mjeff87

Yesterday morning, Jerry, Chuck and I proceeded to transplant rear axles. Pulled the MJ’s along side of each other and commenced to unbolting Image Not Found Image Not Found We figured the easiest way to deal with the e-brake cables was to pull them off the parking brake arm inside the drum (hindsight says we should of just pulled them out of the equalizer arm and left the drums alone…..Chuck was smart enough to take a pic of the assembled drum beforehand so we had a reference to get all the bits and pieces back together correctly. Here’s a couple shots of the brakes for anyone’s future reference: Image Not Found Image Not Found Jerry took the time to unbolt all of his stuff nicely so he could reuse it all. Chuck (pictured) and I chopped my U bolts off with a cutoff wheel….. Image Not Found Got the packs off both vehicles and pulled the axles out. Here’s a shot of my sagged/bent/toasted 2WD packs next to the newly assembled 4WD packs. Hard to see from the angle, but there’s a lot more arch in the new packs Image Not Found I got new spring eye bushings and had them shop pressed in, and we both used new bent-to-order U bolts and hardware from the same shop for $6/ea (and some change). I snapped one brake line and had to rebend a new piece to fit (the shiny new line there in the pic that hooks to the flex line), but other than that all went well. Got mine all buttoned back up and bled the brakes, and that was it. We’ve still got a bit of work left on Jerry’s MJ, but should have it done and running (have to put the tranny back in it) by this weekend for a trail cleanup. Image Not Found I netted about 3” of lift with the new packs. Center of hub to flare measurement with the old packs was the same as the front, 17.5”….now it sits right around 20.5”: Image Not Found On the way home I stopped by a supermarket, and got a good shot of the rake on a nice level parking lot. I’m going to swap out the front springs with a pair of V8 ZJ coils this weekend to try leveling it out. If those don’t do it, I have a set of 1.5” spacers I can add (hindsight again says I should have put them in on Saturday when I had the front axle out, but I wasn’t sure just how much lift I was going to get in the back) Image Not Found Image Not Found The D35 will ride underneath until I get the D44 regeared and locked, then it'll come back out. I'm not sure now that I want to SOA it. It rides great (still need to replace shocks and brake line) before I can flex...right now they are my limiting straps :roll: I'm thinking this might be a nice height for now, with a good set of 31 or even 32" tires. We'll see what happens next. Jeff

I’ve been working on the leafpacks for the last few weekends, getting them to be ready to install when we pulled the rear axle. Here’s what I started with, a set of stock MJ 4WD leafpacks from the junkyard for $26 bucks…. Image Not Found Image Not Found I pulled them apart, hit them with a cup brush on the angle grinder, and reapainted them with graphite-based paint: Image Not Found shot of my “workshop” LOL Image Not Found this is the stuff I used, called EZ slide. Got it from Tractor Supply Co. for $24. Neat stuff: Image Not Found cleaned up the factory case hardened eye and shackle bolts with the wire wheel on the bench grinder, and repainted the shackles. Fasteners were like new under all the grime, and saved me some $$$ not having to buy new stuff Image Not Found Image Not Found got all new hardware for the alignment clips. My neighbor machined down some ¼” pipe nipple and reamed out the inside and tapered the edges, to replace the stock sleeves…pretty trick. Painted with the same graphite paint Image Not Found new sleeves: Image Not Found he also machined a set of new center pins for me. I had to drill out the perches just a tad to get the heads he turned to fit: Image Not Found all ready to be put back together: Image Not Found

Started with the D30 on Saturday morning….had it swapped out in about 3 hours working by myself. Step 1, pull old D30: Image Not Found “new” axle, cleaned and painted: Image Not Found Image Not Found my shimmed CAD motor: Image Not Found Image Not Found also swapped the stock tie rod with a ZJ one, notice the beef: Image Not Found Image Not Found using a bottle jack to remove/install coil springs without unbolting everything: Image Not Found all done: Image Not Found

Went from 4.10's to 4.56....for free :D :D :D I snagged a 4.56 D30 from the yard for $100 a while back, and put it in myself on Saturday morning. Sold the 4.10 D30 I took out for $125...net gain of $25. Jerry (tjbliley) and I swapped rear axles yesterday (he had a 4.56 D35 and wanted my 4.10 D35) so that was no cost either.... All I gotta say is ANY 2.5 should have come from the factory with 4.56's. I can't believe how much more responsive it is now! Will be posting pics shortly. I also installed new leafpacks in the rear and got about 2.5" of lift....will be lifting the front with some ZJ springs this weekend to level it out. Jeff

Yeah, there are three vac connections on the back of it. The center one is main vac in, and the other two are seperate circuits, which get plumbed to either side of the actuator. The CAD has a seperate vent line already built into it, so that the actuator can move both directions. I'm just going to pick up a vac signal from the line running to the vac resivoir and run it to the center of the switch, then run two seperate lines from the outer ports to the CAD. I'll take some pics tomorrow when I get it rigged up. Jeff

I pulled that one from the junkyard for a couple bucks (like the majority of the junk bolted onto my MJ :D ). If I see another one down there, I can grab it for ya if you can't find one (?) Jeff

