GirsMJ86

I've not had any time to mess around with mine. If someone has a set of factory ones and could send me a graphite rubbing of them or at least a tracing of the shape, send me a PM for my address and I'll get to work on things.

Don't let that be an indication for what it is. Mine is missing it's X badges and I can't find replacements anywhere. My last '86 was missing them as well but I eventually found some. Too bad I didn't yank them back off and keep them. @Redwolf The original engine is the same engine you dropped in basically. THE reason most around here won't touch an '86 MJ, a poorly made GM 2.8L V6. Most replace them with a GM 3.4L since they are the same block design as the 2.8L but better made and more powerful. Also because the 4.0L will not fit in an '86 without some firewall modification. For some idea of how bad the 2.8L is, the 4cyl 2.5L that was offered in '86 made the same hp and torque numbers basically and had better MPG. Only reason my rig still has the 2.8L in it is because the PO had it and the tranny rebuilt 30k ago and stuck a lot of Holley and Edelbrock performance parts on the thing, including an EFI kit. Within the next year though probably, I'll be scrapping it all and swapping in a 4.0L or just scrapping the whole truck once I find one in better shape with a 4.0L.

Only stepside to ever look good IMO were the Gladiators. What is with the bad mileage comment? My '91 4.0 auto got around 24 highway since I tried to keep it 60 or below as well. Considering the age and the fact that trucks only started increasing their mileage a few years ago, that's pretty good I think. As an example, the Colorado was still only getting around 24 highway back in 2005 with the 4cyl auto.

Looks like a base/custom. I'm assuming the turbine wheels were added and the steel is the factory wheel? Idiot lights? Kind of hard to tell but was the grille spray painted? Those pinstripes (if they are even factory) are not the ones found on the X package, and that is definitely not an XLS unless all the chrome was painted over. Gotta ask, whats up with that later style steering wheel? Think those look awful compared to the stock three spoke ones.

In 86 there is also the Custom Really the Custom and Base are the same thing from what I understand, just depends who you talk to is what it'll get called. It was the lowest trim option so that to me is the "base" for all other trim levels. In 86 there is also the Custom now i'm really confused as to what comanche i have, my MJ is plan, right now it has a flat black grille and head light "housins", black bumpers, solid red with thin black pin strips, tailgate says JEEP in black, the JEEP emblem on the from is chrome, i have the chrome rods above the doors, head light pull out switch, cig outlight, i have bench sets, solid back glass, mini console, i'll post pictures tomorrow so yall can see what i'm takin bout, Redwolf To screw with things even more, I forgot to mention that my old '86 X had a rear slider but my current decked out X does not. No vent windows or cargo box light on either as well. My current one had the factory bed cover at one time too (stupid snaps are still there rusting my bed). The Jeep letters on the front are always bare metal unless someone painted over them, and the mini console is always there unless you have a full with buckets. Nothing special about the headlight switch or cig lighter as well. The drip rail trim above the door is touchy since even if it was black at one time, the black becomes brittle and peels off so someone could have peeled it off and exposed the bare metal underneath. The window trim is this same way. All the brochures I've seen for '86 had the metal trim above and below the grille, as well as the drip rail, as bare metal. Windshield trim is bare metal as well. Optional chrome like my current X has includes the bumpers, door handles, tailgate handle, mirrors, everything surrounding and including the grille, and tail lights. There is also side molding that could be gotten with a chrome trim line down the middle. There might have also been something special about the XLS interior, but I've never seen one so can't say. The dash facing might have been silver or something, but all the silver ones I've seen just look like someone took silver rustoleum to the black one and they look awful IMO. Mine is black with silver trim lines around each opening, but I think this was a standard thing since all my MJs have been like this including the Eliminators which are the top dog.

Selec-trac is full time, can be used on dry pavement without harm to the system. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_four-wheel-drive_systems

Post it up, someone will decode it for ya. There are also decoders available online, but when I was trying to figure mine out each one gave me a different answer.

