88MJay

I was curious to hear individuals impressions of the C-Rok plates or the ORGS plates. Also, is anyone running a box brace like the Rusty's or MORE's? I just ordered a set of C-Rok plates off their website. http://www.c-rok.com/sb.html

Thanks... I appreciate it. :cheers:

It leaks when it's sitting. It looks like it is leaking up pretty high on the pump. I think it is leaking when running too, just not positive. I don't see any specific spot though. I'll try cleaning the crap out of the area and try and track it down that way. The rear main has a pretty good leak too. If it gets annoying I've got a seal and pan gasket here to do the job. I just don't look forward to doing it.

Welcome to the board. Looking forward to watching the build. :cheers:

Preheat, use nickel rod, cool slowly, good to go. you have to weld the tubes to the center section on these diffs. I've seen two personally and seen dozens of pictures of spun tubes. Big tires and decent traction will break those little factory welds in no time. It's an easy and quick process. :cheers:

I got it registered and new plates. Drove it about 30 miles today. I messed with the alignment some. It was toed in too much. My caster is a bit steep at around 9 or 10 degrees but it seems to drive okay. I also got the CB hooked up and a installed a license plate light to keep the cops off my butt. It ran at around 195 degrees all day and never seemed to want to get hot even when it was sitting and running in the driveway. All and all a good day. It felt pretty cool to drive it finally. Hopefully there will be a trail ride here in my near future!

That's kind of what I was thinking. Buy a new one and forget about it. But all these little things sure add up. I need a new battery too. I suppose eventually I will be able to stop spending money. That's the goal at least. I'll invest in the cooler too. Does anyone have a recommendation for a decent cheap cooler?

Thanks... I'm liking it too. I've got to fix my power steering leak, get a new battery for it, get it registered and a few other odds and ends but it's getting closer to being wheelable. I haven't really driven the Jeep much. I'm looking forward to getting it road ready so I can drive it around a little bit and work the bugs out. Hopefully I won't find too many suprises.

Got it painted today!

I'm not an expert on this but I remember my XJ having adjusters on the lower control arm frame brackets that would allow you to change the caster. Maybe you could get a couple degrees that way? I don't know if MJ's have them. I cut them off mine and didn't really pay attention.

I got all the fenders trimmed up today. I'm also having the windshield replaced tomorrow. It's got a long crack all the way across and I put a big spider web in it while doing the cage with my welding hammer (oops :oops: ) I will be painting it tomorrow too. I've got 12 cans of olive drab Krylon sitting on the work bench. I'll post up pics tomorrow night if all goes well. :brows:

Thanks for the info. I'll give it a try here in the next few days and post up anything unusual that I find.

My power steering has been leaking from somewhere up high ever since it's been parked. I still haven't figured out from where. Today I started it and it was squeeling pretty good. So I put some power steering fluid in it. They don't use ATF in the power steering do they? Because my fluid looks pretty red. Also, after it ran for a few minutes I shut it off and it was spewing power steering fluid out of the little tiny hole in the top of the cap. Is there supposed to be a hole that runs through the dipstick up to the top of the cap for venting? Or do I have some kind of replacement cap on there? I guess I'm going to have to completely dissassemble that power steering and find the leak. Does anyone have any input on my situation or have some knowledge I don't pertaining to these power steering systems? Thanks

Looking good. Throw a socket on top of one of the balljoints (make sure it fits on there nice and flush) and place a magnetic angle finder (can get them cheap at any hardware store) on top of the socket to check the caster. Should be around 7 degrees or so. Although a range of 5 to 9 is reasonable in most cases.

Oh... here is the link to the S&W page with the Cherokee cages. Mine is part number: 11-2587. It is just welded seem tubing not DOM. If you feel it necessary they have the same cage in DOM or chromolly. The chromo needs tig'd though. http://www.swracecars.com/shopping/shopdisplayproducts.asp?Search=Yes&sppp=15

Sorry for not getting back sooner. I've been on vacation. There is a few inches in between there. There was a big enough gap that it didn't concern me at all. I think when putting this cage together there is a little room for interpretation. You can kinda move things around a bit and decide where they work best for you. The majority of the tube you have to cut down and notch to fit so you can put things where you like. BountyHunter... your YJ looks really nice! By the way... thanks for the kind words and making swapping that bushing easy for me. I appreciate it. I'm going to try and find some time this week or weekend to trim fenders and paint it. I'll post up when I make some progress.

Thanks man. I'm completely in love with it. Built Comanches are freakin cool.

I think we are talking about the same thing. There is a tube that runs between the b hoop right where the door bars meet the b hoop. You just can't see it because of the seat, which no longer folds forward, is in the way.

There is a seat back bar in the b hoop. It runs from one side of the b hoop to the other right behind the seat. Is that what you were saying it needs? Or something else?

The b hoop sits right on top of the unibody frame structure so I doubt it would get pushed down all the way through the rail. The front legs do sit outside the rail a bit but the plate they sit on is half way across the rail. It's not ideal by any means but I figure it has to be enough to at least decrease the likely hood of the roof completely caving in on me. It definately isn't built to sustain multiple rolls like a comp vehicle would take it's more like insurance if I do happen to roll it. although... I'll do everything in my power to avoid rolling it even if it means taking a strap or taking a bypass. Again... it's just a trail Jeep. My plan is to keep it paint side up for as long as I own it. Let's hope so!

Now I am confused here... I know that when dealing with full framed vehicles where the body is seperated from the chassis with bushings (Like a wrangler or CJ) that tying your seats into the chassis when the cage is tied into the chassis is pretty much mandatory. But technically my seats, cage and chassis are all tied together by the unibody thus not needing additional seat brackets. Wouldn't it just be redundant and added effort, weight and money for what minimal benefit? As for the seats... I am using a bench seat so I can bring my two sons along on wheeling trips. There are three seat belts. Granted they are not as restrictive as harnesses but will hold a person in if the vehicle flops. I typically make the boys get out whenever I am attempting an obsticle that has the potential of rollover anyway. I think the thing to remember is that this is just a trail Jeep. It isn't going to see any insane trails. Most of the trails we run are family style trails with the occasional tough spot.

It's a trail Jeep (as the title states), I could care less. I'm much more concerned with safety. But since you brought it up... actually when I'm sitting in it I can see all of the guages except the top half of the oil pressure needle and whatever the other one is up top opposite it. If I duck my head an inch or two I can see it all. I suppose if I just drove mine as a daily driver it would be a big problem. But why would I put a rollcage in a daily driver? :nuts: I'm pretty satisfied with the way most of it came out. It could use some more triangulation in the b hoop and in the halo but... I figure with the added rigidity of the body itself it should handle a pretty good roll without out crushing. There is no room to put anything else behind the seat (there is a crossbar behind the seat in the b hoop) and I don't know if I want to put anything in the halo yet. Anyone have an opinion on adding any more tube and where?

Oh... I also got to meet CEThomas and his son today. They came over to pick up my buckets and brackets and they ended up buying a couple other odds and ends off me. It was was a pleasure to meet you guys! I'm also leaving for Florida Monday morning so there will be no progress to report until I get back the following week. I'm taking my notebook computer and I have internet access in my room down there so I'll be checking in periodically all week. :brows: :cheers:

I got the cage done today. The cage wasn't too bad. Trying to fit a 50" bench seat in between a 48" rollcage took 4 hours. I had to completely take it apart piece by piece and re-assemble it in the MJ in a different order than how it came apart. What a pain in the you know what! anyway... here's the pics of the cage...

Worked on the cage yesterday. I'm going to do some more tomorrow. Pics...