Eagle

What year? If it's an older MJ with the GM alternator, the voltage regulator is built into the alternator. The newer Chrysler alternators may be the same, but I'm not familiar with them. How are your battery cables and connections? How's the water (electrolyte) level in the battery?

Are your new lower control arms stock length, or custom length? I don't trust your alignment guy. How did he manage to adjust the camber on a vehicle that doesn't have any adjustment for camber? And how did you get caster that's MORE than the maximum desired range after lifting 4-1/2"? Lift reduces caster, which is one of the reasons for using adjustable lower control arms. That said, with that much caster (if it's true) your alignment shouldn't be the problem. It's too LITTLE caster that sometimes contributes to death wobble. I know that many people don't agree with me, but IMHO the only thing that causes death wobble is out of balance tires/wheels. Other stuff like track bars and tie rod ends may be less effective at masking death wobble when they're worn, but they don't "cause" death wobble. Poorly balanced tires DO cause death wobble. And just because you paid big bucks to have your tires balanced on the latest equipment doesn't mean they are balanced. Too many "technicians" today took a 45 minute class on how to run the machine and they think the machine can do it all, with no thought on the part of the operator. Not true. The operator has to know what he's doing.

Exhaust manifold leak? That usually makes a tick. As it warms up the metal expands and the gap closes.

I would do some more investigating. Think about how an engine works. A lifter does not know whether or not the engine is under load. The only thing a lifter knows is that there's a cam lobe pushing up on the bottom, and a pushrod pushing down on the top. And there's some oil being pumped into it. The oil pressure varies with engine RPM and oil temperature but it, too, doesn't know if the engine is under load. So if your noise is really only there under load, I'd say it probably is not a lifter. I would also say that Jeep engines often have some valve "tick" on cold start-up, especially as the mileage increases. I think if it were mine I'd be inclined to leave it alone.

The longbed and shortbed MJs all used the same length springs. There is no need to check anything.

The front "frame" ears of the MJ unibody are NOT -- repeat NOT -- adequate by themselves for attaching tow hooks. Go to the Custom 4x4 web site and look at the tow hook kit they sell. It's basically a copy of the factory kit.

Check the classified area of the forum.

You must be talking to guys with small lifts. Most of the Jeepers around here ditch the 242 for thr 231 for the easy SYE conversion. That, and we only get one snow day every five years 'round here. :) If you call 6 to 8 inches of lift with 35-inch tires "small," then I guess I'm talking about small lifts.

If your new MJ is a 4-wheel drive I hope the rear axle you bought has the same gear ratio as the old one, so it'll match the front axle.

I disagree. I've had a factory Trac-Lok in my '88 Cherokee since I bought it new, and I run a True Trac in my '88 Comanche. The True Trac engages much more positively than the Trac-Lok. So comparing a worn out factory limited slip to a brand new helical isn't a very fair comparison. Who is comparing a worn-out Trac-Lok to a new TrueTrac? Not me. The '88 Cherokee now has 287,000 miles on it. The original Trac-Lok lasted about 125,000, then it was rebuilt. That took it to about 200,000. The next time it got wimpy I replaced it with a new one, and that was about the same time I bought the '88 MJ and put the TrueTrac in it. So I can compare new to new. The TrueTrac is much more positive than even a new Trac-Lok.

Get a set of factory MJ spring plates.

I disagree. I've had a factory Trac-Lok in my '88 Cherokee since I bought it new, and I run a True Trac in my '88 Comanche. The True Trac engages much more positively than the Trac-Lok.

MJ axles do not have shock mounts welded to them. XJ axles do. Look again at the photo I posted above. Look at the lower shock mount. It's an eye that goes onto a horizontal stud that is attached to the spring retainer plate. The spring plate is not flat, its turned down on the end and to one side. The side "flange" is where the shock mount stud goes. The mount in that photo appears to be a stock setup -- the photo was to show mounting a DIY rear sway bar, but the shock mounting and spring mounting are stock.

Are you sure the shock mounts are missing? Upper or lower? It sounds from your post like it's the lowers, and if you are looking for brackets on the axle, that's not how MJ shocks mount. The lower mount is a stud on the spring plate. The simplest solution would be if someone can fix you up with a pair of stock spring plates with the studs - if yours aren't there and just not being used. Here's a photo I borrowed from a current thread about rear sway bars: Image Not Found

This may help: http://www.olypen.com/craigh/skid.htm IMHO everyone should bookmark Craig's site. Craig was one of the very early members of NAXJA, and I'm pleased to see that he is still maintaining his site.

I agree on the Wrangler hoses, but DO NOT try to reroute the metal lines on the fender. At this point, they are old and brittle, and trying to bend them is just asking for them to break. For a stock height suspension or even up to about a 3" lift, the YJ hoses alone are more than enough. There is no need to play with the hard lines.

the thing is I'm not tearing the rubber portion. I am bending the metal 90* elbow where is enters the caliber...I think... at least thats where the fluid is dripping from Have you removed or disconnected your sway bar links? If you are bending the metal end, you are obviously over-extending the lines and you need to get longer ones. Get hoses for a '94/'95 YJ Wrangler. You may need to bend the metal tube on the caliper end slightly, but the hoses are enough longer that your problem should be eliminated.

Most XJ or MJ owners who swap transfer cases migrate FROM the 231 to the 242 in order to gain the full-time capability. As noted, the 231 is only slightly stronger, and in years of wheeling with NAXJA NAC I never saw anyone manage to break a 242. It's your choice, but I wouldn't swap out a 242 in favor of a 231 if I already had the 242.

It's the left inner tie rod end.

Irrespective of the quality of advice you might get, IMHO the front suspension of a vehicle is NOT the place to start learning how to weld. Either buck up and pay a shop to do it right, or don't do it at all.

Glad you got that solved. For posterity, I just went back and fixed my post. I referred to brake shoes in three places, and I managed to type it wrong in all three. Gotta be a defective keyboard.

1. Brakes. The drum brakes are a type called "servo assist." When the brakes are applied in the forward direction, the rotation helps to force the shoes against the drums for better stopping with less peddle pressure. Doesn't work that way in reverse, which is why the parking brake always holds better when the vehicle is pointed downhill rather than uphill. So check to see if a wheel cylinder is hanging up and not allowing the brake shoes to retract. Or possibly the parking brake cable is rusted and won't let the shoes retract on one side. 2. A clogged catalytic converter reduces power at higher RPMs.

You're not modifying the windshield. The windshields are all the same, and they are held in with adhesive. The stainless steel trim or the gasket serves the same purpose -- trim. Any shop that doesn't understand this should not be trusted to install a windshield anyway.

The factory spec for oil pressure is 13 psi minimum at idle, 37 to 75 psi above 1600 RPM. (At normal operating temperature.) How many miles on your engine? It's more likely that you need rod bearings rather than an oil pump. Since you have to drop the pan to change either, I'd say do both while it's open.

Considering that it's a horrible engine that's not even heavy enough to be a good boat anchor, it's a terrible choice for you. And it's not even an easy swap, since your truck was originally set up for a 4.0L. It would be easy for you to get a complete wiring harness out of a wreck, and just go with the 4.0L again. If you really want to avoid EFI, get a Wrangler (or AMC) 4.2L, which was basically the same engine but with a longer stroke and a carburetor.