DirtyComanche

Just because we're talking about caps, I'll throw out there that I've got a light blue one for a shortbox, and it's free if you pick it up. I don't have a bed anymore, so yeah... Not that anybody will.

No sense getting an 86-89 5spd donor (w/4.0) as you're going to wind up having to get a new tranny later... Best to do it right the first time. Psst - You don't need a lift to run 31s

Holy moly! You used RED Loc-Tite? What'cha gonna do when you need to change a hub/bearing unit, or replace the rear brake shoes? I think I would have started with purple, and maybe progressed up to blue if the purple didn't work. I don't use red on anything. Heat. That stuff breaks down at a fairly low temperature. Even a propane torch will do it.

I've got a set of doors that I'm going to do that too... Someday.

Which ZJ coils? There's 3~ different types. I think that the I6 versions will actually drop you an inch, if anything. The V8 versions are supposed to be 1" lift. I think they also have an 'up-country' option for ZJs, which would give you 2". I don't remember for sure. Did you take the stock coil isolators as well? You can stack them with the ones you've got and get a bit more lift. XJ 'up-country' coils are only an inch. I think.

Springs are quality. As I said, only their in-house stuff is crap. The springs are made by somebody else. Their OLD rear leaf packs liked to sag, but that was a couple years ago so unless you're buying used it'll never be a problem (those were for XJs/YJs anyways, not like you'd be using them). But anything made in-house is buyer beware.

You have 4.10s alright. Most 2.5s got them... Anywho, can I ask what those coils are out of? Variable rate coils are NOT a Jeep thing. If you ask me they look suspiciously like the coils ouit of a Ford thunderbird, mustang, or such... Look at the top coil and see if it is the exact same diameter as the Jeep ones. Anyways, if they are what I think they are they'll give you 3" or so of lift. Depending on exactly what car they came out of, and what options (engine) it had. But only one way to know. (They'll ride kinda odd too, but apparently not bad, the whole variable rate thing) Now that I look at them again I swear that they're Ford car coils. They don't look as long as the V8 (really stiff) versions, so you might be lucky... You'll have to modify the top bucket/bumpstop area when you use them, or they'll make a clunking noise as they move around. As I said, throw 'em in and see. Coil swap only takes a few minutes.

Pat prefers to find out about the rocks by driving into them... Best place would be inside the wheel wells, near the back/top if you can find the space. The lower you mount them the more likely it is that they'll get f'd. There's not really much else in the way of options, unless you like cutting metal...

Yeah, Rusty's offroad. Just generally really crappy product. Design, quality, etc. Left me feeling empty inside, and spending a lot of money to do it a different way... That's for their long arms. I feel the same towards anything else they make in house. I'd elaborate, but only if you really need convincing that they suck.

Oh, that's your solution to everything! :D Nah, my solution to everything involves a sledgehammer.

I think if your leafs flex past the point where the overload would be hampering them, they're being overflexed anyways.

Oh, definatly going to agree there. And while you're at it take the bed off.

Personally I'd not tow with a MJ/XJ. They just don't weigh enough. Sure, you could get away with one of those little trailers, or relativly light things. But anything heavy and the tail will wag the dog. Especially if you've got a shortbox. That and MJ/XJ brakes aren't exactly great...

Pete, you could always get some ZJ control arms, at least I think it's the ZJ ones. They are the same length, but have a bend in them to prevent tire rub. Pick'n'pull - $5.

Stock skids are just too thin. I had one of those steering skid thingos on there, and jeeze, one little rock and it's bent way the hell weird.

Ditto on the aftermarket ones. Summit universal seat brackets, and some comfy mastercraft seats and life is dandy. But I never follow my own advice. I've got a 2dr seat on the drivers side, it's offset towards the center for some reason (it's on the MJ bench brackets) and I think I'm going to build all new brackets for it as it's all f'd and really not comfortable. I mean, I found it uncomfortable sitting in it putting the dash back together, I haven't even driven it. I put it in to replace a 4dr cherokee seat (passanger seat is still that) that somebody had busted and welded back together at a funny angle. Maybe I'll jsut go to pick'n'pull and get another seat. But I like the folkd foreward thing. It was inconvenient unbolting the seats to put things behind them.

Rear axle matters too, the pinon length on the D44 is somewhat more than the D35, and I have no idea about the AMC 20. At least, I THINK it matters. They might have used the same shafts.

Shortbed with BA-10/5 and NP231 is 43.5" Ujoint center to center. I THINK. I measured it a bloody long time ago. It's still outside if you want me to throw the tape on it... Now, if you want a 45~" driveshaft, look a 2nd gen camaro (let's say 72-81, I think) and you'll probably have a 45~" driveshaft. Not sure on what engine/trans/rear it had, but I have a feeling it was just a V6 auto. Pretty certain it had 1310 Joints too. Certain shortbed fords would also be close, based on my junkyard measurements.

Those come with clips! Now, do they sell the clips seperate? (@#$%, I hate rusty's)

I used an angle grinder and a zip disk. I cut the bottom third of each hinge off, then went to town with a sledge hammer. Hmm, that sounds predictably like me. Only thing is, don't pull the hinges off the doors once you get them apart. Realigning them is just a waste of time. It's on my 'to do' list, along with 500 Million other things. I've tried to drive the pins out of the hinges after pulling them apart, seems mine won't budge. I'm not sure why... That was how I had intended to get them apart in the first place.

I'm not willing to say 'impossible' but I am willing to say it'd be darn close.

Pat, where'd you get you D30 alloys? Well, I guess you said call around. If I don't buy the HPD44 that I have a lead on, I might consider them, because I've already got a bunch of money in my D30 anyways.

The allure of this axle is that the 1-ton brakes will still allow a 15" rim to clear. I figure it is also 'upgradable' in that if I blow shafts I can go chromo without worrying too much about the R&P, and if I blow knuckles I can always drop coin on better ones. It's an 8-lug axle though, which isn't going to match much other than D60/70s and 14Bs, which I can get any of for cheap, but I'd have to drop coin on regearing them. But, I'm still not sure, it makes way more sense to go with a D60 front right from the get-go. Even though I don't intend to move up from 35s for a while. The biggest I'd probably ever go is a 37, which is where I'd say is about the limit for the stock D44 knuckles. It really just comes down to that I feel 35s and a D30 are kinda iffy, and that I wouldn't mind some more width. I probably should just not though. That and while the D44 is completely rebuilt and clean, it is open, althoguh I guess I could jsut weld it. All said and done I should probably just make this thing roll first. Then look for something else to stick under the front and rear. We'll see if he gets more desperate to sell it or anything.

Yeah, without ever even getting it to drive, I've decided that I will sell my 8.8 and HP30/parts, in favour of a HP D44 front with 1-ton brakes, that's setup for radius arms already, 4.56 gears, and perfectly clean. Now I've got to find another rear... Maybe. Maybe. We'll see.

The rusty's lift springs should be decent, as they don't make them themselves. That's the rule with rusty's; if it's made in house it blows, if it's farmed out it'll be fine.