mjeff87

Thanks Pat.....I've been looking for a new sig quote :D Jeff

Check the bottom of Jim's page: http://www.yuccaman.com/jeep/re_db.html HTH, Jeff

Just make sure you incorporate that bling-bling grill into the build. 20 extra style points for that :D (I sawed a YJ frame into thirds with the sawzall and thought I was the cat's azz....but that doesn't even compare to cutting an XJ in half with a plasma cutter ) Jeff

FYI...I just met up with a local board member today after work (VA Jim), and he just SOA'd his shortbed MJ with stock D44. Pulled the tape measure out and figured out he got roughly 5-5.5" of lift. HTH, Jeff

You could use the factory tow bar piece (that I was lucky enough to find at the U-pull for $7...didn't know what it was at the time but grabbed it because it did just what you're talking about). Or fab up one of your own, but omitting the small receiver ends for a cleaner look. Jeff Image Not Found

The YJ yoke is only marginally longer than the XJ/MJ one, about ½ - 5/8 inch. But, the inside of the yoke isn’t fully splined, so what you gain in length you loose in spline engagement. The real beauty of the YJ yoke is the yoke shoulders have more space in them, allowing greater driveshaft angle. Here’s a couple pics (sorry for the blurriness…I was just learning how to use a dig cam back when I took them :oops: Jeff YJ on left, XJ/MJ on right: Image Not Found splines: Image Not Found

Thanks guys. It was expected....she had a massive stroke right out of the blue a couple Fridays ago. About 75% of her brain died, and she had a DNR that was executed the next day. Surprisingly, she stayed alive over a week, on nothing more than IV morphine. She's finally at peace now. I'l pass on your sentiments to my wife. We'll be leaving for PA later this afternoon. Jeff

There were 4 of them down there yesterday. The one I got (because it had the closest mileage on it to my original) had a dark gray overlay, but I swapped the black one out of my original cluster. I suppose you could spray paint it if you wanted (the overlay, not the gauges). $13.99, all day...every day Jeff

For those that knew about it, my wife's grandmother finally passed away early yesterday morning. We'll be in PA from later on today until Thursday, then back to VA for a day, and back up to PA for the weekend for my brother's wedding (I'm da best man....). Gonna be another long week. If anyone needs to get hold of me, PM me or call me on my cell. Hopefully I'll be able to get internet access whille we're up there. Have a good week, y'all! Jeff

Swapped out my idiot light cluster for a full gauge cluster with tach yesterday . I got the sensors for the coolant and oil pressure and put those in too, and everything works (yay). Literally a plug-and-play operation, but I’m gonna spring for new sending units because the coolant gauge is reading in the 240-250 range, and oil pressure is anywhere from 40-85 psi. I don’t think that’s quite accurate LOL :roll: . But the tach and the voltage gauge work fine, and the bonus is I now have a resettable trip-odometer! (and the new cluster has about 4K less miles on it than the old one) Jeff Old cluster, yuck!: Image Not Found One style of speedometer end (I forgot to get a pic of the corresponding cable end, but will soon): Image Not Found new cluster: Image Not Found Image Not Found

probably leftover inventory :nuts: I'll see if I can't get you any of that from down here. I haven't been to the 'yard in at least 2 months :mad: for one reason or another, and my neighbor says there's a 2WD longbed down there now. Mebbe it's got what you're looking for (but I'll check the XJ's too). Jeff

JIC you didn't know, black interiors were an AMC-only thing, so you need not look at anything post-'87 in your search for replacement interior parts. I've got all black, and it's a pain for me to find interior parts down here in VA....that's why I'm taking such good care of the original stuff! I grabbed those XJ buckets over a year ago when I saw 'em (same ones as you have), and stashed them away until I could get around to installing them. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to run down to the 'yard tomorrow sometime. I can look-see if there's any black stuff in there, just let me know what you're still looking for..... Jeff

Therin lies the rub....for me, at least...I think ;)

yupyup...thanks for the reminder :cheers:

Yeah, I made sure of that....they're the same style as the ones that were on the YJ the wheels came from. Both the stock steelies and these aluminums have the same tapered seat But I'm gonna spring for a new set of them, seeing as mine have been with me since I got the truck and are a tad rusted/chewed up. I should do it right and get new studs too, I suppose. I can get 1/2" longer ones to boot, just for peace of mind. Jeff

The mounts are virtually the same, except the top bolt. 84-96's top bolts are parallel with the ground and screw in from the back of the bracket, while 97+ are perpendicular and bolt from the top of the bumper down. Not a problem, just have to drill a new hole thru the bumper, or else make sure you grab the brackets along with it. Both brackets screw into the same 3 holes in the framerail. Kinda the same situation, I was running a set of 97 tow hooks/brackets on my MJ with the stock 87 bumper, and all I had to do was notch out the bumper a hair above the brackets, and drill 2 holes for the upper bolts. Jeff

Just got home a bit ago...none of the lugs loosened. I pulled one off both the front and the rear and rethreaded them, and got about 8 1/4 turns on them until they seated, plus another 3/4 turn or so until they torqued to spec. So I suppose they're ok (?) Maybe it's just a depth perception thing, since these aluminum wheels are recessed so much....I dunno. But, if they ain't flown off yet after a 70+ mile roundrip on the interstate, I'm thinking they're good to go :D Kinda hard to get a good pic, but this is what I gots. They're '94-'95 YJ wheels on an '87 XJ D30 (the studs are centered although the bottom pic looks like they aren't...I had to angle the camera lens to get a pic of the stud length: Image Not Found Image Not Found

I'm thinking it's just that, finally, my MJ is looking a bit less like a big pile of @$$, and she's a little more willing to be seen in it, or have the neighbors see it sitting in the driveway...... :chillin: To break it down, she's "big city", and I'm "big country". It's a yin-yang kinda thing. Whatever it is, it works for us Jeff

For those that don't know the history of me and my MJ, long story short is that my wife really doesn't like it. Tolerates it is a more fitting description. BUT..... Last night after dinner, she says the new shoes I put on look really nice, and she said "you really need to finish lifting the front and get rid of that dumb looking rake it has. It's really noticeable now, with the AT's on" verbatim, I swear I was speechless...... Jeff

For some reason, stuck in my mind is a guideline of thread engagement on the stud should be at least 2X the diameter thickness of the stud. Not sure where I picked that up from, but it sounds good :D I've got about 3/4" of stud exposed with these alum wheels, whereas I had about an inch with the stock steel wheels. I didn't count turns, but IIRC I did get at least 5 when tightening (it's raining now, and I ain't going out to unthread one and count, but will later). I drove it to work this morning, about 35 miles, and am gonna check them with the torque wrench at lunch. Thanks! Jeff

Thanks Twisty...it's a work in progress (which will probably never be "done") Pat, I've already been bit by the inchitis bug.....I want 33's now :D Between them, the lift, and the new seat position with the buckets, I'm gonna get nosebleeds sitting up so high LOL

John (and anyone else that's considering a tucked in bumper), to do a flush-mount bumper, you'll have to cut out the body panel beneath the tailgate, and loose the spare tire winch. To keep the spare still underneath, you'll have to get creative and make a new cradle or something to hold it there, and it'll probably be too low to be practical. This didn't bother me (I just tossed the spare in the bed for now), and am planning to use the little bit of space left under the bed for an OBA tank. Here’s what I cut out, and a shot of what room is left: Jeff Starting out: Image Not Found cut out: Image Not Found finished: Image Not Found

Pong Fabrications, Inc. :D Pat (pingpong) made it for his longbed, and I adapted it, so to speak, for my shortbed. Drop him a PM.....he's starting to mass produce them, couple different versions depending on what you're looking for. I might get to guinea-pig some of them, maybe :brows: Jeff

Thanks....I haven't had it up to speed yet, just around the neighborhood carrying a torque wrench, and the lugs haven't loosened up yet (knock on wood). I'm not completely comfortable with the amount of thread engagement with these aluminum wheels....yet. But so far, I'm staying in gears longer than I did with the 235's (not sure how off the speedo is either). Been in PA alot lately, we're about to have a death in my wife's family and will be going back up for the funeral, probably sometime midweek, so I don't know when I'll get back to wrenching on it. Sucks to have something half-done.... Jeff

I haven’t been around much lately :cry: , thanks to work and some family issues, but I did manage to get a few hours in on the MJ this weekend. I got my $100 BFG’s mounted on a set of aluminum YJ wheels, and got ‘em on. Here’s me getting back from the tire shop…had to get the old rubber off the YJ wheels and get the 31’s mounted. Tires??? I got tires! Image Not Found Here they are installed: Image Not Found They “just” fit with the 2WD springs: Image Not Found If all goes well (which it probably won’t), I can get the front lifted this weekend. I’m going with a set of ZJ springs, WJ LCA’s, the ACOS, 2” bumpstops, new brakelines and a set of Rancho’s all the way around. If I manage to get it all done, I’ll post up some more pics. Jeff