Bonkers

Hey guys! I was hired to run my GBR this weekend so I figured while I was at it I might as well draw up a new CC list. So this is a Special Edition, hope you enjoy. There is a Daully and 3 - yes 3! Diesels so hopefully your dream Mj is listed somewhere below. Enjoy!

Have an 88 4.0 Ba10. Refused to get into gear in when hot in hot weather. - replaced slave - refuses to go into gear when hot. - replaced slave again - refuses to go into gear when hot. - replaced clutch, fly wheel, 3rd slave - refuses to go into gear when hot. - swapped to an Ax15, new clutch - refuses to go into gear when hot. - replaced slave with a NOS master/slave... You guessed it, it now doesnt want to go into gear when it gets hot... I'm at a loss...6 master/slaves, 2 clutches, 2 flywheels, new transmission and I'm still having a shifting issue (can't get into 1st or 2nd after about 40min of driving...) What am i missing????

Kevins a great guy, and has that magic "rare-jeeps- fall-into-his-lap-all-the-time gene" i can only dream of having, but hes not a comanche guy. Hes a breaker. So if you really want a specific part, let him know. I'm sure once the money gets to a certain point he'll start parting it out.

I know this guy, if he doesnt think it can be saved then trust me, it cannot be saved. He told me the truck has severe undercarrage rust and structural cracking throughout the unibody.

So... i am removing everything for paint, its all coming out of the truck regardless of decision... 1) Keep the 88 Renix setup, stroke motor. B) Swap 91 motor/harness, rebuild motor. 3) Swap 91 harness, stroke motor. So far the only reason i havent started my rebuild is the unability to find an HO tank/pump/sending unit. Ive literally searched nationwide for years now without a single working example popping up. It doesnt sit well with me having a system that i can't basic find parts for BEFORE i even install them... however, reliabilty is formost, i don't want to be stuck in Wyoming (not that i have anything against Wyoming mind you, its just as far from beach resort as i can imagine) needing something basic and not being able to get hold of it.

Ill look more into it over on the stroker websites, I really appreciate the help guys. Ill keep you posted on where i land.

Yeah, sorry, but Hesco lost my business back when i was looking into strokers the first time. I can't remember who it was, but they quoted me a price on a built motor, then added shipping, THEN they wanted me to pay for building the shipping crate. I don't care how good of a builder you are, but if my potentail $5k+ isnt worth your time, then i couldnt agree more.

And i really appreviate that advice. Once the build begins I plan on researching the hell out of these details, but in the prep stage theres just too much information to sort through... especially for someone like me. Are there any other builders worth looking into? Hesco and I are not on good terms because of their shipping practices.

Sorry John, i didnt see your post on page2 at first. But didnt Don add a lift and 32s to offet the gearing? Thats not a plan for me, but I'm not opposed to 4.11s. Its just sounds like alot of gear for 80mph dashes through the corn feilds of mid-america on 29s/30s... If towing is going to be a defeating factor i can certainly drop that from the equation.

Thats actually a lot less than I'm expecting. So, back to the topic. Driving from delaware, to florida, to alaska, and maybe bolvia... will a stroker be able to handle the endurance?

Yeah, i was being ironical... this jeep will be the 3rd most expensive car ill ever own and i have no regrets about that. Please understand my confusion - if stroking a renix and HO is "basically the same" then why would having an HO Stroker the "best of both worlds." Starting in the next couple of weeks, Gracie is being stripped down to uni-frame. Everything comes off and out. I bought a 91 HO to rebuild and swap everything over once the bodywork is done. I was told before to ignore the strokers because they were not reliable.

No, I'm planning on spending a $#!&load of money on this build. I already have more planned on the rear axle than i originally spent buying the entire truck.

Which is why I'm asking. I'm a driver, not a gearhead so i know exactly what i want, and i know its well within the realm of possiblity, its just getting there...

