MrFreeze5

Its been a good week for parts and its only Tuesday. Yesterday I picked up a HP Dana 44 for my ZJ and have just about made my money back selling off what I don't need. My shock mount tabs and Mopar perches for my SOA came in from Jegs. Anyone want a Jegs hat or 6? They keep sending them to me. Also picked up a set of JKS front upper shock conversion doohickey thingies. I also just picked up a great looking AX-15 today. Image Not Found Its from a 93 YJ with 70k miles. Its super clean. And as a bonus, it came with the whole hydraulic system, a 4.0 starter, power steering pump, 4wd shifter, motor mounts, and some other misc bits. Tomorrow I am picking up a set of RE superflex upper arms. Just as soon as I can get my hands on a set of adj LCAs I am going to install my new front end. My front wheel sounds like it is about to fall off. Plus I want to rob my 2wd beam axle for brackets for my ZJ D44 swap :D. I'm just going to throw the axle in there on just ZJ UC springs, and Ill add the spacers when I get around to the SOA in the rear. I upgraded the master cylinder on my ZJ, so that is moving over to the MJ at the same time. Ive got to do something soon, I am afraid each pothole is going to be my last.

I just bought a few sets of shock mounts for my ZJ and MJ projects about 2 weeks ago. I got the boxed style for strength and for ease of install. I also have some individual tabs, but they don't stand far enough off the tube for my tastes. The RE and MORE mounts are nice and beefy, but are nearly $30. I ordered a set of currie shock mounts from Jegs for about $15. Theyre a bit thinner metal, and are comparable to stock size, which for me has held up fine. I had actually bought a set of the MORE mounts from a local shop($33!!) then found the currie ones a few days later on Jegs.com when I was ordering Mopar spring perches(only $13) and ordered a few pairs. Then I took the MORE ones back and exchanged them for a set of JKS top shock post adapters :D

Id guess mid to late 40s wagon or pickup. Early 40s had more slots, and the later ones had crossbars, some more some less. Here's my 58 Wagon. This is my favorite grille style of all the Willys years.

Id horde that b*@$£, but then again I have a 58 Willys Wagon, so it would be a perfectly acceptable part for me to be hording while not attributable to an addiction :D But if you make it wall art, don't damage it!

I ordered mine off the HF website last summer. IIRC I got it on sale for under $120 with FREE shipping (weighs over 100lbs!)

I bought a HF hydraulic press and Ive only used it a few times, but the problem is I don't have a garage and its assembled in my basement, so I can't do any big jobs on it, but its come in very handy for pressing wheel studs, u joints and doing differentials. Both of which I have a lot to do this summer. I also got a HF folding shop crane, I have used that a BUNCH! I bought it in April and have since pulled 2 engines out of their vehicles, installed one, and used it to lo load 2 separate engines and transport them, and my friend used it just yesterday to pull up a giant concrete slab patio at his house. So thats probably my MVT.

8.8, but I'm pretty sure those never came from the factory :D Ill be doing the axle install and SOA at the same time as the transmission/tcase install. I would just get mine shortened, but the problem is once I disable the truck, I'm stuck there until I finish it, so I can't really drop off a DS to be shortened after the fact. Edit: But if for some reason I just install the trans and tcase without lifting and installing the 8.8, I have a D35 for the moment.

I found a AX15 for my 4wd conversion, and I'm using a 231 with it behind my 88 4.0. So I need a driveshaft for a SWB truck. Anyone got one?

hrmm, yeah that would make sense. that sucks. Ive decided that drop brackets arent worth it for me, so I guess I'm going to have to wait on the suspension for a while. Boy I hope my wheels don't fall off before then. I'm a bit concerned :D

Lol, its cool, the self tappers are doing the trick so far :D

OOO, I need one too if its cheap, thanks for reminding me!

