Pete M

very nice! I've added you into the list

it might be related to the email snafu. (and by "might" I mean highly likely) we've got our top minds on it. :) I can manually reset your password in the meantime.

also could be part of the problem. your caster is likely off.

don't even think about offset balljoints until you've got the rest of it correct. those are a desperate measure. it is far more likely that your "lift" is not put together right. do you still have stock upper control arms?

does the axle appear to be centered left-right in the truck? what track bar is there?

if you're going to the southwest, maybe look up some junkyards and bring home a stash of clean steel?

car-part.com might be able to help with junkyard searches of 4.10 axles. if I remember right I think by 05 the 4.10 KJ axle went away so you'll need to search earlier years. 95+ explorers have the disks, but earlier ones are just as strong and can be upconverted to disks. also v6 and v8 models are near-as-makes-no-difference the same axle.

remember that preference should be given to the 97+ 8.25 which is dana 44 or 8.8 in strength. the eariler one is not much better than the 35.

link?

the auto parts stores should have a plethora of adapters. just need to figure out what threads you're dealing with on each side. also the tech forum gets way more eyes for answers.

found a new one today specifically the "car reviews" https://www.youtube.com/user/RegularCars/videos

renix cherokee and comanche harnesses are near-as-makes-no-difference the same. if anything you may need to splice some wires into the rear harness if you get an XJ one. but be prepared that they are all old harnesses. and don't discount the idea of buying a whole XJ to get it (and a ton of other spare parts)

oh, and Joshua tree nat park is right by 29 palms! I haven't been to that one yet, but my dad did on a business trip once and said it was cool.

oooo! I forgot about meteor crater! that's an awesome quickie stop too! take regular breaks every couple hours for fuel/food/pee and take a 5 minute "nap" in your seat where you set your head back, close your eyes and calm your brain. taking breaks reduces the fatigue that sets in. can't help you with sleepiness though other than always keep in mind that making it a few more miles down the road isn't worth the lives of your family. most walmarts/rest areas allow you to overnight as long as you're not setting up camp or anything.

yup, that risk is always hiding on the other side of the equation. that's why I'd like to see them take the small detour to see the grand cherokee, I mean canyon. it's totally worth 2 extra hours of driving on a perfectly flat road in arizona, even if it's just for a lunch break and some pictures.

I'm not disagreeing with you on that. But I'm pretty sure the big rocks will still be there for their next trip.

oh, I absolutely agree with Sam about you needing to take a trip to colorado/utah, but given the particular month in which you're driving ... I personally wouldn't risk it. way too much on the line sitting next to you.

it doesn't have to be a whole day. the best hour of time on the rim is your first one. just leave after that. (admittedly there is a TON of activities there, but I doubt your girl is up for much hiking. how pregnant is she?)

out of the way?! one of the prettiest sights you'll ever see is only an hour off of I-40. that's less drive time than going to IKEA from here and my folks seem to do that every few months (and it's not nearly as pretty).

did the previous owner shorten up the rear of the bed? and then change his mind and draw a new line to fit that cap?

fixed it for ya. man, as much as I'd like to suggest the route through colorado (epic mountain views!), the highway passes in February can be... challenging. like towchains-legally-required type of challenging if the weather turns south. if you haven't seen the grand canyon, I'd highly suggest it.

the first thing I would do is determine what year the axle is (via a part number or counting the splines on the axle shafts). if it's an early 27 spline axle, I'd just go find a better axle and invest my money into something that will last. You're going to need welding done anyways, so I would skip on buying short shocks and just get shock mounts welded to the proper location at the same time as your perches. what are the overall plans for the truck?

whoops, forgot to add the pic of what happens to the bushings when owners forces the leafs to the XJ perches.

based on the fact that the stock XJ shock mounts are still lingering around, I'd wager that they didn't bother to move the leaf perches over to the MJ locations and your leafs are being twisted in their bushings. the axle might be perfectly good (97+ 8.25 is a desirable axle, earlier ones are less so), but you'll need the perches relocated and to pop open the cover and see what they did to weld it up. also, that little deely hanging down to the left of the rear diff is your brake proportioning valve. if it's still plumbed in, you'll want to secure the swing arm about level with the ground pointed towards the passenger side. normally it has a rod that attaches to the diff cover to adjust automatically for various weights in the bed.

I think you'll be living like a king with either choice. have you guys stood in them yet? sometimes actually being there can make all the difference as to which feels right. 1165: 1200: