BARILLMS

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Its long.

For the bump stop questions, you can extend your uppers and also add hockey pucks to the coil base, 3 pucks per side. I'm doing both for my 6.5" lift. Rubbing is like having the brakes on!

You axle won't droop because many reasons, the track bar ends will bind and/or hit, the LCAs will hit on the coil buckets (trim this off, its useless), and the steering will also eventually bind too. You might be able to force some new coils in there, but it's probably best to unhook at least the track bar and the drag link. While you're at it, cut the corners of the coil buckets off where the LCAs hit at full droop. This will give you another 3-4" of droop for on the trail. You can rent some coil spring compressors, but be careful with them. If you're a dummy you can really get hurt.

Weld them beaches on there to make sure they don't move.

You don't need a lift, just do a spring over. It's 4.5" of lift for free. While you at it, put a Cherokee Dana 44 back there. If you find an MJ Dana 44, and keep the Spring under... a lift will work for a Dana 44.

MY illustration pretty much shows the frame chop process. This thread isn't so worthless now is it?

34x9.50s TOO skinney IMO. I had 32x9.50s on 15x7s and thought they were even too skinney, I can't imagine the 34. Mine were popping off the bead at 12psi. One advantage that I did notice, on the skinney TSLs the tread is super super deep for some reason and they dig like all hell. I'd go with the 34x10.50 LTB, they are actually smaller than the 33x12.50 for some reason. The LTB is a nice narrow tire, but not too narrow. For the guys wanting a little bigger narrow meat, the Q78 is a 35.5x11.50 and its a digger too.

The Q78-15LT might be ther perfect tire size! It measures 35.5" high, and 11.5" wide, and has 27/32 tread depth compared to the TSL 36x12.50x15 - 24/32 tread. I was worried the 36s TSLs I wanted were going to be a little too big and heavy for my MJ, then I found these bad boys and they are perfect. I'm sure others will agree! Plus, they mount on 15x8s and are the same price as the 36x12.50x15. National Tire has them, they are the ones that informed me about this under-

Are those 36s or 38s ???? I agree, those UCA mounts look too tall. And that Drank link bracket looks a little sketchy too.

It wasn't hard at all. I probably have about 15 hours into the process, but my long bed now has an awesome departure angle. I already chopped my roof off too.

While you have the bed off, add a good rear tow point... I custom made a stout 1/2" steel tongue in the center of the new crossmember to mount a big honkin' clevis too. It ties into the center of the rear factory "X" frame supports. I painted/bedlinered the frame, while the bed was off too. Also, I removed the gas tank, and will be relocating the gas tank in to the bed of the truck housed inside a truck bed tool box. Once you're ready to put the bed back on, bolt it up, then cut off the rear to match your frame chop. Cap off the rear of freshly cut bed sides with some sheet metal, and FLUSH mount round LED lights into these new caps. Weld and grind the seams, Paint. Done!

Here's what I did, it worked perfect:

I just completed my rear frame shortening, I removed 14" of frame at the back of my '88 long bed, adding custom rear cross member and Ruff Stuff Specialties "Way Back" leaf shackle hangers mounted to back of the new rear cross member/bumper for maximum departure angle. Good stuff! I'm putting the bed back on tonight, and cutting it down to match the frame. Does anybody want to see pics of the frame shortening BEFORE I put the bed back on? If so, I can snap some pics and post them!

I'll be doing that exact same thing in a few days!

this is the gayest thread ever.

I'd like to organize a trip and I'll get tee shirts made and everything. Eastern Ohio, about 15 miles North of Steubenville, Ohio 43952 No, its not closed. So, if anyone is intersted please let me know... when you would like to go. Also, I have other local trails that are good times. 32s and up are recommended - woods, mud, ruts, trees, roots, some rocks, good fun. EMAIL ME: barillms@hotmail.com

I'd like to put my gas tank in the front of my bed. What all do I have to do?

That's totally what I needed to see! Totally bedless, not bad! I can't wait to get my bed off to see how the disection shall occur!!! WHATS UP WITH THIS GROUND WIRE IN NEAR THE TAILLIGHT?? More info please?? Why is a ground wire a pain in the @$$?

There's no comparison between an 8.8 and a 8.25. An 8.8 is stronger than a Dana 44, you can run 40s on an 8.8 without problems. Plus the discs! C'mon, hands down. I just bought one with 4.10s for $200 from a 98 Explorer.

I actually will probably use the shorter XJ leaf, and cut down my MJ add a leaf that I already have and use this AAL in a stock XJ pack, that way I still get the soft stock pack instead of a stiff new lift pack. Maybe add a shorty bottom leaf from my MJ pack to get a little extra height. It's a 4.5" AAL for an MJ leaf pack. Using this in a XJ pack will curve the springs some, probably only 3" 3.5" or so, since I will have to make it shorter. Thats all I have around to work with. I'll probably have to make my rear hanger a good bit lower, to get me up to 6.5" of lift in the back to match my front. Especailly with the slider hanger?? Should be interesting trying to get the damn thing to sit level, but hey... it a project right? One cool thing I'm contemplating doing is making some kind of buggy leaf or "goofy" leaf on the back to allow for lots of droop. Upward flex won't be an issue, I'll need more droop. Anyone use a "goofy" leaf on their MJs before??

5" of lift, you extended front shock length needs to be about 26 inches extended and 16 inches compressed. The back is usually a small bit shorter. I have 6.5" long arms and I'm running the longest XJ front shock Pro COmp makes that is 31" extended. The longest front SKyjacker Hydro that comes with both their 6" and 8" kit is only 28" long extented, I feel thats too short for 8" lift?? My 31" fronts I think are a little long, but for long arms I don't want to limit droop with short shocks, or worst... seperate one on the trail. I figured longer is better especialy with long arms. Go around 26 inches and you'll be good I promise.

C'mon people... seriously... These things gotta work. I was thinking the might be able to be used in FRONT of the rear leaf spring.... but after more thought, when the back end HITS hard on a ledge or something, the front of the rear leaf needs to be mounted solid to hold the entire rear end in place. They would only work in the back, but if done properly they would save you like 6-7 inches of departure, tucked up on the frame rail.. How about this? Use these in conjunction with a buggy leaf?? A "goofy leaf" that's people used to use?? My buddy has the homemade goofy leaf on the rear of this 47 CJ2A and it helps tremendously with droop b/c he has short leaf springs. Boy, this project is gonna be freaking fun.

We need to get together and share ideas. I'm essentially going through the exact same thing. I bought an 88 long bed for off road only. I plan on ditching the bed, and shortening the wheelbase. I have 6.5" RockKrawler coils w/ custom long arms up front. I'm doing a SOA with a Ford 8.8 w/ discs and 4.10s. I'll be running Maxxis BigHorn 35x12.50s most likely. From all the research I've done (check out my other post with the link to the "leaf spring sliders") it's gonna be tough to shorten the wheelbase drastically. My ideas so far are as follows: Option 1: You can either use a shorter leaf spring, keep the front hangers in place and move the back hangers forward, then chop of whats left behind. From my estimate...this will only shorten the wheelbase about 3" and allow you to bob about 14" off the rear of the frame. Option 2: Move the entire leafs springs forward. This poses the problem with the hump built into the frame?? Redoing all 4 hanger, Also gas tank relocation, upper shock mount relocatioin, bumpstop relocaion. Option 3: Chop the frame behind the cab, remove a section, then reattach. No messing with hangers, Also gas tank relocation, upper shock mount relocatioin, bumpstop relocaion. Also poses the problem of WHAT IF you cannot reattach it and make it strong enough?? Option 4: Whack off the entire vehicle behind the cab, and rebuild the entrie rear potion of the frame however you like. Need tube bender, need good engineering skills and fabrication skills, Lots of money for good DOM tubing and other materials. Lots of time, pretty intimidating project. I plan on documenting all my work with photos, so some year I may be done and have time to post the stuff. The truggys I see are so awesome, it's temtping.

Nobody said you were psychotic, whew! Anyhoo, it's pretty obvious you can't use XJ leafs on an MJ without mods, so why would anyone assume thats what I meant. My orginal question just asks what would happen if you did a SOA with XJ leafs... and NOBODY answered my question, except one guy (Thanks DirtyComanche!) Everyone else just bashed me. Gee thanks, you are cool :nuts: I'm trying to shorten my wheelbase, so an XJ leaf is an easy way to do this without moving my front spring hanger or chopping a section out of the frame. I'm still not sure what I'll end up doing. I just wish I had a shortbed to begin with.