:agree: 1978 Chevy Stepside

In '86 only there was the base, X, and XLS. Your title should give clues to what it is, also your vin can tell you what it is. I've had two '86 X rigs and each one is completely different in options. My last one had selec-trac, 2.8L, automatic, idiot light cluster, vinyl buckets without full center console, single color paint, no chrome at all other than the standard 10 slot grille, and the "upgraded" steel wheels. Basically what I'd consider a true X since only a few things are "upgraded". My current one has command-trac, 2.8L, 5spd, 3/4 gauge cluster, cloth bench, two-tone paint, everything chrome, steelies with chrome trim rings, factory sport bar, factory fog lights. Closer to an XLS since all it is really missing is the buckets and full gauge cluster. You have to remember that every option could be ordered no matter the trim level. Most were just purchased off the lot, and most where probably base models or your standard X. My current rig though shows there are odd-balls out there with basically every option but still designated a lower trim.

The factory bar has brackets and such that bolt everything up rather than it just bolting to the bed. So I'd wager they add some protection, more than if if it wasn't there or was only attached to the bed. My truck is in another town or I'd snap some pics from underneath.

If you live in the rust belt you can just reach up from under the truck and push the carpet up to reach the lock.

Stock replacements from rockauto. Half the cost of them at autozone usually.

Yea, you would need to see about measurements to see if it would even fit in the space before the wheel wells. Might be too big for both SWB and LWB. The fuel filler neck hump could really mess things up, most other trucks did not have this.

:yeah that: I'd prefer black. I'll then just grab a painted front one off an XJ so they match and sell/scrap my chrome ones.

Just looking for opinions and answers about what I mention here. I already know all the stuff that will be needed to make a 4.0L fit into an '86, and I'm not interested at all in doing the 3.4L or any other swap since the main competitor to going with a 4.0L is going diesel which requires more than I want to get into. Anyways, I have a few questions since I basically plan on gutting the MJ of it's drive train and wiring and swapping everything over from the XJ. I don't see why this would be a problem, but maybe someone can clue me in on some stuff I might have overlooked. I'd be grabbing the engine, tranny, t-case, gauges, HVAC, computer, etc... The MJ would just be a husk, keeping the '96 and older nose and the factory '86 interior, getting everything mechanical/electrical transplanted from the XJ. I'd be buying the XJ and driving it until I had the time/funds to do the swap, and to make sure there wouldn't be any issues with the drive train before having the swap done since I don't plan on rebuilding. If there aren't any big issues with doing that, then I figure a '96 is my best choice since it would be the last year for the older front clip and interior so I would have everything I would need in one go and nothing too different that would require finding another rig to yank parts off of. My other choice is grabbing a '00 or so for the lower miles. The problem with this is I don't want the 97+ front clip or interior so I'd have to salvage the front clip parts and gauges off another vehicle and even then I'm not sure if the older '96 style gauges would work with the '00 drive train. I'm leaning towards the '96 since everything I would need for the swap is right there. Lower mileage would be nice but I suppose I could solve that with a rebuild either before the swap or down the road. One thing that concerns me though is the airbags. Would swapping all the the electronics over but keeping the stock MJ interior make the computer throw a fit since there wouldn't be any airbags at all? Other stuff I've stupidly overlooked? I'm probably jumping the gun since the only thing wrong with this rig is the 2.8L, otherwise it's just what I want in a non-Eliminator MJ. So I'm sure I've overlooked some thing(s). I suppose the easiest route would be to find a 4.0L LWB 4x4 rig as close to stock as possible and swapping in my black interior, roll bar, and all that... but I live in the absolute wrong state for that option. XJs on the other hand are everywhere.

Optima is overrated now, not nearly as good of a battery as they used to be. Never heard of the other two, but there are only like 3-5 true makers of batteries anyways that just stick different labels on em and sell at different price points for the "premium" product. You'll find that Johnson Controls owns most of the "brands" out there. Most on here find good reliability out of Duralast, I run the store brand from where I work that has more CCA/CA than an Optima D34 or Duralast equivalent and have had good luck with it too. If you need the only reason to buy an Optima (sealed so can be mounted in any angle), Duralast Platinum batteries are AGM and have that same feature.

I'll show your dilemma to my cousin who is a DJ and builds custom systems for stage use and car use. If he knows of something he can usually get a good deal on stuff too because of all the business he does.

All I can say is, if you are ok with the 2.5L, don't count out an '86 then since it's all the same otherwise. Most stay away from '86 rigs because of the 2.8L, don't buy that unless you have plans to swap a 3.4 or something else in anyways. Good luck finding one of the 2.1L unless you are willing to spend closer to 10k than not, and even then parts are hard to come by. Swapping in buckets from other vehicles is as easy as having the MJ bucket brackets to stick the new seats on, or making your own since they are not super easy to come by. I can also add that the 2WD rigs are very reliable in snow. My '88 Eliminator I had only took a bit of rocking and it pulled out of being basically buried in the driveway one winter.

eh go figure. I'd love to get my hands on one of those ones Pat claims exists, but no matter how many times I have hounded my local dealers in the past, it's always the same story that MJ parts just don't exist anymore. I'd assume the OEM was just Jeep since it's basically just a simple "C" shaped piece of stamped metal and came on the trucks from the factory.

Interesting little engine from the little I just read about it. Weighs in at about 606lbs and makes 60-85hp with 158-224 lb-ft of torque. The oil change schedule on those things is crazy though, 350-hour/3-month intervals on the turbo or 500-hour/6-month intervals on the weaker naturally aspirated model. Not sure if that is the norm what that would translate to in miles but that seems kind of crazy. Of course I'm running on very little sleep right now so I could be whats crazy at the moment. http://cumminsengines.com/b3-3-tier-3#overview Doing a google search on the engine turns up quite a few YJ, FJ, and a few other things that have had it swapped in. The MJ is of course the coolest.

Let us know how this turns out (how long it takes for you to get it, if all parts are there, condition, etc) and post up some pics. Would be a lot easier to replace my bumper rather than try to get it unbent. It isn't horrible and could be used, but missing an end cap and being bent I'd be willing to spend a bit more and just have a new one. Would be worth it to stay stock looking rather than go my other route which is off-road style bumpers from JCR.

Those are still listed in that link at the top. Most trucks just use one of them that look like that on the side the gate pulls up and off and the other side is a circle. I'm sure something for another truck would work.

I don't have my rig in front of me to go look at how they attach, but couldn't you just get some meant for another truck and bolt them up? I'd imagine some meant for an 80's Dakota, S-10, or Ranger would work. I mean they are an AMC product, I bet they are the same part that was used on one of those trucks, I'd wager the S-10 but who knows and it may have changed through the years as well, especially once Chrysler got a hold of them. There are a few you-pull-its up here towards central Ohio, but I pretty much stripped every MJ in them (a total of about 3) a few years back. We are in one of the worst states for getting parts for these trucks that is for sure, and the ones I pulled stuff from have all probably been crushed by now I'm sure. What killed me was the Chevy dealer down the street from me got one in back during cash for clunkers and had it sitting on the very top of the dumpster with their clunkers banner on the side, if it wasn't right on the curb of a busy state route I would have stripped every MJ specific part off it in the middle of the night. The thing looked clean too is the real killer...

Kind of pricey but since turbines are kind of hard to come by http://www.finishlinewheels.com/JEEP/COMANCHE/1986/A-01402U10/ No center caps though from what I can tell.

I know I sound like a broken record, but por-15. Seriously great stuff IMO, worth every penny. Well honestly I wish it was cheaper, but what is anymore.