jpnjim

I'm looking for two separate things: Factory style rear bumper closest thing I've found was: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FEY-BUMP ... 1e59c7ce06 ($120, in black + brackets:) I'd rather the (weak) factory bumper. and a separate rear receiver hitch Something that bolts to the frame (like an XJ hitch), and is good for ~5000 lbs/500lb tongue. I found a couple 3000/350 hitches, but the description was so loose, I wasn't even sure if they really fit MJ's (and if they did, for the front, or rear). Thanks. :cheers:

I'd buy this if I was closer: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/jeep-com ... 335987d060 Also says he has the rest of the parts from this MJ.

I wouldn't take CWLONGSHOT's comments in a bad way, there's lots of reasons not to run 10's on an XJ/MJ. Wheel bearings: 3.5"bs 10's have the same centerline as 2.5" backspacing 8's, or 2" backspacing 7's. That's alot of bearing killing negative offset. Tire width: MJ wheelwells aren't the widest out there (especially the fronts), they seem to 'like' 10.5"-11" wide tires best. Wider tires can fit, but are more likely to hit the spring tower, or take out the outer edge of the fender as they stuff in. Most 12.5" & under tires are 'happy' on 8" wide wheels, so there's not much reason to run 10's with them, unless you're trying to make the overall tire wider than it would be on an 8. Bead retention: Going narrow on the wheels (for the most part) helps keep beads seated better than wider wheels. I'm sure there are other reasons to run, or not run 10's but these are the things I think of when running 7's, or 8's on XJ/MJ's. To go one further, I run 7's whenever possible, since it's easier to get XJ/MJ friendly backspacing in a 7".

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/JEEP-COM ... 53de698d2d I know these 15x6" wheels were used on other Base model Jeeps besides our Comanche's, but how many people (besides me ;) ) are still using these old, bottom of the line, 6" wide wheels on their Jeeps still? Of those people, how many would spend money to dress them up, instead of putting the $50 - $100 towards a better set of Jeep take off wheels? I'm just surprised the aftermarket spent the time & money to go after this very limited group. :dunno: (while still ignoring the taillight thing)

I've been looking for this thread. :yes: :cheers:

I had an 85' XJ (Pioneer 4wd 2.5L/3spd auto/3.73's) that had a factory sunroof. I removed it, and foolishly installed it in my (at the time) trail & daily driver shortbed MJ. It did turn it into a 'real' Jeep tho: I leaked everytime a cloud showed up overhead, and if there was any kind of humidity out, EVERY window fogged up on the inside. Had to get a 'defogging rag' like almost every CJ owner out there. FWIW, I knew it was a factory sunroof because it exactly matched the pic in the 1985 parts book. Basic description: The glass was removable (even came with a nice bag) it had a goofy lock/unlock mechanism (had to squeeze together two little plastic buttons, I think they were red) and there were drain tubes that ran from the inner frame to the A-pillars (inside the plastic trim).

Yeah, this one makes 4 Jeeps in the driveway now (+ one 39 year old AMC). It hurts my head to add up all the AMC's & Jeeps since my first in 1987, and 'her' first in 1994, just the daily drivers = 6 AMC's & 7 Jeeps. :dunno: :nuts:

If you want to keep the truck, just remember (and sorry for yelling, but): YOU ARE THE OWNER OF YOUR TRUCK. Unless you sign off on it, just because someone crashed into you, doesn't change who actually owns the the Jeep. They can try to withhold the money, but no one can make you sign off on ownership of that truck. Quick story: a friend of mine had a 1986 Pontiac 2+2 exactly like this one. SUPER rare limited production car (1225 built): http://home.flash.net/~rjgeorge/86gp2+2.htm Sister car to the Monte SS Aerocoupe, to homogenize the aerodynamic body mods for NASCAR racing. He lucked out even getting the car (try to find one today), till one day someone ran a stop sign, and pushed a quarter panel in. The other insurance company totaled it, paid out, and DEMANDED the car. They said it had frame damage, or something, and they legally could not let him have it back. It HAD to be destroyed (Total BS). He caved in, took the check ("what else could I do?"), and signed off the car. A couple months later, there was his car, in the same exact condition (one side pushed in), for sale in the local Want-Ad for almost twice the money the insurance company gave him. :fs1: Ad said something like: "rare factory race car, you'll never find another, easy fix, come get it before I fix it myself and tripple the price". If you want to keep your truck, don't trust anyone, and don't cave in.

