DirtyComanche

Perhaps somebody might be able to shed some light on this? I've seen it mentioned more than once that the MJ unibody is stronger than the XJ. Before the unibody widens towards the back of the cab, is it thicker than an XJ one? I mean this in did they use somewhat heavier sheet which lead to a somewhat larger external dimension? To clarify I mean specifically the area between the LCA mounts and the cab mount and where the unibody widens. If so, that would explain a bunch of things. If not, I'm pretty certain my unibody is a little bent too ~ too many ditches. It still tracked straight though.

Backspacing is the back of the rim center to the back lip of the rim. Lay something straight accross the back of the rim and measure in the center, to make it easy. Don't ask me what they came with.

Hydroboost uses the PS pump instead of engine vacuum. The benefit is that it can create absurdly high pressures, whereas the stock (any year) vacuum brake booster can only make upwards of ~1200psi (I think, don't quote me). With the vacuum assist booster, it doesn't matter how hard you press the pedal, that's all the pressure it can make. The hydroboost can do 2000+psi without flinching. Another benefit of hydroboost is it will still function if you have an absurdly huge cam, but don't ask me why you'd have that in a 4x4. Don't quote me on the numbers, it's something a read a long time ago.

I ain't got a bed! That's why I said "back", but I guess there's no "in" at the moment. :D Shouldn't be hard to fab up a holder of some kind. I might make one of my own someday when I get bored. Jeep on! --Pete Actually, it's a good idea. Well, the whole using it to ride out when you break part is kidna iffy... Anyways, bungee cords and rachet straps are my friend, I'm sure I could make it stick. Are you a rider? I keep debating buying my friend's 04 Norco Six, actually I've had the thing on testride for about a month now... Too many toys that require money :D

Thanks. That should yeild something.

I ain't got a bed!

Only issue is that the avaliabilty of shafts with 297X ujoints is somewhere between zilch and really poor. I hope I can track down a set for a decent price - gotta hit up the pick'n'pull to see if they even have a newer cherokee/tj. Would a ZJ shaft work?

Not thinking I'll build something fail proof, just something that isn't failure-prone. I wheel alone because I like to, sometimes. I just would rather avoid the whole walking out thing. I've got 35s now, 37s would just be for when I decide I want bigger. Yes, I'm prone to deciding that something isn't big enough. So, I threw it out there as a potential factor. Realistically that won't be anytime soon, the D30 was just bothering me. The 4.0 runs well, actually, and still pulls well. However, it was burning more oil and things were getting a bit rough before I garaged it. I don't neglect it either. That and the odometer read 300000Kms(and change) - which is wrong as the tire size hasn't been stock since the first set, it appears. It didn't exactly have a gentle life either - I'm pretty sure it rarely saw highway. Well, I think I know what I'll do. So, all is good, or close enough to good.

Hmm, more reasonable responces here. Well, I'll think on it some more. Just gotta do something about the unibody though. Otherwise, I guess I'll just keep going, true enough that the money is already spent. Anybody an expert on bastardized unibody repairs? Or should I just be plating it and welding the rusty's kit in - how it should have been done? Oh yeah, not looking for a box. I like it this way actually. I was going to fix mine, but well, that just didn't work out.

