87Warrior

I have a good top half of a cab in Kansas if you want it. Everything from the bottom of the A pillar, over the roof, down past the window over to the rusted out cab corners is good and straight. Glad you made it out okay! The Jeep did its job to keep you safe.

Yup, still have a few benches gathering dust. Problem is I am headed to Colorado over the weekend, Friday thru Wednesday....

I suggest upgrading to the modern parts. I did this for my 86 a few years ago and the clutch still works perfectly. My parts list included: - 94+ XJ 2.5 bell housing and clutch fork - Standard Luk kit for an '87 2.5 - Mopar Release bearing (throwout) for 03 Wrangler (had it on hand and it worked) - Napa Master cylinder, hydraulic line and slave for a 94+ XJ 2.5 (individual parts, not a prebled unit) You will not use the internal slave in the Luk kit, but buying this was cheaper than buying the clutch pieces individually. The pilot bearing included in the kit fit into the 86 flywheel no problem. Everything bolts up without an issue. The hydraulic system takes a bit more work. You could buy the prebled/prefilled hydraulics from Napa, but I found them rather expensive. The master does requires a new mounting hole to be drilled into the firewall for one stud. Bench bleed the master. You then need to assemble the master, line and slave. Use the pins provided with the parts to put it all together. Bleeding the slave is funny, since there is no bleeder on the slave. With the master installed, let the slave hang next to the transmission and fill up the master fluid level. Crawl under the truck and carefully remove the keeper from the slaves plunger. Hold the slave upright (plunger pointing down) and slowly pull out and push in the plunger with your hand, repeat many times. Keep an eye on the masters fluid, when the level stops dropping the slave should be bled. Install the slave and check pedal feel. You may need to try the funny bleeding again if it is soft.

In my opinion, It's a balancing act based on individual circumstances and what you are comfortable with. Me? I like having a solid foundation. I don't want to wonder where I'll be sleeping at night or how I'll buy my next meal while couch surfing the world. Hey some folks thrive on that stuff, it's not my cup of tea. I have investments, savings, IRA, and 401k I regularly pay into. If I happen to make it through my working career alive, it will be nice to not have to worry. But I am a younger guy, 31, and like to enjoy life. I don't max out contributions to my investment accounts every year so I have some funds to have fun and spend on frivolous 'fun' things. While I can't take 2 months off work to explore Alaska, I do take a week and a few long weekends throughout the year to have fun. I can honestly say that life without TV/cable/hulu/Netflix/etc is fantastic. It's been 8 years since I've had any service like that and I do not miss it at all. Some may say I'm not living life because of that choice, but I'd argue the opposite ;)

I used the RuffStuff simple swap kit when I did the 8.8 under my 86. The perches I used were identical to the ones SBpunk linked. Since I was staying close to stock height and SUA, I liked having the availability to set the axle back a little so I could reuse the stock drive shaft+companion flange with the 8.8's longer housing. The perches you linked will work just fine to get the axle under the truck. For the perch measurement, just crawl under your truck and measure center of leaf to center of leaf with the old axle still installed. Make sure you get the pinion angle set correctly before buring on the perches.

Hi Jim!

That's not quite right. 2003 and some early 2004 Rubis had machined Moabs, obviously without ridges. My September '02 build 2003 Rubi is still sporting the stock machined Moabs that the clearcoat is peeling on. The poor things have taken a beating from the trails. IMHO they are the best looking Moab wheel available, but darn near impossible to find a clean set.

Whenever I get a lot of extra time, I will finish polishing these Moab wheels. Not chrome, but polished aluminum is close!

Hello!

That POS failed in bypass mode on me one cold day a hundred miles from home. It went into the trash the next day.

I have one bolted to the bottom of a junk 2.5 block. It's been awhile since I've looked at it, but I recall it was in good shape. Yours for free if you can pick up in Kansas.

Oh Don, you know they have been dangling the pickup (Gladiator) over out heads since 2004. I've flat given up hope and am now most concerned that, if in fact a Jeep pickup is built, it will be nothing more than a watered down Euro mini truck.

It was so pretty back in 2010. Original SCX10 Honcho with the first production run of the two piece proline MJ body. Image Not Found Then I used it....a lot. *Poughkeepsie Gulch in Colorado *Black Bear Pass This SCX10 has been under water, on fire (LiPo power to an old squealing motor isn't a good idea), with a cracked transmission, busted knuckles and stripped drive shafts, but it is still a blast! Now it sporting the tallest 1.9 Flatiron tires around, has been regeared and repowered, and now an Axial deadbolt body has replaced the cracked MJ body. I still have another MJ body, a one piece proline, sitting in a box waiting for some love. I buy most of my RC parts online from RPP Hobby and Amazon. I really wish I could support my local hobby shop, but the owner is an unhelpful dud :(

Does the truck idle once at operating temperature? Does it rev up fine with the throttle input and feathering? Can you hear the idle speed motor resetting when it shuts off?

My mistake. Sorry for the confusion, it's been a year or two since I've done Jeep ball joints and even longer since I used something other than the OTC cups. I can now recall using one of the big sleeves that came with the press as well as one of the flat adapters all sitting kind of lopsided. You will thoroughly enjoy the OTC kit. Best $70 tool I have used :)

The OTC cups make ball joints almost a pleasant experience. To get that lower joint out without the fancy cup, use the press to push up on the actual ball (remove boot and scrap out grease first) with one of the flatter cup adapters. You won't have a lot of room for movement, but once the ball joint breaks loose you can use the press to push up on the bolt portion to get the ball joint the rest of the way out.

Your truck was one that helped me not fear the 4 squirrel power plant :)

My '86 2.5L crested 190,000 miles last week, on what I assume is the factory build. This truck is the only vehicle I've owned that has NEVER refused to start. The little 2.5L 4cylinder isn't a power house, so don't expect it to run like a 4.0L 6cylinder. Find a 5 speed as it should have 4.10 gears in the axles. Bonus if you can locate a 91/92 as it will have the Chrysler era multiport fuel injection. It has have enough grunt to run 70mph down the highway, but you will be hunting for a lower gear in wind or hills especially if you increase the tire size. My 2.5L took me through everything I pointed it at in the Colorado high country, on up to 13,200 ft above sea level twice in 2015. 20+mpg isn't anything to complain about either :) Having fun: Having more fun:

I didn't want to use the plastic bearing assembly so I used a Mopar release bearing which has a metal case. I am curious to hear long term reports on the LuK release bearing, especially since I have an extra that came with my clutch kit.

I got tired of the shifter knob spinning around and falling off. I could have bought a replacement, but knowing they are constructed the same turned me away. I ended up with this solid aluminum knob made by Rampage. It is a little smaller than factory, but is rock solid and cannot fail.

Welcome to the club. I would have bought you a beer or burrito or something if I had known you were in Junction City! I know that truck and agree it is quite the driver! The seller, who I know personally, tried to get me to buy that truck the day it came in. You better start the rust treatment on the floor pretty quick. I recall some rot visible under the cab (but maybe they fixed it before selling). I was shocked the rockers and cab corners were so clean! If you are in the area again, I'll give you a couple of bench seats :)

If you make it back to JC, I have a couple spare MJ benches you can have for $0.

Hey, I know that truck! Welcome.

I am loving the build. Nice work!

I know you have started to lean away from the Miata, but I have to say my 97 MX5 was a total joy to drive. Coincidentally, about the same time I had the Miata my college roommate had an Escort. I didn't care for the Escort simply because it was a run of the mill vanilla driver. My Miata averaged 23 mpg city and 28 mpg highway and was nearing time for a second timing belt replacement. It was bone stock and reliable. Had an external slave cylinder for the clutch too. The Miata rode like a roadster and was by no means 'quick', but was very comfortable to drive even being 6'3". At the time my girlfriend (now wife) hated the car because it sat so low to the ground. She described getting into as, "sitting on the ground and tipping over". The ONLY reason I sold that car was to buy my first MJ. While I am thrilled to be part of the MJ club, I really miss the Miata. I'd absolutely love to get another one but I have no reason to and with a garage and shop full of toys it would be hard to convince the wife..... Miata is the Jeep of the roadster world. I don't have many pics online of the car, but this is a Photoshop I did.LOL Image Not Found You also can't go wrong with a 4cylinder Toyota commuter. @240k miles my wife's '02 Camry got a consistent 27mpg. That cars record was 42mpg in Wyoming on our way back home from Yellowstone. We would still have that car if it wasn't totalled by a red light runner. You could fit the whole shop in the trunk. I had a buddy across the state ask for some Jeep help one weekend so we loaded up the Camry and away we went.