DesertRat1991

Dang... author of the 2nd oldest Pub thread ever.... Certified O.G.

What problem did you encounter? I actually went with 4.10T gears specifically because I came a across a smokin' deal on a 3.73 & under Eaton e-locker. Been operating flawlessly since 2019. I would agree that, outside of race applications, I don't think there are any downsides at all to running thick gears.

Front skid plate: Transfer case skid plate: SWB gas tank skid plate:

Christmas comms upgrade. Scored a nice black friday deal on Midland's 50w GMRS and just got a moment to get everything installed. Haven't decided where I want to permanently mount the mic holder yet so it's just dangling from a hook for now. Great results so far! Making contacts +40mi away through a local repeater. Sure beats the litttle handheld I had been using on the trails.

That short sloping hood is giving me Nissan hardbody vibes.

The ring & pinion has been mentioned, and the rebuild kit for the Trac-Lok LSD, but you should also grab a Master Install Kit: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=10997268&cc=1181584&pt=2224&jsn=10607

Mine fires like a steel bear trap. I honestly don't trust the assembly not to damage itself so it's become second nature to ride the pedal home with my foot every time I start the truck. I've done a fair amount of wheeling on inclines and never needed to use the parking brake the way OP is proposing but... if you really needed the assist, couldn't you just lock the parking brake at like 25% so it drags slightly, apply enough torque to get yourself moving, then release the parking brake AFTER you are underway in 1st gear? Not simultaneously. Seems like you are over thinking this.

Priming the fuel system helps. My MJ might sit for a week or more. Before a cold start I'll turn the key to position 2 then off again a few times. You'll hear the fuel pump spin up each time. Then, turn the key all the way and she starts right up. She'll start just fine without doing this but it does crank longer.

I feel like MJs are inherently noisy offroad. The unibody flexes, dirt gets in between the leaf springs and the tailgate assembly sounds like a tin can full of rocks right behind the driver's head. It's part of the charm of wheeling an antique vehichle.

Lookin good!

Never seen pictures install pics before. Very interesting to see that the winch mounts "feet back" which would put the bolts under tension during a pull. These days, that is generally accepted as the worst way to mount a winch. Between this, the tiny winch capacity and the plastic "gap filler" pieces you can start to see how there was a tremendous opportunity for sturdier aftermarket solutions.

There isn't really a direct relationship between "lifted" and "stiff." Suspension requires tuning just like every other automotive system. It's just a math problem that needs solving. That said, it took hundreds of engineers and millions of dollars to ensure a well-balanced and comfortable ride as delivered from the factory. In the aftermarket, few people actually tune their suspension. They just bolt stuff on and expect peak performance. If you want a really nice ride, take it to a shop that understands weights, measures and geometry to get it sorted out. An offroad chasis builder might have someone who knows what they are doing.

FYI... the J10 guys have figured this out. Sharing here just as an example of what's possible. Specs are 3" tubing, 20awg, CNC bent. They ship with some assembly req'd (last photo). Photo credit to the dude below:

Much respect for looking into this. That embedded metal plate always seemed like overkill for a trim piece to me, but I guess the threaded studs probably made for quicker assembly line installation. One alternative to consider would be to mold that vertical wall a little thicker and sink a t-nut into the outboard side. Then, the end user would just need to run a bolt and washer through from the inboard side to install.