JeepcoMJ

thanks Eagle, but my goal is to have this sit lower down inside the box...I'm trying to compact the whole thing to literally the size of or smaller than a popup camper, set on the back of the MJ frame instead of the box. the only reason I'd use the atv winch is because I want to be lazy. It would be nice to just have an up and a down button, and 4 lock pins. just pop it up, then grab whichever side I want to slide out, and pull it out 4'. I'd think of having the slides for the pop-out side be built from tubular steel, with grease zerks at various points to keep them working well. the topper doesn't have to be something I can stand straight up in either...I'm okay sleeping in cramped quarters so long as it doesn't leak, and I can get it warm. I'd put a small grille inside of it, or outside, and a fridge/cooler, but other than that just a bed I think.

thanks Eagle, but my goal is to have this sit lower down inside the box...I'm trying to compact the whole thing to literally the size of or smaller than a popup camper, set on the back of the MJ frame instead of the box. the only reason I'd use the atv winch is because I want to be lazy. It would be nice to just have an up and a down button, and 4 lock pins. just pop it up, then grab whichever side I want to slide out, and pull it out 4'. I'd think of having the slides for the pop-out side be built from tubular steel, with grease zerks at various points to keep them working well. the topper doesn't have to be something I can stand straight up in either...I'm okay sleeping in cramped quarters so long as it doesn't leak, and I can get it warm. I'd put a small grille inside of it, or outside, and a fridge/cooler, but other than that just a bed I think.

I'm leaning towards ditching the bed on my 87 swb MJ, because I worry about denting up such a nice bed... instead, I'm going to use the box from the 87 on the 3800 (which is a longbed), and extend the cab with 2dr doors then shorten the rear of the frame to fit, and end up with an extended cab comanche with a nice box. that frees up the longbed to go on my dad's diesel, and I have a OEM bedside for the longbed. so I don't want to flatbed the 87...that's just too plain, everyone does it. Going off of that, I don't like to spend $$$ on hotels, and I hate tents. so, I'm thinking of making a popup camper bed for it. planning on using a sheetmetal break to bend 5.5' long bedsides from 1/16" or 1/8" thick steel panels, to keep the factory body lines, and making it so that one bedside extends out (rather than having a fold-out bed-section). then I'd have the main top mounted on four telescoping posts (of some sort...haven't figured that out yet) that are either pneumatic, or cable driven...I'd use a small 2klb ATV winch and set up a pulley system to lift the masts at equal rates of speed. have a tent section made for the slide-out section, and develop some sort of seal setup for it to keep water from seeping up through the bottom. this would all be based off of a tube box with panels mounted to it. I'd put my cargo on top of the box and hopefully set it up so that I can still see out of the rear window. the other main concern is making this somehow tie in and be structural...I'm caging the inside of the cab and the front of the body, but have no real plans for the back other than this. does anyone know of a similar project, or have any input on it, ideas on what to do/how to do it when it comes to this type of project? I have access to a tube bender with 1.5" and 1.75" dies so that's no problem... also, I'm trying to figure out how to keep the weight down too.

on a slightly different note... I'm ditching the bed, in favour of a tubular one which will be built along the lines of a popup camper with built-in rollbar and roof rack for my spares etc. I want it to look fairly stock, so it will have bedsides on it from another swb bed I have, but I won't feel bad if I scratch them. that said...the 3800 now has a new shortbox, which means I need 2dr xj doors, and the cab will be extended. that may take awhile though.

no sh*t right? mine's seized and wouldn't turn over, I broke it loose with a breaker bar (it was REALLY tight) and am still using it to move the truck around...but like I said, it doesn't run well AT ALL. oh well. I got my block heater today. off to the shop to finish the motor.

still has a fill plug at least. I can drain the normal way, since I don't use gaskets anyways. thinking about these very hard...hmmm

You can try this: that took LONG time to die...

go ahead, hollow the cat out, and mount it on your mantlepiece... :brows: be careful on the subject.

