Pete M

It has to do with the forces as they are go from the pinion gear to the ring gear. On identically equipped axles, high pinion fronts are stronger than low pinion fronts and low pinion rears are stonger than high pinion rears. Plus a rear axle has to be stronger than a front axle since there's typically more force on the rear axle when you get on the throttle. Like when climbing a hill, the rear axle has the majority of the vehicle's weight on it due to weight transfer. Plus, the rear axle is used all the time, while the front axle is only used when you're in 4wd so there's a long-term wear thing going on.

That's a key point. Most places I've gone, running back to camp wasn't really a desireable option or my MJ was what I drove there. Plus, I've had numerous things go wrong with my truck and not one has been the typical "wheeling breakage". Mostly just "old truck" problems. :cry:

Unfortunately, the chances of the Bronco brackets lining up with the MJ frame in any significantly way are minimal. I mention the coil buckets because this is what happened when I mounted everything up: side shot: front shot: So to fix that I fashioned wedges made from steel bar stock: http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL91/512 ... 251275.jpg[/img] And that resulted in this: side front I tried cutting off the lip of the bumpstop, but it still made some contect with the coil so eventually I just removed the end as a stop-gap: My eventual fix came when I had my rocker guards installed and I cut the bumpstop towers and used some extra DOM tube to angle them out to follow the coil. I can't seem to find a pic showing that though. Be careful about welding the bucket to the radius arm, and the bucket bolts to both the front and rear halves of the radius arm: Oh, and don't forget that the Ford radius arms give about 2.5" of lift just by using them.

The best and worst thing about wheeling with a truck bed. :D There's always room for more.

brackets? mounts? which is which? Do you want a pic of the stuff on the axle or the stuff on my truck? The stuff on the truck are just Ford van radius arm brackets cut and welded to a flat crossmember. What was your plan for the axle coil buckets?

When/if part of my suspension gives up the ghost, I'll let you know. :D Even my Rustys coils have held up great.:eek: I've thought about what I bring along (the 6th tire was just a fluke on that trip since I absentmindedly left the lock and chain for it back at camp) and there's really not much to be gained by leaving every single tool and spare part I have at camp (except I'd always have a spare tire). The vast majority of the weight comes from all the armor I've added on. As long as it fits inside one of the boxes, I find it hard to leave it behind. :shake: I am getting better though. Now I have 2 catagories: -high probability it'd be needed on trail, and: -will most likely be needed back at camp because the repair is too involved and will likely take a back seat to just dragging the truck out. Just to be proactive though, this summer I'll hopefully be swapping in that rust-free set of springs I picked up in Florida. Michigan salt can kill a set of leafs on a stock rig with a blown engine.

It is technically possible to damage the electrical componants and even non-electrical stuff when welding on a vehicle. The most important thing is to pay attention to where you hook up the ground cable so it's as close to the welding spot as possible and that the path of the electricity won't fry something in between.

For me, being prepared is NOT optional. You should have seen the look on the guys' faces when I offered up my floor jack, c02 tank, impact wrench, 4 way wrench, shovel, etc. when all they had was a highlift and factory lug nut wrench to change a blown tire. :D

What? :dunno:

Mind if I upload that for everyone else? :D

Do power brakes count? :D

They likely look really long because the truck is still SUA.

Got one, just haven't put it on yet. :D

I went through and deleted all the recent spammers and banned the email addy they all shared. :hateputers:

Yup, I just went out and measured and the waterpump pully would be inside the 2.8l radiator. There's a reason why the 3.4L swap is so appealing. :brows:

I'm petty certain you'd have inteference issues between the radiator and the block, let alone trying to fit the fan in between.

No and maybe. $10 stainless hood pin set, a couple $1 handles from the hardware store, and some stainless picture frame hanging wire between them. Pure functionality. :D

I do! Too bad I ain't got it. :cry: My interior blower doesn't even work at this minute. I have a cheap clip-on 12volt fan that I picked up at the auto store that I hang from the back window and point at me. You can sort of see it in this pic:

Way ahead of you. :D

hy·gro·scop·ic adj. Readily absorbing moisture, as from the atmosphere. Been a while since I used that term so I had to look it up to be sure. :D

You'll need just about everything from the donor rig. Wiring, motor mounts, exhaust, cooling system, transmission and maybe even the t-case. Oh, and driveshafts too. If your's is an 86, then you'll need the front clip too (radiator crossmember, hood and latches)

There are different strengths of steel tubing and I have to imaging that inexpensive control arms don't use the strongest stuff out there.

Be careful with that expanding foam. It can trap in places moisture, or even worse, some of them seem to attract moisture.

We stayed at the state park campground. Much quieter than the private campgrounds down the road. I would very much like to go next year. My parents will own the Diesel Libby by then and we can go and wheel the MJ and it's tow rig at the same time. :D

If it makes you feel any better, I'd have to cut out my suspension crossmember in order to drop the trans on my 88. :D