Ive been researching this stuff all day trying to decide what to do with my MJ and my eyes are starting to cross. Ive got my 8.8 just about ready to go in SOA along with a rebuilt HP D30 and I have been shopping around for front options. I was planning on getting drop brackets first, but I would still need to at a minimum replace all the bushings in my arms, or get new arms anyway, even with the DBs, and it started adding up. So I started entertaining the idea of long arms. Last time I bought LAs was for my ZJ several years ago. I got a Claytons kit and although its very nice, its very expensive, and I don't want to spend a bundle on a $600 truck. Now on to my question. I really like the value of the Rough Country LA upgrade kit and it fits the budget. I was in the process of "add to cart" when I noticed that their site says it will not work with the Puegot trannies. I havent had my MJ very long and havent crawled up under there to really look at it, so I'm not sure how different it actually is. I have seen a few people on here say that the RC kit works despite what RC says, but I suspect that most or all have AW4 trannies since I havent seen a direct reference to the BA10/5. I do plan on eventually swapping in an AX-15, but not yet. So can anyone confirm or deny whether the RC kit will work this the puegot? If it does work, Ill have this kit on order by the weekend :D

1988 Comanche Pioneer Image Not Found 4.0, BA10/5, 2WD, SWB, stock suspension Currently sitting on the patio next to the MJ: Rebuilt HP 30 with new everything from the knuckles out, and Ford 8.8. RE trackbar, ZJ up-country coils and some coils spacers, and a set of wheel spacers. Also a set of ZJ canyon wheels and 31s to go on the MJ and a 96 ZJ 4.0 to stroke, and to swap the accessories over for an efan. I have a 4wd BA10/5 in great shape that I could put in, but I am going to wait on a AX-15. The MJ is receiving all the great hand-me-downs from my ZJ that is going bigger and badder. Build date: Apr 13 88 Current Location: Denver, Co Status: Running beater/parts hauler while I overhaul my ZJ. Once the ZJ is done, then I will start in on the MJ. Ive got big plans for my MJ! Notes: The interior was wrecked when I got it, so options are hard to tell, plus I ripped out most of the interior anyway. It came with a cloth bench(wrecked) that got tossed for a set of 2dr XJ buckets and console. It does have a tilt column and power steering, no AC. It has fog lights(that don't work), and I swapped in a XJ gauge cluster as well. I also added the topper in the pick. It was only $10! Current owner: Me. I have greatly improved the truck since I got it in april. It still needs a lot of work, but it isnt a bio hazard anymore inside and runs much better than it did. Not bad for a $600 that I have maybe $150 into so far. I have big plans for the truck over the next year. By next summer, it should be one mean machine! Image Not Found

Thats pretty much how I bought mine in April. My ZJ died ahead of schedule and I needed something to drive while I rebuilt/upgraded it as well as something to haul parts. I had a few hundred to spend and a limited time window, but I had been watching craigslist for weeks watching for Comanches. Mine had been listed for sale for a few weeks, and had been coming down in price by the time I had the $$. I emailed the owner and said as long as it drove well enough to get me back home I would take it. I had to take the bus, which took about 2 hrs, then I had to walk a ways to get there. Luckily it fired right up and drove fine on the way home, but it definitely had its issues, the worst of which was the hole in the exhaust and no shifter boots, so the cab was filled with fumes on the way home in rush hour. The interior was wrecked too, no seatbelts, the bench back was broken on the drivers side and wasnt connected to anything, and it didnt have plates on it(although I had swapped my ins already), so I was driving extra careful. It needed a lot of attention, and Ive given it some love, and its come a long way. Totally worth the transit time and the $600 I paid for it. I didnt know much about the truck before I went to go get it, I didnt even know what engine was in it, so I was surprised to find it was a 4.0 Pioneer edition. And luckily, most of the parts this pickup needs, I just pulled off of my ZJ, like front axle and steering. It is about to get hooked up with ALL SORTS of nice hand me downs that got rebuilt or replaced less than 10 miles before the ZJs tranny blew up and facilitated the ground up overhaul.

