Pete M

MJ frames are already way stiffer and stronger than XJ frames. :thumbsup: MJs were designed to carry waaaay more weight.

nice! :rotfl2:

nice! I'll move this over to the DIY forum in a couple days. :thumbsup:

it's close, but doesn't touch. :thumbsup: but as I said, I have a custom crossmember (though it is a high ground clearance crossmember which in theory works against me). My inclination is to think that some people aren't using the AX-15 crossmember and the other ones would raise it up an inch or 2, but don't have proof on that yet. maybe someone else that has done the wrangler swap can comment.

I've got a 00 TJ AX-15 in my 88 and I feel the extra clocking is a good thing. :D more ground clearance! I have a custom crossmember though. whatever you do, don't use a peugeot or aw4 crossmember. either go custom or find an AX-15 one. The AX-15 has a drop in the center of it that lowers the trans a bit. for me it was the linkage that needed some customization, but I think if you get stock MJ stuff it'll work fine.

the rear fenders are bigger. it's the front that is challenging. from what I've read, 33x10.5s will make life much easier and longer bumpstops are your friends. :thumbsup:

fullsize. late 90s early 2000s for sure. maybe other years too.

allllllllrighty then. here the rough list I've got going: 96+ XJ anything the 4.0 might need (water pump, radiator, tuneup, etc) 32x10.5 tires JK Rubicon axles brakes (which oddly enough don't come on the "complete" axles) longer brakelines TNT truss. or maybe build one myself. gotta wait til I have an axle under a Jeep before I make that call. heavy duty diff cover (for the front at least) that flexy aluminum tie rod flipped drag link JK 17" rims (16s won't accommodate the tie rod) SYE 6 planetary gearset wide chain swap tom woods driveshafts with 1350 joints RE drop brackets with my own supports WJ arms fabbed bumpstop extensions longer sway bar links longer trackbar 4.5" coils (not sure which yet) Dakota leafs Bilstein shocks long throw LEDs on the roof. wide throw LEDs on the bumper little wide spot LEDs all around for general use wide throw backup LEDs switches for the lights/lockers/etc closed cell battery bigger cables Warn VR 8000lb winch bedliner for the interior floor maybe a vinyl bench in place of the buckets? gotta build: front bumper with winch and grillguard rear that wraps around and protects the lights. rocker guards frame plating roof rack hitch rack interior storage stuff yet to be determined at this point in time I've eliminated the steel fenders and cage to shave off some cash to try and meet the budget. I have a feeling they will be there eventually. spreadsheets are great tools. :D helps me keep it all together.

I will need a piston, but not for a few months. I'm in GA, the Jeep is in MI. the soonest I'll get back north is July. heck, Jim, it's entirely possible I might be visiting you before I again visit michigan. :D I tried to do a compression test beforehand, but the tester I got my hands on wouldn't work with the 4.0. the adapter was so fat that the socket that fit it wouldn't fit into the sparkplug hole. :dunno:

ya got me thinking. think I can get away with just replacing the piston? I mean, what have I got to lose? I still need to address the reason for the failure. maybe a bad injector?

If it passes a smog check, why does it need to get off the road?

damn straight! :D

I'm definitely trussing it. :yes: The rational behind the flexy aluminum is that I'm kinda building a desert racer. kinda. My uncle wants a rig that will survive contact with a rock or whatever he finds while bounding across the wyoming prairie at 40 mph. I'll never be asking it to survive repeated deflections like rock crawlers see, just the occasional "what the hell was that!" when he's miles away from help. from what I've read, there isn't room to flip the tierod up. But I will be flipping the drag link. I don't have the axles yet, so I can't verify how close it is. Rock Krawler and Carolina Metal Masters sell them. found a video:

my memory isn't the greatest, but I'm not sure I've heard of ANY other vehicle's rear driveshaft that works in our trucks. :(

yup. the axles I'll be working with are from a rubicon JK so I swiped a pic from the page I was on. for a JK at least, the tierod bar and ends are $300. Apparently the bar is practically impossible to bend. It always snaps right back to straight. I want one on every build I do. :D

check!

not sure I could scrape together even twenty bucks at this point in time. :(

anyone running one? I'm thinking about recommending it for my uncle's XJ build (since it's not easy to flip the tie rod on a JK axle and it hangs down pretty low).

same reason we all do... cause they are cool! got my NOS bedside hanging on the wall next to my MJ racing poster. :D no NOS taillight in it though. just a nice looking one.

My Dakota R/T has the factory 3.92 gears and little 28" tires and I can max out the speed limiter. 4.10s are not deep enough to restrict anything. :thumbsup:

assuming nothing is actually malfunctioning in your truck, a swap to the late model booster will give you the best improvement. :thumbsup:

it is indeed a futurama clip. all Bender's giant statue would say was "remember me" (and breath fire) over and over. it has nothing to do with what's going on here other than it runs through my head anytime I see the words "remember me". :D

made all mine ('cept for the rollbar). you'd be amazed what you can build with a $10 angle grinder and a $20 drill. :D found a couple local fab guys to do the welding.

what DID you do with them?

I'd put armor ahead of 35" tires. I didn't and ended up smashing both rockers on a seemingly simple trail ride in the hills. :( 2" spacers up front, longer shackles in the rear, some used but decent 31" mud tires on stock rims for trail use, and protect those rockers and get some strong yank points front and rear. easily within your budget and it'll get ya out there to see what your truck can do. then upgrade as needed later. :thumbsup: