J series possabilities - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

gp_frk · 03-25-2002, 08:08 AM

I was wondering what i should look out for as a possible problem with a J series P/U. There is one for sale cheap down the street from me that looks to be relatively stock. So is there anything significant that I should be looking for/looking out for? Any recurring problems that they had other than the standards? i don't know the year yet because it was locked up and I couldn't get a good look at it driving by at 40 mph. But it was a long be not a short. Any help would be appreciated. What is the most that you would spend on a used J series truck?

WillyPete · 03-25-2002, 10:07 AM

no more than 3 grand, and that's if it's in near perfect shape (not to brag, but mine is in great shape and it's an 85) for a recent model.

things to look out for... rust on the frame rails, make damn sure the electrical system is in good shape (my old wagoneer used to catch on fire), general body damage, missing trim pieces, non-leaking heads/seals/gaskets/pumps/parts (this is a big issue with any jeep older than 10 years, of course)

other than that... FSJs are beasts. i can take my J10 places that my 4 banger YJ couldn't touch.

gp_frk · 03-25-2002, 10:16 AM

Willy,

You do have a sweet ass truck. Is that toggle on the bed original or did you do it your self? Yours was one of the only trucks I found that looked decent when I did a search. (Yeah I'm new and I know what that button is) Any way I know about the standard jeep problems to look for. RUST, leaking heads and shiat, btu is there anything model specific.

Also is there any "holy grail" year model that has all the shiat everyone is looking for. I.E. as far as components is there a best year model?

jslamerman · 03-25-2002, 01:22 PM

I dont know, it depends on the owner. J10s are a funny creature, seen good examples go for almost 10K, and other good ones go for 3K!? I have one, and love it. What can u say, decent full size axles (even the AMC 20 has a nodular pumkin, thicker tubes, and one piece axles from the factory on a FSJ), on a 3/4 truck that has TONS o room for tires, and has a flexy stock suspension. It has crossover from the factory as well, and hardly any PUs had it back then. I have one that is sprung over in front on stock waggy front leafs, and rustys rears with blocks and it wheels AWESOME. It is a bit of along vehicle though, so try and get a shortbed. I also am not a big fan of the quadratrack crap, so try for a part time truck.

WillyPete · 03-25-2002, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jslamerman
seen good examples go for almost 10K, and other good ones go for 3K!?

someone got gypped!

Quote:

Originally posted by jslamerman
even the AMC 20 has a nodular pumkin

you sure bout that? i thought it was cast iron

*******************

well, you might or might know bout the 83-84s, but they had vaccuum front ends... avoid those if you can. you can always just swap 'em out tho and plug the line.

hmmmm golden years huh? well of course the god of J trucks IMO would be a 77-78 J20 (77 was the first year they got a decent ignition) with a 401/t18a/d20 combo. 77/78/79 were actually the best years for jeep production, so they're more common than you might think.

model specific? not that i can think of. J trucks are pretty solid just because they're so utilitarian.

qtrac gets a bad rap just cuz no one ever took care of theirs... when they're properly lubed and cared for, they're great xcases. jeep used to use them for desert racing

jslamerman · 03-25-2002, 09:22 PM

Quote:

you sure bout that? i thought it was cast iron

Yes, I am, and if u have one, so are u!!!

Quote:

hmmmm golden years huh? well of course the god of J trucks IMO would be a 77-78 J20 (77 was the first year they got a decent ignition) with a 401/t18a/d20 combo. 77/78/79 were actually the best years for jeep production, so they're more common than you might think.

Good God!! Common??? If u find one, buy it. The next best would be like mine a 81 or 82, had a fixed yoke NP208 part time transfer case, and no vaccum crap. I like the part time stuff better than a Q-track with offset diffs. IMHO, the NP208 in jeeps is much better than a D20 as well, lighter and stronger. You just cant put low gears in it.

Jayrockn7 · 03-25-2002, 10:29 PM

mine's a 79 with a T-18

, got to love these big beasts! after I strip the drivetrain out of it, I'm going to use the frame for a hybrid project with maybe 2.5 tons

WillyPete · 03-25-2002, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jslamerman
Common???

not common, just moreso than you might think. i believe that the total number of J trucks produced between 77-79 (peak years) was nearly 60,000

don't forget that J20s never used vaccuum front axles or the amc20 rear. i think they stopped putting t18s in them around 83-84 tho... all you could get was the tf727

gp_frk · 03-26-2002, 10:06 AM

Okay,

DANFSJ question,

What is the diff between a J10 and a J20? I know the whole story back and front about CJ's. But I'm just delving into the fullsize realm. Help a dambass newbie out here. Is one better than the other. Oh yeah an yes the suit is on so

away.

WillyPete · 03-26-2002, 11:06 AM

J10 is a 1/2 ton truck (even tho technically the weight rating is a 3/4 ton) available in 119" WB short bed and 131" WB long bed
J20 is a 3/4 ton truck available in 131" WB long bed only

J10 has either a d44 rear or AMC20 rear - six lug
J20 has a d60 rear (30 spline full float) - 8 lug

J20 rides a bit higher than the J10

all i can think of right now

gp_frk · 03-26-2002, 11:38 AM

What's the J 20 front end? And I'm guessing they aren't readily available?

WillyPete · 03-26-2002, 01:29 PM

front end on J10/20 is a d44

J20s are rarer than J10s, and J10s are pretty hard to find compared to wagoneers and cherokees

03-25-2002, 08:08 AM	#1 (permalink)
gp_frk Rock God Join Date: Jan 2002 Member # 9445 Location: Texas Posts: 1,443	J series possabilities I was wondering what i should look out for as a possible problem with a J series P/U. There is one for sale cheap down the street from me that looks to be relatively stock. So is there anything significant that I should be looking for/looking out for? Any recurring problems that they had other than the standards? i don't know the year yet because it was locked up and I couldn't get a good look at it driving by at 40 mph. But it was a long be not a short. Any help would be appreciated. What is the most that you would spend on a used J series truck?

03-25-2002, 10:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
WillyPete Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Member # 6234 Location: Kingsport, TN Posts: 2,138	no more than 3 grand, and that's if it's in near perfect shape (not to brag, but mine is in great shape and it's an 85) for a recent model. things to look out for... rust on the frame rails, make damn sure the electrical system is in good shape (my old wagoneer used to catch on fire), general body damage, missing trim pieces, non-leaking heads/seals/gaskets/pumps/parts (this is a big issue with any jeep older than 10 years, of course) other than that... FSJs are beasts. i can take my J10 places that my 4 banger YJ couldn't touch. __________________ 85 W150, 94 YJ, 86 Bronco

03-25-2002, 10:29 PM	#7 (permalink)
Jayrockn7 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Member # 8824 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 423	about a J-20 mine's a 79 with a T-18 , got to love these big beasts! after I strip the drivetrain out of it, I'm going to use the frame for a hybrid project with maybe 2.5 tons

03-26-2002, 11:06 AM	#10 (permalink)
WillyPete Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Member # 6234 Location: Kingsport, TN Posts: 2,138	J10 is a 1/2 ton truck (even tho technically the weight rating is a 3/4 ton) available in 119" WB short bed and 131" WB long bed J20 is a 3/4 ton truck available in 131" WB long bed only J10 has either a d44 rear or AMC20 rear - six lug J20 has a d60 rear (30 spline full float) - 8 lug J20 rides a bit higher than the J10 all i can think of right now __________________ 85 W150, 94 YJ, 86 Bronco

03-26-2002, 01:29 PM	#12 (permalink)
WillyPete Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Member # 6234 Location: Kingsport, TN Posts: 2,138	front end on J10/20 is a d44 J20s are rarer than J10s, and J10s are pretty hard to find compared to wagoneers and cherokees __________________ 85 W150, 94 YJ, 86 Bronco

03-25-2002, 10:16 AM	#3 (permalink)
gp_frk Rock God Join Date: Jan 2002 Member # 9445 Location: Texas Posts: 1,443	Willy, You do have a sweet ass truck. Is that toggle on the bed original or did you do it your self? Yours was one of the only trucks I found that looked decent when I did a search. (Yeah I'm new and I know what that button is) Any way I know about the standard jeep problems to look for. RUST, leaking heads and shiat, btu is there anything model specific. Also is there any "holy grail" year model that has all the shiat everyone is looking for. I.E. as far as components is there a best year model?

03-25-2002, 01:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
jslamerman Registered User Join Date: Jul 2001 Member # 5654 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,075	I dont know, it depends on the owner. J10s are a funny creature, seen good examples go for almost 10K, and other good ones go for 3K!? I have one, and love it. What can u say, decent full size axles (even the AMC 20 has a nodular pumkin, thicker tubes, and one piece axles from the factory on a FSJ), on a 3/4 truck that has TONS o room for tires, and has a flexy stock suspension. It has crossover from the factory as well, and hardly any PUs had it back then. I have one that is sprung over in front on stock waggy front leafs, and rustys rears with blocks and it wheels AWESOME. It is a bit of along vehicle though, so try and get a shortbed. I also am not a big fan of the quadratrack crap, so try for a part time truck.

03-26-2002, 10:06 AM	#9 (permalink)
gp_frk Rock God Join Date: Jan 2002 Member # 9445 Location: Texas Posts: 1,443	Okay, DANFSJ question, What is the diff between a J10 and a J20? I know the whole story back and front about CJ's. But I'm just delving into the fullsize realm. Help a dambass newbie out here. Is one better than the other. Oh yeah an yes the suit is on so away.

03-26-2002, 11:38 AM	#11 (permalink)
gp_frk Rock God Join Date: Jan 2002 Member # 9445 Location: Texas Posts: 1,443	What's the J 20 front end? And I'm guessing they aren't readily available?

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