DirtyComanche

If you had money to spend, which one would you buy at this point in time? I want one for my rear D44. I don't have onboard air, nor any huge desire to do so as this isn't really a wheeling rig. But it could happen if need be. ARB, as I see it, is the old standby. It works, as it's a proven design. The install kit probably still comes with crappy fittings and hoses, although maybe they finally realized they should fix that. Plus you need air to actuate it, so more money or time working that out. Although having air in the future would be an advantage if you chose to upgrade the front locker to the same, or if you want to refill tires, or whatever else you like doing with air. Yukon offers the Zip Locker, which is sorta a ripoff of the ARB. But they actually listened to the customers and produced a better product. It also comes with new Timken carrier bearings and shims, which I don't think the ARB does. Fittings and hoses are supposedly okay, but I'd have to do more research. Again, you need air. A plus to me is they have a large dealer network, and I have a guy who does very nice pricing on Yukon stuff for me. Eaton offers the E-locker. It's electrically actuated. I hear good things about them, although early versions had reliability issues. I think now the biggest downside is the price. I don't know what is included in the kit, as far as if they give you carrier bearings and shims or not. Then there's OX. I don't know how big their dealer network is, it seems small, I can't get anywhere with that. However, it's considered to be a pretty damn strong and simple design. It was intended to be cable actuated, which is a complete no go in my climatic conditions, however I believe they offer both an electric or air actuator option for it. Also not sure what's included, if there is carrier bearings or shims. My biggest issue here is pricing just seems high once you go away from cable actuation. Did I miss any others?

On my MJ with an 87 XJ front D30 (first generation unit bearings) I swapped to the ZJ CV shafts. This is in my build thread too, but nobody reads those. Business end of a 260x shaft vs a CV shaft: Image Not Found I'd been told that the ZJ CV shafts were a bolt in swap. I'm guessing they might be for a later XJ, or an ABS equipped XJ. Using my early non-ABS unit bearings they are not. The tone ring, far left, had to be removed for the shaft to actually fit with the unit bearing. However, this left an issues, as there is a seal on the inner side of the unit bearing, which normally rides on the runner, far right, pictured as removed from the OEM 260x shaft. However, the machined surface that the tone ring is pressed onto on the ZJ shaft is a smaller diameter than the surface for the seal runner on the OEM shaft, so you can not just install the seal runner on the ZJ shaft. As it was I felt I needed to just get it put back together and installed it with the seal not running on anything, I packed the bearing face with grease to protect it for now. The debate (to me) is if the seal is actually needed, as IMHO it is a holdover from the original hub design which did not use sealed bearings. However, needed or not, it would help to protect the bearing from water/dirt. If I have to I believe I could center punch the mating surface on the CV shafts, then put the seal runner on with a little RTV or Loctite retaining compound, as it is maybe only 15 or 20 thou different in diameter (calibrated eyeball). I'm supposing this issue also could be that the CV shafts I bought are built goofy (they are A-1 Cardone), or perhaps the seal runner from a later 297x/760x shaft is the correct dimensions. Looking at unit bearings on Rockauto leads me to believe I am okay, as the major visual difference between the early (to 89) and later (90+) unit bearing is that they deleted the seal which would mate with the runner on the axleshaft. I did not check to see if later axleshafts even have a seal runner on them, or if it would be a different part number. Anyone able to shed any light on this? Would rather not tear it apart to bojang the wrong seal runners onto it, but I don't want to destroy an expensive set of brand new unit bearings.

Waiting on some parts. But I put the front axle back together and drove it to work. Terrible picture of the front end back together with all new BJs, wheel bearings, ZJ CV shafts, V8 ZJ tie rod and later XJ drag link: Shaft comparison: I'd been told that the ZJ CV shafts were a bolt in swap. I'm guessing they might be for a later XJ, or an ABS equipped XJ. Using my early non-ABS unit bearings they are not. The tone ring, far left, had to be removed for the shaft to actually fit with the unit bearing. However, this left an issues, as there is a seal on the inner side of the unit bearing, which normally rides on the runner, far right, pictured as removed from the OEM 260x shaft. However, the machined surface that the tone ring is pressed onto on the ZJ shaft is a smaller diameter than the surface for the seal runner on the OEM shaft, so you can not just install the seal runner on the ZJ shaft. As it was I felt I needed to just get it put back together and installed it with the seal not running on anything, I packed the bearing face with grease to protect it for now. The debate is if the seal is actually needed, as IMHO it is a holdover from the original hub design which did not use sealed bearings. However, needed or not, it would help to protect the bearing from water/dirt. I will have to do more research into this. If I absolutely had to I think I could have used the XJ seal runner, I would just have to centerpunch the ZJ shaft to produce a raised area and RTV or otherwise bond the seal runner on. I only was able to pull one seal runner at the time, and it was not in great shape, if I had two news ones I would have probably tried that to assemble them. Knuckle: In order to get the ZJ CV shafts into the knuckles I had to replace the zerk fitting in the lower BJ with a flush one. A non-greasable BJ would allso solve this. Either way, it worked in the end. Note these are some of the weakest knuckles with the windowed steering arm and seperate caliper mount. Anyways, all of this fixed my death wobble, camber issues, and allowed me to do a more proper alignment. I also installed a Lokka locker in the front axle, however I failed to take a picture, because nothing says reliable DD like buying the cheapest autolocker available.

This is probably one of the nicer taper inserts for steering: http://www.tmrcustoms.ca/steering/steering-builder-parts/tie-rod-end-inserts-jeep-taper-tj-lj-xj-zj-mj.html Basically drill the current tapered hole for the TRE out to that size, then weld that one in so the taper is revesed. There's a picture in my build thread of it, since I did exactly that.

I'd do something at that point. Honestly, the factory tie rod is complete junk for any use. The V8 ZJ tie rod and late model XJ drag link would not be a bad bet. Especially if you use a taper insert to flip the TRE on the driver's side knuckle.

Nobody said it was hack, so I just bolted it back together. Interestingly enough the knuckle does not seem to be in exactly the same vertical position as the other side. But I'm thinking it's unrelated and more to do with the fact that there's no valid way to measure it short of pulling the carrier and using an alignment bar.

Do you need the EGR? I wouldn't reinstall it. Or the stock airbox or anything to do with it. HO models didn't even have EGR. And the stock airbox is kinda just a big piece of junk, IMHO, but that's subjective. Late model XJs have nice premolded hoses for the heater. You don't need the valve, they didn't have one. I'd be more concerned about the lack of a battery holddown than anything else I see so far...

To clarify, this is an early front axle, 87 most likely. Non-integrated caliper brackets, and probably the lighest and weakest casting in that the steering arm is windowed. I believe they changed the design of the knuckle at some point so the adjuster isn't even there, but I could be wrong. Anyways, I'm changing the ball joints and the adjusters for the lower ball joints are beyond rusted in. I cut the one side out and replaced it. Really don't feel like doing this side. It is set at the correct depth, and appears to be the same as the one provided with the new ball joint, tested be sliding the ball joint in and seeing how far it seats into it under light pressure. Picture because you probably have no idea what I'm talking about: Image Not Found Basically it's a split bushing that is the correct taper for the balljoint. It's threaded in to allow you to adjust where the knuckle sits relative to the axle, since the upper balljoints are a more or less floating design. There's a fixed measurement that it's supposed to be at (about .20"~), so it's not like it's something you normally mess with it. Is it hack if I leave it in there and reuse it? There is no way I'm getting it out short of cutting it out with a die grinder, like I did on the other side. Normally they're far less rusted and you can just bust them out with the correct crown socket.

Wow, way more expensive than I would have hoped. Slightly cheaper on Rockauto (you have to search the P/N to find it), but still expensive. No generics? Dorman Help! line or anything?

Also, you can drive the gauge without a multimeter, just by grounding the wire for it, or removing it from being connected. It will confirm that it works. The issues is without knowing what wire it is, or what pin it is in a connector, it's not a lot of help. If you look at the printed 'circuit board' on the back of the cluster you can figure out which one it is. But like I said, grab a copy of the FSM and look at the diagrams, I'd just post them for you but Photobucket is completely useless now and will not allow me to upload from my phone. Edit, I wasn't thinking and wrote a pretty bad bit of advice in the first version of this post.

And? It stays where it was when shut off on a Renix.

I'd suspect a broken wire over a bad gauge. IIRC, the Renix sweep is 0-88ohm with 88ohms being full, if there is a broken wire it sees 'infinite' resistance and just pegs the gauge. The gauges in the Renix rigs are actually pretty reliable. I'd suggest heading over to Cruiser's site and getting a copy of the FSM, and doing some prodding with a multimeter, rather than just throwing parts at it.

Don't buy a MJ to tear driveline parts out of for another MJ. It's a waste. Buy an XJ Cherokee... And as said, there was major changes in 87, and GM 60* pattern 2.8L stuff is very different from the Jeep pattern 4L stuff. The simplest solution for you would be to find an 87-90 XJ with a 4L/Auto and steal the transmission, tcase, front axle, front driveshaft, shifter linkage, and all the other little bits out of. You will need to get your rear driveshaft cut down and balanced, or a new one made. The bonus of getting the XJ is it may have other parts you want, such as bucket seats, center console, better instrument cluster, tilt column, tow hooks, etc, depending on how it is optioned.

There's a seller on Amazon that just sells nets... I bought a big cargo net from them for very little money. Would have to look in my history to tell you their name, but I'm certain they would have a net for you for way less, just add some carabiners to it, or something of that sort, and you could hang it up like that hammock thing. As a bonus you could get one that was big enough to use as a cargo net or divider net if need be. Edit, seller's name is 'Net World' - Duhhh..

Does anyone know if the J bolts that the fuel tank straps attach to are available? Or if not the 'OEM' ones, a generic that will fit? I'm going to order a tank, and probably the straps, and it looks like the bolts will likely break. Last time that happened I wound up welding up new ones, would rather save the time and effort if I can just order them.

It looked like the tank was only leaking around the seam (half way point) so I pumped it down below there. Nope, it's now leaking from everywhere else too, although not anywhere near as bad. So it the Spectra Premium one off Rockauto okay? I can get it out of one of their Canadian warehouses, so it's not actually that bad for price ($200~). Also, I somehow missed it but the ujoints in the front axle are destroyed on this thing. I'm planning to pull the front diff cover later tonight, there's a chance that there is no point doing anything with this axle beyond swapping it for another one.

I doubt it will care.

Since I filled the gas tank it decided to pull the ol' Exxon Valdez trick. Guess I'll start researching my options. Otherwise I got nothing done, ball joints weren't in stock so I only got them today.

Just the pressure bottle cap (it's not actually an overflow tank). If the system is drained you often need to bleed it. A steep hill may help with this.

Was pretty sidetracked today but did change out the track bar for the RC one. Honestly, I wish I had just sold the RC track bar and bought a better one that actually included a new bracket and didn't use a heim in single sheer (which they didn't even bother to safety washer, huh? I made a safety washer). They also used a fancy smancy F911 bolt at the axle end, rather than having you oversize the hole or something like that, which wasn't a bad idea other than I was left scratching my head at why they would use a course thread in the application, it rather defeats the gains from going to the F911 over a Gr8. Anyways, long story short, the track bar I took out was probably perfectly fine and I highly doubt it was in any way a contribution to the death wobble. There is one TRE (right at the pitman arm) that is a little suspect, otherwise all of the steering was tight enough. Looking at the tires the driver's side is noticeably cambered in at the top. Ruh-roh. The balljoints aren't completely falling out of that side at least, in that there was no play in the tire when I had it on jackstand, but that doesn't mean a lot and I didn't put a prybar in it. My guess is I need to do the balljoints, but I will do more investigating tomorrow. Failing that the housing or C is bent and it should be discarded. Looks like I'm in for yet again more work.

Everyone is happy! Yay!

If you're running the whole 97+ EFI, yeah, it needs a cat and a rear O2. Or at least I assume it does because that's how I recall it being set up. However, you can delete the cat and buy a cheap simulator rear O2 sensor and it will (probably) not throw a code. The rear O2 does not impact engine operation, it is just to monitor emissions. If there is something wrong causing a lean/rich condition right now, it should probably still throw a code... However, if everything is original, yeah, replacing the O2 sensors and the cat would not be a bad idea. Along with doing all the other normal tune up items.

Rough Country. You couldn't pay me to run their shocks. As it is I've been waffling on even installing the track bar I have (came with the truck, new in box). Maybe their quality has improved dramatically in the last 10 years, it's not like they're actually building their own shocks, but I just avoid the entire brand.

Also the oil pressure gauge doesn't zero, and when I filled the tank it took more fuel than it *should* have and wrapped the gauge well beyond the full line. Yup, more awesome electrical. Until I get a speedometer cable I can't even go by the tripometer for approximate fuel remaining, which I religiously do in anything I drive.

I finally got it to the point that I threw some plates on it and made the entire 25km round trip to the gas station and back. Proof that it went outside. 8) It has a critical speed of 86km/h and then the deathwobble sets in hard. :grrrr: Lack of caster isn't helping. So I ordered some RE LCAs and I will throw the crappy RC adjustable trackbar on it, and I have some steering parts around that should help too. RE coils I put in compared with the ones that were in there: