Pete M

12.5s are much harder to fit in our tiny little wheel wells. 10.5s on stock aluminum rims are the way I'd go if I were to try.

I've got the '91 Jeep brochure. '91 was the first year for the H.O in the wrangler. I promise. :D

The vacuum canister can crack with age too. Or maybe a vacuum line is leaking.

'91. Came out with the H.O. in the XJ/MJs

There shouldn't be any problems with driveshaft angles on a 4 inch lift. :thumbsup:

Since becoming unemployed, I've tried very hard to avoid ebay. Too much temptation. :roll:

I love my trxus MTs. Haven't had any problems yet and they have shined in all types of terrain. :D

33x12.5 or 33x10.5?

Just one of my buttons, that's all. :cheers:

Don't get me started on minivans. I love my minivan. :D All the minivan haters in the world really need to lighten up and get past the soccer mom stigma. My family has owned at least one at any given time since 1986 (got 2 right now). The first was a crappy aerostar. It was a stickshift though, which made it fun to drive (when it wasn't broken down). The rest have been Chryslers. It's just so dang versatile!! I've carried 7 people and their luggage down to Florida, or a fullsize 3 cushion couch (with the rear door closed too), or a big stack of plywood and 2x4s, or a few hundred pounds of landscaping rocks, or a couple axles and a pile other junkyard parts, and got a reliable 25 mpg while doing it. The one I drive all the time is a '97 T+C and the only one we bought new rather than leased. It has 203k miles now and handles pretty darn well for what it is. The newer one ('06) sucks @$$ in the handling department. Chrysler really screwed up with that. The shocks are too soft, the brakes too grabby and the 3.8L is more gutless than my 10 year old 3.3L. The fold away seats and power doors make up for it though. I'm really looking forward to the next one. Roll down rear windows, touch screen radio, and maybe, just maybe, a chance to convince my dad to get the 4.0 Too bad all-wheel-drive went away. :( If I had to pick just one vehicle to own, would it be a minivan? Probably not. They can't go offroad very well (I've tried :D ). But I don't ever see myself not having one around. I can do anything (on the road) but tow a heavy load (and I fully expect to have a hitch on the next one, so I promise I'll be testing that particular deficiency asap :brows: ).

It's possible that they are so bad that they are allowing the axle to rotate up and causing the rear u-joint to bind. Can't say for sure, but it's a possibility.

Probably not. Mismatched axle ratios would cause horrible issues and likely make the truck un-drivable. If it's doing the same thing in the snow, my guess is that it's not "binding" in the normal driveline sense. What's the condition of your rear leaf springs? Does the rear of your truck dip low when you accelerate? Does it happen at all in 2wd?

-Take your tape measure and check the non-CAD XJs for 297 joints and the matching shafts. (297 joints have bearing caps that are a greater diameter, though I don't remember what the actual measurements are) Not all of them will have the 297s. I think it's ABS models until around 95 or so when all models got them. TJ shafts work too. Try to grab the unit bearings with them if they are in good shape and the yard gives them for next to nothing with the shafts. -Look for 2.5L models for front 4.10 gears. The gearing is more important than the shafts since the shafts are easily swapped in. -97+ XJs with the 8.25 will have the 29 spline setup. About a strong as the Dana 44. I don't know if your brakes will work on the 8.25 but I wanted to throw that in there. -95+ AX-15s are external slave (don't remember if you have a stick or auto) -00+ stick XJs will have the NV-3500 (or is it the NV3550?) trans -Later model T-cases will have the sealed rear end. Don't remember what year that started though. Applies to both 231s and 242s. -All wheel drive can be had with those np-242s. :brows: All when drive is way cool. Even if you don't think you need it. I can mash the throttle in the Libby and she just roars ahead. No muss, no fuss. :D If you can find a np-242 equipped XJ you should be able to get the trans/t-case, front axle shafts and front driveshaft. Then look for the 2.5L XJs to get the front axle. You can go older if you need too. Just make sure the parts are in good shape. The newer it is, the less likely it sat out behind the garage for years before the owner decided to pitch it. Being stationary is the about the worst thing that can happen to a car (not as bad as a collision with a train though).

Couldn't touch it though. :( Nor could I touch the new Ram or the Jeep concept. :mad:

And that pile of old tires behind the garage doesn't count. :D My old boy scout troop is doing some sort of collecting merit badge and so I'm bring in a couple of my families collections as examples to show them. My dad's giraffe collection. Although technically he doesn't collect giraffes. Years ago he made the mistake of telling my sister and me that it was his favorite animal and we, uh, sorta built his collection for him. :D My dad's rock collection. Every trip we go on we come back with rocks. Most free, some purchased. From all over the country. This is only the part that's displayed in the living room. My dad also collects ball caps. This is a part of his collection.

As promised, here are some shots from the Detroit auto show. I missed the quiet of the pre-show atmosphere by a day and got caught in "supplier day". That wasn't as big a deal as the fact that many of the things I went to look at, weren't there or there was only one and it was up on a pedestal and I couldn't touch it. :( Jeep's newest concept. Closest I could get to the new Jeep pickup idea. This is a shot of the old M-80 concept. No, the actual vehicle wasn't there. :( Hummer's newest concept: Dodges new truck: Some details of the Power Wagon. Man do I want one. Can you say lifetime drivetrain warranty? :D (although technically I haven't a clue if the lifetime covers that particular model. Not that it matters since I have a penny to spend on it. :( ) Just you wait, I'll be winning the lotto any day now... :D No, showing me the "safety" elements in your tiny car doesn't make me feel any safer. :roll: Saw one of these on the road the other day. Was wondering what it was. Turns out it's a ford. Don't want to be the driver here. Not in Michigan at least.

I think you should be able to use your old speedo gear and housing inside the new t-case.

:agree: You'll still want to upgrade the front u-joints. :D

On man's pain is another man's gain. I love driving a stick. :D On the trails, daily commute in heavy traffic, doesn't matter. My left foot gets bored in the minivan and twitches in the Dakota looking for something to do. I think the issue here isn't necessarily the automatic trans, but it's an automatic behind the 2.5L. Not exactly the best combo for power. :(

See thats exactly what I'm talking about when it comes to all this new sh*t The gov wants to control everything. bastards Actually, that might be because guys are throwing chips at their trucks left and right and it's conceivable that it's impossible for the shop to know if a chip is what caused the trans to blow up.

advance adapters is all you need. But be prepared for cost overruns and unseen issues. It's not a swap for the feint of heart. But we've got a couple guys here that have done v8 swaps. Hopefully they'll chime in.

Tellico? :brows: :D

You've got one of those too? Mine doesn't seem to be producing much. But then the nice guy that sold it to me said it may take a couple years to become fruitful. :D :rotfl2:

The beauty of the 350 swap is that all the stuff is already out there, tried and true. Cooling is always an issue though, so be prepared. Also, the AX-15 is adequate for the new power, but it won't be indestructible. Your 8.8 should be fine, but you might want to upgrade the shafts/joints in the Dana 30 at the very least.