ARB told me when i asked about lockers for the 3.07s. They told me the highest ratio kits for the D30 and D44 had to be at least 3.55/6 but preferrably 3.73+. Clearly I'm no mechanic, but when the guys who build the product tell me it doesnt exist, i tend to believe them. Also, i was under the impression that there was no difference in stroking a 4.0 renix vs 4.0HO. So do you think stroking both the 91 HO motor AND swapping in the components would be the more ideal choice? Or are you saying to swap in a stroked 97 HO (which would be a huge PITA since I'm not changing the interior to that crummy soft-edge look.)

I was thinking 3.55s since those are the highest gears ARB makes a locker for AND will be the most forgiving (fuel effiecent) for 2000+ mile treks. I don't plan on towing more than 100 miles, maybe 2-4 times a year so its not the primary focus... however the stock renix is definitely not up for the task. It can't even climb a steep hill empty.

Hey guys. I'm planning a restoration on my 88 Mj Gracie. After which i plan on driving her cross-country, and possibly towing a car to the track. Not planning on lifting, and i will NOT add a diesel or V8 - she will see some light off-road, but I'm building a factory-esque grand touring truck. That being said, when i asked a few years ago about building a 4.6 or swapping in an HO, the general consensous was that the 4.0HO would be a far more reliable and long-term motor. On that recommendation i bought a donor 91 Mj with plans to rebuild the motor and swap everything over... So i plan to start the teardown process in a few days and asked some questions on the FB page, and now the general consensous has gone the opposite direction - build the 4.6 and forget the HO. I need to start making long term plans so i need some good info - logically i think a 4.6 would be better at towing and xcountry travel, but I'm worried I'm not going to see the 100k+ miles of dependabilty id expect from the HO. I'm now also doubting the HO will have the bump in power i was initially hoping for. Please help me find direction here. I want to build the right jeep.

Maybe the Xj was a first generation set? They look similar, but thers no question that jeep has cheap AR steelies as the power sprockets, and those welds arent exactly professional... ... Hehehe... the site doesnt work either... can only get three links to open, one of which is the classified: Standard treads, refurbished $7500... I'm guessing $10k for a new jeep set? I will give credit where due though, that warranty is much beefier than i would have expected. I'm sorry, but i am still not a customer. I think a set of Mattracks would be insanely fun if i had that kind of disposable cash laying around, but for $8-15k those look way to fragile to trust in the real world.

This is the cheapest Mattrack they make for road use, look at how much internal structure is there verses the ones on that jeep:

Oh c'mon - the tracks themselves might be produced, but look at that Xj - the main drive wheels are american racing stock steeles attached to two 2" box iron supports (which look exactly like my old engine stand insert BTW). I bet you can find the blueprints on pintrest somewhere. The biggest issue with tracks is the lateral torsion created when turning. The front and back of the track has to plow past the axis to turn the track which is also why you have to re-enforce the frame and steering. That little single peice of 2x2 doesnt look strong enough to hold up the truck, let alone the stress of turning on a dry surface. I could be wrong, thet might work beautifly and a VERY cheap alternative to the $20,000+ Mattraks, but I'm not seeing these being backed up by any manufacturer. I see these being built in an outhouse by two guys named Darryl...

don't be too sure - look closely, those tracks are homemade or at least look homemade. They might function, but they make me nervious just looking at the pics...

So its an upgraded stock swaybar... that i can understand! I did not know they came in two different sizes.

No, if you offer a unit at $175, but then not sell it because you think you can get more later, THATS a mark-up game. And the first time you do it to me is the last time we do business. Now i don't know yet if thats what they did, and most likely they sold the two units before i emailed them... my loss, fair play. But if two NOS units appear on ebay next week with $200 BINs, then J&W will have lost my business forever. I keep a list of people and companies i will never do business again with over $#!& moves like this. If everyone did that, alot of those scrub vendors would have folded years ago...

??? I'm mixfused... isnt this just a stock swaybar?

Well i wish them luck because i wasnt sure i was willing to spend $175+s/h the first time around. The next time they "discover" one sitting on a shelf somewhere my max bid will be $160 shipped. I don't play mark-up games with anyone...

"We do not have this part in stock, but please keep in touch as we are a junkyard and have new stock arriving everyday." - Neil from J&W Jeep