Eagle

Hey, Mate -- we're too old to be shoveling snow. Whatsamattawitcha anyways? Doncha know no better? Take it easy, and be well. I went through something similar in 2014. Not fun. (Mine was open chest surgery. I did NOT go back to work the next day!)

Ignition keys don't hum. That hum you hear may be the fuel pump. If it keeps humming rather than stopping after 5 to 10 seconds, the fuel pump isn't building pressure.

Cranking is turning over. What you mean is that it turns over but won't start. The rest of your description doesn't compute, however. Once it fires, if you're using starting fluid it should keep running without having to keep the starter motor engaged as long as you keep spraying the ether.

Connecticut has similar limits, but they only apply to the front doors. That's why factory tint is lighter on the front door glass than on rear doors and cargo area and hatch glass.

Yes. All the way to the limit turns on the interior lights.

Good decision.

I am extremely fortunate in that there are two real spring companies in the county where I live. I can get custom u-bolts of any diameter and length, with extra-long nuts, made while I wait, and I can get leaf springs re-arched, modified, or custom made right here by a local company.

But that was superseded when the factory realized that GL-5 formulated gear oil was eating the synchronizers. Jeep now recommends 10W30 motor oil.

There are also 1-inch (or 3/4-inch) coil spacers available from Daystar and other sources. A set of those would drop your front 1 inch, which should be just about right.

Heh, heh ... Advertising writers are slick. From the quoted "blurb" about why General Springs are better: Mexico is part of North America. Geographically speaking, since there is no "Central America" continent, North America also includes Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. So they can sell products made in Mexico and be perfectly honest in advertising them as "made in North America."

Apparently it originated a bit before P.T.: https://knowyourphrase.com/a-fool-and-his-money-soon-parted https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/a-fool-and-his-money-are-soon-parted.html

Who was it who said (or wrote), "A fool and his money are soon parted"?

No. There is no slave cylinder for the manual transmission. Perhaps you mean the clutch slave cylinder (which only applies to vehicles with a manual transmission).

Musk claims that Tesla already has 200,000 pre-orders for the new "truck." I don't believe it.

Unless you want something that looks and fits like the original. For someone doing a restoration, nothing else would be acceptable.

I can't help there. All my MJs are shortbeds, with two straps. Maybe you need longer J-bolts?

You can install patches that fit flush if you use a flanging tool. https://www.harborfreight.com/search?q=air punch flange tool

Yes. The original factory spec for gear lube in the AX-15 was 75W90 GL3. However, GL3 no longer exists. It's now GL5, and GL5-grade gear oils contain more sulpher-bearing additives than GL3. The synchronizers are brass, and the sulpher in GL5 eats up the brass. The factory revised the spec to 30 weight motor oil. A couple of the good synthetic gear oils don't contain sulpher and don't attack the synchronizers. Those are the best choice, but they're expensive and you probably won't find them at the corner auto marts emporium.

Jay - It's good of you to offer. Speaking for myself (see my signature!), I'll just throw out there that IMHO most people who want the factory hidden winch mounts will want an exact duplicate, not an "improved" version. The factory hidden winch option came with either a 5,000 or 6,000 pound winch. Even 20 years ago, most people who were rocking winches on modified XJs were using at least 8,000 pound winches. It's not actually hard to make. A long time ago I had a CADD drawing of it ... yeah, found it.

I think it would be great to have someone reproduce the hidden winch mounts. One correction: The factory tow hook brackets had two sets of mounting holes; one set mounted the bumper in the stock location, the other set moved the bumper forward several inches to allow space for the hidden winch. As far as I know, none of the currently available aftermarket tow hook brackets have the second set of holes for mounting the bumper in the forward position. Also, the factory hidden winch kit included fillers to cover the gap between the bumper and the grille.

IMHO that means your steering box is toast. It shouldn't take more than an eighth or a quarter turn to bring a steering box back to better-than-new adjustment. AZJeff is entirely correct -- many steering boxes have been ruined by adjusting improperly or too much. The shop at my dealership refuses to even touch that adjustment, because they're afraid they'll do more harm than good. Once it has been over-tightened, the box wears rapidly, and after that adjustment is just like a dog chasing its tail. You'll never win.

When I was actively involved in off-roading, I carried a tree saver and a 20-foot, 20,000 pound recovery strap. With winter approaching, I figured it's time to be sure I'm prepared ... and I'm not. I found a couple of tree savers, but I can't find the 20-foot recovery strap. So I fired up Amazon. And I found this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072285ND2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1 It's a 20-foot nylon recovery strap, but it's only rated at 10,000 ultimate strength (3,333 pounds safe working load limit). Amazon also offers a 2" x 20' Smittybilt recovery strap that's rated at 20,000 pounds, but it costs almost four times as much. Living on social security, it's a tough call on whether or not to spend four times as much for something I'll likely never need or use, but want to have "just in case." I think for a Cherokee or a Comanche, or using one of those to pull a car out of a snow bank, a working load of 3,333 pounds is plenty. I'd be pulling, not trying to lift the entire vehicle. The issue is that on a couple of occasions in the past I have rescued FedEx delivery trucks and the like, and those weigh more than the average Jeep. So do I spend the extra $$$ just in case I need to rescue a FedEx truck, or do I just buy the 10,000 pond strap and make the decision that if FedEx can't stay on the pavement, they're on their own? FWIW, all the straps I found on Amazon seems to be made in China (surprise!) -- even the 20,000 pound Smittybilt.

I'm sure you mean AW4. The AX-4 was the Aisin-Seiki 4-speed manual transmission behind the base model 4-cylinder engines.

Historically, Chevy small block V8 conversions in XJs and MJs have had cooling problems. Unless there's some reason why you really have to have a V8, a much easier and better swap would be a GM 3.4L V6 out of a rear wheel drive car like a Camaro or Firebird.