I'm at a loss here. I've not actually touched my truck in 3 weeks. I've made excuses as to of why not, being to busy or it being too cold, but that's not the real reason. The real problem is I'm at a failing point as to of what to do. It's depressing. I'm going to try to outline my problems, and my proposed solution(s). Problems aren't in any praticular order. Problem one: The D30. I don't like it. It's compounded by the 8.8, which I also don't really like. I feel the D30 is either going to fail me now (with 35s) or later, as I'll probably try to track down 37s. I'm also quite heavy on the skinny pedal, and probably won't be keeping the 4.0 stock. As the D30 sits, I haven't regeared it, but I bought a R&P, Trutrac, and bearing kit. I'll never use that dealer again either, he was a nice guy but I got a new a$$hole for it. Also, I've got a vac disco axle, and I still have the two peice shafts with the 260X ujoints and all that other lovely stuff. I had a line on new shafts, but that got messed. Basically I'm hesitant to throw down the cash to have it regeared, and then have to buy new shafts, seals to get rid of the vac disco(?) and still have it fail. If it's a shaft failure, I can get chromoly, and kiss away more money. If it's a R&P, then what? Ditch it? Not to mention I'm probably going to eat unit bearings like a fat boy eats donuts. Problem two: The 8.8. I'm in it now, sorta. It cost a lot of money, as they're hard to get here. That is, the disk brake versions. I've bough all new brake parts for it, well, pads and rotors and brake lines. I've realistically got everything to make it work, and it is already in. Shocks need some work too, and I messed with the leaves; so I'll have to pull it all apart or it's going to either kill the leaf packs or not flex. However, I still feel it's rather on the light duty side, possibly partly because it's an in-house ford jobby. Realistically it's not really a problem, and I could sell it now for what I have in it, or very close. I also spent money on spacers (they're same design as the powertrax ones, before anybody jumps on me for that) which I could also recover most of. Problem three: Unibody, grr. Actually, more like "I hate rusty's". I didn't really feel like admitting this to anyone, but well, due to the vaugness of their instructions and model specific circumstances (read, I'm an idiot); I 'accidently' drilled the holes for the LA braces in the wrong spots. One of them 'kind of' went through an internal brace in the uniframe, which leaves me a bit worried. Heck, a 15Km/H collision will probably pretzel this thing, which well, bodes well if you like living on the edge, but I would feel bad if I had a passenger. Problem four: Drivetran woes. I have a tired as heck 4.0, which I have a fair amount of faith in. I figure when it's really on its way out it'll at least be nice enough to warn me. I also have a peugot BA10/5, which was getting noisy before I started this insanity. The NP231 should be fine, so no huge issue. Compounding my drivetran touchiness though, is I dropped a large chunk of change on a TomWoods CV DS, which basically I don't want to have to change. So, I'm in a bit of a bind there, unless I'm willing to play with my wheelbase, which would just be a huge complication. Did I miss anything? Yeah, my doors don't work my paint sucks beyond belief : and I'm still out a cab window (which started all of this). Otherwise I think things are decent, providing you like the sound of an open header and don't plan to listen to music. Solutions: (Need opinons here, or something) 1. Do nothing. Well, as close to 'do nothing' as is possible regarding the circumstances. Either weld pipe into the holes in the unibody, then cover with plate, or what? I WON'T leave it. Just regear D30, pick up shafts with 297X ujoints, phone warn and get the axle disco delete kit, cross fingers. Build up a junkyard stroker (that'll be a fun learner...) and mate it to an AX-15, and hope that the 4.0/BA10/5 will survive till that is done? (I'm not too worried about that) Keep my 8.8. Fix other unmentioned problems (steering rings a bell now). 2. Sell it/scrape it. I could probably part this out and recover fairly well. I could then either start a project the right way, or just move onto something that doesn't involve molesting jeeps. (Hey, I was pretty good at building model trains) 3. Sell D30, gears, trutrac at a rather high loss. Sells wheel spacers for 8.8. Obtain D44 from a grand wagoneer, weld on bracket kit for control arms, etc. Pay to have axle welded up, buy gears, traction aid and pay to have them set up. Buy wheel adapters for 8.8, and a new set of wheels. Wheels are cheap, the shipping isn't. I might have some luck in a junkyard for the 6 on 5.5 (?) bolt pattern though. Fix unibody(duh). Worry about drivetran some other time. 4. Sell D30, gears etc, 8.8 and associated items. Buy axle donor. Say screw traction aids, or get ezlockers or such. Fix unibody. Worry about drivetran some other time. Hope that I can get my pinion length close enough to the 8.8 that I don't need to mess with the D/S. New wheels, or reuse what comes with the donor vehicle. 5. Something else? I'm an idiot? So, thoughts? I worry to much? Few things to keep in mind though. I suck at driving, I'm more than likely to revert to the throttle if I get into anything touchy. I also like using my throttle. I OFTEN wheel alone, and in places that 'remote' isn't even an apporpriate word for; basically your crap breaks and you're walking for 3 days. I also don't like to be the dick that broke when I'm with people. Hmm, I probably forgot things, but you get the point. I'll post this elsewhere too.

You can get/make things to bypass the electronics for the aw4, I believe. However, it would probably be easier to get a donor vehicle (K3000 anyone?) and just steal everything that looks beefy. V8s seem to fit better than the I6, nowhere near as long. You want this thing to be somewhat streetable? Hmm, I'd just be doing a stroker then.