I have 3 jeeps at home right now. Ive had my ZJ for years and it was a great truck until the transmission cracked, but luckily I had been gather parts for years to rebuild it properly. Right now, it is a stripped unibody, but I am hoping to have the new axles in and the V8 swap completed by the end of the month. My ZJ picture album My ZJ is a 96 4.0 Laredo that is being converted to a 5.2 V8 with a Limited interior overhaul(auto climate control, heated power leather 5.9 ZJ seats, rewiring everything Ive ever wired in the interior in the time Ive had it. The engine is freshly rebuilt and nicely modded. Claytons longarms; a waggy 44 front axle with F250 8 lug outers; and a Spider 9 rear axle thats full float, 8 lug, and disc brake. Its getting built properly and should be a very reliable truck. My Comanche was bought in April with the sole purpose of driving around while I built my ZJ, and to haul parts for it, and for my other builds, but once the ZJ is done, all the nice parts that came off of it can go on the MJ. I definitely plan on using the 96 4.0 block to make a stroker. I also just pulled the HP 30 I had just rebuilt maybe 10 miles before my tranny went out. So it will be contributing to the MJs 4wd conversion as well as offering up country springs and a pair of coil spacers. Not to mention I now have 4 sets of steering linkages, 6 unit bearings, several axle shafts, etc, so one of my trucks has to keep the dana 30 :D but that means the MJ gets the 8.8 I had laying around too, but thats for another thread :D My other Jeep project is my 58 Willys Wagon. I have big plans for this one, but for now, I have to finish the ZJ first. I picked this one up in February just before my ZJ started acting up. It came with an AMC 304 V8, but I pulled it out and will be putting in a 5.9 Magnum engine with a carb manifold.

I bet a socket or two would fit in there real nice and keep it from collapsing. :cheers:

On a 4wd axle, only the driver side is solid, and the disconnect axles too I think. But non-disco 30s use the same type mount on the passenger side. I replaced the bushings on my 30 when I did my balljoints and used a balljoint press to press the old ones out and the new ones in. Worked fine, and I did not use any sort of spacer inside the mount. But if you used something that did not press evenly, it could be an issue. I suggest using a balljoint press. It was an easy job.

Today I pulled out my HP 30 from my ZJ so I can install a waggy 44, and it needs a new home! It has new balljoints, bushings, seals, brakes, etc, ZJ up country springs and 2" spacers, ZJ swaybar with new poly bushings, RE trackbar with new bushings and rod end. The whole steering linkage is new, with lifetime warranty, plus I have 3 complete sets for spares. The shocks are shot and have to be replaced. Everything has about 10 miles on it(the tranny went out and facilitated the total rebuild of the ZJ). So this is gonna end up on my MJ in the next few days hopefully. I also have a matching 4.10 Ford 8.8 a few feet out of this shot thats ready to go in as well. As soon as I can source some cheap control arms, Ill throw it in SOA, but that will be a few weeks/months, but hopefully this summer. The MJ will also be getting the ZJs rims and 31" tires. If I can figure out a cheap method to lift the rear, Ill have the truck lifted 3-4" in a few weeks. But since I'm going to go SOA whenever I can manage the right suspension for the front to match, but the ZJ gets the major attention for now. I don't want to spend much money on it until I can really jump in.

I love cheap parts!!! Just picked up my $10 topper!! Image Not Found Image Not Found On the down side, my fuel pump is groaning loudly, and the truck is spluttery after driving for a while when its hot out. Its always something with a $500 truck :D

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Wow! I'm only 20 miles away in Denver and would have LOVED to have taken this home. My house is like a neglected Jeep outreach program, and I just don't have the room for anything at all else, believe me, if I did, I would have found some way to drag it home. Nice score!! And big points on the dedication for the trip! :clapping:

I havent done a whole lot to my MJ lately. But it is definitely being disagreeable. I realize a $600 190k mile pickup is going to have issues, but I was hoping to make it another month or so. I have a leak in my clutch somewhere, it won't hold pressure if you are hold the pedal down, and would empty the reservoir at a single light. But if I throw it in N at stops and only push the clutch to start and shift, I only have to refill every week or so. Ive got a decent rear main leak, it looks like, and the stock valve cover was aweful. It was RTV'd on, leaked everywhere, and I had bad blowby from the poor CCV, as well as $#!&ty vacuum. So I swapped the valve cover from 96 HO engine that I pulled out of my ZJ recently. The valve cover swap was nice and easy, but showed me a bunch of things I didnt want to see. When I pulled 2 of the valve cover bolts on the driver side, coolant started oozing out of the holes, so the head is obviously cracked, no big surprise at 195K miles though. It still leaks oil, even with the new valve cover and gasket, but not as much as before, at least I don't think so. Ive only driven it a few miles, and added oil, so I'm not sure if I am stil burning off oil that already leaked, because it was smoking a bit. Not nearly as much when I got home though, so its a sure improvement. With the exception of the gasket, I did the swap with parts from either the MJ or the HO 4.0, and parts I had on hand already. I need to pick up some different hose to change up the airbox side of the CCV hoses, but otherwise I am happy. NOTE TO ALL WHO ARE DOING THIS SWAP: If you are swapping on a HO 4.0 valve cover, with the grommets, make sure you get the old grommets with the valve cover. The grommets have a little steel umbrella that go in them, and although the grommets come with new gaskets, the umbrellas are near impossible to find. I wasnt paying attention and threw my old grommets and umbrellas out together and had to go hunting for them. None of the parts stores in town even had a part number for it, nor online vendors. And mind you, I didnt realize I lost them until I was partway through the install and couldnt put the thing back together and drive it. So I had to call the dealership and there were only 4 in the entire state! I needed 15! So they had to special order them from Chrysler and it took over a week to get them in. I got a friend to pick them up for me, and I finished the install. They were only $.85 ea, so it wasnt an expensive lesson, but it really got me good. The swap was definitely worth it. The idle is stable now, and it doesnt rev really high for a few moments when i first start up. Ive also noticed my oil pressure is higher, which is good since I thought it low before. I cleaned up the whole vacuum mess, and it made a big difference. The truck also seems peppier, but its really just smoother through its rpm range now. My rear main is leaking pretty good, and it seems more now thanks to the higher oil pressures, but it is driveable. Ive only taken it for a brief short trip, Ill be testing it more this weekend, but so far so god. Image Not Found Has anyone else had issues with the ccv elbow hitting the hood pad? Mine seems like it gets stuffed into the pad pretty good and it sticks up quite a ways. I'm hoping the engine will last just a little while longer, since I am hoping to pull everything and do a 4wd conversion and rebuild the engine. I thought about putting my HO in, but I want to stroke it, and converting it to Renix seems like a waste. But I got hooked up on some parts recently! I got a great 4wd BA10/5 from a low miles YJ. I got it from an ex factory Jeep mechanic/XJ enthusiast. He got it 7 or 8 years ago as a spare, rebuilt it, oiled it, wrapped it in 2 garbage bags, duct taped it shut, and sat it on a shelf. And there it sat, until he gave it to me for FREE, along with a YJ shifter, an XJ shifter, some better 4.0 injectors, a near new 4wd adapter housing for the tranny, and a BRAND NEW transmission mount. All free!! I found a guy who's got a good renix head, and a 21 spline 231 for $100 for me, so I think I am going to take him up on that deal. Eventually I want to swap to a AX15, but free parts are great! My front wheel bearing is way loose, and the front wheel wants to bind sometimes if its been sitting for a while and a don't drive off right when I first leave. I have a set of XJ 4wd knuckles with good unit bearings, just needs rotors and pads. Theyve been sitting on my patio for the last 6 months since I installed the HP 30 in my ZJ and couldnt use them. Now I guess I have a use for them. I have, sitting in front of me, a new front exhaust pipe and o2 sensor that I need to install, I'm sure that will help the truck run better too since the current pipe has several holes, and the 02 sensor looks original! I also just pulled the 2.5" flowmaster from my ZJ, so i think Ill use it too. I just ordered a whole bunch of new parts for my ZJ, so Ill be working on it for a while, but if the MJ can hold out until I am done with it, it will get the royal treatment and get stripped and rebuild.

There was a Jaguar disc brake dana 44 setup like this on CL within the last week around here. I have no use for it, but I wanted it anyway :D thats definately not a HMMWV axle though.

Yeah, you don't need one for carrier removal, but thats not it specific intended purpose. A case spreader is an installation tool. Usually a long pry bar/screwdriver will do the trick for removal, or threading a rag in between the pinion and ring gear will also force the carrier out.

Technically, you do need it for setting up dana axles. Youre supposed to spread the housing during install to properly preload the carrier bearings. You can get away with not using one though, but I have found they are very useful for new diff setups, especially if the axle is still in the vehicle. Its not a very sophisticated tool though, ebay seems to have better prices than retail, Id probably go that route.