Eagle

First, it isn't a "return" line. It's a bypass line. (Don't feel bad. I owned my MJ for at least 5 years before I realized that what everyone called the "return" line ... wasn't. Second, the port in the metering block uses a straight machine thread. I don't recall if the size is 3/8" or 7/16" but you buy the shortest FINE (SAE) thread bolt you can in that size, then cut it shorter. You probably could just put some Loc-Tite on it and screw it in, allowing the end to seat against the raised cone in the block. That looks too home-brewed for my taste, so I cut it off so that the end of the shank just barely cleared the seat in the metering block with an O-ring on the bolt. Then I put a glob of black silicone RTV on the end and allowed that to set up. When I screwed the bolt in, I got (I hope) a redundant seal -- the blob of silicone on the seat, plus the O-ring under the bolt head. And it looks a lot neater to see just the hex head rather than seeing a half inch of thread sticking out.

If you already removed the height sensing valve, you don't need the instructions in this thread. You bleed as for normal brakes. If you removed the height sensing valve, you should also have removed one of the two hard brake lines from the front of the truck to the rear. The single line you have left should run from the NOSE of the front brake metering block (not the bypass port underneath) directly to the flex hose at the rear axle. Hornbrod -- I was not aware that they changed the height sensing valve in 1991. You are correct, my FSM is for the early style.

The problem with the FSM adjustment procedure is that adjusting calls for a new part (a spring, IIRC, but I'm not at home where I can confirm that), which is no longer available. In theory, adding load to the bed pushes the bed down which in turn pushes the arm on the valve up, so zip tieing it up at about 45 degrees should increase the rear brake bias. If it doesn't, the valve is probably not working. The reason I don't trust them as I have posted previously, is that mine blew out in a panic stop situation. If one 20-year old diaphragm blew out, I have no reason to believe that another of the same device won't also blow out under panic stop conditions. I was lucky the first time -- I stopped before t-boning the old man who cut me off. I can't count on being lucky a second time. The valves aren't available from Jeep, so the one that blew out left me with no choice. I had to bypass it, because it was hemoraging brake fluid. But -- I'm old enough that I grew up and learned to drive before they had such devices. The cars I learned to drive on routinely locked the rear brakes before the fronts in a panic stop. It's not a big deal to me, it's normal. I understand that it's unnerving for you younger lads who aren't accustomed to the phenomenon. But I still don't trust those old valves. I think it's a far better solution to dump the height sensing valve, re-plumb the hard lines so you have only ONE steel line from the front directly to the rear flex hose -- and then put a Wilwood adjustable proportioning valve in that one line to adjust the rear brake bias to suit your driving habits. If you put the Wilwood valve in the driver's compartment, you can adjust it on-the-fly to compensate for carrying heavy loads. Or mount it right next the the front metering block, and you can adjust it by popping the hood for access.

If you still have the rear height-sensing valve -- this won't help. The factory setup is biased to send virtually zero braking force to the rear wheels when the bed is unloaded.

That's what I recommend, for those uncomfortable with rear brakes that really work. An alternate would be to use rear wheel cylinders with a smaller diameter pistol to reduce the rear braking somewhat. FWIW, the Mopar Performance Catalog offers (or used to) an adjustable proportioning valve that I believe is the Wilwood. BLHTAZ may be able to get it for you for less than the price shown in JT's link.

Pete, the way you rigged your brakes is the way I rigged mine -- we have full power to the rear brakes all the time, so there is no need for the bypass port. If we lose the fronts, we have the rears. The problem is plugging the bypass but leaving the normal (nose) line feeding through the rear height-sensing valve. When an MJ is empty, if the height sensing valve is adjusted correctly there is almost NO force going to the rear brakes. This is why the rear brakes never seem to wear out. The whole point of the bypass circuit is to get some braking in the rear if you lose the front brakes. Plug the bypass, and the only rear brakes you have if you lose the fronts will be the "proportioned" rears -- which effectively means virtually none.

