Pete M

A little bit. But is it worth all the effort and money? Maybe not. For axle swapping, I generally look for a significant improvement in gearing or strength or both.

I don't know. I typically don't delete posts. :dunno:

Very nice truck. :thumbsup: I think I will move this over to the pub for a while. But shame on all those members who don't check the other forums. :no: See what you're missing out on? :D

I'd definitely recommend soldering the connections if possible. :thumbsup:

The factory bumper mounting points are only strong enough to hold up the bumper. The same principle applies to a new bumper as it does the hooks, you must tie it in to as many point along the frame as possible. :thumbsup:

All depends on the gears. A 97+ 8.25 is a much stronger axle and worth swapping if there is no disadvantage in gear ratio. The earlier 8.25s are only a slightly stronger axle. Not really worth swapping unless there is a benefit in gear ratio.

I don't know which one it is, but everything should have a fuse.

I had a similar issue in my 88 that was fixed by running a separate ground.

Well, there are no guarantees in life, but if it was my truck, I'd go with 235s and I'd use the power setting. :thumbsup:

2.5L + 5speed manual generally equals 4.10s 2.5L + 4speed manual generally equals 3.55s (and lots of cursing when merging with traffic)

I haven't taken pics yet comparing AX to MJ, but this is the Dakota vs MJ housings.

Might be. I've never looked into it. I just remember someone saying it exists. :thumbsup:

I had a similar problem with my 86 and it turned out to be corrosion in the power wire that fed the coil. The spark was there, but very weak.

If the axle still has a disconnect, that means it's still running the puny 260 U-joints and that's pretty much a reason unto itself to avoid a spool. :yes: Unless he got some shafts from a 95 YJ. Rumor has it those ones came with 297s. :drool:

higher rpms do not necessarily directly translate to poorer fuel mileage. It's all about getting the engine to work at its peak torque in the power band. For the 4.0L, that is pretty low in the rpm range. For the 2.5L, it's a bit higher and I'm betting the comfort setting shifts the trans too early (resulting in a loss of power in that gear, but also a loss of power in the next gear since the engine then falls below it's peak torque.

:agree: I would keep spraying with PB (or other rust penetrant) and working the linkage. Is your floor mushy from rust? Don't forget to spray in the cab to get the pivot point for the handle. I know there was an aftermarket company that made a shifting package that bolted purely to the transmission. The name escapes me though. :hmm:

235s shouldn't hurt it much. Be aware that any change in tire height will change your speedometer and odometer a little and will affect your mpg calculations (a taller tire will make them seem worse than they are). There is a small plastic gear in the t-case (4wd) or trans (2wd) at the end of the speedo cable that can be swapped out to correct the speedo/odo. The power/comfort switch only changes the rpms at which the transmission shifts. It doesn't affect the fuel curve. Most people just leave it in "power" mode. :thumbsup: You might actually get better mpgs in power because you'll be flooring it less to merge with traffic since the engien will now keep in it's torque sweet-spot a little longer.

Duct tape, now a thousand and two uses... :shake:

I had to grind a bit off the catch (hook) on my 88 to get it to function properly.

Nothing a BFH can't fix. :D

I have a minispool in the front of my 88 (ford axle with hubs) and I love the straight-line traction, but hate it the rest of the time. I've had bind so bad that I couldn't turn the wheel. And that was on muddy trails. It was absolutely dreadful at times in Moab. I'm replacing with a lunchbox locker so it will at least unlock when I shift into 2wd. I went with the minispool because I have hubs I can unlock for the street.

I think the glasspack might have something to do with that. :rotfl2:

Nope. All the noise dumps down at the rear axle.

91 is when they started phasing them out in XJs. They were completely gone by 93. All 4wd MJs should have the CAD except for the rare awd 86 MJs. The part time light is turned on by a vacuum switch. If I remember right, it's on the passenger side wheel well in the engine bay. The grinding noise could definitely be a CAD that's trying to engage, but can't for some reason.

Pressure from inside the tank will push the vapors out through one way or the other. The canister and its tube give it a place to go, the charcoal absorbs the particles, and then the vapors are pulled into the engine due to vacuum from the engine.