Pete M

Maybe. I kept the mounts in the same position relative to the leafs and the stock shocks weren't long enough to give me full articulation. I was short an inch or so both up and down. Was never really a problem though. But I do look forward to my next trip out now that I have the long MX6s. :D Make sure your bumpstops are stopping your uptravel, not your shocks.

And avoid the XJ seats with the curved sliders if at all possible, as they will sit higher than normal by a couple inches. Can be good if you're short, bad if you're tall.

Well, how soon do you need your truck? Can this be delayed? To save 500 smackers I'd find some way to haul the truck back home. The last 4 MJs whole I've purchased were cheaper than that. :fs1:

Your truck likely feels weak because of the 3.55 gears that are in the axle.

Couple things I learned with my "scoop". On the freeway, air is continuously being sucked out of the engine bay due to an apparent lower pressure above the hood compared to below the hood. And anything that escapes out the hood area can be sucked in to the cab through the cab intake. I found that I could smell the oil from the engine bay. But thankfully, when I turned on the fan it forced the stinky air out into the airstream going over the truck and the smell went away. :thumbsup: I had to leave the fan on continuously for 4 days straight out to Moab, but lesson learned. :doh:

I used to go play in the snow in my 97 minivan. Maybe you need better tires? :D But seriously, I totally understand the love of 4wd. Just be sure to weigh in the fact that the Libby is a rear wheel drive rig with a 5k towing capability and the CRV/Escape are just tall cars. I've flat-towed my MJ with the Libby (albeit a CRD). My friend's Escape can't get out of it's own way. And in the rust-belt no less. :D It's been in the family since new. And it has the 3.3L, which apparently is a god-send. I've heard some great odo stories from people with the 3.3. Not-so-much from people with the 3.8. :dunno: This engine is doing so well that I would not hesitate to swap it over to a new van and keep on going (should rust or an accident steal my baby from me).

Ok, so maybe a Peugeot truck can retain it's peugeot slave when swapping to an AX-15 (with the internal slave), but if someone is replacing just the slave on their truck, it's important to get the proper part. Meaning the internals fit, but the hoses are different between the generations.

:eek: And that is why I do my own labor. :(

I had rain water finding its way past the rear hood seal and down through my firewall to end up under my carpet. So I'm a little paranoid about opening up new holes in my hood. :( Of course, that didn't stop me from popping that big hole for the exhaust fan in my 88. But I tried to keep out the rain as best I could.

Personally, I'd find a 2.5L/AX-5/4x4 donor XJ and swap over the whole drivetrain to get overdrive and the 4.10 geared axles, but this all depends on what you want in the end. What are you looking to do in this truck?

Just checkin'. :D

Have you done the math yet to see when the payments on this new vehicle will be surpassed by the mpg savings? It's typically hard to beat "paid for" for bottom line cost savings. :thumbsup: And for what it's worth, my 10 year old 209k mile Chrysler minivan with the 3.3 engine gives me a reliable 24+ mpg highway and will do so hauling way more than a CRV ever could.. :D

I was actually about to ask you guys about that. All I see is a blank space there. :hmm:

Out of curiousity, did you mean to type "chief?" :hmm:

I'm screwed if my subconscious doesn't know how broke I am. :shake:

Um, both of those shots show leaf packs I custom built from multiple packs. :D Neither is stock. And yes, a picture would help immensely. :thumbsup:

That should work fine. :thumbsup: Are you planning on using the 86's axles too? They should be 4.10, but you'll need to confirm that since weird things happened in 86. Either of your rear driveshafts can be cut down by a shop to the proper size if needed.

All the pulleys spin freely, without wobbling or making noise, yes? Are they all perfectly aligned? Does the system make any noise when the engine is running? How tight are you making the belt?

If memory serves me right, the 86 should be external slave and the 87 would in internal. External is preferred if there is a choice. :thumbsup:

I've heard that they are interchangeable, and I've heard that they will not interchange. :hmm: A part of me wants to run out to autozone and compare them first hand.

Despite what the "consensus" might say, Chrysler officially changed the requirement from GL-3 to 10-w40 (or 30) in the AX-15. :dunno:

Well, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Shop around if you can. Compare prices and warrantys and use a factory slave cylinder if at all possible. :thumbsup:

The 86 manual says you have to stop every 200 miles and fire it up to circulate oil in the NP-207 t-case. Personally, I'd just unbolt the driveshafts from the axles and securely strap them up under the truck. If you want to pull them out completely, be aware that pulling the rear shaft out will allow t-case fluid to pour out the back (unless you plug it somehow).

Is it 10-w30? My brain has telling me 10-w40 and I'd like to iron that wrinkle out if you could confirm it. (not that there's a huge difference between 30 and 40, but I do like accuracy :D )

I don't really want to get into this debate again (since no new material has come forward), I can only offer that the dealership brochures make no mention of a select-trac option except for 1986 (and that was the 228/229 t-case). If it was special-order item through a dealership, that's a whole 'nuther ball game and I'm not privy to that documentation.