Ya know, that truck may well be rebuildable. A half-decent body man could cut the front "frame" ears off a Cherokee and weld them onto the MJ to make the nose square again, and unless it was hit REALLY hard from the back I suspect the frame rails will be either straight, or easily straightened. Beds are available ... maybe not "commonplace," but available. By all means, grab it. But don't start chopping until you have thoroughly investigated how hard/easy it might be to repair it.

If you are keeping the rear proportioning valve, you MUST keep both lines to the rear. One is for normal (proportioned) braking. The other (the bypass) is to provide full power to the rear brakes if you lose the fronts. If you keep the rear proportioning valve, DO NOT attempt to eliminate one of the lines or you will be creating a very unsafe condition.

Yeah, the rear proportioning valve DOES require a special procedure. First, bleed all four wheels normally. After that, the FSM says to do the following:

Clayton's Off-Road makes (or used to make) a complete kit for installing the front D44 from a full-size Cherokee/Wagineer in an XJ/MJ. Don't know if they still sell it.

I have one that could be for sale. Not sure how many miles are on it, but it's supposed to be in decent shape internally. I'm in southern Connecticut. How far north in maine in Bingham? (For reference, I'm 5 hours from Portland, 4 hours from the I-95 bridge to NH at Kittery.)

But did you bleed the by-pass line for the rear height-sensing valve? I'm betting you didn't. Which means if you lose your front brakes, you will have NO brakes. Not good ...

There's a special procedure for bleeding MJ brakes if you still have the rear proportioning valve in place. I posted the instructions awhile ago. I'd post the link, but I'd have to search for it and I have friends coming over, so I'll let you do the search. It's here ... somewhere.

I know someone who has (I think he still has it) a NIB factory Stage 3 cam kit for the 2.5L. I have no idea what he might want for it, if he still has it, but I believe his plans changed and he no longer has a need for it. Let me know if you'd like me to find out if it's available.

I think I saw an ashtray out in the garage. I'll take a look-see after I finish fixing the roof (if I don't fall off and kill myself). Send me a PM tonight with your address, as a reminder to me to look for it.

There are two flip clips that lock onto the actuators, one on each side. You just flip them off the rods and remove the handle.

I'm going to say Dana 60. (Possibly 70?)

Or the most psychic ... So you have a photo of a frame section that is supposedly out of a Ford, with an invisible axle under it that may or may not be the original axle from whatever vehicle provided the frame ... and we're supposed to guess what the axle might be? Not me, Mate.

It's in the thermostat housing. But it isn't a "switch." It's a sensor, which sends data to the ECU, and the ECU controls the fan. It's a completely different setup than the Renix years, where the fan switch in the radiator tank really is just a switch.

Budget boost. 1-3/4" coil spacers for the front, shackles or AAL for the rear. Personally, I think longer shackles kill the springs. I'd go with a Rancho long AAL kit for th rear.

Both But (as usual) I'm confused. Your title said "slave" cylinder, but it's the master cylinder that trashes fuse panels. What are you having problems with, the master, the slave, or both?

I can dredge up part numbers if you need 'em, but be prepared -- they cost me $65 each, with a discount, about four or five years ago. They're probably pushing $100 per side today. A better deal might be "Cargo Coils" from NAPA or Carquest. They have part numbers that start (cleverly) with 'CC' followed by (IIRC) a 2-digit number. They'll be less than half the price of OEM.

Theoretically, you could install an open radiator and leave the surge tank, but that leaves you with the same disadvantages of a plastic tank that's prone to crack and have the cap warp so it doesnt seal. And the "open" radiators don't have any place in the driver's side tank for the temperatire sensor that controls the auxiliary fan, so if you have an aux fan you'll be lft trying to find a way to control it.

The rumour I heard was that Chrysler was going to buy GM. Who knows?

I think the OP has air in the system. If there's air, the coolant won't flow to the surge tank, and the temp sensor for the gauge will read hot because it's at one of the hottest points on the engine (which is why they put it there) and tends to attract steam pockets if the system isn't full. Another cute trick is, when the system isn't properly filled there won't be any heat, because the coolant level is too low to flow through the heater core.