meljr

What's a 1 Ton Dana 44 axle? They used to use D44s and such in 1-ton trucks. But that was a long time ago. And probably not what he's talking about. Metric Ton D44 rear??? Correct. My Bad.

I have one in my JK. The installation wasn't too bad and it worked OK for a few years, but not so much now. I'm thinking of replacing it. In the MJ, I'll probably go with a Cobra 29 something or a Uniden and mount it under the dash with a 3' fFirestick on the driver's front fender. HPIM1564 by Mel Lester Jr., on Flickr

I like the half doors.

SOA lift on 1 Ton Dana 44 axle with JK Rubicon Wheels and Tires at NorthRidge 4x4 in Silverdale, Washington. Will add details when I update the build thread.

Congratulations, I appreciate your postings and willingness to share your experiences and knowledge. -meljr

Congrats for staying with it and your tenatious diagnostic skills.

Congratulations on your great skills and what a nice Jeep stable. This recognition is well deserved. -meljr

I think I can do this. Would be interested in camping in my teardrop. -meljr

:agree: good point with respect to the Liberty. Hardly ever see one wheeled, however. -meljr

This is a write up of an easy do-it-yourself project that should not take more than 1 or 2 hours to complete. In fact, it took me longer to document it here than to do the project. I seem to be doing a number of electrical modifications lately and auto electrical systems have always seemed like one of the dark arts to me. Maybe that is because of all the English Sports Cars I have owned had (have) Lucas electrical systems. After all, they don't call Sir Lucas the "Prince of Darkness" for nothing and do you know why the Brits drink warm beer? Its because they all have Lucas refrigerators :rotf: ; but I digress. Anyway, I thought it might be somewhat helpful to share a few of the little electrical projects I have been doing in the hopes some of you may find the information useful, or maybe decide to take on a little wiring project. After all, if Mel can do it, you should have no problem at all. Please read this entire write-up before starting (especially the disclaimer at the end) and welcome to the virtual shade from the cedar trees in my driveway. This first project is to add an auxiliary fuse box. With all of the specialty lighting, CBs, air compressors, winches, inverters and just plain accessories needing an electrical power source, tapping into your factory fuse box, which may already be old and near capacity, is just asking for trouble down the road, or off the road, for that matter. Any cracks I made about Lucas Electrical systems are just as applicable to Jeep/AMC/Renix systems, so adding extra, fused circuits is a project worth considering. Here is the solution I am implementing in my 1989 MJ Comanche, which is a close cousin to the Cherokee XJ series: What is needed Fuse box with sufficient capacity (4-6 circuits would barely do it, 12 would cover just about any number of mods An in-line replaceable fuse capable of handing the combined load you anticipate adding to the new Fuse Box (carry a spare fuse) A cable heavy enough to handle the total anticipated load that is as short as possible to safely route from the fuse box to the positive (+) battery terminal A couple of ring terminal connectors for the positive (+) battery terminal and fuse box A butt splice of sufficient size to connect the in-line fuse to the cable between the battery and auxiliary fuse box Electrical tape and/or Heat Shrink tubing (preferred) and maybe some flexible automotive electrical conduit Wire ties and some miscellaneous hardware to secure the fuse box and cable run Common hand tools (e.g wrenches, socket set, screwdrivers and wire stripper/crimper and/or a heat gun for shrink tubing) A household, hand-held drill with an assortment of metal bits in case you need to drill a hole somewhere (I didn't) A soldering iron is optional; especially if you are a belt and suspenders kind of person. Here, I have crimped and soldered a ring terminal on the in-line fuse holder. It is advisable to position the fuse as close to the power source (battery) as possible. Now, I am test fitting the in-line fuse to the #4 cable that goes to the battery before crimping and soldering (in that order) the butt splice. The butt splice connectors (sample shown next to the actual connection) I purchased from the local NAPA store, already had solder inside, so I just had to heat both sides of the connection sufficiently to let the solder flow after crimping. Be sure your heat shrink tubing can be slid over the joint when you are done or otherwise insulate the connection prior to letting anything come into contact with the battery. Next, make up the ring terminal connection that will attach your cable assembly to the auxiliary fuse box. Locate the fuse box in a reasonably safe place that is readily accessible, as you may need to get at it quickly and be able to visually inspect for blown fuses or loose connections under adverse conditions. I bolted mine to the bracket that holds the Renix Turtle for the cooling system on my MJ which is next to the firewall on the the passenger side. If I had to do it again, I would have purchased a weather resistant or water proof fuse box, readily available at a good marine supply store or on-line at a reasonable price. Note the green test fuse in the fuse box. The exposed connectors will not be "live" until you put a fuse in the associated position. When the fuse box is secure, start installing the cable-fuse assembly by connecting the cable's ring terminal to the fuse box and routing the cable assembly carefully towards the positive (+) battery terminal. Make sure your fuse is correctly installed in the in-line holder and then attach your cable-fuse assembly to the positive (+) battery terminal. If you made it this far and passed the smoke/fire test, you can start installing accessory circuits from your new auxiliary fuse box. I will post an example of such a project in a few days. If you didn't pass the smoke test, the fuse should have saved you. If it didn't, don't call me as I disclaim responsibility for all acts of God or Humankind; call your insurance agent instead. -mel

It was pretty much bolt on and done. having to come up with a solution for mounting the license plate was harder than installing the bumper. Everything lined up as it should and slid into place. I'm not crazy about it, but it is certainly functional. -meljr

Well, we had 8 inches of snow yesterday and today is clear and in the 50F range. The reflective tailgate JEEP stickers I bought from Spencer, sure do light up at night. My back ordered IPF fog lights came in yesterday, so perhaps I can get motivated this weekend and get them installed.

