83 Cherokee Chief

[brdshootr]

Hey,
I am looking at buying an 83 Cherokee Chief and was hoping you guys could help me out by giving me particulars on what I should watch out for. I have an 84 Wag so I know about the frame rail and the rear window, etc. I was more concerned with what options were available and so forth.

[LRRH]

well.....

Laredo was the nice package. Have a friend whose got one, comes with Selec-Trac(NP 229). I believe the non-Laredo had NP208?? Check for lock out hubs........

I'm pretty sure they still had WideTrack's available(wider axles) as opposed to a NT(narrow track which is wagoneer sized.....)


check ALL the windows.....and mirrors if applicable. test EVERYTHING electronic.

good luck!

[looch]

I have a '80 Chief which is probably similar to what you are looking at. The Larado will probably have more bells and whistles, which with time become more of a hinderance than a luxury so check them out (electric windows, etc.). The main thing that I have found in buying jeeps is mileage and use. Look for relatively low mileage and make sure that the previous owner didn't think that he was Mickey Thomson. Check the oils (all of them). These Jeeps are truly awesome, and even with mild abuse seem to always get you there and back without anything drastic happening. Some people say that the aluminum transfer case and transmission are weak, but I have never had problems with mine, and I have used them plenty. It seems that these Jeeps are never quite 100%, but that is why they are so much fun for greasemonkeys to own.

[brdshootr]

This one door locksdoes not have electric windows or power mirrors. It does have an electric diver's seat, air conditioning, tilt wheel, no cruise tho. The owner has copies of the original window sticker. I was really concerned about the lockingg hubs. stock with a V8 or not?

[joe]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by brdshootr:
I was really concerned about the lockingg hubs. stock with a V8 or not?<hr></blockquote>
Carl, on an 83 Chero that came with the part-time 208 x-case(command-trac), manual unlocking hubs came standard.
If the Chero has the optional 229(select-trac) "and" manual hubs beware...the hubs are owner installed.
You can run unlocking hubs w/a 229 but if you ever screw up and try to run in 4WD with the hubs unlocked you'll fry the expensive and hard to find viscous coupler in the x-case. A 229's most obvious clue is a dash mounted vac switch for the x-case and vac front axle shifting. The 208 will just have a manual floor lever and no vac/dash switch and no vac operated front axle. If it's an 83 Chero w/208..."be happy" smile.gif
Standard motor was the 258 but the 360 was an option.

[Yaz]

i have an 82 laredo... didnt come with anything special, i added the power windows, and power seats... it was pretty much a base laredo

the cherokee had a 208. 229, and 219
the 208 is "the best" because its most durrable i dont know about the 229, i think its ok except i dont like vac stuff. the 219 i think was the weakest because it does not have a 2wd, the 219 sounds like the "top of the line" because its a full time 4 but its also always spinnng the chain causing more ware.

if it has all manual stuff like mine did, you can always add it later, my power windows were from an 89(i had to drill because it had a different regulater system) and the seats i got from somone here(sorry i forgot you), all the plugs are there, just get the harness and it will just snap in...

if you go all out like i did(i had no reason to) check out the TPI guy, i like his system better

[brdshootr]

looks like I will have to spend sometime under this cherokee before I make my decision. I will try to go look again on Monday and take my digital camera.

[brdshootr]

I don't need to worry about the 83 Cherokee Chief anymore. The guy sold it today. I went over with the camera to take pics and it was gone. Missed by 3 hours.