jaekl

I have a 86 Command Trac (not with me today to check). The selector is 2wd, 4 Hi, 4 Lo. Did neutral come out later?

I must have slept through something. Where is neutral on Command Trac? If it's 2wd drive mode, then why won't the engine rotate when the rear axle is driving the driveshaft?

Yes, I believe that is the fitting I have on the axle joints that I just put in. You need the needle type grease gun like shown in this link. http://www.drivewerks.com/catalog/ShopC ... 54_pg5.htm So I either buy that or swap fittings.

My 86 has a regular Zerk fiting on the front drive shaft. I loosen the straps to pull the joint out a little to get the grease gun in. You know 'by next time I'll have something better'. Well after 22 years of greasing it this way it's not worth it to change. I did replace the axle joints and they did have the the low profile fitting in one of the caps. However, 'by next time I'll find a zerk that will fit the 3/16 hole', install to grease and then replace.

Do you blow the horn by inhaling? I take a 4.0 conversion will need a bit more firewall reshaping. Forget bucket seats. 4WD conversion has no driveshaft length issues - no driveshaft. Of course you need to train the monkey to shift on demand.

The drain holes are at least 1/2 inch. They're not like the old slots that used to be used and easily clogged. If you used POR just make sure the holes are open but it shouldn't bridge across. Are the rotted supports the cables that run the window up/down? Somehow water can puddle in the bottom of the doors and the end of the cables are there. Once water gets into the rubber hose where the cable sits, rust starts. There must be a way to keep the end of the hose dry.

Krylon usually will crinkle the paint underneath, especially if it is relatively fresh. It's an incompatibility of thinners. Never a good idea to mix. I know lacquer thinner will penetrate to the base metal and soften all layers. If there is any incompatibility, it's time to start over. Some combinations might work but some won't. Like latex can go over oil base but not the other way around.

Hey don't hold back. You must have been saving those for a while. Remember, idiots of all kinds serve a very vital role in society. They make you feel better about yourself. I like the people who list items for sale and don't know anything about the item and add extra conflicting infomation. The best is "It hasn't been started since ***, but I'm sure it only needs 5 seconds of work and a 2 cent part." All this usually keeps the traffic down and you might get a good deal as long as you know exactly what the item is. No amount of questions is going to help.

If you do replace the T and couple the line from the front to the hose to the axle, you must also change the connections under the hood or you will have no rear brakes. Putting in a XJ prop valve would reduce the likelyhood of rear lockup. If you keep the MJ prop valve move the line you are using needs to be moved to the other port and the other one plugged. Many posts have this discussion.

Somebody already said they made their own, just need a way to make staight bends. Yes the doorskins are a bit short but adding an extension could be done. It always bugs me that pickups have all that sheet metal doing nothing. Consider putting a toolbox or some kind of storage there. Certain Chevys/GMC had an access door.

There are some lower door skin repair pieces ending on ebay this weekend. $10 + $14 shipping. You guys are going to hear it about using that foam. It does adhere very well to everything but some have had experience where it held moisture and rusts more. In the housing business I've see a demostration where a simulated roof leak goes right through it. They called it open cell but my understanding is that would be closed cell. A sponge is a good example of open cell and definitely not desireable. You rear fender repair should be able to drain so it might not be a problem.

Dude, You got your truck nice and level, now your house is sinking. (first photo)

Oh there is nothing better than driving along and seeing something running on the floor out of the corner of your eye. Put a trap in the car and got nothing. Moved it to the garage floor and caught it the first night. The spring traps are great since usually you know where the body is and can remove it. I had a bunch in the house and were working four traps. Had a harvest every night but some traps have never been found. They either dragged it along or their buddies did. I wonder after they send in the suicide mouse do the buddies eat the peanut butter in front of the dead guy?

See if any of those XJ/MJ have a good non-chrome RH grille extension. It's the piece that trims around the side light and the top lines up with the top bar. This piece was incorporated into the headlight door on later (1990?) models. $5.00 would be my limit. Thanks.

It looks good to me. There are alot of posts on this subject including a cross section of the prop valve. You caught the switch of the rear line when the prop valve is changed.

The 5/6 gauge cluster was standard on most XJ's except the base with just fuel gauge. On MJ only the top levels had some gauges as standard but was optional on the lower packages. Whereas the XJ base did not have any optional gauges. So it was in 86. The tach then was an additional option.

Mr. Simon did you buy the one that was in the Lancaster paper a month ago?

The 'block' under the hood senses major brake failure through loss of pressure and turns on the brake light. On a MJ it sends full pressure to the rear axle and the height snesor reduces it accordingly. Whereas the XJ block does rescrict the flow to the rear so that the rear brakes don't lock up right away due to less weight. If you left the MJ block in without the height sensor, the rears would lock up too easily, the xj block would reduce it a bit. Did I sum that up well? Based on what I've read here and opening a XJ block. The 2 lines to the front are right and left brakes.

These axle ratios don't make sense to me. Wouldn't the auto and the 4 speed have the same axle ratio? (Both are direct drive in high) The 5 speed would have a numerically higher ratio. My understanding is 3.55 for 4 speed/auto, 4.10 for 5 speed, and 4.56 is 5 speed towing package. Possibly 4.10 would be the towing package for 4 speed and auto. Are the towing packages common? I would think 4.56 in 4 speed/auto with stock tires would rev way too high. I understand why you would want it but why are we assume this rig has 4.56?

It'splug and play. Just make sure it from correct generation of cluster. Early speedo cable type, late speedo cable type (sometime in 87) or later electrical speedo,

What are we planning? A run to a state that pays bottle return deposit and come back with a load of gasoline. You all know there are websites that posts local gas prices. I use http://autos.msn.com/everyday/GasStations.aspx?m=1&l=1& Put in any zipcode. There are half adozen others.

Now wait a minute. 14 lefts and 4 rights? No wonder, they are $10 cheaper. Or are the lefts harder to make, ship, store? So make sure you hit the right side, it's cheaper. Is this another WI deal?

Life is a long road of learning. Some useful, some not, some important, some not. You have no idea what you don't know. You also have no idea what you think you know but are wrong. Questions are great but when you know you don't know something. Sometimes you need a whack on the head. (This is why you have tests in school) This forum has a wide cross section of talent and knowledge and it is fun reading the youngsters learn bit by bit. I never had any professional training and have no idea what they teach now, so I ask do they teach you how to think? There are a lot of diagnostic/disassembly tricks that aren't in the books. You need experience to come up behind you and whack you on the head 'why are you doing it that way' Of course when you're alone you remember that after your done (or it's broken)

If have 2 cars in the backyard with R-12 and I thought it would be a good idea to pump it out thinking I might even make a few bucks. Turned out it would stil cost me because the service guy said there is a glut of R12. So it sounds like if you don't have a major leak, you might as well continue with R12. No leak - no harm done. It's just inconvient to get R12 for us without buddies.

It's time to check compression just to make sure everything inside as fine. You're looking for some major difference, so if you don't have a tester, use your finger while you turning it over. It won't burn oil if there is no combustion in a severely leaking piston. You didn't mention anything about rough running or lack of power, so maybe it's not a bad cylinder. However, I see nobody jumped in with an easy solution. I don't wish you a lot of work, but from my experience I say it's time to eliminate big problems rather than doing all the little repairs. Be prepare for the worse then anything less severe will be a relief. If it does turn out to be one or two bad pistons and the rest of the engine is okay you have an option of replacing those pistons and honing the cylinder with the engine in place. It may not be the perfect solution but considering all the factors it is an option. It's one of the benefits of doing your own work. A professional can't afford to do a half job because the owner might b*@$£ and moan and he ends up losing and then charging the next customer. Where as the shade tree/hobby mechanic can do the minimum repair at times. Many times it may end up as more work but isn't that the whole point of working on your own. In this case though you may get another 50 to 100K if the rest of the engine is in good health. I hate to be so gloomy but come on guys where are those simple fixes?