mjeff87

My MJ didn't have those kickpanel lights, but the wiring was there for 'em. I swapped in a set from an XJ, and they make a WORLD of difference. Even more so for me, because I have a solid black interior.

8 3/4 (drop out center section), with suregrip and disc conversion Gears are mid/upper 3.'s....not quite certain Yeah, it'd look nice up under the MJ....almost looks like a Ford 9" but I've got a D44 in pieces right now that's occupying all my time... Jeff

Never made it to the show....it was raining all weekend :cry: I ended up helping my neighbor pull the drivetrain on his Duster....the one with the not-so-stock 383 shoehorned in it We're stripping it all down to a rolling shell, and he's sending the whole sheebang out to get soda blasted. Last night we pulled the bumpers, and tonight the rear end is coming out, so we can pull the exhaust. He had the dual system custom built and installed in pieces, then welded up. T'aint alot of wiggle room under there. I'll post some progress pics up for you Mopar nuts on here :D Jeff

add 2 rolls of duct tape to that contraption, and you've got a Red-n-Green episode I like it.... Jeff

Tech-tip of the day..... the small hose clamp trick worked like a charm....just tighten it down enough to compress the "fingers", and pry the cable end out a bit with a screwdriver 'till they slip inside and loosen the clamp. Came out like buttah... ;) Jeff

yup, but inevitably I get two of them depressed/held, then when I try the last one, one or both pop back out :mad: I literally spent 30 minutes last weekend just to get one cable out, and I ended up fubaring the spring on the end of it in the process. (me = :grrrr: ) I'm in the process of disc-braking a D44 from ZJ parts, and need the ZJ cables. I checked at the local parts houses, and the cheapest I found was about $35 for EACH of them (right side a bit more $$ than the left). I can pull them from the 'yard for $11 total Bonus also is virtually NO rust/corrosion on vehicles down here in VA, too. If I were still up in PA, I wouldn't even consider junkyard cables.

Somebody out there has to know a savvy way to pull e-brake cables without mangling the ends all to **** like I do. I'm talking about the end parts that pop into the backing plate and cable hanger, that have the 3 little "fingers" that need to be depressed. Is there a special tool or something I could use other than an ugly combination of pliers/screwdrivers and my imaginary third hand, that will depress all 3 tangs at the same time(one of which is usually impossible to get at on the backside)? I'm gonna try wrapping a small hose clamp around the barrel end, but if anyone has a better method, I'm all ears.... FYI, this is for yanking cables out of the junkyard to reuse (without destroying them). I've gotten a couple off in the past but have damaged them enough that they weren't worth reusing :cry: TIA, Jeff

mine was a tank when it was 2WD if I put chains on it, and made sure I didn't get one wheel in a rut. If it was locked it would have been unstoppable ;) Since I converted it (going on 3 winters now) it has failed to snow more than a dusting down here. I've yet to yank the 4WD lever except for mud :cry: Jeff

East Coast Truckin' Nationals, at Virginia Motorsports Park. http://www.virginiamotorsportspk.com/ECTN.html What's cooler than 1/4 mile tractor trailer drag racing? There's also a pickup truck judging contest, but it's only Chebby and Ford :cry: I'll get some good pics to share with y'all. Chrome Shop Mafia will be there representing, too. Jeff (another weekend that I don't work on the MJ.....)

