ParadiseMJ

:yes: ...but I'm gonna hold back. Gotta get my mind out of gutter.

I've been looking for shells for a long time on craigslist. Most of the ads do not give the dimensions of a SWB shell. The top in the middle is 21.5 inches. The top of an S-10 is 20 inches. I've put a shell from an S-10 just for size and it's noticeably shorter and doesn't quite fit the side to side measurement so there is about an inch on either side. The SWB dimensions: 61.5" wide. Outside width, from flat part of bed rail the flat side of bed rail, not including the bevel. 75" long - outside, from front of top rail of bed to outside downturn of tailgate (aka end of bed rail). 56.25" wide - inside, from rail to rail. 21.5" tall, from top of front bed rail to top of roof. The closest I've found that fits is from the older version of Ford Ranger. Every one of those I've found has been in ratty shape. The guy in town that sells USED shells won't take measurements for me, or even let me measure them. He just asks what kind of truck I have...and then tells me he's got nuthin' for me.

...the red one looks an awful lot like my pink line that's attached to my heater control valve. do you have a heater valve? and is there a vac line to it? Does the red one come out of the firewall above/below the black HVAC line?

If that's your truck... Paint the flares and the rockers black. Leave the rest red. You can use Fusion Satin or flat bedliner spray.

What kind of bumpers do you have? If you have stock bumpers, they're not much help. If you have aftermarket bumpers they may/may not be tied into the "frame" Do you have a hitch receiver? I don't mean a trailer ball on the step bumper, but a 2" receiver. If so you can slide a hook or d-ring adapter in there (or even use the ball as a tow point). If not you are SOL for secure and safe tow points. What kind of strap or other cable do you have? Far as I'm concerned the ONLY safe set-up is a 20-25 foot nylon strap,without hooks on the ends (they tend to fly around and chop arms off and stuff) Some public (and private as well) wheeeling venues have minimum standards on what equipment you need on their trails. If you are just out in the woods with the club, meh. Here's a link to ebay of the minimum "safe" hooks, they tie in to the bumper mounts and "frame". http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Jeep-Che ... ccessories The best set-up for the rear is something like this inside a hitch receiver also tied in to the "frame"... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Bully-Re ... ccessories

Ebay starting bids are $50 to $99 + shipping. Junkyard, I got mine for $10 each. I got extras, sorry, that I'm keeping.

Yes, 2-4-2. The top number is followed by a "J". The top number on the NP 231 is followed by "AMC". :doh: I also have in stock an NP 249 that I just picked up yesterday for free. Would either of these work??

Where were you guys when I was removing the decal on my 88? The PO had just tried to sand the decal off, which still left tape and a butt load of adhesive and gouged up the body. Eventually I discovered that I could rub it down with acetone or Xylol and the tape would soften up, then it just zipped right off. Wiped down with Xylol to remove the adhesive. The hardest part was getting the tape off where it had been sanded. Nice to know there are some better products out there.

Currently: 88 MJ SWB Pioneer 4.0 L BA-10/5 NP 231 (21 spline) D30 D44 w/3.07 gears. Want: (I have these parts) 96 NP272 (23 spline) 92 AW4 (23 spline) Other than the gearing (for now) I want to swap the Peugot for the AW4 and put the NP272 behind it for the Full Time option. Am I barkin' up the wrong tree here? Will this work? Any advantages, disadvantages?? I know I will have to swap some electricals but it seems that I have 2 plugs for the TPS, one looks just like my XJ with AW4. That plug is not plugged in. The other is in the TB. Ideas??

Yes, it bolts right on. No, the blades don't come with it. Yes, you could to the junkyard, but in this case I'd be going new ~$44.00 Yes, might take a week...you asked if there were any upgrades, the ZJ fan is the easiest and best upgrade to the fan system...and no, 2 electric XJ fans won't pull enough air. Make you sure use the PART NUMBER. don't go in and ask for a ZJ fan clutch, they'll try to sell you the MAX COOL fan (the one that won't fit).

The ZJ HD fan clutch (97-98)NOT the ZJ MAX COOL. NAPA 272310 ZJ HD fan clutch, listed for 97-98 years, $44, fits like a glove and moves ALOT more air.

An S-10 is about 2" narrower than an MJ, same length (or closer). The dimensions of a early to mid 90's (92-96) Ford Ranger is just about spot on at 65.5"

...or a nice stout wood block/dowel. No sparks. Don't know if brass would spark, but I'm paranoid about xploding gas tanks.

I would check the placement on another rig with discs...or ask an engineer.

Any (including synthetic) 75/90 gear oil should be fine for light duty. I use Pennzoil Syncromesh (not synthetic) in my Peugot. If you haven't changed out your box fluid, do it. Mine shifts 200% better than when it was full of the C-R-A-P that was in there. WAAAAY too long on the change interval. Looked like the PO had never changed it.

I don't think the pick n' pull has j-bolts laying around (at least mine doesn't). I had to GO there and crawl arund under a couple rigs until I found a couple. I don't like 20 gallons of flammable liquid suspended by a "maybe it'll work" bent bolt.

No. Not unless you pop out a freeze plug. Is there no sensor on the t-stat housing itself? Just the one sensor on the 97+ 4.0.

I guess I'm spoiled living out here in the west. My 88 has pretty much zero rust issues and I don't even KNOW how fast the crap can take over once it gets a full winter of salted roads, We use snd/gravel out here, and I have to go to the mountains looking for it. The rest of the time the roads are just...wet. I would expect POR 15 to last longer than ME, let alone allow any corrosion to creep in 3 years later.

Nothing personal and no offense meant, but that looks like something that has happened over a bunch of time. The fact that you "just noticed" it tells me you don't spend enough time on your back under the Jeep. e.g. The muffler and CAT look like they've had some work in the last, say, 2-3 years. Missing that much rot, :no: Drive the Mustang, park the Jeep til you can fix it.

Stay by the fire

I am often thinking my electrics are together and then all of a sudden my radio craps out, and my backup lites don't work. Both my Jeeps do the weirdest things, both in bad weather and on a sunny day. Anyhoo, there are 4 basic reasons your wipers won't work. 1. Bad switch on the stalk. 2. Toasted wiper motor. 3. Circuit breaker is bad OR trips and resets (have the breaker testeed or teest it yourself for continuity. It's the metal "fuse" at the botttom of the fuse block under the dash, 4.5A. 4. Leprechauns, Gremilns, Witches and magic spells.

AFIK no vac to the heater valve is full on, not off. In other words, low vac to the valve could put the coolant full thru the core instead of blocking it off. If it's a big leak, ALL the heat would default to the defrost. If it's a small leak, it could only default part of the heat upwards. Also the heat/vent issue would change when blasting uphiil or decellerating downhill, or even decellerating on the flat. If in fact no vac to the valve is full closed, it would stand to reason that you're not getting heat out the lower vents, or at all. Either way, you should trace all the vac lines on the passenger side, all the way from the black line coming out of the firewall down under the battery tray (common source of corrsion and vac line failure), AND check the tan/pink line to the heater valve. I like to blow some smoke down the line and see if it comes out where you don't expect it ( I call it the Stogie test).

It's really cold here...high about 55, low about 45, there was even some dew on my lawn...brrrr!! I had to run my heater today. Sorry about it being such cold and miserable weather out there.

Everything you ever wanted to know about diamond plate...and then some. I think they'll even cut and form DP floor mats. http://www.cutsmetal.net/gallery.html

Vacuum hoses?? Cooling hoses? Brake hoses?