Need general info on a CJ 7

[johnnyd]

I am in the market for a CJ7 but have never owned a jeep before. I have driven several, so I am aware of difference in ride. I have been trying to read up on different threads to pick up some advise on do's and don'ts. Can anyone offer the basics? Are certain years more sought after and why? Is there one transmission that is more proven? axels? 258 pro's and con's? 304? Manual vs. Auto. I would like osmething that could be a daily driver. Most of the new jeeps use will be w/e's. This could save me from making some pricey discissions.
Thanks

 

[yjdave]

Get the 86 if you can find one. D44 rear/d300 tc. I would stay away from the first few 70's(76-78) most use the quadratrac tc and a amc 20 rear.........02 worth....unless you can find a chev v8 conversion with kick a** running gear.

 

[jay79cj7]

If you aren't going to build it up big, the 76-79 quadratrac cases should be fine. If you think you are going to do axle swaps, etc, down the road, stay away unless you want to replace the transmission, case, and axles all at the same time. The passenger side drop of the rear output / rear axle limits the swap candidates. Generally 81-86 seems to be easier to find parts for, coming from a guy with a 79 auto.

 

[johnnyd]

Thanks for the info. I am not looking to do many upgrades or go big. I would like something fairly stock. Most of my driving would be w/e on the road.
What gear ratio would you recommend for beating around town?

 

[David]

Gear ratio by itself is largely irrelevant. What gears do is transfer the power of the turning drivetrain (powered by the engine) to the wheels. The ratio is simply a measure of how that is done. The higher the ratio (numerically) the more mechanical advantage is given to the engine over the wheels. Therefore, it's easier for an engine to turn increasingly large tires as the gear ratio rises. Similarly, progressively smaller (less powerful) engines can turn the same size tires as gear ratio rises. By example, I drive a jeep with a V-8 and 33" tires. My gear ratio of 3.73 works well for me. It would not work well if I had a 4 cyl engine or if I had 38" tires (or both). This is a long-winded response which boils down to two important pieces of information: (1) if everything on the drivetrain, including the tire size, is stock, the gear ratio, whatever it is, should be fine; and (2) if modifications, including tire size, have been made, simply drive the vehicle--you'll be able to tell if it's lugging. Try putting it in top gear and going up a long hill at highway speeds. That will tell you pretty quick whether your gear ratio is too low. Conversely, if you're red-lining the RPM guage at 35 mph in top gear, chances are you have very low (numerically high) gears, and the rig is set up for serious off-roading.

 

[johnnyd]

David,
Thanks. That really clears up a lot for me. I appreciate the explanation.

 

[Sparky-Watts]

That was an excellently detailed post, David! 8)

And, johnnyd, Welcome to Jeepz! As you have already found out, this is one of the most helpful, informative, and perhaps the friendliest Jeep sites on the web. You can always ask whatever question you want, with no worries that it will get you flamed, or that it is a dumb question. We'll always do our best to help a fellow Jeeper. I had been an avid 4-wheeler for over 20 years when I came here, but not in a Jeep, and this site has taught me more than you could imagine. I'm no expert, by any means, but I'm now comfortable answering many of the basic questions. We've got folks here that are experts at Jeeps, and that's what makes it a great site.....well, that and the fact that we're just one big happy family. Hope you stick around, we'd love to have you in the family! 8)

Tell us a bit more about yourself; age, work, family, location, other interests. And be sure to post up some pics of your CJ when you get it. Nothing we like better than to drool over someone else's Jeep! :lol:

 

[redrooster]

CJ tidbits:
CJ's with the 304 V8 are likely to have the 3 speed manual and Dana 20 transfer case, both of which suck offroad. You may, however, find one with the T18 4 speed which would be a good find. Many people don't like the qaudratrac full time 4wd system, but there are fewer out there.
82-86 CJ's have "wide track" axles which are several inches wider than the older ones. The extra width helps offroad.
Don't waste your money on a 4 cyl CJ. The V8 or straight six are the engines of choice. The six is the most popular and has plenty of power for most people.
If I were looking, I would go for an 82-86 model with the straight six, automatic transmission and Dana 300 transfer case. It's a solid setup. I would leave the axle gearing alone and install 4:1 transfer case gears for the trail.
If you prefer a manual, look for the 4 speed T176 in those years.