Naterenfo1

I caught my jaw dropping, and drool forming as I read through your build... So friggen sick!!!! Also, what do you do for a living? I think its pretty clear I need to quit my job and do what you do! You definitely have wicked awesome fabrication skills! Keep up the good work, this is a cool thread to read!

If you have a renix 4.0 you could put a 4.0L H.O. head on for a performance upgrade. Its not going to be plug and play though.

Well, I would say swapping the 5 speed is going to be easier than swapping a 700r4, seeing as the truck is already set up for a manual tranny (floor cutouts, no column shifter, no oil lines/oil cooler etc) and running 38"s your going to need big lift 8"+ with large offset rims, and big axles. I'm guessing this is going to be an off road rig based on the fact your running such large tires, so I would look at taller gears also. I would say 4.10 and numerically higher. Those stock axles will hardly be able to push those big tires on dry pavement without breaking. as for 15" rim.... I think D60's are usually set up for at least 16" rims brake clearance wise. I would say a well built Dana 44 and a 9" rear would put you in good shape. I would plan on spending ALOT more than $1000 for all the work your looking at.... if $1000 is your budget, you would be MUCH better off just swapping in another 4.0L which can be readily found for $400~ and putting some reasonably sized tires on like 31x10.50's which you could extremely likely find used with rims for another $400~ and use the last $200 for either a Dana 44 rear end, or a Chrysler 8.25" rear end. Your going to be looking at a ballpark $3-5K for what you want to do, and thats if you have a shop with metal fabrication equipment already. Don't let me hold you back though! do what your heart desires, its your Jeep! Good luck! -Nate

Always loved to get ideas and look at the build page on this rig! A well deserved congratulations is in order!!!

Ordered a D30 Lock-Rite axle lock today! Can't wait to install! Been running around in my 96 XJ w/ locked 8.25" in the rear and keep getting stuck in the snow! always a front wheel hang up, so the locker seemed like a good buy to me!

I'd like to say that I called Devin today (our new contact) and had EXCELLENT service. We talked for a while about his 88 MJ and his 92 XJ. also he is working on a 94? grand cherokee. I scored a D30 lock rite locker for $214 shipped to my door! Highly recommend ordering from Devin! I had previously had a membership card from Rob that I of course lost, and Devin went and found my information, updated it and gave me the discount no questions asked.

Got around to working on the MJ today; a whopping 20 degrees Fahrenheit outside! I ordered a new gas tank (18 gallon) from RadiatorClassic on Ebay. The reason for ordering a 18 gallon VS. a 23 gallon was simply price. I found the 18 gallon for $110 bucks, vs. the 23 gallon for roughly $200~. Installed the tank and fired the truck up and found another issue.... truck will start, then dies out immediately like a lack of fuel issue. It will then start and fire again, and die the same way as the first time. The third time you start it, and give it a little throttle, she stays running (you can take your foot off the throttle and it will continue to run). It does this regardless of being warm, or cold. My initial thought was the ballast resistor, so I tried replacing that and no good. So, I took the two connectors on the ballast resistor and wired them together. Still doesn't help. I am going to get a fuel pressure gauge and check to see what I got. Any clues as to what might be causing this? I also replaced the ground cable today, the other was extremely corroded and the coating was burnt off. I had an issue with the fuel pump not turning on, so I swapped relays around and BAM! fuel pump worked perfect. and MOST important progress of the day- I got the opportunity to drive my MJ for the first time :D very exciting! I simply cannot wait to get this thing into action!

X2 theres a vacuum plug on the passenger side near the stock upper control arm mount. With 6" of lift, the vacuum lines on mine were not long enough to leave the connector plugged in, so had to re-route the hoses a bit to get it to fit correctly

Check your sway bar links- make sure they are tight with a ratchet, otherwise my next guess would be a balljoint

Crawled under the MJ this weekend and mine looks pretty cruddy... Still interested?

I'll check my '90 pioneer and see if it is intact tonight or tommorow, I would be happy to send it to you if I am able to take it off.

Woop! Got some rubber for the MJ until the lift comes around! 235/75/R15 BFGoodrich AT/KO's! Keeping my eyes open for a set of turbines! Might even use a set of Dakota wheels, if the price is right. Also, stopped at the local JY to see if there was anything decent there. Found a couple vehicles that were fun to look at, but everything else there was, well, junk to say the least. Here's my best finds and for the Beetle lovers.... Also, was reading on some other people's problems on the tech section and found out my Ballast Resistor was bad! SOOO, popped a new one in and she starts like a champ! That's all for now folks!

I always bleed the brakes with the engine running? Haven't hurt anything yet!

Nice job on the frame plating!

Buy a junked/rolled XJ, remove all engine components, and electrical components from your 86 including your wiring harness. The firewall on your truck might work, and it might not its a crapshoot. If not, Apply sledgehammer directly to center of firewall. Repeat until appropriate clearance is achieved. the radiator support in the front will have to be removed and the one from your junk XJ can probably be used if its not toast! Thats the best I have figured out so far... Search "Project Damien" for more info! I believe Drachir459 has a write up going for it :MJ 1:

You sir have gotten a ton done in not a whole lot of time! I commend you on your progress! Definitely a fun build to read! :thumbsup:

Diggin the setup so far! How hard was it to tuck a 9" axle under there?

