'95 Tracker-What about this one?

[Beach Toy]

OK people, you said to keep looking. Found a '95 Tracker w/16V, 4X4, auto, AC, PS, Federal, 64K actual miles, new tires, new battery. Drove from cold start, idles well, runs good, drove it about 4 miles, (no tags), 4X4 works,(finally found one that lockers would turn with fingers, no effort) Little old lady owned till 2nd owner, he's only had it a year and put 10K on. He knows nothing about it and dealership 1st owner bought it from closed last year, so no service records. Now for the bad: RF caliper sticking,(obviously needs brakes, probably originals) AC low on charge, but works, only body rust is on the p-side rocker about 6 inches long (none anywhere else, was kept in garage), frame (round section) in back of gas tank rusted bad, needs replaced (have yet to find one here in the midwest this part is not bad on), grill doesn't match body color, front bumper sits about 1 inch below grill (obviously butched in somehow, will need replaced) and top was light tropical green, 2nd owner couldn't stand it, so painted top black, (obviously will need new top in time, no leaks on this one, though speckled green for now), and CEL light is on. From review of this site, it appears that CEL is simply mileage reminder on, CEL did not flash during test drive. What am I missing, what else do I need to look for? One problem with this one, it is a 3 hour drive home on the interstate once I pick it up. I call it the make or break drive, as there is no "back road home" Should I trust this to freeway speeds, or should I pay bucks to trailer it home, and go from there? Give me some feedback people!

[jtgh]

tuff question on brakes. really

sounds good, i like that 64k , got to be value there.

cel wont flash, but , it willl be simple fail on cel or ses like you said.

you could drive to back road cheap hotel and wait till 10pm and go slow.
if you feel brave. but that is not a suggestion. only an option.
me , id hit freeway , at slack time and drive home in slow lane never getting near no one. 50mph, or less. no one here drives slow lane,cuz the long haulers destoryed them. bucks like crazy, even knock out false teeth rough.

but slow works if no traffic. again ,just ideas , not recommendations.
be safe.

fix the brake then cel.

slide that switch top right corner of left speaker.

cheers

[deeznutts77]

you could take the wheel off and hit the caliper with hammer, no hard just to knock it loose. check the brakes every once and a while to c if there hot.

[Beach Toy]

jtgh-deeznuts77 Thanks for the replies guys! Rotor on r-side gets warm, not hot in comparison to left side, since it wants to pull right when not braking, figured it was a stuck or sticking caliper. Do you think it would make it home on that, of course we'll check every few miles or so. New brakes, calipers, rotors, pads, etc.. is a given, but didn't want to overheat bearings or spindle and ruin them in the process of driving it home. The big worry was the rubber band, its already over 60K, would it stand a little more? Otherwise, its rent a dolly or try to borrow a trailer to haul it back on. jtgh- should I worry about CEL to bring it home? OR just drive it? I didn't want to ruin cat or other $$ parts driving it home, its a 200 mile trip, 160 of which is all freeway. Can't break the new toy before I get home or the "BOSS" will be pissed that I blew my tax refund.

[deeznutts77]

if you can get a dolly, better safe than sorry, get it just so you dont pi$$ off the "boss", i have one of thoes also.....lol

[jtgh]

160 is a ways. , too bad you cant off that wheel and jam a screw driver between , rear of rear pad and press that piston way back. it might free it up and also look for cracked disc on that side.
quesiton is , is non pull side dead, or is right side sticking.
oil on left pads or ? stiking caliper piston on right. hot,
it could get on due to other side being dead.

sounds like dolly time.
unless you can sort that problem.

Cel worse case is MOTOR is rich ( youd know if bogging)
if so easy driving would keep heat down. off manifold and cat to they dont run red hot.

congrats !

[TheZuke!]

Ask your state highway patrol about a temporary license,
if you have another vehicle and your insurance covers
new/additional purchases (within some time limit-15 days?).
You may be able to slap a temp license on it before leaving
the property.

Then you're covered if something "bad" should happen...

Jack that front wheel up, pull off the wheel,
eyeball the calipers, check to see if that is it
or a bad bearing...or maybe frozen hub lock.
but probably just rent a dolly, load it, remove the
rear driveshaft and head home.

You didn't mention the price, not that you had to,
but I hope you'll get a good price for a crash damaged car
with existing brake/chassis problems.

[jtgh]

tie up that axle or all it will fall out and all xfr case lube will hit streat.

make sure the car does NO have a salvage title.
if it does ,undoing that can be a pistol , ( a PITA)

run a instantcheck on it. or the like.
with VIN.

FYI

[Beach Toy]

jtgh did a CARFAX on it, clear title, mileage is correct, 2nd owner is correct per them. License year 2007, 2nd owner hit a light pole in the Aldi's (grocery store) parking lot. Crash report lists damage to left front, and damage to undercarriage. I'm guessing undercarriage counts where the bumper cover comes way down the front. I found the new grill they put on (obvious, it's black) and the plastic bumper cover appears bolted/lag bolts into the inner bumper energy absorbing part. And it poked a quarter sized hole in the bottom edge of the left headlight. Nothing else appears wrong otherwise, bent, broken, damaged. You bet your last dollar, TheZuke, that I deducted for that damage and what a used bumper assembly down to the brackets, and used LF headlight from a donor car will cost me. I checked car hauler trailer prices to bring it home, $50 for the day, rent on Sat AM, make sure its back in the lot by 8AM Mon. I love the guy! Price included straps/tiedowns, not extra$$!! as at the other places I checked. What idiots would rent a trailer with NO tiedowns? The seller has not got back to me yet. He thought I was too low, (I thought, fair price), with cash in hand. My reply, How long do you want to sit on it, you know that bumper has issues, it's an obvious butch job, a blind man could tell that. I'll give him a couple days to think, then hit him one last time, wave the green, yes or no, then either take it home, or go look for another one. Most people can't stand to see money walk away, I hope he's one of them.

[jtgh]

that is a good deal on rent.

i hope it all works out.
cheers.