Pete M

:agree: Given identical drivetrains, the longbed MJ will have a driveshaft 6" longer than a shortbed MJ. If you have a 4.0L auto, you can get a driveshaft from a 4.0L stick and it'll be 1" longer.

I would always swap for lower gears. :thumbsup: The XJ shackle is, A: too short for an MJ's leafpacks, and B: only drops the truck 1/2"

gearing is where the greatest improvement comes. :thumbsup:

the 4.0 rules of thumb: 4.0 + auto = 3.55 4.0 + stick = 3.07

which rims do you have?

I just readr that JP magazine is working on a stroked/turbo inline 6. They say it should make 558hp when it's finished.

which kit are you looking at?

See if either axle has the little metal tag on the diff cover.

The 3.9 engine has a completely different bolt pattern.

You need the proper bellhousing and the slave componants (slave, shifter fork, throughout bearing). Try to make sure they are all there when you buy the bellhousing.

I would do a manual, all day every day. but it's entirely up to personal preference. What would you do?

only shifting between 2wd to 4wd high can be done at speed.

the 242 will need a 242 shifter gate.

car-part.com may be of some help in finding junkyard parts. search for, say, a 96 XJ front axle with 4.10 gears, and a 96 Explorer rear axle with matching gears.

possibly six seconds. :D

nope, i stand corrected. that particular 242 is a 93.

my ax-15 is the original 90, the 242 I think came from a 99.

My 242 bolted right up to my AX-15. make sure you get a 23 spline 242. some of the early ones were 21 spine.

go junkyard shopping. The last Dana 30 I bought was under 150 and the last Explorer 8.8 I bought was $75. knowing what to buy and where to get it can save you a ton of cash (and save you from the headaches of getting your butt towed out of the wheeling hole)

MJs were never "officially" offered with the 242, but back then if you were willing to pay for it, pretty much anything was possible. i mean, the parts just swap right out and so any dealership could make it happen.

with a v8, axle strength is going to be even more vital. you'll at least want to swap in later model dana 30 front axle shafts. And if the rear is a Dana 35, swap that out soon.

looks like he's getting a 283 v8. :D

stock MJ axles don't really get along with 33x12s. try to be easy on the gas. :thumbsup:

what are you doing for axle strength or gearing?

the rocky road kit is NOT a complete kit. you WILL need to buy more things on top of their "bargain" price.