Kitch's '88 Build, with new pics!

I bought my MJ back in August and have been slowly working on it (unfortunately, being in college has decreased my cash flow so it's taking longer than I'd like, but oh well.)

When I started, it was a completely stock '88 MJ Sportruck minus the front bumper and plow.
 

One of the axles was messed up and the suspension was pretty rusty and wound up being replaced. While swapping the axles I thought it'd be a good idea to upgrade to 3.55 gears instead of the 3.07's
Didn't take into account that the springs mounted over the rear axle now since I took it from a Cherokee, so now my Comanche has the equivalent of a 6" lift in the back, where else can you get a 6" lift for $85??
 

A better shot taken later when it was at my house (was working on it at a buddy's since I still was lacking in the tool department)

A few weeks after the axle swap it was deemed roadworthy and got a (nearly) new set of tires/rims off a buddy's '98 Grand Cherokee (don't you love it when people have no room in their garage and give away free Jeep stuff??



My latest modification was the removal of the warped plastic bedliner, and a few coats of spray on bedliner that turned out pretty decent (will need touching-up in the spring but at least it's protecting the bed from rust/scratches/etc.)

Next planned addition is a 4" lift for the front, along with new steering stabilizer, and drop pitman arm. Hopefully I'll get a chance to break it in during spring break!

I know that truck from somewhere... Hmm...

MY DRIVEWAY!

Whats up man!?

Rob L.

haha, yep! I was gonna' PM ya about it, but it never got sent, whatcha think of the MJ?

Looking good man! I regret selling that thing... I wished I had just thrown in an axle like you and driven it as a DD... That thing ran great, low miles, and wasn't nearly as rusty as most... I am glad you found the group! Good to see it is in good hands... How are you liking it so far?

Rob L. :cheers:

Man, I'm lovin the thing! Like you said, it runs great, there's not much rust, and what rust it does have is mainly just surface rust, looking at touchin up the paint on the doors this spring and putting a fresh set of Sportruck decals on it this spring.

I've seen a couple stock MJ's and dwarfed 'em, it's always a good laugh! It's running real smooth, only thing is that the gas tank's leaking like a sieve :( but I ordered a new 18 gallon MJ tank that should be here in a couple days, then it's time to start working towards the lift in the front.

Sweet... That Shortbed tank I gave you was no good huh? Wish I had some stuff laying around here to help you with the lift, but not at the moment... I will have a spare AX15/NP231 though... I picked up a '92 for a drivetrain donor for the longbed in the driveway you saw... I will be gutting the longbed now and prepping it for the complete harness and component swap. Plans are for either a Rubicon Express 6.5" short arm, or a Roughcountry/Full traction suspension Longarm kit.

If I had known who you were earlier, I would have just gave you one of them brush guards! I still have a bunch of stuff, and will be accumulating a bunch of crap, so if theres anything you need, shoot me a PM before you run out and buy it... Chances are, between myself and Pat (JeepcoMJ) will have whatever you need.

Rob L.

If you used a Cherokee rear axle without moving the spring perches, fix that before you bend or break springs ot spring mounts. Besides Cherokees being spring over, the spacing between the leaf springs is different. I know Pete has a picture around somewhere that illustrates this.

If you used a Cherokee rear axle without moving the spring perches, fix that before you bend or break springs ot spring mounts. Besides Cherokees being spring over, the spacing between the leaf springs is different. I know Pete has a picture around somewhere that illustrates this.

x2,

it's also not the best idea to drive with just one rear shock hooked up (@$$-u-ming you used the XJ shock mounts, which are staggered ft & back).

I ran like this for a year, or so with an MJ, but it's not good for the leafs, the leaf bushings, or suspension travel.

Good luck with your build. :cheers:

Sweet... That Shortbed tank I gave you was no good huh? Wish I had some stuff laying around here to help you with the lift, but not at the moment... I will have a spare AX15/NP231 though... I picked up a '92 for a drivetrain donor for the longbed in the driveway you saw... I will be gutting the longbed now and prepping it for the complete harness and component swap. Plans are for either a Rubicon Express 6.5" short arm, or a Roughcountry/Full traction suspension Longarm kit.

