Pete M

we got a few inches yesterday and i got to actually drive in it. even with the old tires, the Libby did quite well (never went above 25 ). makes me pine for the early days with my 88. just 2wd and an open diff, but my new BFGs just stuck like nobodies business

I would drill a new hole in the perch to move the tire back a bit. no matter what reason they give, that just looks wrong. plenty of guys are running stock shafts on a 4.5" lift without that wonkyness. you don't need a fork at all to fix the CAD. just use a hose clamp to keep the collar in place.

nice!

do you want stock height? lift? more hauling capacity? owners have used Dakota, S-10, Explorer, and f-150 leafs to make their own packs. none of them are exactly right, but they are close, especially if you retain the MJ main leafs to locate the tire in the wheel well. just mix and match leas until you find what you desire.

sounds like it should work pretty good. take lots of pics and do a DIY writeup!

none of those pics are my libby, although it's a common upgrade on the CRDs (mine included) to use the V6 intake instead of the stock one. having the intake up higher sucks up less crap into the filter. it's a wonderful time to be alive. science is on the verge of so much greatness!

love that custom seat cover. I'm sure you're going to miss the CJ, but this looks like a great project too.

SYE is unnecessary (we have a really long wheelbase and that means a really long driveshaft which means the angles are nice and gentle as opposed to wranglers and XJs) but can be a good strength upgrade if you've got the cash.

I love those 2-doors. Jeep really should have made those. I'd take one over a wrangler.

did the engine run prior to removing it from the donor? have you pulled the distributor at all? and have you double and triple checked the plug wire order on the cap?

I would try unplugging the intermittent box and bypassing it. probably not the issue, but it's easy enough to check.

yeah, they are right in front of the frame and can prevent damage to the bumper if you need to gently push some one.

now I'm thinking about integrating a small winch... and now the cabin fever is really setting in. I'm dying to run out and start tearing apart the front of the Jeep and making cardboard templates. I think I'll wait til it's above freezing though.

I could be wrong, but I think it's on the same circuit out back as the parking lights. meaning if they have juice, then the problem would lie in the wires leading to the plate.

how old/cold is the battery? soon as it got cold my old optima finally showed it's true age. showed that it had charged, but had no balls behind the voltage. check all bulb sockets for corrosion. and it's not weird at all for a truck that's been sitting to fail to start.

what is it you're looking for?

try cleaning the battery terminals and cable clamps mating surfaces. my MJ was notorious for getting a thin film of buildup between the 2. or try gently smacking the starter with a hammer. it's possible it's just stuck.

it's not being chained to the house, it's my grandmother. she goes through weird fits of mild dementia and I never know if I'm talking to a stubborn 91 year old adult or a selfish 4 year old child. but back to the more fun aspect of being stuck here... I'm thinking of stripping off all the stock fascia like above and keeping the factory steel bumper, painting it black, and then adding in a bit of C-channel from frame rail to frame rail to make my stubby bumper. sounds easy if I say it fast. still have to figure out a turn signal solution. might go with the lifted one where he reintroduced the bumper fascia where the turn signals mount. oh, and I want a prerunner skid plate under the bumper to protect the wires and jazz that are there. below is the stock steel crush bar.

50 years from now they may be worth something. (but likely not)

more importantly I'm debating a 2" lift, Rubicon rims, 255/70s, and yanking the front bumper for something more offroady. I've got no idea how much lift this one has, I just liked the simple bumper. finding pics of a stubby bumper on a liberty was apparently more challenging than google and my brain could handle.

sooooo, it's possible I've been cooped up with my grandmother for too long. that plus a lack of sleep in the last week or so (I get up every time she does to make sure she gets to the bathroom alright, and also any time I hear a noise that might possibly be her). I just now started contemplating sleepy eyes for the liberty...

my go-to mystery noise is the exhaust banging on the crossmember, but admittedly this doesn't seem likely in this scenario. when's the last time you changed the gear oil in the diff? maybe it's time to take a peek inside?

Jeremy, I think you might win the "snow, but not really" award.

use a hose or pitcher of water and check the windshield for leaks. well, I guess wait until the outside world is less frozen.