DirtyComanche

I got in a really good pissing match with somebody over this once. He resorted to calling me names; so I think I won. Anyways, the short and simple answer on them is they cause the engine's powerband to be shifted slightly upwards in the RPM range slightly. Which is an effect caused by them mimicking a longer intake runner. This means you get a higher peak HP (by like 2-3!) and a lower peak torque (by like 2-3!). They are more effective on an engine that is built to rev high. Ones with spirals don't help anything. And yes, they are avaliable for the renix. Better yet - make your own. At least you'll have learned something doing that. And there's lots you can do for the perfomance of a 4-oh. I'm not one to bother, but if a guy is willing to spend some time (not money) you can make some pretty respectable power out of them. Anyways, about the renix and the HO. Well. I hate both of them. But I hate the HO more (personally). For some reason they eliminated the knock sensor in the HO which, while not a huge deal on a truck engine, ment they went to a static timing curve. The result was a less efficent engine with poorer fuel economy; and less power output if equipped with the same head. Besides, I hate a check engine light. I'd probably just take the bulb out the first time it came on. Every issue I've had with the renix is my own neglect and my unrelenting urge to modify things that should be left well enough alone.

Those weird twisted wrenches? Do they actually work? I always just hit the wrench with a hammer if it's stuck... Or lock another one onto it, or get a peice of pipe.

Did you get the jack too? Because while it doesn't help you, I threw out about 3 of those...

This was a no brainer. I needed a flat belly. And a skid or two. Besides, while stock tranny crossmembers are cheap, they just don't hold up... So, I started by buying some steel. Image Not Found I was at over $100 by the time I got out of there. But the plate was only about $50. Which wasn't bad seeing as they have to cut it out with the plasma table which totally messes their scheduling. It's only 10g, or 1/8" if you will. But I can work with it. The frist step was to get my current crossmember out... While that shouldn't be hard, I don't have a decent jack to lift my tranny with the front end up in the air (new shocks, er getting to it.) So it involved a lot of swearing. That and I locked the bolts that hold it in place with the lincoln... Eventually it came out. Image Not Found Of course, I also welded my tranny crossmember on. I just never seem to have the right bolts... Oh yeah, it's ghetto. Image Not Found Finially can throw this one out! Then I started mock-up. And pretty much the $#!& hit the fan right away. Image Not Found But it fit. Image Not Found Then I realized the ghetto tranny mount couldn't be re-used. I had zero clearance (see the rubbing - there's a LOT more) and it was now going to mount the tranny 1/2" higher! Image Not Found So I took the ghetto mount... And stole the bushings because they cost me $20. Image Not Found Cut, drilled, tacked up a new one. This one is way better. Image Not Found Yeah, I know the bushing sleeves are different lengths - they're scrap exhaust tubing. Then welded on a new crossmember for the mount.... And WARPED IT TO $#!&! Image Not Found Which is entirely because I'm an idiot. Anyways, I pressed on and ribbed the front skid, then got some paint on it. It warped really bad in the end and I'm not very happy with it. I can remake it later if it is a problem.

No, they're for an inverted T steering setup to remove the inherent dead spot. Which is caused by the tie-rods rolling as you turn. JCR offers a poly spacer with their stuff that does the same thing. I was even cheaper and just used drilled out 3/4" washers to bind the passenger side TRE.

Not saying you're wrong, because I have never seen any spring rates given by the factory, but what's the source of these numbers? I know that stock Cherokee rear springs are much heavier than that, and usually the front springs are stiffer than the rear because they carry the engine. I thought factory fronts would be around 180 to 200+ pounds-per-inch. I'm not sure, spring rate confuses me as nobody 'knows' for sure and the lift companies don't answer anything truthfully. And the calculation is just a PITA. But, I can tell you this. My 6.5" rusty's XJ coils (apparently 150, but maybe 180?) were STIFFER than my stock springs. Which seemed reasonable just eyeballing the thickness and number of coils and putting my weight on them (I did not bother to work it out). I have always said that stock springs are 138~ lbs per in. Barring that you have two front coils, so that's 276lbs per inch on the front. (Which is also why I think the guys with 'heavy bumpers' buying longer springs are whack)

That's a $#!&ty deal. But the unfortunate truth is that things like that happen.

I'd do it, offroad or not.

They all are. It's a high-tolerance metric 12.9 bolt of some crazy sizing/pitch. And often the factory applied a coating of red threadlocker - making them damn hard to remove. Hence I just hacksaw everything.

My junkyard doesn't allow torches, body saws, oils, compressed air (pfft), generators (double pfft), etc in. Cordless sawzalls are okay. But I don't own one, only a hack saw. So it can take a while to pull an axle. But 8.8s are easy enough, just cut the u-bolts, cut the brake line to the frame, cut the sway bar, cut the VSS wire and cut the driveshaft. Then pull the heavy POS out from under there and load it into the cart by yourself. Be sure to squich at least one finger in the process. Okay, that's not so easy.

Have you ever heard of a scale?

Don't worry, it'll take me at least 2 weeks to go out and take the pictures needed to finish my write ups.

It actually works really well for tire balancing, especially if you think to do it when you're getting the tires mounted :roll:

That's how you get tough feet. And those tires are going to stick out like mad! But, as long as that's not illegal it's a decent thing.

Damn clean looking truck. People should stop posting nice ones. I don't need to have to buy another truck right now.

Post it in the projects forum as a 'How-to' and maybe I'll get around to finishing my how-tos on P/S pump modding, swapping in a 'isuzu rear, and maybe a few other tricks that are on my truck. Then Pete can perhaps make a room for how-tos with nothing else in it.

There was two generations of those seats. The earlier ones actually were formed to the shape of a real human being - or at least close. The later ones aren't modelled to anything human, and thus hurt like mad. Oh, and they padding covers for them, which makes them a little better. Still not something I'd sit in for 8 hours. I'd be interested if anybody finds some seats that are comfortable and I can get out of the wrecking yard. My XJ ones are kinda broken.

The reason I used lead - they're about 100X more dense. Oh, and they sell them by the pound, making life easier.

I'd probably have waited to burn on the perches/mounts before paint :nuts: But then, I can't talk, I didn't even paint my front D44 when I put it in. I was all pissed off and in a hurry so it just didn't get done. :roll:

I'm kicking myself now. I mounted it pretty high when I re-did it last time. But, not high enough... Anyways, is there any decent header to tranny (cross-over) pipe kits out there? Ya know, a couple straight peices and some bends that a guy can tack together how he wants? Cheap would be good too... Although, I probably don't have time to order one. Or should I buy some more tubing and bend another one myself? Maybe put a flex coupling (cost like $50) immediatly after the header and then solid mount the thing to the inside of the frame after the crossover? It isn't mounted to the tranny mount as is, it kinda flops around under the truck. But it is solid mounted to the cab after the flex coupling in the rear. But, that was so the stack would be solid mounted - and not hit the cab. Pic for those that are unframiliar. Image Not Found Alternatively I can probably cut about 3-4" out from under the stack in the rear (the clearances get weird) and just bottle jack the whole mess back up and weld it back together. It might be easiest but I'm not conviced it'll work. I think I might really crack the already cracked header. Oh, how close can I get it to the floor before the carpet goes up in smoke? It's tight now, but I'll be putting it about 1/2" off the floor. It will be a confined area - full belly skid is going on!

There's no magic to how they work. You can use LOTS of things. Sand, water, anti-freeze, marbles (uh), BBs, airsoft balls, golf balls (doesn't work as well). Personally I use BBs. Cheap, avaliable, good weighting and work well. And you can fudge the amount by a fair factor, just remember 'some is good, more is better'. I seem to recall I used about 8 ounces for 35s. I didn't bother to balance the MT/Rs but I should do it if I remember sometime.

No rust? Umm, what's that on the door?

As southlake said, the sleeve will push out. So will the bushing if you want. It's somewhat annoying as the rubber compresses while you're pressing it out. It's easiest if you have a large enough vice to put it in a with a large socket on one side and a small one on the other. If the sleeve is seized to the bushing the whole mess might just pop out.

A dude with a CNC plasma... Not a 4x4 company of any sorts, but he does what he calls 'industrial art' for a living. He wanted a set for himself, so he offered to do a run of them.

My beadlock rings are in the mail! They were cut 3 weeks ago, but I had them done as a favour, so I wasn't expecting them to be taken out for shipping in a hurry. Hopefully they'll show up before the weekend.