Grew up in southwest PA, and my wife went to Edinboro.....I feel your pain. Thanks for helping me to remember why we moved here to VA back in '99 :laughin: Jeff

The two cables from the hanger under the bed to the axle are the same length LB vs. SB. It's the cable from the pedal back to the hanger that is different. I suppose you could use a LB front cable and remount the hanger furthur back under the bed, but there's plenty of slack in the rear cables that they shouldn't be an issue. I'd worry more about lengthening the soft brake line than the e-brake cables. Jeff

Well.....it's kinda like putting lipstick on a pig, for me... :D Jeff

Don't worry, I'm gonna put a full post up in the Projects section with pics and step-by-step......just as soon as I find either the right alternator or bracket :cry: BTW, I'm only 5'8" (when I wake up in the morning) :D I was just trying to get a "bird's eye" view of my engine compartment. Jeff

Good luck with that ;) and post up if you do find one that fits good. I tried a couple different ones with no good results.....the biggest problem was the indentation in the front behind the shifter console. I now ride with a bathroom towel folded over my ripped up driver side. Ghetto, but it works..... Jeff

Dimensionally, it's the same size tie rod. The "upgrade" is that it's thicker, and it's solid not hollow. The ZJ pitman arm might be what you're thinking about. It's about 1.5" longer than the stock XJ/MJ one. Jeff

Crap...forgot all about it. I'll get you one this weekend. I'll put a big sticky note on my forehead....

:cheers: Thanks for the offer, but I'm gonna go back to the place I got my alternator a couple months ago and beg them to let me trade it back to them for an AC-version alternator that will fit. Jeff

No, I'm adding a compressor to my (non-AC equipped) 2.5 to rig up OBA. I've got a stock compressor/alt bracket from an AC-equipped 2.5, which swaps in place of the non-AC alternator bracket my truck has now. The bracket bolts up, and the compresor bolts on top of it fine, but my alternator will not fit. I looked on the Advance Auto site, and they list 2 different alternators....one for AC equipped, and one for non-AC. I either have to get a new alt (which I really don't want to do because the one I have is practically brand new) or find a bracket that will accept my alt. I think I know what the answer to that is, I just don't want to accept it :cry: Here's what I'm starting with: Image Not Found and here's what I'm adding: (tie rod not included :D ) Image Not Found Jeff

:rotf: Yep, you'll fit right in here....welcome! Jeff

snagged a ZJ tie rod at the 'yard this weekend ($11). Interesting to note is that the TRE is adjustable...it has the same adjusting collar as the XJ/MJ drag link. It's thicker, and is solid. I'll post a pic up later...I left the camera at home today :cry: Jeff pic of tie rod (plus parts for OBA): Image Not Found

Ummm, coulda been...they all seem the same to me, anyway :nuts: I'm teaching myself how to weld by watching :dunce: Jeff

Anyone happen to catch the latest episode (w_howey? :D ) I stopped watching it a long time ago, but I watched about 5 minutes of it on Saturday....... they spent this entire season building up a Ranger, baja-style. Lotsa expensive bolt-on stuff, lotsa cheap arc-welding, and so on. Took it on it's maiden break-in run and literally destroyed it. I laughed my @$$ off... Just proves that big money doesn't always build you something good. Score one for us poor folk! Jeff

How many wraps are there in the coils? I've got a set of V8 ZJ springs ready to go in mine, and I've noticed that not only are the coils thicker, but there's 9 wraps compared to 8 on the MJ/XJ regular coils. Jeff

Any of you 2.5 guys here have AC (working or not) on your rigs that can share a pic with me? Project OBA is going nowhere fast :cry: I need a visual of what the AC compressor/alt bracket looks like, and also the alternator frame and how it mounts to said bracket. I've got a later model compressor bracket (I think) that won't plug and play with my alternator, and I'm hoping there's an earlier version of it that I can find. I can't use a newer alternator, either, because it's a single wire, non-regulated design (plus my alternator is practically brand new). TIA, Jeff edit: Advance website has a seperate listing for a non-AC and an AC-equipped alternator (both have same amperage, tho). Hmmmm...maybe the bracket is right but my alt is wrong. Crap.

Il'll let ya know in about a month :D I'm swapping discs onto the D44 I got. Like you, I already have all the parts (off a ZJ D44a in the junkyard) except the e-brake cables (which I forgot to get when I was down there this weekend, AGAIN). I'm gonna swap in a ZJ prop valve, too. Jeff