Why buy something when you're neighbor works with a bunch of machinists.... :D He got his buddies to turn down and thread some case hardened, and created these for me: :brows: Image Not Found

Oops, I meant Selectrac :oops: . Here's the switch....it fits in the center console in front of the shifter, where that dished-out "change holder" piece is. Shot of the backside shows the vac connections, center is main vac in, and the opposite sides get the vac signal switched to them from the lever. Just run two vac lines from them to the CAD motor and you're good to go (run the vent line somewhere too). I might just go ahead and plumb mine up this weekend when I swap axles. HTH, Jeff Image Not Found Image Not Found

You can use a CommandTrak 2 position vac switch from an early XJ with the 228/229 transfer case, which is what I'm going to use eventually if I install a front locker. Give me a minute, I've got some pics of it I can post (just have to find them).... Jeff edit: they are on my work PC....I'll post them tomorrow morning (sorry)

No, the 4.0L one doesn't direct-fit, the frame holes on the face are about 1/2" too narrow, and there's no bolt in the rear either. I could fab either in and make work, but I want 100% bolt-in without any worries....I lost an alternator on a roadtrip last year and it was a nightmare getting it back home (I was in BFE....in a monsoon). I want peace of mind alternator-wise. Sad thing is the new alt (non-AC) I put in doesn't fit either (about 1" too short) and the place I bought it from won't let me exchange it for an AC version, even a rebuilt one. They want $75 for a new one...bastids. BTW, my bracket is the same as yours...only has one bolt attaching what's left of it to the floor :D

I generally powerwash all the grease/grime off them, hit any rusty areas with a wire brush, then spray-bomb with gloss paint (don't use matte or flat...mud sticks like mad). I just did my "new" D30 this way last weekend and am swapping it in Saturday. I'll post up a couple pics.

NP208J

thanks, I've given up on finding bucket seat brackets in the 'yard down here, so I'm just gonna adapt the bench brackets (but my driverside front one is half destroyed from rust and I don't want to reuse it). I need the specific alternator to retrofit an AC compressor (stock) onto my non-AC engine for OBA use. I've got the compressor and all the bracketry to mount it, but I need the alternator (non AC one I have, and 4.0L ones don't fit the bracket :oops: ) Just PM me when you're up there next and let me know what you find....I'll paypal ya before you pull anything so you don't have any money out of pocket. Jeff fyi...this is the alternator I need (photo courtesy of scott86mj):

Congrats on your treasures....I love getting great deals at the 'yard. I'm looking for a driverside MJ bench seat bracket (just the front one), and an 87-89 XJ/MJ 2.5L alternator, but it has to come from an AC equipped engine. Any chance you might be able to get either for me (for cheep :D )? I'd take all four of the bench brackets, in fact, if that helps make the sale.... Thanks, Jeff

you have chrome towhook brackets?? That's bling to a whole new level...... :D (or you just talking about the hooks themselves?)

I've got a set off my MJ (and yes, they are the same as XJ up to the new body style~~'97). If you want mine, I'd take $5 the same way as rockauto would :D , but I could probably ship them cheaper....lemme know if you want 'em. But, if you're considering them as a towhook attachment, they're no good as mentioned. You need seperate towhook brackets that replace these completely (that's why I have them lying in the parts pile now). Jeff

Well, axle swap-o-rama is on for this weekend. I powerwashed and paint bombed the "new" D30 Sunday, and it's ready to go in on Saturday. Then on Sunday it's over to Jerry's to trade rear ends. I got the leafpacks all sanded and painted with the graphite paint, and new bushings pressed in, just have to pick up new U bolts. Then all I'll have to do is regear and lock the D44 and swap the D35 back out when it's ready. Jeff

Ideally, you'd want to pull the cover and inspect the guts, as well as change the fluid, so check then :D Jeff

It's 100% bolt-on, you just have to make sure you get the specific bits and pieces for your particular drivetrain. There are minor variations in length on things like driveshafts, linkage rods, TC input gear length (and spline count), and a couple other things that'll drive you nuts if you don't do your research beforehand. And, you will need a new/different transmission....same model trans as you have now, but of the 4WD variety. You can't attach a TC to a 2WD tranny (without doing ALOT of work, anyway). Go for it, and don't listen to your GM friends :D Jeff

thankey CW :D I'm working on something....... Jeff

A tip for future axle ratio identification, if the tag is missing. The tooth count of both the ring and pinion are stamped into the outer face of the ring gear. Wipe off the surface, and spin the ring around until you see two sets of numbers all by themselves. Divide them to get the ratio. Welcome to the club, BTW :cheers: Jeff

thanks Nate...I already saw that. I'm curious about some measurements of just the backbone, and thicknesses. I wanna see it unmounted, and get some materials inspiration.... :D

CW...did you get the backbone yet? Would you mind posting up a few pics of it before you mount it? thanks! Jeff

they looked at me like I had two heads when I asked them for a set. Even brought the remains of one of them with me and showed them what it was I needed.

NVM, found a set at RE for $8.00....unless anyone has an unused set you want to get rid of :D Jeff