89 MJ

Are those Procar seats? If not, what are they? Do you like them? I’m thinking about seats for my 40 and want something new that looks older.

Looks like there is quite a few leaks there, as you've noted with your gaskets that you want to replace. In order to diagnose this, try to clean it as much as you can. I like engine degreaser and a pressure washer, but you could just wipe everything down well with paper towels too. Give it some time to dry, then put cardboard on the ground under the engine. Run it for a while in place (driving it can make the oil blow backwards), shut it off, and walk away. I usually leave the vehicle for the night. Then the next morning (or just later that day), I'll go out and look at the cardboard and figure out where the oil was dripping from. Follow that oil trail up to your leak.

My truck has been on the road for 5 years with the Walker and it still looks almost new.

I think that’s the right choice. I did the same and have been very happy with it.

I personally don’t love the idea of swapping used differential parts. I was told that if the parts aren’t wearing the same as they were in their original differential, they’ll howl and wear quicker. I'd look at an 8.8 out of an Explorer Sport Trac, an XJ 8.25, or an MJ or XJ Dana 44. They are all more work, but at least it’ll live.

Here are pictures of their long bed sliders, this was all that they had a picture of at the time. I'm thinking this is the route I am going to go for my truck.

I know exactly where they are, I’ll have to get them when I get home in May.

Seems interesting. I’d bet it smells like cigarette though.

Why do you want to narrow the axle so badly? Comanches are wide in the rear, so having a wider axle will let the rear tire fill out the wheel well some. It should also make the truck more stable.

What transfer case do you have in this? I see you’ve got a 700R4 like @The86manche has for his truck.

I wouldn’t be that worried about the pinion being off centered. The Ford 8.8 is the same way and I’ve got one of those in my truck.

I just looked up this thread: https://www.rme4x4.com/threads/700r4-transmission-2wd-to-4wd.32774/#:~:text=2wd versions work equally well,services of a transmission professional. It looks like you'll have to change the transmission output shaft. The transmission will need to come apart to do that.

Ok. I'm still worried that a 4x4 output shaft is supposed to be shorter than a 2wd output shaft. That is something to be sure of. I also have no clue if the 207 will bolt to the factory trans-transfer case adapter, which is why I recommended the NP241C, which would be hooked up to that transmission already. The spline counts might be different, engagement depths, bolt patters, etc. If you were to do an NP241C, you'll need to come up with some sort of shifter, as the shift pattern is the different from the Jeep ones. There are options for cable shifters out there.

That hour per day will make a big difference. Its funny how these southeastern trucks rust. I had one from FL and one from GA. Both needed floors and the FL truck needed rocker repair and bedside repair. My Eagle is also a southeastern car that needed and still needs some rust repair. I like the southwest much better for solid metal.

Cleaned up really well. I'm looking forward to this build and following along with this thread.

@70barracuda has the front bumper on his truck. An XJ kit would be cool.

They look really good cleaned up! Page 20 of my thread has a comparison for Renix TBs where it is easy to see before and after condition and shows the size difference.

Rock sliders hang below the body, so you’d see a large gap there. Rockers aren’t too bad to do on these trucks. And you can pull the doors off of any 4 door XJ. I’d recommend putting rockers and doors on it and foregoing rock sliders.

Your tail shaft may be too long, but if you’re lucky, you could get an adapter and NP241C that is driver side drop. That’s the route I would look into at least. You could get that adapter and transfer case out of an 88-98 GM truck with a floor shift transfer case.

I mostly agree with this. Advancing the timing with a high altitude CPS did have some improvement, but it only helps midrange power. I think the bored TB added a minute amount of power as well. Fuel injectors made no difference on my truck.

Will do. I emailed them last week with no response yet. I’m probably going to give them a call at some point.

Good to know!

I’ve read that having a TB spacer on these doesn’t add any power or mileage benefit anyways. I wouldn’t run it to be honest. That said, on this site, Mod 12 was a spacer on an HO XJ. He said it added a little bit of responsiveness and fuel economy. http://www.jeep4.0performance.4mg.com/diary.html

That would be cool!

Apparently Ares Fabrication is working on MJ rock sliders. I might consider getting a pair for my Comanche depending on what the pictures look like and if the quality seems decent. Does anyone have experience with this company? https://aresfabrication.com/shop/nostalgia-rock-sliders-m/