 

If I had known who you were earlier, I would have just gave you one of them brush guards! I still have a bunch of stuff, and will be accumulating a bunch of crap, so if theres anything you need, shoot me a PM before you run out and buy it... Chances are, between myself and Pat (JeepcoMJ) will have whatever you need.

 

Rob L.

The tank worked really well for a while, it's just that a couple of the roads I drive everyday have buckled so I caught a little air and I think that might've cracked the tank. It only holds 4-5 gallons right now (everything else leaks out), but that's enough to get me from point a to point b if needed while I'm waiting for the new tank.

Thanks for the offer! There's always a need for spare parts, haha. I'll probly start accumulating a parts list this spring when I start working on the MJ again. Do you have any plans for the AX15?

Sounds like that longbed'll be a pretty beastly truck, if you ever need an extra hand workin on the MJ just give me a shout!

If you used a Cherokee rear axle without moving the spring perches, fix that before you bend or break springs ot spring mounts. Besides Cherokees being spring over, the spacing between the leaf springs is different. I know Pete has a picture around somewhere that illustrates this.

 

 

x2,

it's also not the best idea to drive with just one rear shock hooked up (@$$-u-ming you used the XJ shock mounts, which are staggered ft & back).

 

I ran like this for a year, or so with an MJ, but it's not good for the leafs, the leaf bushings, or suspension travel.

 

Good luck with your build. :cheers:

A buddy of mine helped me swap the MJ mounts to the XJ axle before we put it in (since I'm no good at welding) so the springs, perches, and shock mounts are all MJ. Thankfully he had the idea of doing that otherwise I would probly have destroyed the leaf springs. I did blow a shock (overextended an autozone shock cuz it was shorter than they said it was :doh: ) and riding with only one shock definitely makes for a really bouncy ride, got new Pro Comp's on there now tho.

Thanks for the advice guys!

too bad you werent on here earlier. i have a nice Mopar SWB tank sitting the shed ready to be installed. anyways, its cool to see another "local" person.

I don't know if you have tried this , but I always keep a bar of lava soap around . When I was younger I took my car off road

and punctured the gas tank on a big rock, hidden by weeds . :doh:

My dad showed me a trick . If you can find the leak , take a bar of lava soap and rub it into the hole .

When gas mixes with soap , it causes a chemical reaction that solidifies the soap creating a rock hard substance , sealing the hole.

That got me home ! I was going to replace the tank but it never leaked again , so I didn't have too :nuts:

May not work if the crack or hole is too big . :dunno:

Just a suggestion . :cheers:

too bad you werent on here earlier. i have a nice Mopar SWB tank sitting the shed ready to be installed. anyways, its cool to see another "local" person.

I should've asked around and seen if anyone on here had a tank, never thought of that :doh:

I don't know if you have tried this , but I always keep a bar of lava soap around . When I was younger I took my car off road

and punctured the gas tank on a big rock, hidden by weeds . :doh:

 

My dad showed me a trick . If you can find the leak , take a bar of lava soap and rub it into the hole .

When gas mixes with soap , it causes a chemical reaction that solidifies the soap creating a rock hard substance , sealing the hole.

 

That got me home ! I was going to replace the tank but it never leaked again , so I didn't have too :nuts:

 

May not work if the crack or hole is too big . :dunno:

 

Just a suggestion . :cheers:

Looks like I'm gonna' have to go get some lava soap, that'll be handy to have in case (with my luck) the new one ever starts leaking

Thanks again for the tips guys!

Well, got my new gas tank installed last weekend, haven't been able to fill it up yet due to lack of money (also caused me to miss out on the meet 'n greet :fs1: )

next up on the list is a new grille and left quarter panel (due to a minor fender-bender, car came racing down the street when I was making a right turn, no injuries) making a front bumper and hopefully giving the MJ a new coat of paint once the weather warms up a bit. I'm getting tired of just looking at the Jeep sitting out in the cold and not being able to work on it like I want to. Just another month or so til spring though!

The front left panel currently (not too bad really)

I dunno if anyone's really following this, but tuition's done for the semester, which means more money for the MJ! It's looking like next week the MJ will get new shocks all around, a 4 inch lift in the front to match the back, an alignment, and the tires rebalanced, that should take care of the death wobble/high speed shimmy problem... hopefully

Most deathwobble issues are caused by an issue with the tracbar, either it shot or not placed correctly to center your axle on the vehicle. If you are going to lift the vehicle it WILL need to be replaced with an adjustable tracbar or a new hole drilled on the axle mount to center the axle on the truck.

