DirtyComanche

I have zero interest in running a WJ pump on this. I have one on my XJ, since it has hydro assist and really benefits from the increased flow. This is going to use a stock box, and like you said it's pretty much pointless then. I believe the pumps effectively interchange. I was going to use a HO pump if they didn't, and save my Renix pumps for rainy days. I have both but I'm not home to physically compare them.

Can you swap the power steering pumps between a Renix and HO? I know the bracket is slightly different between them, but I want to say the pump mounts the same and pulley offset is the same. Rockauto lists different P/Ns but that doesn't mean a lot.

Thanks. Looks like it will help a bit. I'll probably need more, even with moving the box forwards (and down). It's not my first rodeo with steering and track bars. "I know what I'm doing" Of course I'm still stupid enough to start a tech thread in the pub.

Due to major clearance issues I need to run a drop pitman arm. Or I think I will. ZJ is a 1" drop versus MJ, correct? Anyone gone aftermarket and found the results reasonable? I see lots of them list as a drop pitman arm for "YJ, TJ, XJ" etc when all of these used different arms to begin with, so it's a little hard to know what you're actually buying. I plan to order or track down a couple because it seems trial and error is often the best option.

There's a picture from the FSM with frame dimensions. I may still have it but I know I'd hosted it on Photobucket (which is gone). I'm not home to take another one from the FSM... But I'll look. Edit - I do not have it anymore, but anyone with an 89-92 FSM (it was a Chrysler drawing rather than an AMC one) should be able to get it for you, or look on Cruiser's site to see if he has a FSM in that year range.

What brand of bearings are in their kit? I'm in Canada so you'd have to deal with international shipping. Not sure if you want to do that.

I want to freshen up the NP242 I have sitting on the shelf. Application was 1987 XJ. It seems you can't easily get an OEM NVG chain from them anymore, but the Mopar number is still active and $300 USD online. Ehhh... Maybe I missed where I can get one. Is Cloyes any good? They're available and inexpensive. P/N appears to be 10028 if anyone could verify. For a rebuild kit it looks like the easiest one I can get is the SKF STCK242. Any reason not to? Last question is I have a 23 spline input from a 94 Dodge NP241DLD that I want to use in it. As far as I know it should interchange into the 242, the gear pitch is correct and I think they're the same bearing. Any idea if it isn't? I'm aware the input length is wrong for most things, but I'm bolting it to a TJ NV3550 so it will work.

Factory or fancy aftermarket brake controller integrator or something like that, from a Dakota...

Or braze... Pretty easy to do. I didn't really think about that, but I'd 100% do that before "just sending it."

Given how cheap a block is I'd get another one. Yeah, it probably will seal, but I had a truck that I fought with the rear main seal on and hated every minute of it. Personally I think it will be okay, but the two piece rear main seal is a weakness to begin with. I got $4.51 for the last block I got rid of. It was a NVH block too.

I'd like to assume mine is fairly obvious... It's DirtyMJ on lots of other forums though because apparently people thought I was a Comanche Indian, and 2drx4 on some others as that was the name of a build I abandoned. The problem with picking a handle that's not very imaginative is you're either stuck with it, or you can change at some point and then deal with having multiple handles. Ultimately I'm down to only 4 forums I actively post on at all, and one barely at that, yet out of them I'm using 3 different handles. Interesting. I'd always assumed you had an AMC Eagle at some point (you did, didn't you?) and it was from that. A local friend's wife calls me "White Feather", as in a white native Indian, because they knew me by my handle on Pirate for years before I ever met them. I guess I wasn't quite what they expected in person.

Good to see there's still owner/operators that care about there equipment.

If they're really seized in there they will smear. I think they mostly get a bad rap because guys don't hammer the socket on them if they're cruddy. I replace them... I replace a lot of hardware anyways. It's a consumable.

Yeah, the original starters were Mitsubishi, hence probably why they used a metric bolt for the one that threads into it...

It appears the bolts I'd included in the OP are in fact correct for the 4.0L.

I'm curious as to why the diesel version doesn't have a baffle/sump?

I've got a TJ NV3550 and a Renix 4.0L starter... What size/threads are the bolts? It seems like a 3/8" UNC (coarse thread) bolt threads in nicely to the bellhousing, and maybe a little looser on the starter but still okay feeling, but it could be some metric size that's close. Maybe M10x1.5? I seem to recall the Renix using one metric and one standard bolt because AMC. ...... An old post from HOrnbrod says 3/8x16x1-3/4" and M10x1.5x28, but the thread was about the 2.5L which definitely doesn't take those bolts... I'm thinking that's probably the answer.

That made me laugh.

Get the big fat elastic bands they use for broccoli or whatever and just wrap one around it all the time.

Agreed. Unless you have a love or need for the bench seat/middle seat, or you really like being able to shift from forwards to reverse without removing your hand from the wheel.

Knockoff factory mirrors are all over Rockauto, eBay and Amazon. Go junkyard if you want actual OEM, although it's getting harder to find any that aren't messed up.

I like it.

Depends what you're doing. Everyday driving I prefer a manual... Assuming you have some torque to back it up and a decent FI system and some weight to the flywheel that will let you lug it down. Mild 4x4ing I also prefer the manual, along with running snow or mud. More technical stuff and I prefer the auto as it decreases the workload significantly. Stop/go traffic, towing, hauling, I prefer an auto. Obviously modern autos with manual control and decent engine braking also help for that. I'll admit my diesel Dodge with the exhaust brake and 5spd was fun, more so than the auto version, but compared with a more modern diesel (Duramax) or high power gasser the fun does not make up for the pain in the @$$/leg. And I've only ever driving a column shift manual once... Fun, but not sure I'd want to do it all the time. There was a reason the kits to convert them to floor shift were popular. Also the column shift versus floor/console auto thing is dependent on usage and how the gates are set up. I'm pretty tempted to buy a Winters shifter for my XJ because I hate how it works so much.

Get a new/used one. They're typically in the $10-20 range from the wrecker...

There is somewhat universal tailgate handle locks out there, which could be something to look into. It would be great to be able to lock the tailgate with it. Half the reason I leave the topper/canopy on my MJ is so I can lock stuff back there, as it effectively jams the tailgate when locked. I hate it otherwise.