jpnjim

:thumbsup: Your angles all look great, really compliments the body lines. (now get ready for 50bazzillion requests to make them for others :yes: )

I haven't updated this thread in a while, but I have gotten a couple projects finished, there's a couple more shifters poked up through the floor (I still have to figure out a console, and properly finish trimming/bracing the factory X-member) and the seat pedestal/lockbox for the little guy race seat is finally installed: The seat is a tight fit, and I had to slide the driver's & passenger's seats slightly toward the doors to fit it, but actually more comfortable to drive than the bench seat in the Grandpa Jeep. It's funny, even with true 33's on it (255/85-16's on 9er wheels), it's only sitting 2" taller than the 1" lifted 2wd Grandpa Jeep on 30's right now. :dunno: I'm going to bump it up a little from this pic (probably 2 more inches), once I get an inspection sticker, but I really like it low, with the tallish skinny BFG's. :yes:

Personally, I would never so much as take a lug nut off one of the vehicles I've come across like this. I usually consider it a crime scene (stolen vehicle that was dumped there), and the most I would do is think about pushing it off to the side of the trail if it was blocking the way. That said, the OP asked about gear ratio's, so I answered the question, and left the legal/moral question to the rest of you guys. :cheers:

I almost never squeeze more than 200 miles per tank out of any Jeep I drive. Even the bone stock 89 2wd (auto) MJ on 30's :ack: (fuel light is on right now with 190ish on the trip OD :ack: :ack: ). When I do the math the 2wd gets 14-15MPG (tho I did break 16MPG once), and the 4wd XJ (98 4.0L auto, 4" lift on 30's for now) gets a solid 13mpg. :ack:

:agree: Tho, some have claimed to have the 10x2.5", without the MT 44, even after the D35 went to minivan brakes (9 x 2.5"). I've never seen it myself, but those that claim it have been pretty adamant about it. (Police package XJ's supposedly got the 10x2.5's too). Short answer: if you have a D35 & 10" brakes, get the 10x1.75's. :smart:

3.73's, with 31's was one of my favorite combo's I ever ran in an XJ, but that was in a 5spd XJ (87' 4.0L 5spd). I ran 31's on the 4.56 MJ (also 4.0L 5spd) for a while, I didn't like that so much. First gear was only good for the first 50' on the street (if that), and the RPM's were starting to be more than I really needed for acceleration on the highway (@ 70+MPH). If your MJ is an auto, 3.73's would be a nice 1/2 step over 3.55's, just a little more pep pulling away from a light, and slightly buzzier on the highway, that's probably it. If you're looking for a more noticeable change, 4.10's would be better. I personally really don't mind the stock 3.55's with a 4.0L/auto (1998), with 31's/32's. A little less pull off the line is a fair trade in my daily driver for nice low RPM's at 85+MPH. After daily driving way too low geared vehicles for years on end (3000-4000+ RPM's on the highway gets old fast), I really enjoy something that can cruise at 1800-2500 RPM's. Our auto's & 5spds have pretty good first gears, that (to me) can make up for a little too tall rear ratio. As far as wheeling, really technical obstacles aside, in a vehicle with 'not enough gear', I just spend a little more time in 1st/low range, than in 2nd/low range. Honestly it took me more time to get used to the AW4's crazy approach to switching between 1st & 2nd gear when wheeling, than it did to adjust to some pretty crappy ratio's with the 5spd (like 3.07's & 32's). The 4:1 ish first gear in most MJ/XJ 5spds can make up for a lot of sins (my Javelin street car has a 2.23 first gear :ack: even 3.91's are barely enough foir decent acceleration with 27" tires, and 3.91's + 27's without overdrive is horrible when cruising :ack: :ack: :ack: ) 4000RPM @ 80MPH, with headers & loud mufflers is only fun for the first 5 minutes. :smart:

Does it look like the picture on Amazon? http://www.amazon.com/Reese-Towpower-37 ... B000CQOIR8 Snap a couple pics, having an available, off the shelf, bolt on, 500/5000lb MJ hitch for ~$100 is pretty big news. :yes: :cheers:

Somehow I'm thinking Stephen Friggen Baldwin is a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong way from being the second coming of Job.

The federal government gave the option of 1) Renault couldn't buy AM General or 2) AM General will lose it's military contract. No foreign government is allowed to have control over US military contracts. Renault is partly owned by the french government. AMC/Kaiser was on the verge of bankruptcy. and NEEDED the deal with Renault to happen. The only way to make it happen was to split off AM General. And AM General did not make a deal with GM, GM BOUGHT AM General. Although AM General did use a GM engine and drive train in it's Humvees all along. I think this is pretty much how I explained it (except for the Hummer part, which you clarified above). As far as AMC being almost bankrupt, Chrysler was in the same boat, but was able to secure that federal loan. AMC wasn't given that option, so they had to go find a suitor that could fill the company coffers, without completely tearing the company apart. When Renault decided to head into a different direction, the next suitor, Chrysler, was only interested in Jeep, and (the part that gets overlooked) AMC's extremely capable engineering team. Tossing what they did not want (AMC) into the toilet. It's not a stretch to say AMC engineers revitalized the Dodge Truck division, from their chassis & suspension design (compare a pre-92 Dodge Ram with the 'Jeep-ercized' 93+ Ram's), to engine design (AMC'erized the LA engine series to create the Magnum series of engines). It's a shame when you think what could've been if AMC had gotten access to the development money (guberment bailout), without the strings attached to the Renault & Chrysler money.

