Incommando

Much of the credit belongs to Hornbrod

From what I have read they all need to be modified for an MJ

My first new car was an '85 Charger 2.2. My second was a garnet & silver '86 Shelby Charger. Anyone who would drive on those tires or trust most of the other rubber goodies.....

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/cto/4974772944.html

Rough Country has its fans...but a lot of people dislike them, too. Most of the fans seem to be due to their being about the cheapest kits around. I hated my RC kit on my first MJ. It rode terrible. I am disappointed in Hellcreek for their partnership with RC. Their are also other spring pack options such as General Springs. Another route is to piece the front together yourself. You can find components on Ebay, Amazon, etc... You need at minimum springs, lower control arms, shocks, and IMHO an adjustable track bar. The 4.5" kits rarely include a track bar, though. They just have you re=drill your current mount to relocate the factory bar. The front hard brake lines can be re-routed to work. Just one example of each component form a google search: http://www.amazon.com/Rubicon-Express-RE1310-Coil-Spring/dp/B006GJKBGC Springs $120 http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/IR-SHDCA.html Control arms $130 http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/11092.html Track bar $130 http://www.rustysoffroad.com/jeep-suspension/jeep-trac-bar-panhard-bar-items/jeep-xj-cherokee-84-01-mj-comanche-84-9-adjustable-track-bar/rustys-track-bar-adjustable-front-stock-tj-xj-zj.htmlShocks $380 This route looks expensive but by the time you add the uber expensive shocks that you want it would all be like this. The shocks make this about $750 just for the front. In the rear the MJ & XJ leafs are not only different lengths but the XJ is SOA while the MJ is SUA. That and the length make a difference in what it takes to lift each model. The rear shocks also mount differently which effects whether their length would be correct. If you want to buy a complete XJ lift if you think that is your cheapest route to save some money you might consider buying an AAL kit. You may or may not make the price difference back on re-selling the complete leave pack. Although a short add-a-leaf has some draw backs a well-made full length AAL is a different story. An inexpensive complete MJ kit that goes this route is the Zone Kit. Zone is a division of BDS Suspension and they have high ratings for quality and service. https://zoneoffroad.com/display?ma=6&yr=1987&mo=140&ca=78 . Or another http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/10442.html as the least expensive AAL lift that would work for 32's. Or try the http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=31936&gclid=COrW6LC6lsUCFQYHaQodj4UAjg&zenid=54706b56627f4a94555c53d176a36b7bif price is your big factor This kit allows you to upgrade the shocks from the start: http://www.rustysoffroad.com/rustys-mj-comanche-4-5-spring-pack-kit.html I know what I would do. Others know what they would do. The options are endless. Now what do you want to do? :crossfingers:

I am still trying to figure out how to lower my SOA rear without removing any leaves. The pack is soft and flexy now. If I went to the XJ shackle it looks like it would hit before flexing out?

I used a piggy back into the fuse block. This is an example of what I used: http://www.allbatterysalesandservice.com/browse.cfm/4,2955.html . You just pick a slot in the fuse block that you know is only hot with the key on. Easy. I then used this switch that I took from a Cherokee: Image Not Found It is the top one in this rear pic: Image Not Found It has 4 wires: one purple/white for power in. One brown/white for power out. two grounds which I believe makes the indicator light come on to show the lights are on. I am not using them as fog/driving lights but rather as off-road lights. I want to be able to turn them on/off at will.

Dang! Now it can even fly! :thumbsup:

Although the Deegan is pretty new and doesn't have the track record of the others it sounds like it provides what you say you want from a tire and at the best price. I have never owned either but I wheel with guys who have the MTZ. If you mean mud as in real "gonna eat your jeep" mud I would not recommend them from my observations. Thye are more like an aggressive A/T than a true M/T in that respect.

Cut up Cherokee

They are on the shelf at your local McAuto parts places.

I replaced mine without removing either, you just have to work with it. And yes the tank does mount to the bed so if you went that route you would just drop the tank. Those bed mounting bolts can be a bear to get out without busting either the bolt off or the captive nut loose. Sometimes you can remove the tank by placing a board about the size of the tank on you floor jack and gently jacking it up. I got lucky and could slip the j-hooks out of the bed mounts this way.

I love those Deviles. I had a '72 for awhile

We remember the cars of the "good old days" too fondly. They did not handle well, brake well, they were not that reliable in many ways, and their performance was not as good as we think it was. You had better be in your game to go light to light with a V6 Accord. And it will out-brake and out-handle most all of the cars of the era. And safety? No comparison. I had a '65 Corvair Monza for a few years.... Fun car.

How did you apply your monster liner?

Where I wheel it is invariably very tight trails with tree trunks and branches squeezing in, as well. Such pin stripes are the norm. Although this may not be important in more wide open areas I value the ability to easily repaint and cover-up the "oopses." Flat or satin colors, especially black, are good for that. Spray cans do give the ability to more easily mask the repair by using the same product. I just put a black bed on mine and I will be repainting the truck now. I am thinking of going with Rustoleum through a gun and then hoping the rattle can version matches it for the inevitable touch-ups. A gallon of Rustoleum is $30 here so I can probably do it all for $100 or so. Tractor/Implement paint is about the same price and also comes by the gallon and by the can so I may go that route.

Valve seals is what popped into my head first, as well.

I cut the rust off and used TJ rear flares to cover the larger openings. I also used TJ rear flares on the front to match. I did the cut and fold behind the wheel well. Came out decent

Ohhhh

Hornbrod you really should be using a boar-bristle brush to apply that particular paint.

Ok...WTH is" Kelley's WIP?"

This.

and two different widths for the FSj's and a width for the MJ...so at least 5 different widths think? 3 different lug bolt mounting patterns?

I don't think you are going to find anything OTR ( off the rack) but a search, especially in the DIY section, will probably turn up some custom versions.

Maybe the HO was smaller but I moved mine to almost the same spot. I pointed the bottom down and it slide right in there.