Eagle

How much additional length do you need? If you are going to be changing the rear axle in the future, I would spend as little as possible now. If you only need an inch or so, the front yoke from a YJ rear driveshaft is supposed to be enough longer than an XJ/MJ yoke to make up that difference. That's probably cheaper than having a driveshaft custom modified.

I have on more than one occasion had hoods that were badly bent, and the only used hoods were in such bad shape that the body shops doing the work refused to even mess with them. In both instances, they straightened the bent hoods so well that, even knowing they were damaged and where, I was unable to see where they had been repaired. Virginia, you probably don't need to cut anything out or off. I can't imagine how that would make anything easier. I think it has to be easier to work with it intact. Are you familiar with stud welders? They are used in body work to allow attaching a slide puller without drilling holes in the sheet metal. Thin studs (sort of like the shanks of pop rivets) are welded onto the dented surface. Heat the surface up, attach a slide hammer, and gradually pull out the dent. https://www.harborfreight.com/stud-welder-dent-repair-kit-61433.html?_br_psugg_q=stud+welder

NGK for the win.

Yes. Not unless you consider premature rear wheel lockup to be proper operation. It's dangerous -- that's why the industry came out with proportioning valves.

Yes. How to do that has been discussed here multiple times. To eliminate the rear height sensing proportioning valve, you have to remove the second line to the rear. The one you remove is the one that comes off the front/bottom outlet on the distribution block. The line coming off the "nose" of the distribution block is then connected directly to the flex hose at the rear axle. If you do this, you also need to be aware that you will then always have 100% available braking pressure/force to the rear wheels. Especially when the bed is empty, this will greatly increase the likelihood that in hard braking or a panic stop, the rear wheels will lock up prematurely, causing a spin-out. The cure for that is to install an after-market, adjustable proportioning valve in the line to the rear brakes.

The shuttle valve does not impede flow to the front brakes, as far as I know. That would defeat the purpose. This one happens to be an XJ proportioning valve, but the front circuit outlets are the same: If it's the right front that's giving you problems, you need to check the lower/rear outlet on the distribution block.

Sounds more like he used the carbon paper as a shim for the rear main bearing itself, instead of just replacing the bearing.

Not interested in the vehicle, but sarah's kind of ... interesting.

I agree on replacing the clutch master cylinder. However, I recommend using DOT-5 silicone brake fluid. It's non-hygroscopic, so it won't attract moisture vapor and, more important, it isn't corrosive. That means if it weeps onto the fuse panel it won't destroy it.

If the hose from the master cylinder to the slave cylinder blew, there would be fluid loss. The master cylinder and the slave cylinder each have a piston inside with a rubber seal. If the lip of the seal goes bad, the piston can move without pushing fluid, so you wouldn't see a loss of fluid in the reservoir. The piston just slides back and forth without doing anything. Also -- inspect your fuse panel under the dashboard (over the driver's left foot) carefully. If the master cylinder goes bad, it can allow brake/clutch fluid to weep onto the fuse panel, and that will destroy the contacts VERY quickly. The fact that you see a "little bit" of fluid is a bad sign. There's probably more that you can't see, on the back side of the fuse panel board. That's a clue that the master cylinder has failed, and also that you need to remove the fuse panel and flush all the brake fluid off it before it's too late.

There are three things that could have spring a leak -- the master cylinder, the slave cylinder, or the rubber hose that connects the two.

A lot of equipment could be ordered as separate options in the AMC days. It's quite possible that the Model 20 axle was ordered as part of some other package rather than the Metric Tonne package. Possibly a towing or tow prep package. My '87 shortbed as a Dana 44 rear axle, and the Metric Tonne package wasn't offered on the shortbeds.

https://janaktech.wordpress.com/2016/02/19/particulate-matter-and-nox-emissions-phenomena-in-engines/ https://www.alentecinc.com/papers/NOx/The formation of NOx_files/The formation of NOx.htm

NOX is related to temperature, isn't it? What thermostat are you running -- and does it work? What spark plugs are you using?

It was called Classic Shell. The developer quit when Windows 10 came out and broke it, but someone else picked it up. It's now called "Open Shell" and it's a free download. I'm running Open Shell now. It's the only thing that makes Windows 10 tolerable.

Sounds to me like they had switched from being an AMC franchise to being a used car dealer by the time AMC bought Jeep. I doubt they have any Jeep parts at all.

It shouldn't. Jeep used the flange until the middle of the 2000 production year. My late wife's 2000 XJ (November 1999) has the flange. My 2000 XJ (April 2000) doesn't. Both were purchased new, so I know they are both original.

For those who don't know, the old 232 engine (3.8L) had the same 3.75" bore as the 258/4.2L, but the stroke was 3.50" instead of 3.90". The 4.0L has a 3.88" bore and a 3.41" stroke. Put them together and a 4.0L engine with a 232 crank will yield a displacement of 4.07 liters at the stock 3.88" bore, 4.13 liters at a .030 over-bore, and 4.20 liters at a .060" over-bore. For comparison, the stock 4.0L is actually 3.97L at stock bore, 4.03 liters at .030" over-bore, and 4.09 liters at .060" over-bore.

Most people aren't even aware of (or forget) the old 232. I've considered doing a mini-stroker based on that crank, but you're the only person I've even heard of who has done it.

Do you mean the pre-made stainless brake lines from Classic Tubing? I bought them for the rear axle. The first set was so far out of whack that there was no possible way they could have been made to work. I sent them back and they made a new set. The second set was still pretty bad, but the lengths were close enough that it was possible to use them (with a lot of re-bending). I won't use them again. For a lot less money you can get a 25-foot length of Cunifer (copper-nickel alloy) brake line from Amazon, as well as lengths of coil spring gravel shield, and make up your own. The Cunifer is much easier to shape and to flare than plain steel brake line, and as resistant to corrosion as stainless steel.

Technically, it's illegal. Look again at the cutaway photos I posted. If there's brake fluid coming out of the port for the warning light switch, that means one or both of the O-rings for the shuttle valve has failed. Replace the proportioning valve.

Understood. But shims adjust caster, and caster generally doesn't create uneven tire wear. That's usually cause by camber and/or toe-in.

I don't understand this statement at all. The adjustment for caster is to shim the lower control arms. If there's enough range of adjustment in the rear pockets (which is where the shims go), that IS the "fix." If shims can bring the caster within spec -- what needs to be "corrected"?

Do they know how to bleed the rear bypass circuit? If they don't follow the procedure, they'll never get a solid peddle.

Caster is not "in" or "out." Caster is what used to be called kingpin inclination in the old days. It's the forward or backward tilt of the vertical axis between the upper and lower ball joints. If it changed after the curb incident, something got mildly tweaked. Shims move the lower control arms (and thus the lower ball joint) forward or back, which is what adjusts the caster angle.