A late season snow storm Monday night (it's now Friday and the power is still out) gave me the opportunity to use the stock 4WD extensively commuting 55 miles each way this week. It seems to work well and all other systems including the lights, brakes, wipers and heater work fine also. I have a vibration around 55MPH in 2WD, but it is nothing like death wobble, but I'll have to look into that when the snow melts. Overall, I am fairly pleased. -meljr

Sweet! I was trying to imagine what this would look like, now I know.

Well, I got enough done on the Comanche this afternoon to drive it out of the shop and back to the farm with no issues. Here are a few pictures after the JEEP stickers were applied to the tail gate and the rear license plate mounted: Hangin' in the field with my Dodge PowerWagon: Still have a few lights to install when they arrive and all the usual maintenance and small repairs to do while I try and recover financially enough to start the next phase of modifications. -meljr

Well, I got enough done on the Comanche this afternoon to drive it out of the shop and back to the farm with no issues. Here are a few pictures after the JEEP stickers were applied to the tail gate and the rear license plate mounted: Hangin' in the field with my Dodge PowerWagon: Still have a few lights to install when they arrive and all the usual maintenance and small repairs to do while I try and recover financially enough to start the next phase of modifications. -meljr

Actually, they come up fairly often. The particular dealer I got mine from had a pair of 88s about a year earlier. One was a pristine Olympic edition 4.0 4x4 longbed with no dings, scratches or rust. The other was a 4.0 2WD in red with a matching topper that looked like it had never been left outside at night or driven in the rain. He wanted less than $2,000 for either of them, but I passed, so when this one came up for $1,500, I took the plunge. -mel

Lots of small stuff to attend to, but it should be back on the road this afternoon. In the last few days we installed the new vinyl flooring, got most of the interior put back and even had all the screws and fasteners with nothing left over. Something to be said for tagging and bagging. It doesn't seem like it at first, but it sure saves time. This afternoon I have to install the rear license plate bracket and mount my auxiliary fuse panel to hook up the extra lights, future CB etc. The fog and flood lights are on backorder, but the wiring should be there when they arrive. Phase II will involve a SOA lift, gears and an ARB compressor with lockers when my bank account starts to recover. Laying down the flooring: Bumper, winch and D2 driving lights mounted: The money shot after seat was re-installed: -meljr

Lots of small stuff to attend to, but it should be back on the road this afternoon. Replaced the CPS yesterday and it's alive again! In the last few days we installed the new vinyl flooring, got most of the interior put back and even had all the screws and fasteners with nothing left over. Something to be said for tagging and bagging. It doesn't seem like it at first, but it sure saves time. This afternoon I have to install the rear license plate bracket and mount my auxiliary fuse panel to hook up the extra lights, future CB etc. The fog and flood lights are on backorder, but the wiring should be there when they arrive. Phase II will involve a SOA lift, gears and an ARB compressor with lockers when my bank account starts to recover. Laying down the flooring: Bumper, winch and D2 driving lights mounted: The money shot after seat was re-installed: -meljr

A beautiful truck and a great story to go with it. -meljr

Just took it off with a sawzall, sealed and painted. -meljr

The Rock 9 event presented by Superior Axle & Gear, Full-Traction Suspension & Bushwacker Kick off your Easter Jeep Safari 2012 this coming April 2nd 2012. Superior Axle & Gear, Full-Traction Suspension & Bushwacker is proud to announce the 9th Annual Rock event to be held at the world famous Area BFE in Moab Utah. This area is one of the most beautiful and scenic areas in Utah. The Rock 9 event will again present awesome trails for all skill levels within the 4×4 community. Guests will have an opportunity to meet Walker & Phyllis Evans onsite and join them on a trail ride. Games to win prizes & plenty of "arm chair racing" Afternoon BBQ will be provided by Superchips. So mark your calendars and don't miss out on this FREE admission event Here is a link to Area BFE location...... http://www.areabfe.com/location/ Even with the price of gas being what it is, I plan on being there. -meljr

I like CC on Facebook...

I just received an ACC vinyl floor covering (in blue no less) today from Rock Auto. I ordered this from them last week. This afternoon, I took it by the shop, unboxed it and set it out to flatten out for the next few days before I try to install it in the MJ. No pictures yet as my camera batteries need recharging. I dig the color, even though it is non stock and I'm glad I kept the old one around to use as a pattern for cutting holes. Will report more when I've actually done more. -meljr