AeroNautical

When I did my swap, this is the list I compiled: AX-15 XJ or MJ Bell housing NP231J (or whatever t-case you want to use, if it's 4wd) 4wd speedo cable shift linkage/ body side and tranny side brackets 1 inch t-case drop if using ba10 cross member external slave pre-bled system clutch kit tranny mount tranny mounting bracket 74 cj pilot bushing cut 2wd drive shaft The install went smooth, and you CAN use the ba10 cross member you already have, you just need to buy a 3/4 inch t-case drop kit and thread some pre-drilled holes in your frame. Very easy, honestly.

As per recommendation on the forums, I'm running 10W-30 full synthetic in my ax-15 to protect the syncros. Having almost 200,000 miles on the tranny, it makes some noises when it's warm. It shifts buttery smooth (except into reverse, unless I double clutch it) at all temps, but I'd like to hush it up with some gear oil additive. Would it be alright to add that to the 10w-30? If so, any brands and types you'd recommend?

Nice find, what's it been modified to do? Almost looks like a tank platform, probably pretty heavy too, considering the 2 sets of axles and 8 tires in the back.

My sister is a manager at a StarBucks, and she compiled different gift items in bags for us on Christmas. This is by far the coolest mug I've seen in a long while: Any MJ related gear you guys got from your spouses or kids?

A little confused, are those RE9905 braces included in the RE9900 kit? If not, would I need them?

About the Rubicon Express control arm drop brackets, I've been told they require some modification to actually fit on an XJ/MJ, and to just go with the rough country brackets (over $200). I doubt he was bull$#!&tin me, but I'd like to make sure before dropping the extra cash on those rough country ones. With the amount of research that went into this list, I'm sure you'd know better than he would on those specific brackets.

Merry Christmas, guys. This'll be a big year for my MJ, finally finish the 4wd swap, lift and tires within the next couple months.

No video and only one picture, but I'll explain whats going on. Weather drastically affects a cb, apparently. Bright sunshine means high SWR, clouds mean normal and rain means no transmit at all. This is my experience, if it seems weird, tell both my SWR meters. It's overcast today, went out and tested on channel 19 (my most used channel). Calibrated both SWR meters, one in my radio and the other external. I'm using 2-20ft coax cables. I transmit, and get a reading on both meters of about 1.5. Ideal, I'd imagine. I ask for a radio check, but this would be the one day noone is around. I check channel 40 and I get about the same reading, and channel 1 and I get nothing at all. I unplug the meter and plug the antenna back up to the radio, key the mic on 19 and get nothing at all on the radio swr meter. Now, I'd imagine the 40 feet of coax has something to do with that, but how do I fix it once I eliminate that extra coax? Does the antenna need to be raised or lowered? I have the radio powered and grounded directly to the battery, so that eliminates a power problem. Ideas?

Here you go: Nice, what kind of power we talkin about?

Awesome write up. I'll be doing this soon, but on a 231, so probably a bit less hacking and drilling for my install. Thanks

Huh, that's nice and simple. Where did you get that fuse block?

I went ahead and did what yxmj recommended, bought an amp wire kit. Came with 16ft of 8 gauge, a pre spliced 50 amp fuse (too high?), a generous amount of 8 gauge grounding wire, and all the crimp connections I need, all for cheaper than if I pieced it together at an auto parts store or wally world. Thanks for the help. WRZ: Could you snap a picture of the fuse box you have in your cab? What I have now will work temporarily, but I need a more permanent means of power distribution.

I've got a power supply in the cab direct from the battery now, plugged the CB up and vastly improved the ground. Turned it on and transmitted, no transmit on channels lower than 39, and very weak above. I did buy a new coax cable, and an external swr meter. I'll get another video up with my tests, and maybe you guys can tell me for sure my radio is somehow fried.

The Jeep God was nice to you that day. Sooo... hows about that cross member?

Gotta be a Windows machine? What was wrong?

My mistake, they are handheld spotlights that run off 12v. You say run 10 gauge because of the variable draw from the 12v outlet, so that's what I'll run. What about the fuse and the connection on the cab side? Trying to get ideas to what would work best.

I need to run a direct feed from the battery into the cab. I know where to route it, my questions are what gauge wire should I use? Any particular sheathing? What inline fuse should I use? I was hoping at the cab side of things I'd have a stud with a nut to secure the connections down, what would be the best way to do this, or is there a better way you guys could recommend. This isn't something I want half assed, I want it correct, and safe. Initially, the only connections I'll have on it are my CB, fog lights and 12V plug. Maybe some pictures with your setups? Thanks.

Thanks for all the information. I removed the spring, but oddly get the same readings. I haven't been able to try anything else yet because it's been pouring down rain the last few days. I'll update once I test with an SWR meter and a dummy load.

I think jimoshel owns a majority of them, ask him how many he's got. Correctly adding the number out there will still round out to be how ever many he has.

This radio was given to me, unfortunately without a manual. I've done this in calibration before, my swr cal knob is already maxed for these readings. It won't make it anywhere close to the cal mark on the meter, maybe a quarter of the way on channel 40.

60 bucks well spent. Almost looks like a Ranger tab in your back window, except it looks to be two separate words. Green Beret? Either way, you should paint US Army somewhere on it, to complete the look.

No, you brought a good point up. The reason I didn't have it set for CAL is it reads the same as in S/RF. If I set it to SWR mode, however, I get nothing at all, which I suppose makes sense if it's using it as just an SWR meter.

I have to wait a couple days before I can try anything, but could it be possible something inside the radio blew? The fact that it does transmit and receive tells me no, but I'm no expert with radio systems outside of aviation. I cracked it open a few weeks back to see if anything seemed out of place, but all the resistors I checked, connections, etc were all in great shape. There wasn't even any dust inside of it.

Yes, but you did ground yourself as soon as you touched that wooden post, which completed the circuit. Either way, the advice for everyone to take away from this is: Electric fence BAD, haha.

Wow, I appreciate the time you took to write this out. I did forget to mention it is a 102" whip, unsure of the brand. It doesn't have a set screw, I literally took apart the mount, spring and antenna assembly to try and tune it, but it isn't a tunable antenna. I've never heard or seen that before. I never checked before either because it transmitted and received just fine. Does a 102" even need a spring? I'll have to find a place that sells those dummy loads, radio shack maybe? My RF gain is almost always at max, and when it is it produces the same readings I had in that video. I forgot to set it before the test. I'm getting some 12.6 volts at the electrical connector, but could it be the radio isn't receiving enough power?