Phoenix is Jeep country, and a Jeep that actually goes off pavement needs a different kind of shop than one that never leaves Central Avenue. We service the Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited, Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, Gladiator, Compass, Renegade, Patriot and Liberty and because we have been a front end and alignment shop for over four decades, we are set up for the suspension and steering work these vehicles actually need.
Most Jeep work falls into two buckets. The first is powertrain: the 3.6L Pentastar V6 with its oil cooler housing and cylinder head history. The second is chassis, steering dampers, track bars, ball joints and the alignment problems that come with lift kits and oversize tires. The second bucket is where most shops fall short and where we do our best work.
Models we service: Wrangler, Wrangler Unlimited, Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, Gladiator, Compass, Renegade, Patriot and Liberty.
Desert running is hard on a Jeep in ways that pavement driving is not: dust in the air filter and CV boots, heat in the differentials, and steering components taking impact loads that wear them early. If you run Forest Service roads, the Beeline or anything past the pavement, have the front end inspected before a trip rather than after something starts wandering.
|
Interval |
What we perform |
|
30,000 miles |
Full synthetic oil and filter, tire rotation, brake inspection, air and cabin filters, front end and steering inspection, cooling system pressure test |
|
60,000 miles |
Transmission fluid service, spark plugs, brake fluid flush, front and rear differential fluid, transfer case fluid, four-wheel alignment |
|
90,000 miles |
Full coolant flush, water pump inspection, oil cooler housing inspection on 3.6L, serpentine belt, ball joint and track bar assessment, CV and axle boot inspection |
A violent side-to-side shaking of the front end triggered by a bump at 45 to 60 mph, severe enough that most drivers have to slow to a stop to end it. It is not one part it is a resonance in a solid front axle caused by play somewhere in the steering and suspension chain: track bar, ball joints, tie rod ends, steering damper, control arm bushings or wheel balance. It requires a systematic inspection, not a guess. Replacing the steering damper alone almost never fixes it and frequently masks it for a few weeks.
Oil seeping into the valley of the engine and running down the back of the block, or coolant and oil mixing. The plastic housing warps from heat cycling, and Phoenix delivers more of that than almost anywhere. The updated housing is the durable repair. Left alone it drips onto the exhaust and eventually causes a coolant loss you will not enjoy discovering on a trail.
The vehicle sitting low on one corner, refusing to change ride height, or throwing a suspension warning. Quadra-Lift air struts and the compressor both suffer in heat, and a leaking strut makes the compressor run until it fails too. Diagnosing whether it is a strut, the compressor, a height sensor or a valve block is what keeps this from becoming an unnecessarily large repair.
A wandering feel, uneven tire wear, or a clunk over bumps. Solid front axle Jeeps wear ball joints, track bars and tie rod ends faster than independent suspension vehicles, and lift kits plus oversize tires accelerate everything. This is the inspection that should always happen before new tires go on, not after.
Lifted Jeeps on oversize tires need more than a standard alignment — caster, camber and thrust angle all shift with a lift, and getting them wrong produces a Jeep that wanders, wears tires on the inside edge and eventually develops death wobble. We align lifted and stock Jeeps on our own rack, and we will tell you straight if the geometry cannot be corrected without adjustable control arms.
Schedule your Jeep service today. Written estimates, correct specifications, no pressure – and an honest answer if the work belongs somewhere else.
Beat the Phoenix heat with a fast, reliable AC checkup from Pete Kelley’s.
Quick, affordable oil changes to keep your engine running smooth.
Expert engine diagnostics and repair from Phoenix’s local experts.
Restore performance and quiet the ride with expert exhaust repairs.
Stay safe on the road with thorough brake inspections and repairs.
Expert transmission care to keep your ride shifting smoothly.
Battery testing and electrical repairs, done right the first time.
Prevent overheating with cooling system repairs from Pete Kelley’s
Play in the front steering and suspension components, track bar, ball joints, tie rod ends, control arm bushings combined with a trigger like a bump or tire imbalance. It needs a systematic inspection of every joint under the front end. A new steering damper by itself is not a repair, it is a temporary cover.
Yes. Lift kits change caster and camber, and correcting them is exactly the kind of work our alignment rack is set up for. If your geometry needs adjustable arms to be corrected properly, we will tell you before we start rather than after.
Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited, Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, Gladiator, Compass, Renegade, Patriot and Liberty.
Yes, and it is one of the better-value inspections we do. We check steering and suspension components, differential and transfer case fluids, cooling system, belts, hoses, brakes and tire condition before you are somewhere with no cell service.
Free written estimate. No pressure. Honest advice from a shop that has been on North Central since 1972.