Advice on a ‘88 YJ

C

Chief Brohican

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Jul 27, 2020
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Location
Guntersville, AL
I am considering buying an ‘88 YJ. Unsure about the YJ. This what the guy has told me so far.

Hi Dave. I have had the Jeep for about 7 months. The only modifications I have done to it are:
- posilock- this will lock in the front axle for 4x4. This was due to the fact that the Jeep has a vacuum system that needs attention. The heat is also tied in with this system
- put tires (33x12.50)and wheels on that are used but still in good shape with a lot of life
- put a new bikini top on it. This is the only top that comes with the Jeep.

That’s about all I’ve did to it. It’s been a very durable older vehicle. It’s in Gatlinburg TN right now. I plan to drive it back Saturday

is this typical, is it an easy fix, expensive, what else do I need to look for Etc.
 
I bought my first YJ almost a year ago with a bad 2.5L engine that was run without oil. I knew that going in and planned on overhauling it along with the AX-5 transmission. Since then I have been through 90% of the YJ fixing most big and little problems. Previous to this I knew absolutely nothing about them.

The biggest unexpected surprise was finding internal frame rust in the mid section and having to weld in a new channel. Come to find out it's very common to find in Wranglers. Why? Because both ends of the tubular frame are open at each end and sit higher than the low mid section. Water gets in and with no drain hole it sits and rusts. Fortunately for me the rust was just along the bottom by the nutcerts that hold up the skid pan.

Now that I know what to look for I've found many Jeeps with the same problem or worse and many with frame repairs in key spots like around the suspension shackle brackets.

Floor pan rust is common so look there. I just replaced my drivers side.

The engines are good overall and wear like a rock (slowly unless there's no oil) and the drivetrain is good with common synchro wear over time. Those need someone who's familiar or mechanically inclined to determine their health.

Other than that they're as easy to work on as a lawnmower with rusty nuts and bolts. Most all parts can easily be found.
 
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Similar to TJs, the biggest thing to look for is going to be frame rust. Do you have any photos of it?
 
33s on the standard axles (he does not say it was lifted) are going to be a potential issue. At minimum sluggish performance, and could eventually damage the axles.
 
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