I would NOT get a mud tire if I were you. A mud tire is great if your only concerned about the snow, when it comes to ice a mud tire is junk. If ice is any concern at all, I would suggest the BFGoodrich All-Terrain TA/KO. Its siped really well so it holds the snow into the tire, and uses the snow trapped in the tire for traction. The outside lugs throw snow, so basically only the center of the tire holds the packed snow in. A 235/75/15 is what I ran on my 2wd Ford Ranger and they did really well in the snow and ice. I drove on alot of packed snow, and alot of fresh stuff and the TA/KO did excellent. Rotate them alot though, they wear quickly! I've been through the snow a couple times, I'm from MN :thumbsup:

The She is currently inside the new owners garage, getting frame re-inforcements and a dash made out of diamond plate for plow season! He is treating it really well, he might even break down into some body work on it! progress will be slow, I showed him the CC website, he checked it out for a bit, I don't think he created a username though. ONTO THE GOOD STUFF!!! Great news! The freakin' AC still works!!!!! Man this thing is great!

Great news! I'm back into an MJ! This time I have done my homework and chose a "not" total pile of $#!& MJ to begin with! As some of you may know, I traded off my 86 MJ for a pretty bad @$$ car-hauler trailer. I thought it was a good deal, and I still think it was. The other day I decided that my 01' Super-Duty needed a rim and tire upgrade! here's how that turned out..... Anyway, had the old set of rims and tires sitting around (stockers) and realized... HEY! There's a dude at my work with an MJ, who also has an Excursion that might need a set of rubber... So, I traded my tires/rims with him and scooped up his 1990 4WD 4.0 Pioneer MJ! Its a long box, with bucket seats, grey exterior with a maroon interior thats in decent shape! 189,000 Miles, Features an NP231 T-case, D30 front, rebuilt D35 rear, AW4? transmission. Only problems (besides the normal rusting of just about everything, including floors) I found, was a rotted fuel tank. Doesn't hold more than 2 gallons of fuel! So, I am on the search for a fuel tank! Still have to get it out of the enclosed trailer it currently sits in and throw her into my garage for a major clean-out session! Here are some teaser pics until tomorrow! Sorry I couldn't take more revealing shots! The rig started right up with a fresh battery and a gallon of fuel, drove into the trailer just fine, all the lights work (woop woop!) and no awkward clunking or banging noises when she was put in gear. I am PUMPED! Plans currently, are to strip down this XJ.... '96 with a 4.0 H.O, NP231, AW4, 6" RC Lift, 8.25" 4.10 rear axle with a detroit, front non disco D30 axle with 4.10, Bilsteins, extended brake lines and 33" tires And mush the two together! Since this will end up being a trail/rock truck, I am planning on doubling the 231s for an ultra low gear ratio. . On-board air via the AC compressor is also being planned out! Anyway, thanks for tuning in so far, will upload some new pics tomorrow after I take some with the MJ out of the trailer.

I thought it was a pioneer? I could be wrong on the year. but its silver, with black striping? I'll have to shoot some photos and re-confirm :P

Well, no progress has been made on the ol' MJ since my last post, and unfortunately I let my old MJ go today. I traded it to a friend at work for a double axle car trailer! His plans for the MJ are to either put a snow plow on it, or take the bed off, chop the frame down and turn it into a super awesome trail machine! Sad to see it go, but already found one to replace it! a '90 Pioneer grey/black long bed with a 4.0, automatic trans, NP231 transfer case, d35 rear axle. Bed is shot, floors are shot, but the price is right, and It will be a beautiful trail machine when I am done with it! Plans are to steal my 8.25" rear end out of the rear of my XJ, double up the 231 with the donor 231 from my XJ, take the H.O. components from my XJ and swap them into the MJ, Steal the 6' lift components from the XJ and build my own 4 link long arm lift with a coil sprung rear end. Probably going to either take the bed off, and extreme shorten the frame, or bob the bed. This pony will be a trail machine! Not sure how long it will be before I pick up the new MJ, but having a new trailer certainly helps, oh yeah, and a new to me F-250 Super Duty Diesel helps out also :brows: Thats also a shot of the trailer, and my trail XJ. Love that XJ!!!! I will still browse the forums as usual until the new MJ comes along, and I referred the new owner to Comanche Club, he will certainly be joining! JEEP ON!

Yep, take out the transfer case, use the shifter connection and shift it from 2wd, to 4wd, and spin the front output shaft. If the rear output shaft moves when the front one moves 4wd works. you could even get crazy and check 4wd low by shifting it all the way forward. anyone else can chime in, but thats how I would check it. It has to be a 231J if you want any chance of it fitting in your jeep. Don't waste your time with a 231C.

You can bet I will be there! I can think of at least 3 others with their own rigs who can come also, I was planning a trip exactly like this around the same date with a couple buddies :cheers: Whether I come in an XJ or an MJ is the only question :dunno:

Thats right folks- looking for a good condition Tie rod, and drag link assembly for a 93-98 ZJ. Doesn't have to be perfect, but does have to be off of a v8 model, as they are thicker. Will pay fair price, and shipping of course. PM me if you have anything, or know anyone who does. Thanks! -Nate