Pete M

Looks like a drain hole plug.

It does look that way, and I certainly used some less-than scientific methods to get the images close (microsoft paint has drawbacks), but the numbers tell the story: stock Waggy WB: 109" length: 187" my modded waggy WB: 124" (+15") length: 202" (+15") Excursion WB: 137" (+13" more) length: 226" (+24" more)

This as close as I could get showing scale and holy cow is the excursion a big vehicle. Even after stretching the waggy by a good 15", it doesn't measure up. :shake: Mostly this means that if I drop the waggy body on a 7.3L ford frame, I'll be shortening the ford frame for sure (excursion has the same WB as a regular cab Superduty). I also scrapped my thought of extending the very back of the waggy. Just too much work for another 6" of storage space.

So get another XJ. Just be sure to get one from down south. Gotta start with the virgin steel, untouched by salt. :D

I wouldn't.

You know he'd be out wheeling that Prius. :D I also vote for stripping that chassis clean and starting over with a fresh XJ/MJ.

car-part.com Might be tough to find good condition leafs in PA though. I got a great set from Florida and picked them up on the return trip from Disney last year. :D Also, the site doesn't really differentiate between 2wd/4wd and 2wd MJs are an inch shorter than 4wd. Might be better to get 2wd in your case since some guys have gotten over 6" when going soa with 4wd leafs.

If it's been sitting for a while, the gas is likely bad. Oh, and apparently less than a thousand 4x4 MJs were sold in 92. :thumbsup:

Same style as the last batch, just a new box. Totally free for the taking. :thumbsup: All those who need more, just send me a PM. If I haven't sent you stickers or cards in the past, please include your address. New guys also get a fridge magnet. :D

High-pinion Dana 44 front? Sounds like a Ford axle to me.

Nah, too tall for towing and too much money. :D Plus I'd much rather build my own.

With most years of 2.5L MJ you have to swap everything. Wire harness, trans/t-case, the works. A donor XJ is pretty much required. With the 86 model year, you also need to swap the radiator support, hood, and the hood latches to make it work. Minor tweaks to the firewall with a big hammer may also be necessary.

Not bad. Not bad at all. :D

Glad to see someone pulled up their carpet before things got too bad. :D

Looks like it's in good shape. I'd pull up the carpet to make sure. :thumbsup:

The point of a lift 2wd is that you need clearance, but don't own a 4wd. Don't let yourself get sucked into the "I'm going to look like a poser" mentality. Desert racers are mostly 2wd. And there's no wasted money since the 4wd swap can happen second. It's all one big project, what does it matter what comes first? Plus it's cheap to regear since you only need to buy one axle right now. :cheers: Just please don't spend any coin trying to improve your Dana 35. If you find one with 4.10s already in it and it's dirt cheap, then you have my permission to buy it. :D

It's a lot closer to you than me. :D

Eagle has the friend with the cam, not me. :D And using the mpi setup from an XJ would likely be easier than one from a wrangler. Gearing is still your best bang for the buck.

Ground clearance and a rear locker will do more for ya on the trail than you might think. :D

I just need enough heat to be able to tent without losing my feet to the cold. :(

aside from all the failures? I see them like the Dana 35. There are plenty out there still functioning, but there are plenty more that kicked the bucket prematurely. I've killed both. On massive 30" tires. I don't trust either any further than I can throw them. As with everything in life, other people have had differing experiences and have differing opinions. I believe the consensus on the peugeot and the 35 is that they are both barely adequate for a stock rig, and Jeep could have and should have done better at the factory.

Step 1: Tune up (and I mean a full one including a new fuel injector, timing belt and tensioner). Step 2: Dump the stock mech fan in lieu of an electric fan. Step 3: upgrade the gearing in the axles (what you do here really depends on the tires you have). That's all I'd ever do to a 2.5L. :thumbsup:

Mine blew a hole out the side while cruising down the freeway. :dunno: Regardless of the longevity of certain examples, the Peugeot is barely rated for the torque of a stock 4.0L. I wouldn't dare use it behind a stoker. Especially with all the effort of swapping in a new engine. Go with a 3550. :thumbsup:

Probably a wise decision. :thumbsup: Do it right or do it twice. :D

Did you plug it into the factory harness? Or do the update modification to wire it directly to the ECM?