DirtyComanche

That bushing is destroyed. New ones won't make it ride smoother, but they will tighten everything up so the rear axle tracks better and the truck drives better in general. I'd buy new shackles and change out the bushings in the springs. But I've got a press, so it isn't terribly hard for me to do.

Thanks, I'll have to throw those in my notes.

I need to recover all the photos off my old phone, then I will fix my build thread. I already long ago deleted my photobucket, and I suspect any efforts to workaround their third party hosting rules will likely only work for a period of time.

Where did you get the rollover valves and grommets? I reused mine, and they were less than ideal. It would be something to have if I ever drop the tank again.

Those seats look like they're really good bang for the buck.

I'd wondered what happened to you. Seems like an interesting story you have to tell sometime...

The problem with those Chebby flares is they aren't really a flare, they're more like a trim piece, given how narrow they are. Personally, I don't think they look right either. If you like it, go for it. I like the Napiers. I don't mind the new Bushwhackers. Unfortunately neither of them properly fits the MJ, or a wheel opening that's been cut to the limit.

No, but they're basically the same diameter. 14mm = 0.551" 9/16" = 0.562" (on a normal bolt) Typically the holes will be slightly oversized and the 9/16" bolt will go in snugly. If you're in a situation where there is a captive nut (there isn't on a MJ), you would need to use the correct M14xwhatever bolt. This is the case on the XJ with the infamous front leaf pockets that have a captive nut inside the frame rail.

But they aren't 9/16" bolts -- they're 14mm. True. 9/16" is very close and works fine though. That said, the dealer still sells the bolts, or at least the XJ versions, if you want to keep things original. Or a decent hardware supplier will have M14xwhatever in a 10.8, but it will be $$$.

Picture? :hmm:

People reuse the existing bolts all the time. They're a metric 10.8 or 12.9. A 12.9 is superior to a grade 8 and is more or less on par with bling-blang F911 hardware. That said, if they're rusty and the threads are all beat up, I would throw a grade 8 in without hesitation. Please buy good locking nuts and hardened washers. I prefer stovers, but nylocks are okay since they will not be exposed to enough heat to matter. Yes, you will probably tear the bolt through the bracket before the bolt fails IF it's a single massive overload. Fatigue cycles will kill the bolt before the bracket though, and some coarse thread grade 5 crap will probably fail before the bracket in either situation. FWIW, generally inspections will fail any suspension component with a grade 5 or lower bolt. Don't (never) reuse your u-bolts if you're going to take them off.

It's funny, because the guys doing high end stuff basically have their lips sewed shut for the actual electrical components and function, save for throwing out some buzz words. Then there's DIY guys that are straight up just bolting an electric motor to whatever trans is in there and going... I remember reading a build thread on an electric XJ (might even have been a MJ actually) years back that was straight up DIY using a large amount of the factory components.

Hmm. Weird. The fact it apparently has 3 gears leaves me wondering a bit too. I assumed it was direct drive to the portals with a motor at each end of the vehicle, but maybe it's not configured quite like that?

I've assumed it's an ammeter or charge level indicator. :dunno:

Maybe "Running when parked in creek"? :laughin: In all honesty the Fairlane looks like it was fairly complete under the hood when it was "parked" there, so it very well could have been running. Not sure why it was dumped. Pop the trunk and check for human remains.

I like it. Just needs a Honda EU2000i in the back to recharge it while you're driving. :dunce: More seriously. I think in the modern world it needs a better cage and harnesses if you're not going to have airbags and a billion other safety features. I also worry about the NVH, and the top leaking both water and air (more noise). Being aluminum is great, totally on board with that, but I have a hate for exposed rivets when they are not needed. Range isn't enough, even with the big battery, IMHO, and I'm betting it would drop considerably if you were even towing a small trailer (even a little 'glass camping trailer like a Boler). Given he doesn't plan to sell many, it might work out. I assume his target audience is actually upper end of rich yuppy urban males that want a tough looking vehicle to drive to Ikea on Sunday without the perceived environmental impact of an actual SUV.

What's this got for a radiator? Custom, or off the shelf generic, or some other application? No heat management issues with it?

Every time I look at mine I think "Did a pirate with his patch on the wrong eye do the body work on this thing in the dark while on a rum binge?" I mean, I'm just being realistic. Don't think I don't love the truck and love driving it. But it really is terrible in a lot of ways. I'd love to track down some better body parts and run it through the paint booth at work, but I don't see having the time anytime soon, and I'm probably going to quit working for these guys before then either way.

You should put those on CL and use such tags as "Only surface rust" "Mostly restored" "Running when parked" "In very good to excellent condition for age" and ask $10000 each.

I'm curious how well the clear coat will come out over the Rustoleum. Does it produce a harder finish that way?

Can you cut the RC side bracket up to go around the cab mount? That was what I tentatively planned to do if I had got a hold of a RC kit.

Yeah, the 2.5L definitely would be a poor engine choice for a rocket ship. You'll definitely like the upgrade.

It's showing affection through negativity. It's a fairly common human trait, and you will see many people in long term relationships where that is the only public affection they will ever show. My pile knows I love her. She just has to be tough enough to know my negativity is affectionate. I've spent thousands of dollars and hours on her in an intimate one-on-one setting, so I'm sure she knows. :rotf:

That's not a bad idea. It also makes the limited search function a little more useful (eventually, once enough new content is added). Moderators will have to expect to move threads fairly often. But that's part of the job. :rotfl2: Just don't make too many subforums that it becomes overwhelming. This is a good idea but do we really see that many varying topics? I feel that the subforums for the more uncommon things like "engine swaps" are less likely to be seen by the vast majority, and the less you have to click around, the better the experience imo. I don't feel like the tech section moves all that quickly. Subforums would make searching a lot easier however. Some guys don't care to read or answer the basic maintenance questions, but are more than happy to muse about things like axle or engine swaps. IMHO they tend to then pick a subforum or two and spend a bunch of time in it, and actually provide more content then if they just take a quick look in the tech and see nothing they feel like reading and move on to only return a few days later. But, yeah, it's a matter of finding the right balance. Some places split it as stock tech, and modified tech, which is generally a decent balance. Other places add a body/paint/interior section beyond that. And others an electrical. The problem then is if a guy has something like a 97+ question, what section does it go into? It's modified tech, but using stock parts, and it also affects the body/paint/interior, and the electrical system if he's really going all out. :doh: So you have to be careful what you choose for subforums, and make appropriate ones for the more common niches, or at least put a note as to where such questions should mostly go. One thing I will point out with the way the sub-subforums are displayed currently (such as the "Popular threads" one in The Pub) is that they get little traffic as they are not accessible from the main forum directory. Also, with it being up near the header by itself, which is a somewhat uncommon thing in modern forums, some people will skim past it while scrolling to the actual subforum. I do this, I think I've clicked on that sub-subforum only 100 times or so total in all the years I've been here. Personally I think tech could be split to a few more subforums, as long as it was done right. Then sticky some decent posts that cover the most repetitive of questions in each...