If I were you I would skip the whole range of $150 cheapo adjustable tracbars and get the good setup right off the bat. I guarantee you'll never have an issue with it if you do, and it really isn't that much more to get it than the cheapo ones...The good stuff --> RE1660 and RE1665 (RE1670 is optional to this setup, but well worth the money) Ever since I've installed all three on my MJ I have NEVER had anymore deathwobble.

http://www.rubiconexpress.com/JeepParts ... lder=JPFTB

...yes, deathwobble can be caused by other things, but it is most commonly caused by a tracbar issue, it has been a tracbar issue for me in every instance I've had of it...

Most deathwobble issues are caused by an issue with the tracbar, either it shot or not placed correctly to center your axle on the vehicle. If you are going to lift the vehicle it WILL need to be replaced with an adjustable tracbar or a new hole drilled on the axle mount to center the axle on the truck.

I believe my tracbar's the same one that been on the truck since 1988, so I wouldn't be surprised if it is shot. A buddy and I were talking about drilling a new hole to kinda' rig it til I can get a new one and try to get rid of the DW, wasn't sure if that'd help or not, but if that's what's caused it for yours it's probly the same with mine. Thanks for the advice! Anything to help rid my MJ of DW's at the top of my list of things to get, so I should be getting that soon along with the lift, then put all on at the same time while i'm under there

I always wondered about the adjustable tracbars, if they're adjustable, what keeps 'em from movin on ya when you're driving and hit a nast bump, or when you're offroadin, ya know?

Its a threaded rod with a locknut. That, and once its all bolted together, it can't untwist.

Rubicon Express...

Rob L.

The only way to go ^ :agree: ;)

The other cheapo adjustable ones are built in the same fashion with the threaded rod and lock nut, but they don't have a good bushing on the axle end of the tracbar and they usually re-use the stock tie-rod end type joint on the truck end of the bar, eggs out and wears out quickly when you lift the truck.

Also, once there is no tie-rod end type joint on the truck end of the bar, the amount of flex of your front suspension is not limited by the tracbar anymore. The joint that RE has on the 1660 could care less how much you need to flex the front, its able to handle it all.

Awesome, I'm likin this! looks like I'm gonna' be gettin the RE1660 and RE1665 for sure and rough country for the lift, I'm gonna' need some money for college next semester so I may wind up just goin with a 3" lift for now

Kitch, you can also use 2wd MJ leafs to lower the back a bit...

Rob L.

Kitch, you can also use 2wd MJ leafs to lower the back a bit...

 

Rob L.

that's a good idea, i'm gonna' be hittin up lkq this weekend for a quarter panel and grille, so i'll see if they have any 2wd MJ's there, I never thought of lowering the back, lol

Kitch, you can also use 2wd MJ leafs to lower the back a bit...

 

Rob L.

 

that's a good idea, i'm gonna' be hittin up lkq this weekend for a quarter panel and grille, so i'll see if they have any 2wd MJ's there, I never thought of lowering the back, lol

What day? I can meet you out there... Thats all the reason I need to go. whowey will go too... I just need to prod him a bit. He always likes getting away from the army of darkness.

But good luck finding an MJ... I call every once and awhile... I have only ever saw one there...

Rob L.

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i love how perfect the bed of the truck is :chillin:

Kitch, you can also use 2wd MJ leafs to lower the back a bit...

 

Rob L.

 

that's a good idea, i'm gonna' be hittin up lkq this weekend for a quarter panel and grille, so i'll see if they have any 2wd MJ's there, I never thought of lowering the back, lol

 

What day? I can meet you out there... Thats all the reason I need to go. whowey will go too... I just need to prod him a bit. He always likes getting away from the army of darkness.

 

But good luck finding an MJ... I call every once and awhile... I have only ever saw one there...

Rob L.

I'm hittin up lkq saturday, getting quarter panels, a grille, and takin the rockers off a cherokee, you still up for goin?

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i love how perfect the bed of the truck is :chillin:

thanks man! the truck's in really good condition for being 22 years old, but the bed is incredible! there's only surface rust in a couple areas, and that's only for another few days :yes: