mvusse

Every dollar spent on mods is worth at the very most 50 cents on resale. Selling a lifted truck is like flushing your money down the toilet.

You have just made a very good point. First time off road, pretty much stock, some minor dings in the rocker panels. Second time, 4.5" lift, still stock tires: bumper end cap, rocker panels, bottom rear edge of front fenders and one in the "frame". Third trip, added a front locker: grenaded u joint Fourth trip, moved up to 33s and stronger front axles: bad dent in driver's door and lost driver's mirror trying to save it from rolling sideways down a hill I was climbing. Fifth trip, went up to 6.5": a tree put a dent in my roof keeping me from flopping it on the side. Two more trips: Another dent in the frame, and rock rash down the entire driver's side of the truck, front fender up to tail lights, as well as crumpled the top rear corner of the bed. Moved up to 35" tires, and now one year and 10 offroad trips later the only straight piece of sheetmetal left on the truck is the hood. I missed my dent-free truck so much I just got another one to keep stock and on pavement only. The more capable you make your truck, the further off road you will get stuck, and the more likely you are to do damage.

The first jack I bought after moving to the States was a Craftsman. I have been very happy with Craftsman hand tools, but the jack was a POS. After 7 months the jack unit blew a gasket, it had a 6 month warranty. Parts had been discontinued, but a nearby service center still had a power unit on the shelf. Cost half as much again more than the entire jack cost me. Replaced it with an MPV Pro-lift, lasted two years (Advance Auto Parts) Replaced it with a Duralast lift, lasted two years/ (Autozone) Replaced it with a Central Haydraulics, still in use, 18 months so far (Harbor Freight) The last three jacks are as near as identical they may as well be. Only difference is color.

http://www.por15.com/

If you're fine on the highway, but not when sitting still then coolant flow is not the problem, air flow is. Either the radiator has too much crud between the fins, or your fan clutch needs replaced.

Everybody wants the D44. If that's what you have. consider yourself lucky.

Gotcha! I was thinking Metric Tonne, as in the optional MJ package.

I've never heard of a MT XJ. What was the difference between it's springs and non MT ones?

I know better, and yet I'm guilty as charged! At least my life insurance is paid up.

Almost any MJ, XJ or TJ with a 4 cylinder 5 speed. Or ANY later TJ 4 cylinder with any transmission. Really not that uncommon.

I always add coolant through the upper radiator hose into the radiator until it overflows. The top off however much is needed in the expansion tank. Never burped it, never had a problem.

For $20 or so, I can look for a cap separately. I like my vehicles to have a matching spare. That truck currently has NO spare.

With my 231, if the drive train is in a bind (due to traction plus turn for example) I can shift the lever into 2wd, but 4wd stays engaged unless the bind frees up. On ice that's not a problem. Straight on pavement it can be a while. May not be your problem, but happened more than once.

Weight distributing on a dolly is pointless. And dollies with brakes are few and far between. YJ weighs about the same as XJ. YJ + trailer is most likely > 5K pounds(2270 kg).

How much inc shipping to 44680?

I'm looking for a rim to match these: Beauty ring is optional, center cap is not, color doesn't matter.

Some updates, now that it's been mine for two weeks: -4wd conversion has been finished. Had to trim a bunch of old floor (no problem) as well as a few inches of new floor (grrr) to clear the driveshaft due to the transmission being out of a YJ. -Installed a cigarette lighter so I can power my GPS or MP3 player. -Replaced the 21 slot grille with a spare normal one so Jimmy can have it back. -Removed the budget boost and went back to stock height. -Installed a spare front license plate bracket to mount the front license plate. Have been pulled over before for having the license plate on the dash. Evidently that is not the proper place for it. Still can't believe I now have two MJs, BOTH with a black interior (well, except for the seats in the new one).

According to the manual, tha max towing capacity is 5000 pounds, but requires the following equipment: Class III hitch Equalizing hitch (also known as weight distributing hitch) for tongue weight over 350 pounds 4.0 litre engine Automatic transmission with cooler Heavy-duty cooling system Heavy-duty axle (AMC 20 or Dana 44) Trailer brakes Without all that, the capacity is 2000 pounds. I don't know what you mean by a heavy duty bumper, but the stock step bumper can safely tow a wheelbarrow and that's about it. (Log splitter, cement mixer, etc.) Even so, you'd be hard pressed to stay below 5000 pounds with a Cherokee on a trailer. Borrow a buddy's full size pickup or SUV.

Must have been a while ago. Paragon closed, what, four years ago?

You're right. Must be the angle, but there seems to be as much bed in front of the wheels as behind.

Advertised as an 85, except they never made an 85MJ. Can't be 86 either because it's a short bed. So 87-92. Seems like a decent price.

bump to the top so I can find it easier.

AMC split off AM General because the US government can not buy military equipment from foreign governments. The French government owned Renault, which n turn owned 40% of AMC. AM General was wholly American owned. I guess a Humvee/Hummer Alpha could be considered a FSJ. The Humvee was built using GM drive trains, and possibly other parts, so when AM General went up for sale, GM was the obvious buyer. GM then went ahead and created the Hummer brand and developed the H2 (based on a modified 3/4 ton Suburban platform) and H3 (based on the Colorado/Canyon platform). An H4 was also planned, based on the tracker platform. And yes, due to their heritage, Hummers do have Jeep grills.

Earlier and later unit bearings have a difference in "thickness", as do the rotors. Any year unit bearing will fit in any year knuckle, but the unit bearings and rotors need to be the same "generation". If not, either the rotor will sit out too far, or it will hit the knuckle. Calipers do not interchange. New calipers do not fit on old knuckles and old calipers don't fir on new knuckles. The brake pads are also different and not interchangeable between the two types of calipers. Knuckles are interchangeable between axles. So the question is, what year is the disconnect axle? Most likely, to use the correct pads for those rotors, and thus the correct calipers you will need to swap the 96 knuckles onto the disco axle. On a sidenote, to use the single piece shaft in the disco axle you will need to install an oil seal in the passenger side of the differential. The stock seal for a non disconnect axle will not fit. I can't remember the part number off the top of my head, but it's in the build thread for the "Pig" in my signature. Page 13 I believe.

4.5" lift springs from Motion Offroad ride at ~16.5" after 2 1/2 years, many thousands of road miles and 20 or so offroad trips. But that is with an aftermarket bumper that weighs quite a bit more than the stock one.