'88 MJ (4wd - Trail Truck)

Hey Everyone,

Just thought I would introduce myself and my MJ.

The start of my project was this '88 2wd 4.0L that needed lots of attention.

A few more pics can be seen here:

http://www.greatlakes4x4.com/showthread.php?t=21367

EDIT: I've gone through and cleaned up my entire Build thread so that its easier to navigate and has more pictures. (6-12-08 )

Cardomain: http://www.cardomain.com/id/BudsRide

Too lazy to post up the picks here? :roll:

Yep, You got me, Never crossed my mind...

Started off with the floors - here is the "better" passenger side

Both rockers needed work too

Drivers side floor - or lack thereof

After patching

Removed the 2wd front axle and popped in a Junkyard D30 with 3.55 gears.

And the matching XJ junkyard C 8.25 in the rear

After some sandblasting and paintwork this is what I ended up with. I also installed a 4 inch lift when I swapped the axles in. - Front was done with Rubicon Express lift coils and rear was done with Rusty's lift springs

Wow, it was like a lil baby that got all grown up!

Diggin the rims. Are they the ones with the lighter lip, or are they the lighter colored ones?

The rims have the painted center section and the outer rim is just clearcoated, they came off of a '98 TJ. I got the 5 with 31" BFG AT's (80%) mounted for $550 at a swap meet, couldnt let them pass when the guy pulled up and parked next to me. About 5 people asked if they were for sale when I had them sitting in the back of my truck. ;)

Had some fun over Thanksgiving Break:

$500 MJ, your post said that you had a 4" lift but your sig says 3.5"

what kind/size are you runnin? i like the look.

So the story is that I have 3.5" coils in the front and I bought the Rusty's 4" spring packs for the rear. Thing is that the darn rear packs put way over 4" of lift on the thing. So I took out the bottom leaf and it sat it down some. So I looked at the truck once I was done and said that if the front sits this high and the back is a little higher, than you could say that the back is now at 4" and the front at 3.5". So thats what I say and in being modest, I put the 3.5" number in my sig.

The rear packs are Rusty's and the front springs are Rubicon Express, I bought them used. I bought brand new shocks from Rusty's too. They work, but they are nothin special. In my opinion, it rides like a truck should, you hit a bump at 55 and the back kinda does the lil hop. My S-10 rides like a car and I hate that feeling.

So with the new tires I just bought came the need to lift things a few more inches...Now my best guess for lift is that I have about a 5" lift in it, I threw in an AAL and some hommade spacers in the front...

Before the Lift:

After Lift:

I drove the truck 420 miles to college yesterday and we made it just fine. The tires have a nice whine to them and almost put me to sleep a few times. Speedo isnt off too much either, just at higher speeds.

I DID trim behind the fender flares for obvious reasons. The lower parts of the flares arent really secured too well so they can move out of the way when I am at full crank. Next to come will be a hommade longarm kit this summer. I'll keep you all posted.

the new kicks are rad man...i'm diggin the lift too. looks alot better

Any idea on the backspacing on those wheels or width? Maybe 10s with 2.5?

10's with about 3.5 BS, they still rub the flares at full crank. I'll take care of that with the long-arm mod next summer.

i like that look man

dang those 33s r huge, what gearing r u running

Nice thats the way I want my sportruck to look someday.

I'm actually quite surpirsed, the 3.55 ratio handles them just fine. At times it is hard to get up to 70 mph but the way I drive I hardly go that fast anyway. The nice thing is, and beleive me I noticed it, is that when you go down into a valley those suckers are spinning around so fast it takes alot to slow them down. They actually have a noticable amount of momentum that helps you back up the hill on the other side.

More Wheeling Pics!

Poser Shot

Near the Tip of Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula

Snow Wheeling at Night! [/img]

yea be careful that that momentum doesn't carry you and your truck straight into back of the slow @$$ person in front of you

That only happens when I fall asleep at the wheel :thumbsup:

Went wheeling last weekend.

And I got stuck here in this seasonal drainage ditch not far off the trail cause I was dumb and tried to get across it and then...

Here come the law to ruin all the fun. They don't like it when you mix Comanches and running water I guess. I paid the ticket today, it ran me $100 and a lesson learned the hard way.

After we got me out...

sometimes it costs money to learn better.

How'd those tires do ya?

Not to hi-jack, but I run those tires on my WJ, and they are real good and have good road manners.

For how I wheel, they work just great. I'm not a riproaring mud flinging kinda guy and so I am usually whining the Jeep out in 4 Lo and keeping constant traction. That "drainage ditch" is the first time I've been stuck with them, but I havent really been out much this spring with school and all. And yes, they are awesome for the daily commute. Not too loud but still noticable to hear a nice low hum when you roll down the windows. The wheels are working out great as well.

Got my Clayton Long Arm Kit Installed

Rather than building one like I thought I would, I came across this one from a friend. It was used so I had to clean it up but I got it pretty cheap. Lucked out.

So its been a while since I updated my build thread. :roll: but its because I've been too busy working on the truck. :brows:

I left off with the new wheels and tires. Since then I have added a Clayton longarm kit, built a tool rack and tire carrier for the bed, built a new rear bumper and bought a JCR offroad one for the front, welded perches in the bed for my chrome rollbar to bolt in and out of very very easily and most recently gotten the truck, bed and bumpers sprayed with bedliner and rocker panel guard (this weekend).

Next to come is paint and a new exhaust. The rocker panel in the second to last is the color the rest of the truck will be. 2003 Chrysler Electric Blue Pearlcoat. I hope to have paint sprayed by mid August at the latest.