Most everything else is tougher to come by: 2000-2001 (XJ) NV3550: pretty much the same dimensions as an AX-15 (even used the same bellhousing). There were syncro issues with many of the '00's, so the 2001 version would be preferred (unless the 2000 got a warrentee replacement, which most dealers did not want to do). Even good versions of this tranny are pretty loud tho. You could also use the TJ version of the NV3550, but you'd have to put up with the much taller shifter handle, and different clocking on the t-case (same issues with using a TJ AX-15). You can redrill, or use a clocking ring for the t-case, and I'm not sure if the shift handles are swappable. I don't know the years offhand, but newer than the NV3550, you're looking at the Dailmler era 6 spd tranny that was used in TJ's next. I have zero experience with this tranny, but I think it's dimensions are the same as the BA 10-5, AX-15 & NV3550. Only other Jeep tranny that comes to mind would be a 'downgrade' to an older Jeep 4spd: CJ's used Tremec/Ford (toploader) T-170 series trannies (whole series is usually referred to as 'T-176's). Pretty tough trannies, and they use the same t-case & bellhousing bolt patturns, but you'd need to adapt the CPS to the bellhousing somehow (4.0L's never used this tranny). There are aftermarket bells with the Ford/T-176 tranny patturn + 4.0L CPS, but they're ~$500. It's been a while since I saw a T-176 side by side with an AX-15, so I don't remember how much, if any that the length is off (I think the T-176 is shorter). That's all I've got, unless you want to swap in an automatic. :dunno:

First time I took my (98) XJ on a trail, it was just 3 years old, and (I'm guessing) had never been in 4wd low. I lifted it, put 32's on it, but never tried driving in 4wd low. First trail ride was a moderate trail (Florida Rd), at the first obstacle POP! it went from low to neutral. Pretty much every time I de-accelerated, or let off the gas, POP! --> neutral. :eek: I had no choice but to hold it in gear as I drove, (too muddy out to think about adjusting the linkage on the trail) then towards the end of the day, it stopped popping out. I guess it just had to wear in. None of the other 231's I've wheeled had this problem, and it never happened to this one again. :dunno:

I'm an electrician. Electricity kills electricians, lots and lots and lots of electricians. Soooooo, when I start reading a story about someone getting an electric shock, I'm not really thinking "wow that's funny". I'm thinking "is this a true story, what went wrong, and what should the guy have done". Since I got called out on my post (two, or three times now), I'll be completely honest. I said I laughed, I really didn't.

Wow, rockers & cab corners are gone, but the floors are good. :dunno: Nice grab either way and dibs on the back bumper if you go with something different ;)

Another thing to like about this MJ is all the AMC symbols all over it still. 8) The original plug wires (that I swapped out today) are dated '89, but still have the AMC logo on them. (Chrysler bought AMC in '87) The previous owner had replaced a couple of the cooling system hoses with new ones from the dealer in 2005 (they left the dealers destination/sale stickers on them). Even those hoses (obviously new old stock at the time) have the AMC A-mark symbols on them. :cheers: I also swapped on the cheapest Gabriel Guardian shocks I could find, so I could keep the Grandpa-ish ride. (original back ones were toast). They actually firmed up the ride a little :fs1: but I think I'll get used to it ;) I think I'll re-name this thread: Project Grandpa Jeep (the anti-build). :thumbsup:

There was a recall on ZJ's (my 96' was covered by it, I'm pretty sure 98's too), because the code was never put in the ECM to notice the signal from the rear o2 sensor, and tattle when the converter went bad. Our 96's converter failed at ~85k miles (rattle rattle rattle), with no check engine light. So we brought it in for the recall, they flashed the new code on the ECM, and handed me a Cat. I didn't have them install it because they wanted $300+ to also swap the headpipe (which was absolutely perfect), and the muffler/tailpipe (which was junk). I'm only posting all of this, because it's possible that your ECU isn't even monitoring the rear o2 on your ZJ. :dunno:

In answer to the other part of the question, there is no advantage to removing the o2 sensor. I could see being too cheap to replace it, but then why not leave the 'bad' one in, instead of plugging the hole with threaded rod? It's good that the Jeep is running better already, but it might still help to disconnect the battery (turning the key forward a few times while it's disconnected), to help the computer re-learn & adjust to the working O2. Some say Renix's don't 'remember' anything, but disconnecting the battery can't hurt. :D

THIS. There is no 'check engine light' on a Renix, the Maintenance Req'd light only goes on for those few MJ'ers who are lucky enough to be driving an 80k mile MJ. Unplug the clock box, smash it with a hammer, and forget about the light. :D

:agree: It's funny how the Gremlin was considered a laughingstock, then 25 years later 1/2 the import compacts out there had a similar chopped off back. AMC did more with less, and when they finally did get developmental bucks (Renault 'partnership' ), they had to obey they're supreme overlords as to where & how they spent the money (not to mention being forced to sell off the cash cow AM General). Its hard not to imagine what AMC would've looked like had they gotten the sweetheart deal Lee Iaccoca got with his low interest government loan to bail out Chrysler the first time: Imagine AMC flush with money (even more than they were for the short time Renault was interested in the US market), but without a (French) government owned entity pulling the strings. I imagine the 4.0L & XJ/MJ/YJ series being developed (as they were with Renault $$$), but also the engine update design that was later used to transform Chrysler's aging LA small block series into the refreshed Magnum series of engines actually being used on the engine it was developed for (AMC V8's). Imagine if the REVOLUTIONARY early 1990's Dodge Ram truck suspension was actually used to update the J-series line, like it was designed for. (that coil suspension isn't much more than an upsized Jeep suspension). Add in all the $$$$ AM General received from building Hummers for 3 wars, then later signing a deal with GM (tho the GM deal might not have happened if AMC still owned AM General). Even better, imaging if AMC spun off the retail Hummer brand, next to Jeep, and made all the rapstar bucks from selling H2's themselves (not likely, but possible). It sucks that at the beginning of the Truck/SUV surge, AMC had all the pieces in place to completely dominate the market, but the lacked the money, and control of their own corporation to do it.

Flatbed: Pro's: You can go bigger/wider than the stock bed length/width (longer would require frame extensions). Even a small flatbed won't have wheel wells to interfere with carrying stuff (4x8 sheets) Flatbeds typically mount higher, so you can usually fit some decent sized toolboxes under the bed (on the side behind the cab). You can also configure pretty much whatever kind of tool storage you need on the bed (even use the boxes as bedsides) If you don't do the above, you can run the bed without sides, 1/2 high sides, or full height stake sides. A stake side MJ would look pretty frikkin cool 8) You could also build a totally custom flat bed to meet any requirements you have (load size, trail clearance, tire clearance, etc) Con's: You'll almost have a higher load floor than the stock bed (since most regular flatbeds mount at around the height of the top of the stock wheelwells). Most of the 'off the shelf' flatbeds would be wider than the stock bed. (con for trail use) There's not as much selection in 'off the shelf' beds for compact pickups (vs fullsize flatbeds). It's also tougher to find decent used 'compact' flatbeds. If you go with stake sides, your friends might start calling your Comanche 'The Farm Truck' :D

fissed :yes:

Sorry to be the wet blanket, but I don't believe a word of this story. :D It's still funny, but I'm not buying it. :smart:

I stayed out of the 'clutch problem vs transmission problem' part of this thread so far, but I'll add my 2C: Throw out A bad throwout bearing usually makes more noise when the clutch is pushed in, because that's when it's under stress (pushing the pressure plate in loads the bearing, and letting the PP spin with the engine while the input shaft stays put means the bearing itself has to be spinning as well as being loaded). But if someone has a noisy junk tranny that grinds & rattles, the noise typically goes away when you push in the clutch (& it stops spinning). The OP seems to say it's louder with the clutch out (engaged), and quieter with the clutch pedal pushed in (disengaged), since he also said the sound seemed to be coming from the tranny, I'd lean in the direction of a noisy/potentially bad tranny. Tranny Sometimes tranny's are just loud (ala NV3550), but they still function fine, though the BA is not known to be super loud normally (a dying one can be tho :D ). The OP said he filled it till oil came out the side, I'd put that side plug in, and maybe add another 1/4 to 1/2 quart. These Peugeots are pretty good at ejecting the oil if you overfill them (right out the breather line), adding the extra 1/4-1/2 quart might make up for the Jeep not being on level ground. I'd also try running it without the driveshafts in, or with the t-case in neutral to see if the noise changes, or goes away. T-case Even putting the T-case in neutral doesn't completely remove that from potentially being the problem (bad T-case). since the T-case is also an unknown, it could very likely be the problem (unless the T-case is not yet installed at this point). Did you fill the T-case? FWIW, A gear mismatch in the T-case (wrong year/pitch input gear, and or planetaries swapped in) makes a TON of scary noises. Running a BA dry certainly could leave you with a noisy tranny, you could run it for a while and drain the fluid to see what's in it. A self destructing tranny will likely have plenty of metal in it to let you know. As far as the 21 vs 23 spline part, all BA's that I've dealt with (2wd, or 4wd) were 21sp. The 87 (XJ) & 89 (YJ) 4wd's, and the two that were converted were 88 (MJ) & 89 (MJ) 2wd's all = 21spline, so if both tranny's were Peugeot BA 10-5's the T-case should have slid on the end of the 2wd tranny (assuming the tailhousing is removed so it doesn't interfere).

Well.. I wish I had this bit of info about two weeks ago..... I posted it here last year: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16190&start=15 I probably should've done a writeup on it, but I don't have the tranny's anymore to take pics (sad to say I tossed out 3 working Peugeots a few years ago).

OK, I lied just a little. I dug out the old shaft, and instead of the spline being continous, the spline starts, stops, and starts again. When you chop off the 8" or so, the section that the speed gear rode on ends up being your new output splines: Part of the splines you see at the cutoff point were the speedogear splines, so the place to cut is just after a groove, after the new splines start up again. You can even see the hack butcher method I used to chop it off (cut around the outside, then WHACK it off with a hammer :rotf: ): It was winter time, and I did it laying under the Jeep. :D If you're worried about these 'new' splines not being as strong as the ones on the end, I can attest that I absolutely beat the unmerciful snot out of this MJ once it was 4x4. The whole time I had it & wheeled it in New England & Upstate New York, the only tranny it ever had was this 120k+ mile converted 2wd BA. I've destroyed BA's in the past, but I never had any issues with this one at all.

Good news, If the 4x4 tranny is junk, you can actually use the whole 2wd Peugot tranny in place of the 4wd one. If you pull the tailhousing (long cone) off the back of the tranny you'll see why. The entire output shaft is splined, for the last foot, or so (It's been a while since I did it, but it was ~1ft). I converted two of these myself, so I know it works. This ONLY works on Peugeot BA 10-5's 1) Mark how far the output shaft sticks out of the 4x4 tranny's T-case adapter (I think it's just about flush) 2)Unbolt the t-case adapter from the 4x4 tranny. 3)Unbolt the 2wd tranny's cone shaped tail housing 4)slide the speedo gear off the 2wd's output shaft (the speedo gear is the same 21sp as the rest of the shaft, and the reason the entire shaft is splned). 5)Slide the 4wd tranny's t-case adapter on the 2wd tranny. (clean this housing as much as you can, especially if the 4x4 tranny was starting to self destruct) 6)Mark the 2wd's long output shaft at the length it needs to be cut (to match the 4x4 tranny's length). 7)While protecting the tranny internals from flying chunks of cut off steel, get some kind of a cut off wheel, and trim that shaft to fit. 8 )Clean up that cut off end so it's nice & smooth, bolt the T-case adapter on permanently, and enjoy your new 4x4 BA. :thumbsup: I figured this out about 12 years ago (converted my first MJ without even pulling the tranny :D ), but have never heard of anyone else doing it. A couple years later I did a second one, to keep as a spare, and it worked out just as well as the first time. Both of those old tranny's are gone, but I think I have the cut off section of output shaft around here if anyone wants some kind of proof that it works. :smart:

I was just going to connect the defrost function, to an XJ rear defrost switch, and adjust the mirror part manually. I adjusted a set on another MJ manually for a while, and it worked OK, I posed the question here, and another poster had done it for a year, or so. If there's just a couple of screw mounting holes for the mirrors you have now, you could fill it with a MIG welder, smooth it with a flap wheel, then prime & paint it. If there's bigger holes (like a big cut out for cable remote controls), it would take some real bodywork to cover. Tho it is still a pickup truck, you could always make a plate to go over the hole, and call it good. :D I had a FSJ pickup that had a cab mounted gas tank when I got it (behind the seat). When I finally removed it, I pounded a flat plate into shape to fit the gas cap hole, attached it with a screw on each corner, and called it good. :dunno: