Suuperman

I'm not new to XJ/MJ's by any means. BUT I am thinking of my current MJ and it's intended build up. '88 MJ SWB 4 bngr 5 spd. It's currently 2wd but that will change. I have been debating on using a D-30/44 combo with 4.88's and 33's OR using waggy D-44's (did this in my last XJ) and running 5.38's and 35's. I know the 35's would only give me an inch extra under the diffs BUT I am also thinking of the 113" WB vs the 101" of the XJ's I've wheeled in the past. So some thoughts on that would be appreciated. We used to wheel in Tellico (RIP) and will continue to wheel in similar terrain. That being said I may split the difference and run 34's...I have been wanting a set of the 34X10.50 LTB;s and since this truck will be mostly a trail rig I figure it's a good fit and they are reasonably priced especially for their size/performance. Has anyone ran the 4.88's in their 8.25 rear? I'd rather a D-44 BUT if the 4.88's have been proven decent for the 8.25...I think the 29 spl version will hold up just fine with the 4 bngr and 33"-34" tires. Plus the MJ/XJ D-44's are getting a little harder to come by and the cheapest one I have found recently was $350. I just bought my 29 spl 8.25 with 4.10's for $150 and put it in my current XJ so I know getting a nother one will be fairly easy/cheaper than a D-44 and IMO the 8.25 is an underrated axle. I guess I am just rambling on trying to decide which route to take. :hmm:

Any upper control arm (for a jeep) should work. Again looking at a long arm 'lift kit' I believe the upper arms for an LA setup are the same upper arms you would use for a regular short arm lift. So the length of the upper arms will determine where the mounts for them will need to be welded on the lower long arms.

Should work fine. We built a 'mid-length' arm setup on an Xj a few years ago and did exactly that. We would remove one of the uppers while offroad as it removes some stress off the upper axle mounts. I have HEARD that a setup like Rubicon Express (not downing them I love their stuff) LA's that the uppers have been known to rip off the UCA axle mounts. I have even seen (first hand) a 2 link setup...3 link if you count the trackbar. 2 control arms is all you use. 1 side is fixed to the axle. The other side is the pivot. Works well and is fairly stable at speed too.

1988 MJ Ocala, FL 2WD SWB 2.5L AX-5 D-35...I'm guessing the axle was a swap as it only has 3.55 gears. I thought all 4 bngr jeeps from 1987-2000 came with 4.10's if they had a 5 spd...at least the 4 I have owned did. My best friend bought it cheap to flip it and my wife had to have it...and who am I to argue with bringing another jeep in the yard. It's in decent shape with a little over 200K miles and runs and drives just fine. It needs an exhaust manifold (already on its way) and other than that little to no work to be DD capable. It has a few dents in it but nothing major at all...no real rust to speak of. Just a little in the driver's side floor pan and it's easily fixable. It does need new seats. It has factory buckets but they are trashed and missing the headrests as well. I plan to tinker with it and gather parts to make the 4WD conversion. I am thinking D-30/D-44 F/R with 4.88's locked and enough lift to clear 33's (maybe 34's). This is my 3rd MJ and I regret getting rid of the other 2 (1991 and 1986). It will most likely become a vehicle for one of my kids...my XJ will be the other...if I ever get the dadblame renix running right! LOL :D I probably won't put it on the road right away due to FL raising the registration fees and we already have 3 vehicles on insurance. We have 3 acres so it will still be used and I have plenty of little roads to drive it around on until it's registered. Image Not Found Image Not Found

I am thinking of slapping a set of F-150 coils in it ...no way those will sag. May ride like a brick but I had a '99 XJ with a set ant it was fine. I am also looking at J-10 or J-20 rear springs. They have a higher rate and are the same length/offset. Might make a half ton truck out of the MJ!

Brake lines do not need to be a limitation. Just unbolt the calipers and zip tie them to the control arms. This way they are not 'in the way' and you don't have to undo them and then bleed the brakes.

A friend of mine has the center seat/console from the front of a grand wagoneer. We're going to attempt to put XJ buckets in my MJ with this a sthe center "seat" as I don't want to give up my middle seatbelt either.

Mine actually came with this 2" lift. I intend to put on the RE 5.5" lift with drop brackets and I think Cabz does as well. I'm planning on ACOS as well so I can make sure it sits the way it should. I just picked up a free set of rear leaves for an MJ so I am set for SOA on the rear already. Cabz MJ actually sits lower in the rear than the front with the 4.5" rusty's.

I believe it can be done BUT do your homework. You would need the carrier, and pretty much everything else from the rubi internals as well. They are just different enough for them to not be 'installed' as if you were putting in a regular D_44 gearset. This is why all (I think all) aftermarket gearsets for the rubicon are rubicon specific.

Stock 7 leaf waggy front springs OR YJ 4" front lift springs. Either wil work and get you about 6-7" of lift. http://www.floridajeepers.net/viewtopic ... t=comanche If this link doesn't work I think I can dig up the pics somewhere else and post them. Those are 35X15 TSL's.

I am the friend with the 3" lift (I think it may be a 2" actually). I doubt very seriously that the track bar has anything to do with it. Both of us have lifted several XJ's from 2-6" and never had issues...only on the MJ's.

1st car that was 'mine' was an '84 olds cutlass. Hated it with a passion (I despise GM) but it was free and made it through highschool. 1st car I bought (with my grandmother cosigned) was a '90 honda accord. That was my 'boom boom' stereo phase. had 2 10's that hit 144 dB. 1st car I bought BY MYSELF was a '98 dodge dakota. 318 auto trans...FAST little truck. 1st jeep was '85 XJ 4 bngr 4 spd 2wd. Couldn't drive it more than 15 minutes without over heating...lucky for me I was only 5 minutes from work where I lived. I have loved jeeps ever since and have owned '85XJ, 3 '98 XJ's, 3 '99 XJ's, a '97 TJ, an '86 MJ, and now have an '85 J-10 soon to be a trail rig and my '91 MJ DD that I love dearly. Only had it for a couple months and it will NEVER leave my ownership!!

Brent I replied over on FJOA also... I am betting they are poly. I had a set on the 1st XJ I lifted and man they were noisy.

I am tickled pink that I found my '91...with under 100K miles on it. 8)

I am going to say 231 as well. How many positions does the shifter have? I believe the 242 would have 5. 2wd, 4wd part, 4wd full, N, and 4 low (not in that particular order). The 231 will only have 4. 2wd, 4 hi, N, and 4 low

confedneck this is Superman from FJOA. Shoot YellowXJ (Travis) a PM on FJOA. His shop is on spur 60 (murphy hwy) about 15 minutes south of Murphy and 45 minutes from Tellico. He'd probably show you all over up there. It is an awesome place up there. Gorgeous nearly everywhere you go and great wheeling.

I never received my 'verification' e-mail or whatever so I figured I'd just try to log in and it worked 8) Anyway I've had several XJ's, a TJ, an '86 MJ (RIP) and now a '91 MJ (and an '85 J-10 to be built as a trail rig). 1991 MJ 4.0L AW-4, 231. Long bed. only 98,000 miles!! 2" lift (appears to be rough country) with 32X11.50's (soon to be 31X10.50's). I intend to keep this as a DD but build it to be tough no matter what it is doing. Planning on about 6" of lift, D-44's front and rear and some 33" tires.