mkbruin

yep, bolted on no issue. used it to tow a 16ft flatbed w/ a dodge demon from Denver to Phoenix, then tow a porsche back from phoenix to denver. Works perfect.

My dream build: 91 or 92 mj 4.0/ax15 Soa on new metric ton leaf packs Ford hp44 front w/ tnt truss and brackets 4.56 gears and hi-steer 14 bolt rear, 4.56 stock gears, detroit, disk brake conversion, shaved High quality long arm t-case skid, custom arms. For $5k you can build one hell of a rig.

Cars, mostly. But I also do a lot of landscaping so I need the bed. Travel around picking up old iron to flip at auctions. These range from MG's (all years/models) to detroit muscle to old pickups. Last week I went from Denver to Phoenix in the '88 (4.0, ba10-5) with a flatbed and a fully restored Dodge Demon, dropped it off and picked up a Porsche for the trip home. I've got an ax15/231 combo sitting in the garage to swap in, but then will be putting this one up for sale. I have a small camper and 5th wheel for this one, and am going to try to sell the camper/manche as a combo. I've thought about going fullsize, but I hate the gas mileage and not-as-managable size. Plus, given the sheer and total abuse I have put on the former 89 and current 88, I really have a soft spot for the MJ. I may just make a stoker with a 14 bolt rear, 4.56 gears, and custom leafs for use as a tow-rig.

two days and still no response from the owner... May just grab a $500 Manche and a $500 ZJ and see what I can do on my own. Or build a stroker. Or a 5.0 or LT1. Or go 350 on one. Either way... its either going to be a MJ or a 97-04 Dakota V8. The MJ is, of course, less expensive, but less comfortable and more work.

replacing the hood is an easy fix, so long as the rest is solid and not a complete hack-job. Its going to be for light duty towing (this, or a Dakota) and landscaping duties, maybe as a winter tool-around...not for offroading.

It would be in the bed before we left the parking lot....

It is. I search Craigslist for MJ's every day, hadn't seen that thread posted.

Looks like a tight fit for knees, and its far enough away that I can't go take a look in person. Altogether though... I think I want it. I just had not seen this done before.

I am looking right now at picking up another Manche to use as a tow rig. I found one in the Pac Northwest that is an interesting one... 5.2 v8, trans, and I assume t-case out of a ZJ (full-time 4wd) ZJ buckets full ZJ dash I have been looking all over the net, and can't find any info about a full ZJ driveline (including electronics... and dash) into an XJ. I am emailing for pics and info tonight, so I have no idea if this is a hack job or not. Anyone see or hear of anything like this?

Figured I would cross-post this here: Needed a class III 2" receiver for my 88 longbed... and since Reese, Draw-tite, and Curt don't make one for us anymore, and Uhaul has them for $200+ (only for existing inventory, no more being made...) I went down to the local Advance Auto Parts and grabbed a universal. Reese--- #37042 -- Class III hitch … http://www.reeseprod.com/ doesn’t show this model but does show a #37152 that looks to be the same thing…. (go to installation instructions pdf for picture) Shelf price $129—At checkout priced at $119, Perfect fit and the brackets didn’t even require taking off the bumper to mount! 4 bolts per side mounting bracket to Jeep frame, 4 bolts hitch to mounting bracket

Grabbed a universal that fit perfectly. This post/topic can be deleted.

Needed a class III 2" receiver for my 88 longbed... and since Reese, Draw-tite, and Curt don't make one for us anymore, and Uhaul has them for $200+ (only for existing inventory, no more being made...) I went down to the local Advance Auto Parts and grabbed a universal. Reese--- #37042 -- Class III hitch … http://www.reeseprod.com/ doesn’t show this model but does show a #37152 that looks to be the same thing…. (go to installation instructions pdf for picture) Shelf price $129—At checkout priced at $119, Perfect fit and the brackets didn’t even require taking off the bumper to mount! 4 bolts per side mounting bracket to Jeep frame, 4 bolts hitch to mounting bracket

I appreciate the offer, as I know they are nearly impossible to find. I am working on one off Craigslist in Golden right now for about half that. If that falls through, I may come back to you!

Looking for a class 3 hitch, 2" receiver. Anyone have anything?

I think I would agree with this statement. New carpet kits are ~$100, new seats can be put in for $50-100, dashes are easy to take apart and put back together. All of which beats inhaling this stuff, or absorbing it into your skin. The residue will remain all over the hard parts and the soft, porous surfaces, not to mention powdering up and getting inside the vents... I would absolutely stay away from the foggers...

So... Curt MFG – no go. Draw-tite – no longer producing them. Reese – no go. U-Haul – have them, but what’s on hand is all they’ve got. No more being produced. Any other companies that carry them? I am in need of a class 3 by next weekend for my 88 long-bed....

missing anything?

bad water pump, or air in the system?

They will bolt up, but you may need to cut some of the window trim pieces for a perfect fit.

The U-joint actually shredded its way through the giant pressed on bearing. It was crazy. Same thing. I was driving, heard a pop, and the front end strated to shimmy like death-wobble I got to the side of the road somehow, and when I got out the tire was sitting like this ==-\\

I had the front ps inner shaft on my 89 snap while I was in 2wd on the highway. It nearly ejected the wheel (brakes and all) from the vehicle before I was able to come to a stop. I trashed that axle, and bolted up a new one.

Correct, but our 88 has a 4 leaf pack without overload... I will try to snap some pics this week to post up. Very strange.

strange.... I will have to take a closer look at the pack in our current 88. I am pretty sure it is a 4 leaf without overload....

I am curious about the various options of leaf springs that have been available in the MJ's... I had an 89 4x4 shortbed (4.0, ax15, 231, 'sport truck') that had the three leaf pack with large, flat overload bottom. My dad currently has an 88 4x4 longbed (4.0, BA10-5, np, Pioneer) that has a 4 leaf pack without the large overload bottom spring. I know the Metric Ton packs were a 5 leaf... And I hear reference ferquently to 2wd packs. My question is, what, specifically are the differences? Safe to assume that all packs are 2.5 wide, 57" long, and 26/31 split. Is there any info on spring rates? Are certain packs arched higher or lower? Is there any difference between 2wd and 4wd packs? Lastly, can we do a pic roundup in this thread of each type of spring pack that was available? I would love to be able to identify on the fly...

Any final build pics, with the front bumper attached and all? That is an awesome build!