Pete M

emotions aside, it just doesn't make any sense to drag a couple of "northern", TLC-needin' trucks 750 miles down to a location where I could buy the rust-free versions of them. w what I do know is the D44 is coming with me. :D

I've got 4.10s in the 88 (4.0/stick) and I'd kill for some 4.56s. the driving is certainly better with my 31s than my 33s, but I'd never pay for 4.10s. that was the ratio that was already in the ford axles. If I was paying all that money for a re-gear, I'd go no less than 4.56. Some pathfinders/rodeos came with 4.30 gears and tires that were way less than 31". Heck, my Dakota has 3.92 gears and the tires are only like 28" tall. It's a myth that Jeeps struggle on the freeway with gears that are just a bit deeper than stock.

why narrow it? I'm running full width fords and it's not a big deal :thumbsup:

quite the opposite. my brain has been trying its hardest to avoid it all together. :( It's tough contemplating giving up part of the flock.

the 88, the R/T, and the empty MJ that's already in georgia.

also I need some dang free time

chaos

it will be, mr smarty pants. :D still working out how I want to begin such a mass migration of threads.

passenger side door handle has been pried back out of the window's space (used a come-along). now I just need a new chunk o' glass. :D

there's no way I'd pay that much for flawed seats just to get the mounts. especially since an MJ bench has the same floor mounts as the MJ buckets. perfect seats, yes.

plate is on. she's mine all mine now. :D

I appreciate it. :D but I should be fine. there's a pullapart near me for glass and I've got a spare trackbar. I've got no intention of replacing the doors, though I would like to try and pry them open. I eventually got my van's door to open after someone did a hit-n-run one morning. fingers crossed! 96 should have R-134, yes?

the b-pillar is definitely knackered. the doors don't open at the moment. the 96 XJs have the 97+ XJs floor design so the seat undercarriage is a bit a different. You planning on moving to Georgia for good? maybe. maybe not. It's hard being an uncle from 750 miles away. :( I have a feeling I'll still be living in both states, just more there than here.

rear hatch is now fully functional. :D was just a bent latch. rain is coming though, so my day might get cut short. :(

for the time being, I now own 7 and a half vehicles. 5.5 of them Jeeps. :D but by fall that will be down to 3 total. :(

the minivan has a slew of problems too, so this is more or less a lateral move in dd quality. the XJ pulls to the right a bit but I'm hoping that's due to the horrible bald tires. will be swapping them out with the 90's set of MTRs to see. There's a very good chance I'm moving to Georgia in the fall, so this XJ just needs to last me til then (without costing a fortune). Since the 90 and 86 MJs won't be coming with me, they can serve as donors for the time being til I figure out what to do with them. today's goals are to get the rear hatch open, investigate the power steering, and yank the front pass door's handle back into alignment so I can at least put a new piece of glass in it. tomorrow's goals: insurance and a plate. stupid holiday. delaying my playing with the new jeep....

a friend of mine got herself a Patriot and wanted to know if wanted her old XJ. It's certainly not the greatest Jeep in the world, but how could I say no? :D The end plan is that this will be the temporary replacement for my minivan (which will be given to another friend who's in desperate need of something reliable) as my DD around town. the good: it's an 96 XJ, 4.0, originally a Cali car so it's fairly rust free, power windows/mirrors/locks, hitch, brakes, 8.25 rear, Gambler wheels, and did I mention isn't pretty rust free? just the typical floorboard rust going on. the bad: needs tires shocks and track bar, smashed pass doors, broken front/pass window, rear hatch is fused stuck, AC doesn't work, loud exhaust manifold leak, various oil leaks, power steering keeps frothing up the fluid, 2wd and it's an auto, the pics: and I know I asked about this a couple years back when I originally helped her find the jeep, but what the heck is this thing again? is skynet spying on me? :rotf:

still should be 31 spline and tough as nails. :D

that IS weird! :eek: 'tis a cool memento though. :thumbsup: I too lost a 15mm in the framerail. but I got it back a few years later when I cut the holes for the rocker guards. :D

turns out my father is immune to poison oak. when he was younger his buddies and he were playing in the woods behind the subdivision and they all broke out in horrible rashes and swelling (one kid had to go to the hospital) while he was just fine. I've camped a lot and never had an issue so I'm hoping I'm immune too. but it's one of those things you just don't want to try to find out. if it happens, it happens. I'm allergic to evergreens though. try avoiding those in your daily life. :shake: and don't touch 2x4s or plywood either.

meh, so sue me. :D was without internet and cell coverage for a couple days and am still not caught up.

wouldn't it be sweet to find this tucked away in some random storage building? :D

I used baby powder to pinpoint my leaks. the water will make tracks through it and lead back to the source. :thumbsup: one of my leaks was actually coming through the windshield, running inside the a-pillar, and behind the paneling to get to the floor. :ack:

that's only if he's swapping a 4.0 into an 86 MJ

the 6 ft beds are different than 7 ft beds. but the differences may not matter depending on what you're needing to do. if all you're worried about is the driveshaft, there will be a 6" difference between driveshaft lengths (given identical drivetrains). shortening one will cost less than a hundred bucks.