Hello from Kansas City

[Kmox]

Testing...

My first post after joining last year. I finally decided to take the time to figure this photo thing out!

[Kmox]

Here are a few more pics. The last one is where I started to investigate why the window motor went out and the tailgate not shutting properly. That's my winter project! I'll talk and post pics of that issue later. We love driving this thing! I love the originality of it. The exterior has been repainted but everything inside is original down to the floor mats! Look closely and you can see the AMC logo embossed in the middle of them. The carpet has faded but everything else seems good. I am missing a couple knobs, trying to find a new dome lens and another wheel center. Someone stole the drivers front so I found one off an 80's wagon that works for now. My goal is to keep it as stock as I can but still get the enjoyment out of it. Looking forward to posting for help on the tailgate. Thanks in advance for your help!

[rang-a-stang]

Holy goodlookin!!! Welcome! You are the only other person I have seen on here that had the same seats/colors as my cherk did and they are not torn!

it looks amazing!

Does the window not go up and down both from the key AND the dash switch?

[Kmox]

Thank you! Didn't they say that beauty is only skin deep? Well...There isn't cancer all over but there is in a few key spots, namely where it involves the tailgate. The last couple of pictures show where the body sits on the body mounts. Or is supposed to at least. The frame seems solid but the key piece is the portion of the the body that mounts to the frame. Is this a common problem?

[inkedmonkey]

Holy moly. There's another fsj in Kansas City! I'm in the northland.

[rang-a-stang]

Yep, very common to have rust there.

Now that you have the access panel open reach over to the driver side of it and make sure the safety switch is still hooked up (they come loose sometimes and prevent the window from moving from either the key or the dash switch. That is about the only thing (other than a blown fuse, bad motor, or bad wires) that will prevent the tailgate from working.

[devildog80]

Took dash cluster out, cleaned/repaired and reinstalled.

Blower motor works 1000% better, as we took the blower switch apart, cleaned, then reassembled before installing back on the cluster.

Prior to cleaning, the blower motor would barely run. Now it is blowing stuff out of the vents that has been in there for years.

Point is, pull your switches (dash and tailgate), take them apart and clean the contacts, then reassemble and try the rear window motor again.

If still not working, do the same with the lift motor, as a good cleaning will probably net you better results, than replacing with a new one.

[SOLSAKS]

good looking cherokee,....welcome. dave in NC

[BamaCanuck]

Welcome

Nice Wagon

[Kmox]

It turns out the piece on the body the hinges are secured to rotates when you open the tailgate. You are able to see the difference on one of the pics above. That offset didn't let the tailgate align properly which burned the motor. The tailgate switch on the dash is broken and has never worked. My goal was to replace the motor, rubbers and switch until I found the body issue which needs to be corrected first. Problem is it is now winter and the car is in storage unless I grab it for the weekend. Not sure why the wife wants a warm car in the morning...

[Kmox]

Holy moly. There's another fsj in Kansas City! I'm in the northland.

Awesome! My neighbor has an 86 he is customizing and I see another couple driving around. I'm in Mission and have to see your project sometime. I saw your build thread. Amazing work!