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The block side of the motor mounts do not fit the poly tube aftermarket ones without some grinding/persuasion

Very good tech from some who have been doing this from the start. You’ll see some familiar faces there too from CC

History will for sure remember this thread one way or another

Also, checkout the Jeepstrokers forum for some of these questions. There is a huge knowledge base specific to these engines and all of your questions have likely been answered there before.

It was a few years that they ran the 12cw. The snouts on all pre 87 cranks are too long and need to either be cut down or have a spacer added to the crank. Just because they are rare doesn’t mean they are better though. A new scat crank will perform very well indeed as will the 87-90 YJ 4.2 crank. Let us know when you actually start building one though. Otherwise this is just theoretical.

Hopefully we didn’t get too off topic for you @Chad

Probably because no one has ever asked lol

Just keep in mind, your going to find a lot more headache than an inaccesible screw with an axle swap. This is when the Jeep unleashes it’s wrath

The new motor mounts you purchased look like polyurethane mounts. The mounts is durable but it will transmit all the motor vibration to the truck much more than the stock ones. I just threw out some poly mounts like those in favor of a new oem Mopar set and am super happy with how smooth the truck is now. Those poly mounts would rattle your teeth at idle.

You know what, I think I do remember that piece. The transmission vents from the gear shift tower and I believe that metal piece is an oil splash guard to keep oil from slinging up into that vent in the shift tower. I believe it can be left off with no I’ll consequences.

What exhaust is that you have on the MJ? Seems like the opening is larger than oem but maybe it’s just the pic.

Do these also fit the 91-92?

I used one from Novak Adapt and a Wilwood MC with braided SS line. Worked great.

They also have a universal ax15 mount that can adapt to your crossmember with a little work.

I’ve never seen one of those before on an ax15. I can’t tell for sure but it looks like an angled piece to adjust how the shifter base sits. It may be part of the shifter you have instead of the transmission. ???

What are your referring to? The 12cw went the way of the dinosaur and was replaced by the 4cw.

Next up: Axle swap...

With lots of money, yes. Buy a TJ rubicon front. But it is really not a “true” D44. Only the ring and pinion are D44 size. Plus they are a low pinion design which is inherently a weaker design than a high pinion for the front axle. For a TJ they either ran a low pinion 30 or a low pinion 44 up front. Obviously the front 44 would be stronger vs the LP30 but a high pinion 30 is very close if not the same in terms of real world strength to a 44 TJ rubicon axle. All these TJ rubicon front 44’s were really not the stoutest versions of the axle. Nothing like the old Dana 44’s with hubs and big axle tubes. The new generation 44’s are also substantially stronger. If you grab a “real” 44 front from a grand wagoneer or older Ford or Chevy truck you’ll be surprised how much heavier it is than your stock rear 44. But your not going to run 5x4.5 and have decent hubs. Although the 5x4.5 pattern is not an inherent weakness in the axle, it is not an HD truck pattern. It’s a Ranger, Explorer, XJ, TJ, ZJ, MJ etc pattern. None of those are what I would consider a “heavy duty” truck. So when you want to step up to real heavy duty axles, your not going to find the relatively small 5x4.5 pattern. The spindle is just too small. And just to throw this out there, the stock MJ/XJ 44 rear is a neat option and stronger than a stock D35 for sure but sometimes the strength is a little overstated. They are still a lightweight truck axle. An HP30 matches those stock 44’s very well.

There was a nice sign we hung outside our conference room when I worked telecom. Still remains one of my favorite expressions: ”None of us is as dumb as all of us”

The only d44 axle that bolts in to our MJs as was mentioned is a TJ rubicon front. Most will cost more that many paid for their trucks. For the most part, Jeep hasn’t used any “hubs” since 1986 on the CJ7. Unit bearings are what our axles all run. Some have converted Dana 30’s and 44’s to Ford locking hubs but they are petite with the 5 on 4.5 pattern. I know many balk at running another wheel pattern but the 6 on 5.5 from a grand Wagoneers plus a rodeo HD44 is quite a nice combo. Obviously, you’ll need new wheels. But again, if your running 35’s or below, our HP D30s are not a ticking time bomb and hold up just fine. And for the most part, your front axle will see far less torque than the rear.

I can confirm the ZJ parts are a direct bolt on replacement for stock steering on MJ’s YJ’s and TJ’s. I run that setup currently on my MJ.

As was mentioned, Moog and Spicer along with oem Mopar are all decent components. If your wanting new steering linkage then consider replacing your tie rod with the Moog tie rod for the grand Cherokee (ZJ). It’s a much stronger unit over the original. That swap is very well documented as are the part numbers you need. Bolts right in with zero mods.

@Dzimm, this is right up your alley

This has got to be the longest thread for the simplest issue

If you don’t have time to take the head to the machine shop and want a more turnkey install, just get a remanufactured head along with valve cover, thermostat housing and I take/exhaust gasket. Fairly straight forward driveway job.