Eagle

This does not sound right. What is the measurement from the lower shock stud to the upper shock stud, with the truck parked on level ground?

You forgot to post the photo.

Find Monroe's web site. Don't bother with their shock finder "app," because you're not looking for OEM replacements. Measure your truck sitting unloaded, on level ground. The pin-to-pin distance is what you should be aiming for as the mid-travel length for your new shocks. On the Monroe site there is a chart (from the back of their paper catalog) that lists all their shocks with the end mounting types and the collapsed and extended lengths. For an MJ, you need an eye mount top and bottom (but you can use a shock with a cross pin on one end and remove the cross pin). Write down the numbers of the shocks whose collapsed and extended lengths straddle your measured pin-to-pin height. You should find at least two or three in each series of shock that will work, but look for the one(s) with the most travel and with a mid-travel length as close as possible to your ride height. If you can be happy with Monroes, you're done. Take the part number to Advanced Auto and put your money on the counter. If you don't want Monroes, you can go a couple of more steps. Also on the Monroe web site is a cross-application chart. You can use that chart to do a reverse lookup for each of the suitable shocks you found, and the chart will tell you what vehicle(s) they fit. Once you know that, you can look up shocks for that vehicle from any brand you want.

That particular carb was such a piece of ... "work" ... that you could do better just pouring gas into the intake by hand. Years ago I took one to the professional carburetor guy all the local racers knew and used, and he almost threw me out of the shop. He did finally try to tune it up, he only charged me ten bucks, and he said, "If it doesn't run, don't come back." It ran, but it was still a piece of ___.

??? Respectfully, are you categorizing Hornbrod as unfriendly for agreeing with you that you are in over your head? That's certainly what it seems like, and if that's it ... IMHO you're making a serious mistake. You absolutely will not find more in-depth knowledge of the Comanche anywhere on the Internet than here. Period. And we're all willing to share our knowledge and information with anyone who is interested in preserving the MJ line. Many of us have already made the mistakes that other people are just beginning to contemplate, so if someone here says "DON'T DO THAT" ... there's probably a reason. Do we always agree on everything? Nope. After all, a bunch of idiots who persist in messing around with trucks that have been out of production for 23 years are likely to be independent thinkers and probably have more than a little bit of a stubborn streak. Such people are unlikely to agree on much of anything beyond today's date. On occasion, after having spent much time answering the same questions from different people, there's a tendency to not spend as much time re-writing the same information but just to refer the new guys to previous discussions that cover the same ground. That's not unfriendly ... it's efficient. Also, recognizing when someone is getting in over their head, and agreeing when the person suggests that they already know it, is also not unfriendly. Dissuading you from spending a LOT of time and a LOT of effort, and probably a lot of money on a project that may very well never be completed because it's beyond the person's capabilities is not unfriendly ... it's about as friendly as it gets. Ever hear the expression "Dutch uncle"? A Dutch uncle is the guy who always tells you the truth, even when you'd rather not hear it. Sometimes that's what we need. You acknowledge that you're not a mechanic. You are embarking on a project that many mechanics would avoid, simply because there are too many variables and subtle factors to be addressed. You're not doing a simple engine replacement. You are looking to swap in an entire drive train, electrical system, fuel system, and cooling system that are ALL completely different from what you have now. Can it be done? Sure. Is it easy? No. Then it gets more complicated because you are also looking at body/chassis modifications. You need a 4.0L radiator, and that means changing the radiator supports. You need to decide whether you will go with the "open" or "closed" cooling system. That alone will give you a headache that'll last for months, because there is no consensus as to which is "best." You want to mate an HO transmission and transfer case to a Renix engine. They are from different generations of the MJ, so there will be factors you'll need to account for. Every swap of this type is unique, because everyone does it differently. For that reason, there is no single discussion thread or book that can tell you exactly what you're going to encounter and exactly how to overcome it. So if you're not experienced enough to dive in and work out solutions to the problems that will inevitably come up (even with help from guys here), then you ARE in over your head and it would be better to know that before you start rather than after you've sunk 100 man-hours and several hundred dollars into it and you still don't have a truck that can be started and driven. You think some of us are rude? Try posting on Pirates4x4.

Not impossible, just a lot of work. Remember, the 2.5L in the 84 and 85 Cherokees had a carburetor. So it can be done, but it would involve (I assume) not just bolting on a carburetor in place of the throttle body, but also converting the ignition system to the 84-85 system. You would also have to change the fuel delivery system, because a carburetor typically operates at about 7 psi (max), and I'm pretty sure even the TBI injection ran a lot higher than that.

And the 1986 numbers were: . . . SPRING ASSEMBLY *** 8952 001 240 . . . Coded RD 8952 002 351 . . . Coded RE 8952 001 824 . . . Coded RF 8952 002 350 . . . Coded RG 8952 001 825 . . . Coded SD Although the part numbers changed, probably as a result of converting from the AMC numbering system to Chrysler, except for the RB (which went away) the codes are the same as in Hornbrod's list.

Respectfully, Joe, don't you think it would be nice to warn customers that you are supplying only one of what you say were three variants of the factory spring? The factory service manual lists only two ride heights, one for 2WD and one an inch taller for 4WD. It may be that the long wheelbase chassis weighs more than the shortbed, so maybe the longbed trucks get stiffer springs (or more arch) to compensate for the additional weight. I don't know. What I do know is that if I bought a set of new springs that are supposed to replace factory stock springs and ended up 2" or 3" higher than stock I would be very, VERY unhappy. I would, as I posted above, be sending them back to you and I would expect you to cover my shipping both ways, since IMHO they would not be as advertised. Also, as of June 1986, the date of my factory MJ manuals, there were five rear spring part numbers, not three. It wouldn't surprise me at all if more were added in later years, considering that for model year 1986 there was no shortbed, only the longbed.

Stock height is 17-1/2" from the center of the wheel/axle/hubcap straight up to the bottom edge of the fender flare. Or, to be more accurate, look up the posts that show the FSM method of checking ride height.

I could almost like that, if it had black dials with white lettering. For some reason I can't stand white-face instruments.

Man, you're brave. The thought of trying to pull a gauge needle off and reinstall it scares me right out of my shoes.

The Pioneer came with a bench seat, and full gauges but no tachometer. The tachometer was available as an option in the Pioneer, the other gauges were standard.

Something's wrong here, because gauges (but not the tachometer) were standard equipment on the Pioneer trim level.

Autozone http://www.autozone.com/suspension-steering-tire-and-wheel/control-arm-bushing-front/jeep/cherokee-4wd/2000/6-cylinders-s-4-0l-mfi

People who have encountered the collapsing hose typically see it on the highway. The hose does not return to normal after a "sec." The reports typically are that they have to pull over and shut off the engine to let it cool down. The hose "may" (not "will") open up again after ten or fifteen minutes. Then they start up again, and repeat the cycle a few miles down the road. I would definitely get a spring from somewhere. And 4,000 RPM is revving it pretty high on an engine with a 5,000 RPM redline. The 4.0L Jeep engine is a torque engine, not a race engine. IMHO there's no need or reason to rev it anywhere near 4,000 RPM -- ever.

Yes.

I would need to do some research to try to answer the first question. As to the second question, it's a sensor, not a switch. The sensor feeds input to the PCM, and the PCM then controls whatever needs controlling.

The ZJ Grand Cherokee box is 12.7:1. Most XJ and MJ boxes are 14:1. The 1986 MJ FSM says that MJs with the off-road package had a 17:1 ratio. The slower ratio would be slower (:duh:) but that would not introduce slop -- it's just a slower ratio. I don't know how many years they used the slower ratio with the off-road package; I only have one (early) MJ FSM.

That's what I did in the trail truck. But I don't have a center console.

Respectfully, if you haven't yet done the repair and proven by a couple or few hundred miles of driving that you have no more death wobble, then you don't "know" that you've found the problem. What is it that you think is the problem, and what makes you so sure that's it? Where did you hear that an MJ steering box is supposed to be a variable ratio box? MJs and XJs have always used the same steering box, and to the best of my knowledge they never used a variable ratio box. Even if they did, that wouldn't explain slop in the box -- that's most likely the over center lash adjustment. It can't and doesn't cause death wobble.

You will need a radiator (and supports) from an '87 or newer 4.0L XJ or MJ. You will have to decide whether you want the '87 - '90 "closed" system type, or the '90 + "open" system type. If you are taking the electrics from the '87 donor vehicle, it will be set up with the thermal switch for the auxiliary fan in the left radiator tank. Most of the "open" type radiators don't have a place for this, so you're probably going to need the early style radiator.

I have always preferred standard. While I admit that an automatic is easier in extended, heavy stop-and-go traffic, overall for street and light trail use I would rather have a 5-speed. For serious rock crawling, though, the automatic is IMHO far superior.

Start a separate thread for the brakes -- death wobble is going to occupy pages and pages by itself. Everyone has their own pet theory as to what causes death wobble and how to cure it. My personal pet theory is that it's usually caused by out-of-balance tires.

Those new springs aren't even Metric Ton springs, they're just basic 3+1. There's no way standard-duty springs should be creating lift. That's just wrong.

Personally, I would call General Spring and tell them their springs are not as advertised and you either want them replaced with springs that ride at factory height, or you want your money back. Life's too short to waste it dealing with vendors who create problems rather than solve them.