 4.0. Any headwind and 5th gear is about unusable. Throw a trailer in there and you are running 3500 RPM's holding 50 mph. The 2.5 can handle its own from 0-40 without a load but once you start putting a load on it, the lack of power becomes apparent.

[MudHog]

Personally, I would only use the 4 banger on the freeway. Most people say no freeway in regards to gassing on it to weave in and out of traffic, merging into traffic, etc. The 4 banger isn't a powerhouse by any means. For driving with no towing (read economy), I'd buy a 4 banger. For the use you described, I would buy a 4.0L. Just by adding a boat to tow, I would get the 4.0L. You can get the 4 banger to work by lowering the gear ratio like DC12 did, but then you will ultimately be hurting yourself unloaded as the RPMS will be higher at cruising speed. I would look for an older CJ. You can get a CJ5 (83.5" wheelbase) or a CJ7 (93.5" wheelbase) for under $3000. Easier to work on, easier to maintain, and will be cheaper. DO NOT GET A YJ (square headlights). If you insist on a TJ, then '97 was the first year the TJ was made and is a great year which would be cheaper than a newer model.

[three11]

Personally, I would only use the 4 banger on the freeway. Most people say no freeway in regards to gassing on it to weave in and out of traffic, merging into traffic, etc. The 4 banger isn't a powerhouse by any means. For driving with no towing (read economy), I'd buy a 4 banger. For the use you described, I would buy a 4.0L. Just by adding a boat to tow, I would get the 4.0L. You can get the 4 banger to work by lowering the gear ratio like DC12 did, but then you will ultimately be hurting yourself unloaded as the RPMS will be higher at cruising speed. I would look for an older CJ. You can get a CJ5 (83.5" wheelbase) or a CJ7 (93.5" wheelbase) for under $3000. Easier to work on, easier to maintain, and will be cheaper. DO NOT GET A YJ (square headlights). If you insist on a TJ, then '97 was the first year the TJ was made and is a great year which would be cheaper than a newer model.

What's wrong with the YJs?
Just curious.

[bmanning3]

I had a 98 with the 4 banger in it. Was a manual with a 3 inch suspension lift and 33x12.5 cooper stt's.. Top speed (and I mean foot through the floor) was 56 mph.. I used to pull my racing fourwheeler with it on a little 8 foot trailer and it was a chore. I drove it from Jackson to yazoo city several times and the first time I took 49 the whole way. with those hills I like to have never gotten there. I know jeeps aren't built to be fast, but in my opinion that little 4 cylinder just doesn't have enough power to be an all around weekend toy. Especially if you want to pull anything with it.

[LODI QUACKER]

U NEEDED A NEW GEAR RATIO.



to the op..

the 4 will work and it can be a beast geared the right way because its light as hell. But you dont get power and speed out of a 4 cyl, its one or the other. you want to put some 31-32 inch tires and drive 50 mph max change the gearing front and rear and you will be fine. But you put 33's on a 4.0 4.2 and you need new gears there also.

I would buy the cheap 4 cyl, put 31 235's on it and you can have a little of both. 4 low will go, and still run 55.


In the long run LISTEN to MUD he is the expert.

[vicksburg]

I have a 97 tj, with 4 cyl automatic, with 235/75 on it, and you dont want to pull ANYTHING with it. It is great from 0-40 and putting around at my camp, but it will only go about 70mph, but that is while drafting behind someone...