and the build continues. I got the truck running with the old motor so I could hopefully destroy the 4.0...but even with holes in pistons she keeps on taking it (with an erradic idle and a tendency to kill itself). I will get on with the swap within the next couple weeks. the new engine is complete, and I just picked up the last of the wiring harness and electronics...so this weekend I'm laying everything out, and connecting it all up to be sure that everything is there. then, clean up the harnesses since they're a bit dusty/muddy, and I will take most of the dash apart in the jeep, and get the floor shifter mounted...then I'll pull back the old harness and pain the inner fenders, let them dry, and mount the new ECM. once done with that, the last thing to do is to gut it the following weekend, and get the new motor installed with the new trans. the weekend after that will consist of installing the new wiring, fuel pump, and fuel lines, and repairing the rear brakes. hopefully I can have it running and driving at that point, and have only finall tweaks to do. progress! goblazers, maybe this will make you a bit more jealous...but I just plumbed the air compressor into the building last week :D sorry, I had to. keep in mind that it's more $$$ than it's worth to keep the shop running...$200 a month in gas in the winter, $100 to $300 a month in electric depending on what's operating, and ALOT of upkeep on a 35 year old building that's in dire need of being done (i.e. 30,000 dollar roof job).

I'm stoked to see the sliders and perhaps bumper :D

second. I know some here are sick of hearing it, but Motion Offroad has had lwb rock rails available for going on three weeks if not longer.

cool. but why? and how do they pay?

you have a different front output yoke than the old t-case. what's the t-case out of? that's the ONLY thing that would change length like that.

your fabrication skills are great! awesome project...I'm thinking about a box4rox too soon...and you've given me some ideas :D

it allows for a longer driveshaft, which increases the distance between the axle pinion and the t-case, meaning a longer driveshaft and a less extreme driveshaft angle (less chance of vibes, less worn u-joints)

...of the electronic variety if I do.

with the 3800, i will have well over $10k invested after it's third remodel...and it sits with $8k into it now...

what plastic hose? it would be mounted via brass or such to the fuel rail. no hose to the interior.

all the time while picturing yourself having gotten it sooner eh?

as stated, swap the transmission; there is no way to bolt the TC on as you need to swap the output shaft to the 4wd one, which requires that you remove and completely disassemble the transmission...which is absolutely not easy on an Aw4 other than that, you've got the right idea. of the 5 MJ's on my property, only one was factory 4wd, the other 4 my brother father and I converted, and I've got two or three more to pick up during the holidays (depending) of which two are 4wd and one is 2wd. the 2wd is just as common as 4wd, and with the cherokee interchangeability, that's an easy enough project.

I thought about that. the only potential fire hazard is that it's a single pin and grounds out through the threads. I think a double pin electrical pressure gauge would work nicely...with an aftermarket gauge

my bro got a TJ ARB front bumper for free yesterday...it's got an easily repairable kink in it where it hit a reciever hitch on the back of a cargo van. the damage is right where the winch mount is, and like I say, easy fix. anyways, width-wise it looks like it would work on an MJ, and I think we can make brackets to fit it onto the MJ using factory tow hooks. any opinions/advice?

wow. wtf is with our trucks getting hit in that location?! twice for me now, same spot, driver's side. I'm extremely happy you're OK. (how is the christmas tree :brows: ) if they cannot provide OEM PARTS then you can require them to pay you what an OEM part would cost. they have zero right to substitute a $300 scrap-yard bed to you...a new box is $1800 if it were still available. and believe you me, your inner bedside is scrap now too...so it's a complete bed for you, or cash, or both. I'd also find something to say about your son being involved and possible permanent trauma. that guy is screwed

I cannot offer much tech on plasmas, and have no knowledge of brand names. that said, I frequently use one at work to cut stainless....it rocks. I also have a 220 volt one from my grandpa's shop here, and it seems to have conveniently become mine :brows: since he's retired. I forget the brand name, but it's rated to 3/8" thick steel. it's pretty sweet. plasma allowed me to do this Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found it's really damn convenient. my greatest advice...save up, and go big right off the bat. a less capable plasma will leave you wanting, just like a stock jeep will. you'll wish you could cut thicker with it than it's rated for. so, spend the $$$ now and use the hell out of it. -Pat

and why not just convert the 89 over to 4wd, and either keep the 86, or sell it?