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Common Items for a '79 CherokeeFullsize Fix-Ups From the February, 2009 issue of Jp
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Finding parts and accessories for a Fullsize Jeep, or FSJ, can be a nightmare. You walk into your local discount store and ask for a backup light bulb, and the counterman just stares blankly. "For what kind of car, my friend?" he asks. Even after you explain that it's a Jeep, not a car, your '69 Wagoneer still won't pop up on his computer screen. It's either too old for his system or he's looking under DaimlerChrysler, not Kaiser. Any Jeep can be a pain to find parts for, and the FSJs can be even harder. But there is an answer to this dilemma. Many parts are available through your local Jeep or 4x4 store if the salespeople there know where to get the goodies. Crown Automotive is a wholesale distributor of replacement Jeep parts. It carries lots of stuff you may have thought you'd never find. Though Crown doesn't sell directly to the public, any of its distributors can source its inventory, and many distributors keep a wide range of stock. We contacted a Crown distributor, Specialty Parts of San Carlos, California, and sure enough, the goodies we needed were on the shelf. Naturally, no one store has everything, but a good store like Specialty Parts can find many things it doesn't stock and you never thought were available. These are just a few of the common items we needed for a '79 Cherokee. Stuff like this isn't found at the corner parts store but can really improve the vehicle.  Just try to find an FSJ license...  Just try to find an FSJ license plate light at a regular parts store. We even tried a good store and gave the counterperson the manufacturer's number off the light, but it wasn't available. However, one phone call to Specialty Parts in San Carlos, California, and it was in the mail, and the worry about a fix-it ticket was gone. The light is held in with two screws, and two bullet connectors supply the juice, so replacement is a snap.  Jeep has discontinued many...  Jeep has discontinued many throttle cables, and the universal-fit styles just aren't that universal. Our old cable was frayed and ready to break and stuck when we didn't want it to--a dangerous situation. Replacement is literally a snap: Squeeze the tabs together on the square end of the housing and pull the end through the bracket, then pop the cable end off the carb ball. The other end has a similar square that you squeeze from under the dash, and the cable end slips out of the gas pedal. Just reverse the procedure for installation, and you're done.  That faulty light switch that...  That faulty light switch that sends you into darkness on a pitch-black night needs help too. The hardest part in replacing it is getting the knob off. The knob is integral to the shaft, which has a small depression around the head. To remove the knob, the button on the base of the switch must be depressed and held down as the knob is pulled out. The hardest part is getting your hand under the dash and putting your finger on the button while a friend pulls your knob out.  A small round nut threaded...  A small round nut threaded onto the switch itself retains the bezel, which holds the switch in the dash. A special tool is available to fit the two slots of the nut, but careful use of a hammer and a screwdriver will work. Work slowly on both slots, so the nut isn't damaged and the screwdriver doesn't gouge the dash.  With the nut and bezel removed,...  With the nut and bezel removed, carefully work the switch and connector through the maze of underdash wire until the switch is accessible. The connector has two tabs (arrow) that need to be released from the switch, and then the connector can be pulled off. Push the new switch into the connector, and wiggle the switch back under the dash into the mounting hole.  Install the bezel and nut...  Install the bezel and nut on the switch and carefully tighten the nut with the screwdriver and hammer or a special tool if you have one. Once you've secured it, simply push the knob all the way into the switch until you hear a click. Check the switch for proper operation.  How about those cracked and...  How about those cracked and broken side marker lights? Two screws are all it takes to remove them, and a simple twist-in connector holds in the bulb. You might want to replace the burned-out bulb while you're at it. The red markers go to the rear of the vehicle, and the amber markers go on the front fenders. Two screws apiece--what are you waiting for?  Transmission fluid has been...  Transmission fluid has been dripping on your driveway for years, all because of old, cracked cooler hoses. Maybe you replaced them with regular fuel hoses and fittings, but that means they'll burst when you least expect it. These original-style hoses are made from the right stuff. They screw right into the factory fittings on the radiator and to the hard lines from the transmission. Don't forget to check the fluid level after you replace these babies.  Beep-beep goes the Jeep--but...  Beep-beep goes the Jeep--but not if the horns don't work. Both of ours were filled with animal debris, which silenced the sound. The replacements come with a flat bracket instead of the factory angle style, but a hammer and vise made quick work of that little problem. Mounting is almost the same, and the simple one-wire hookup per horn is brain-dead-simple.  It's handy to know how much...  It's handy to know how much gas is in your tank, but the sending unit in the tank often goes bad. You need to remove the tank to replace the sender. This involves draining the tank, unhooking all the hoses and the sending unit wire, and removing the mounting bolts. Drop the tank out of the Jeep and clean away all the gunk from the sender. The lock ring is removed by twisting counterclockwise, which usually means you have to use a hammer and screwdriver to move it.  After the ring is removed,...  After the ring is removed, carefully pry the old unit away from the O-ring on the tank. Be careful not to drop crud in the tank, since it will eventually get into the carburetor. The sending unit has a float on the end, which sometimes sinks, but the new unit comes with a new float. Dig the old O-ring off the tank and clean the mounting surfaces.  The tiny wires of the sender...  The tiny wires of the sender create electrical resistance, which activates the dash fuel gauge. When they're broken as shown, the gauge won't indicate what's in the tank. To put everything together, use a new O-ring and install the new sender, then tighten the lock ring. Jack the tank back in place and bolt it in place, then reconnect the hoses and sending unit wire. Fill the tank with gas and you're good to go.
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Crown Automotive
7-81/-826-6200
www.crownautoparts.com
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Specialty Parts
217 Old County Rd. No. 8
San Carlos
CA
94070
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Knew Knobs
So you’re cruising down the road on a slightly overcast day, singing along to your favorite...
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