They can be rebuild fairly easily, I hear. I also hear it's not worth the bother as the bore normally gets scratched, so it'll just eat the new seals. Remans are also bad for this.

$75s beyond fair. The D30 carrier split is 3.54 and lower#, 3.73 and higher #. D35 is 3.31 and lower#, 3.55 and higher#. D44 is 3.73 and lower#, 3.92(?) and higher#. You're gonna need new carriers. You can get them out of a yard pretty easy(cheap), or consider a LSD(blah), trutrac, detroit, etc.

hahaha, sorry mate, its going in the other one, why keep a turdy 5 if you don't have to...unless your planing on feeding me, then we might have a deal.. :P on the little motor thing, a carbed 350 is is easy to set up and run, and very comon and cheap. agreed a light motor would help with the wieght, but it gets more expencive, as adaptors are needed, with a 350, there are no pricy bellhousings needed to bolt up a solid tranny, like a 4500, or some other big lump of gears, but thatnks for shooting..brain kicked, is the 4.3L crabed? 4.3 is TPI. That's big plus, carbs aren't much fun at times. However, you can get he whole TPI system for a 350 out of a junkyard pretty easy. Chevy parts are just so plentiful and cheap. Oh yeah, I think a 350 weighs the same as a 4.0. 4.0s aren't exactly light.

I guess I should have mentioned that with my plan I'd be shooting for 39" tires. I was trying to be budget. No alloy shafts here.

Arr, I said NP205 doubler, I ment 203! That's what posting at 2am will do to you.

There's a 4cyl cummins diesel that would fit. The liberty CRD, which is seriosuly rare. And a bunch of tractor diesels and some random import ones. I guess there's also the stocker 2.1L renault diesel, or whatever it is. That's why there's very few diesel cherokees/wranglers. It's been discussed a lot, but very little action, it's just not worth it. What I think you should do: Track down a 4x4 77-78 F-250 with plow package or camper special. It has a kingpin HPD60 front, and a D60 rear (I think, it might have a 70). Borrow those axles, sell of remains of truck. You'll break even there easy. Now, build a real frame for your MJ, unibodies do aid flex, but eventually that gets old. Cut off your cab and anything else you want to save, attach to frame. Build an exocage, or internal cage. Add axle combination, a SBC/BBC with a NV4500 (I think that's the model number, I don't dream about things I could never afford) a NP205 doubler with a 4:1 gearset in it, and a NP205 case with the stock gearset. Nice option of gear range, and not very expensive if you're into junkyarding. Do a proper 4-link setup for the rear, and go 1/4 eliptical (humble opinon, cost verus reward). Make some long arms for the front, or just go leafs with traction bars. Only part of the camper idea I'd keep is an OBHT (on board hot tub) just because I think it would kickass to be able to sit in a hottub 500km from the nearest human being and watch the stars. Real men sleep on the ground. I missed lots, but you get the point. I could even tell you a more cost limited buildup based on that, which I dream about doing but am entirely limited by time and ability. Failing all that, paint the sucker hot pink, get some neons and cruise the import scene. Just never come back here if you do that.

I had that problem. My solution has been to not look at/touch my MJ for two weeks. So far nothing has broken, pretty amazing.

I've heard Ford Explorer... I've not verified this. You can play with your wheelbase if it's not quite right though. Unless you ditch your bed, that'll just be a pain though.

Fixed. Now I can stop being a bum and actually do something useful on my truck. Only $600 later on a $1000 car... Ohwell.

Cooter has a point. I've seen rust under bedliner before! I'd say if you're going to do it, strip it down and etch it first. I stripped almost my whole truck (I got lazy, I beat the thing anyways, so it was kidna pointless) and I was suprised how much rust there was that was entirely unnoticable otherwise. And another lesson in bedline, spend the money on the good stuff (linex, rhino, etc) the first time - don't even ask me how I 'learned' this one.

I'd never get the warn kit for the D30. If it comes to that, I'm selling my 8.8/D30 combo and finding a donor for better things. You can paint a turd gold, but it's still a turd.

If you don't care how it looks it makes things way easier. Sheetmetal can just be dealt with using the sawzall. Or it can even be unbolted sometimes. I think my truck would have looked mean had I painted it flat black as it is in my avatar...

You can always cut the cab off the frame and make a real frame...

That's cheap! I think a lot more people use it here, might have something to do with it.