:clapping: You're the first person I thought of :thumbsup:

On Page 1 of this thread I linked a page that had knock off (copies) of Rubi wheels. Well, it looks like they've knocked the Ravine wheels too. :cheers: They're available in Silver, Black-ish grey/silver (Hyperblack), fully Black centers, and (I'm thinking specifically for hornbrod) CHROME. :clapping: Starting at around $470 shipped http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Set-4-15 ... ccessories http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Set-4-15 ... ccessories http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Set-4-15 ... ccessories http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Set-4-15 ... ccessories and the bling:

That sucks... I was seriously waiting for these. They said its because nobody bought the bumpers or sliders. I never really liked the rear bumper they made and i couldnt afford the sliders. Oh well. Yep, I try not to say something that could be viewed as negative about companies on the boards, so I did not react when I thought they made a strange move, or two, but (even though I'm in a completely different business), I never outright say 'NO' to a customer. If they want something non-typical, I explain how the work usually goes, and if it would cost more, delay the job, or effect the outcome, I make sure they know that before they decide what they want me to do. I almost never exclude doing something a certain way, or outright say 'it can't be done', if it's in the scope of work that I do, I'm capable of doing the job, while making money, why would I turn away work? Low volume & custom work costs extra, it always has. I could see a fab shop saying $xx more & x week delay for a certain item, but turning their backs completely immediately after a (justifiable) customer complaint about the bumper does ring of 'taking their ball and going home'. Honestly, if all this was in the plans (dropping MJ stuff), before the bumper complaint, it probably would've looked better for them to delay the drop, so it wouldn't look like a reactive impulse move. Most MJ owners have other Jeeps too, so a negative reaction from those customers might not just effect the sales of those MJ parts. All that said (and I know it was allot ;) ) they do have a business to run, and if the MJ parts were really dragging them down, sometimes you have to do what you have to do to remain profitable.

The Poison Spider CJ-8 Crusher Corners look close in dimension to a SB MJ: Tho they'd be pricey if you had to buy them, just to see ($350) http://poisonspyder.com/prod-crushercorners.php The 'Standard' version (pictured) has TJ wheel openings, and Zack at ZM Jeeps has said the MJ rear bed corner 'wrap-around' angle is pretty close to the CJ rear tub angle (said he uses CJ corners to patch the rear of MJ beds). If the wheel openings/positions didn't work, they also offer 'Modified' CJ-8 Crusher Corners for $80 more: Again, pricey, but PSC does pretty nice stuff.

say no more Jim :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

Well, thanks for making MJ stuff while you did. MJ people are some of the cheapest Jeep people of all, so if you add the small production numbers, I can see why it would make for low profits. Keeping the bumper brackets around might be a good idea, but I'm thinking they're probably slow sellers because most people who can make a bumper don't buy the brackets because they can make those too. Instead of a necessity, it become's more of a convenience thing, and how much time vs money it'll cost to make them vs buy them. I'm not trying to get you to reset your pricing, or debate what they're worth, I'm just letting you in on what was my decision process, I absolutely would've bought them for $50, more than likely still would have for $75. Beyond that and it made more sense to just cut up my old bumper instead. :dunno:

Awesome advice in this thread! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Thread printed, and waiting for me to have a free, non-raining weekend. Thankyou guys. :bowdown: :yes:

Hmmm. I was researching this, and it seems flex additive doesn't work the way I had thought. Apparently it only temporarily allows the object to flex, and eventually the paint on the part loses the ability to flex. Do I have this right? Does that fusion rattle can paint remain pliable after it dries?

My 'Grandpa Jeep' had been repainted in the past, I'd guess about 10+ years ago. The paint is still decent, but (of course), they did not use a flexing additive (or whatever you call it) in the paint, and the flares & ft spoiler have paint cracks all over them. Sanding it off is the most obvious answer, except being soft plastic, I'll likely sand all the lines off the flares as well. Is there another way? I'm guessing paint stripper would be too harsh for them. :???: What do body shops do? (it's effecting the rear flares too, so ordering a new set isn't an option). MJ is Dead? Anyone?

I heard the same thing, but I think it's an exaggeration at best. Cat's have been on cars since 1975, but only in the last 8-10 years have they vastly decreased the amount of ZDDP in oil.

:thumbsup:

Let me set the bar reeeaaaaallly low for the next guy doing a chop. :yes:

Yes! Nice haul :cheers: Anyone else want to post treasure pics? :brows: :popcorn:

Wow. Very Nice. Cleaner, better maintained & better optioned than my 31k mile (now 33k mile) ex-Homeowner Assn MJ. Tho @ $9,500 it makes me feel a little better about the $3k+ I have tied up in mine now. :thumbsup:

I'm not questioning the 30k miles, but that thing is sitting awfully low for a Chief. Esp considering it's wearing 235/75's instead of 31's.

Only issue could be the width: I be it would still look great with the MJ lines, but narrowing it might be better for a trail truck (atleast on tight NE trails). Thanks for posting that. :thumbsup: I actually found that thread, then could not find it again later. :nuts: They list the width between the wheel wells elsewhere in that thread, I thought it had said ~43", but re-reading the thread, it's posted as 45.5". Ours is also under 48" ( :dunce: engineers), so 45.5" should be nearly dead on.