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Just tell the wife you won it in a raffle that supported homeless children and the tickets cost $500. :D I would love to have it. :cheers:

I did. :D

Looking at maybe putting a retrackable cover on the manche. Was measuring the bed and came up with 56 1/4 inches wide at the front and 55 1/4 inches at the tailgate. At first I figured the sides were bent in at the tailgate side, however the tailgate itself is 54 3/4 inches. If the bed is suppose to be 56 1/4 front to back, it would leave a 3/4 inch gap on each side of the tailgate. :nuts: Since the front is attached on each side with the front cross member I figured it wouldn't be wrong. What is the dimensions on a SWB manche bed? :dunno:

Was thinking about the same way after I posted last night in the DIY. However, the discussions should help to clear up any mistakes or confussion with the write up and offer suggestions to do something better. Maybe if once the original post has been edited to reflect any comments, it could be locked and all the discussion archived or deleted. I think it would be tuff to post here and then try to discuss in one of the other categories. Just my thoughts. Pete, was wondering if we should still think about sending you all the pic's so that they are hosted from one source and don't get lost.

Here's a little something. :cheers:

I have the RE adjustables on the TJ but have been looking at JKS ones for the MJ. They seem alot easier to adjust. :cheers:

I picked mine up off Craigslist, however Quadratec has them(LINK) and if you google Reflexion cowl hood you'll find several site's that carry them. I went with this hood because it is all steel. I had planned to shell out the cash for it from a site, but got real lucky with the craigslist find ($150) and a friend that happen to be going up to Washington DC anyways to pick it up for me.($40):D Oh, it does provide more clearance too. :cheers:

The studs on the ends won't allow the rails to come off. You would still have to drill those. Plus if your using bench seat brackets you only have one rail per side, however if you had bucket brackets and the rails were good, you would only need to move the cushions. That is unless the MJ buckets cushions have different mounting holes. :dunno: Will have to play with the next one to see what I can come up with. Just went out and looked, you may be on to something. The flat rails look the same. I've got a set of rockers that I'll check out too. May have to do some editing. :D :cheers:

For the Comanche owners that have bench seats and would like buckets, or the buckets you have need replaced, here's a fairly easy solution. Find a good set of XJ buckets, preferably from a two door XJ so that you have the tilt forward back. This is not necessary but will make getting behind the seat a lot easier. Your seating height will depend on which type of XJ buckets you select. The rocket slider XJ buckets will sit a couple of inches higher than the straight sliders. Here's just one link of many on the topic. Comanche Club Link First you need a pair of MJ brackets. If you have a bench seat or if you have buckets, either will work. I had a set I found in the JY but these would have worked as well. (Note: You will need to use some of the steps listed below to remove the MJ bench brackets) Next you need to separate the XJ seat from the bracket. This will require a cross tip screwdriver and a 13mm wrench or socket. There are two cross tip screws that hold the clip for the tilt catch lever (on 2dr XJ seats only). Once that is removed you will need to un-hook the rod holding the seat cover by gentle pulling up in the center of it until you can get one side out. Then slip the other side out and lift it out of the way. This will allow you to get to the clasp under it. Just un-hook that as well to free the cushion from the back. Now using the 13mm wrench, take off the two bolts on the front of the bottom cushion. and the two bolts on the back of the bottom cushion. This will separate the bottom cushion from the frame and give you access to the 4 bolts/nuts that hold the seat back to the bracket. Now that you have the bracket separated from the seat, carefully un-hook the two springs. You will need to drill out the steel studs to separate the sliding rails from the brackets. There are two on the front and four on the back I put the bracket in a bench vise to make this easier to control. Using a center punch, I made a starting point for the drill bit to bite as close to the center as possible. Using a 19/64 drill bit, slowly drill out the stud. A nice sharp bit is recommended. (Drill bit size is only a recommendation. I pick what I did because it was just a bit smaller then the stud head which would be about the size of the actual hole in the rail.) Also on the front of the XJ bracket, there are a couple of pinch welds. I used a 3/16 bit to drill through those. You may or may not have to go all the way through the rail. These are easier to get to if you flip the bracket upright. On the two studs toward the middle on the back, you can drill them out and hope to fish them out of the rail, or you can separate the rail pieces by pushing it over as far as you can to one side. Then use a small blade flat head screwdriver to gentle pull out the rail carriage assembly.(This has two small ball bearing, so be watchful that you don't drop them as well as a roller in the center.) Slide the rail back the other way and repeat steps to get the other assembly out. Now you can get to the center stud. Re-assemble the rail. It's kind of like putting a draw back in on rails. Once you slide it on, it will reset the stops. Now that you have the brackets separated from the rails, you can put the MJ brackets on using regular nuts and bolts (This is assuming that you have removed your MJ brackets. If not, use the steps that apply from above to remove them.) I had an assorted pack of machine screws that had small rounded tops, a lock washer, and nut. Be sure that what ever you use does not interfere with the slide operation and that the nut is on the bottom side. In this pic you can see three of them. I also should have used the XJ center piece to help support and keep the rails in line. Here's a test fit. Like a glove. I will be taking the brackets back off to blast and paint. At that point, I'll add the center piece and when putting the bolts back in, I'll use locktite on them so as not to get a surprise one day when adjusting the seat. Putting the cushions back on is just the reverse of taking them off. I'll update some of the fuzzy pictures when I do the passenger side one and show the seats installed when I get the rest of the interior in. :cheers:

My reflexion is 2 inches. Which looks the same as what was previously posted by Geonovast. I know that each state has different restrictions on how high a cowl hood can be. I think VA is 4 or 6 inches. Can remember which. :cheers:

Ya got a good point. I guess I would be leary of designing my own frame. I'm not smart enough in that category. :dunce: Yet. :D

Have you considered using a frame from an extended cab of another make? I know it won't be a direct fit, but it should be easier than having to engineer a solid and safe frame, and it appears your no stranger to fabbing something up and making it work. :D I've seen an mj somewhere in my surfing that was on either a chevy frame or maybe it was a FSJ frame. I'll see if I can find it again. :cheers:

I knew yours would be better than our little show. Very cool. :cheers:

I'm sure it will be a 100 x's better than this rinky dink show here in Norfolk. This show was more of a dealership showing than a look at the future of automobiles. Have fun :D :cheers:

That's a nice bonus. :brows: Picked up one of those as well in great condition.

Kinda answered your own question. In most scales, fair is one step above poor and one step below good. Then why have it? Not good either. I'm not trying to bust on you just my opinion. In his original statement, This is the real problem, an automatic. Most comments that say the 2.5 is not bad with big tires, aren't running an auto but yet a 5 spd which you control the shift points. Thing that you have to ask yourself, even though it does fairly well and is not bad on power, would you trust it to get you out of a possible life threating situation or that could be near miss, where you needed what was at least design by stock specs. Again this is just an opinion and sorry for the thread highjack. :cheers:

I agree with the offroad option. I was more referring to the DD's that are running that setup with no gear swap. I'm getting crappy gas milage with the TJ 4.0 4.10's and 33's. I couldn't imagine what the 2.5 with 33's was like on gas or just driving around.

Looks great Jeff. I wish I was closer that way you could help wrench on ours. :D I see TJ's all the time with the 4 banger and 33's. :nuts: :cheers:

So on my way to the JY, my son and me stopped off at the Car Show. Was wondering if maybe the Hummer HX was going to be there, but it wasn't. Here's a little Eye Candy. Some old Muscle. Only Jeep worth a picture, well uhm maybe. Concepts The last one struck me kinda funny. The whole roof is glass. If I remember right, it was a Lincoln concept with a glass roof that was the basis for the first BatMobile. :D :cheers:

I had been wondering about those on ebay. Is the padding separate or joined to the carpet? Let us know how it holds up. :cheers:

I love that JEEP logo on the back. Is that a molded carpet? Looking good. :cheers:

Thanks for all the comments. I'll be putting them on after sandblasting them and giving them some paint. DirtyComanche, I'll be carefull when I'm under the front. I can't afford to knock any more of my brains out. :dunce: :D :cheers:

Even though our MJ will be a DD and not see any serious action offroad, I figure better to have and not need then not have and need. I might trade the hooks out to a bigger set I have. Thanks for the input. Hey Pat, there was another set at the JY. The hooks were chrome instead of the painted ones. PM me if your interested. :cheers:

Pick these up at the JY today. Trying to decide if I want to put them on the truck or not. I know some people complain that they get hung up on stuff. Any thoughs, good or bad. :cheers:

Very sweet What's the color of the truck? Looks either flat gray or green. Either way I like it. :cheers: