1987Comanche

A running 4X4 MJ for under $1300 is a tough one. This one might fit the bill though it looks like it needs some trans work: http://boone.craigslist.org/cto/5947811303.html

I compared the Renix to HO flywheels a few years ago. The trigger windows are mirror images of each other. Every positive "tooth" on the Renix flywheel is a "void" on the HO flywheel. I used to have a pic of them side by side...have to see if I can dig it up.

http://asheville.craigslist.org/cto/5912761360.html http://asheville.craigslist.org/ctd/5911075790.html

State Farm is a real PITA to deal with. A 17YO kid playing with a cell phone rear ended/totaled my '65 Delta 88 a few years back. Still driveable (until she needed gas...filler neck squashed shut) but I saw the ripples in the quarters, sticky doors, and knew the frame had issues. State Farm's 1st attempt was $2800. They were he$$bent on telling me they could fix her and I finally said fine, when you find a deck lid, bumper, gas tank, and a good frame shop get back to me. 4 days later the adjuster from the total loss unit called me. State Farm finally concluded no one makes body parts for a full-size '65 Olds. Got a decent price for the car but it was an uphill battle all the way.

Manual or auto column? Auto tilt columns are fairly easy to find. Manuals are a different ball game. Auto XJs outnumber manual trucks by a significant margin.

FYI the ignition lock cylinders are slightly different (and I believe incompatible) between the single-sided Renix (GM) keys and the Chrysler keys. The GM lock cylinders are held in with an odd Torx screw while the Chrysler ignition lock cylinders have a spring loaded tang for retention in the column.

I don't think the keys and lock cylinders are cross-compatible. I rekeyed and installed a new ignition lock cylinder in the tilt column I picked up for Georgia. The Strattec historical archives are a great resource and can definitively answer the question: http://aftermarket.strattec.com/doc.php?q=Historical%20Catalogs I installed a 702419 lock cylinder: http://comancheclub.com/topic/37173-georgia-92-40-ho-ax-15-2wd/page-7

I have a set of bench seat brackets in good condition. Pics are in the for sale section http://comancheclub.com/topic/51405-very-nice-mj-bench-seat-brackets-can-be-converted-to-bucket-50-shipping-wnc/

I just went through a deep dive on Saginaw steering columns as I installed a tilt column in Georgia (see last page of my build thread). The only direct swap columns for you are pre-airbag MJ/XJ columns. Depending on what's wrong, however, you can use parts from almost any GM Saginaw column to rebuild yours. It's possible the die-cast zinc base/knuckle support is cracked or worn out. Is your MJ manual trans or auto? Auto trans Cherokees outnumber manuals by a huge margin so a complete auto column would be easy to find.

The Renix and HO flywheels are mirror images of each other. The tone rings for the CPS pickup are opposite. All the positive teeth on the Renix flywheel are negatives on the HO flywheel. OneOverZero and I put them side by side when we swapped. He had a spare HO flywheel from his jy engine and I had a spare Renix flywheel. My understanding is new Renix flywheels aren't available but I could be wrong.

The 231 T case linkage bracket attaches to the trans/transfer case using 2 of the studs/bolts.

Replaced the exhaust system. The OE cat was on it's last legs and rattled horribly (catalyst had broken up) and the muffler wasn't far behind. Ordered a replacement system from Rock Auto and the cat cost me $10 :). It was priced at $85, Walker had a $50 mail in rebate, and the OE cat was worth $25 at the scrap yard. Old "hybrid" system (salvaged Renix cat back mated to OE Mopar cat) and new one side by side: Installed:

Whoever partially disassembled the tilt column at the junkyard was damaged the turn signal switch. I didn't find any additional damage but needed a turn signal switch and cruise control wiring. I found a willing donor at LKQ: an '85 Corvette. I grabbed the whole column: Harvested the turn signal switch & cruise wiring. Transplanting both in the new column: It turned out the tilt/telescoping Saginaw column uses a different canceler cam than the tilt column. I'd torn down an airbag column from a Beretta and it donated both the canceler cam and snap ring. Note the additional 3 wires on the Corvette turn signal switch (orange, brown, black). I still need to confirm this but I believe that is for cornering lights. Had to splice the Vette cruise wiring to the stalk from a '94 Blazer as the C4 Corvette wiper switch is in the door panel: Left a little extra in case I ever have to replace the stalk. After splicing and some heat shrink tubing: Pulled the old column: Interestingly the tilt column is about 2" longer than the standard one: Found the OE cruise wire under the dash: All done!

In theory yes as the airbag module is a self-contained design on the XJ (no forward impact sensors, etc). It's not a direct plug and play, however, as all MJs use GM/Saginaw columns. You may be best off checking the builds where someone swapped a 2nd gen dash/interior into an older MJ/XJ.

Not mine but pretty nice looking rig: http://greenville.craigslist.org/cto/5710460267.html

I thought I could remove the ignition lock cylinder on one of these without a key and it turns out you can. I want to use the same key that I already have for the doors/glove box so i did some research and found the Strattec lock kit with tumblers. I decoded Georgia's current key with a set of calipers, keyed the new lock to match, then assembled it. I stuggled with it for a while but figured it out. I could do another one in 20 minutes. Here's the kit: Tumblers selected and housing assembled: Tumblers locked into place: I decoded the key correctly! Note the tumblers are all recessed with the key in the lock: Installed in the column:

I picked up a souvenir from the beach: a '92 XJ manual trans tilt column :banana: . It needs some TLC as someone partially disassembled it for the turn signal canceler cam. It also had no key, however, it's only the 2nd M/T MJ/XJ Saginaw tilt column I've seen (kicked myself for not grabbing the first). The guys at Grand Strand Pick-N-Pull were cool and charged me for a non-tilt column as there were a few things missing but dang was it hot! Donor XJ and column: Column:

This was my goal. I wanted to build an MJ that uses the "best of" but looks like something Toledo would have assembled had things like an external slip yoke 231 been available at that time. Finding a '92 with good bones that had fallen on hard times was the perfect canvas for this. Also figured I'd add a link to her build thread: http://comancheclub.com/topic/37173-georgia-92-40-ho-ax-15-2wd/?hl=1987comanche

Your best bet might be to keep an eye out on Craigslist or the forum for a used AX-15 and have it rebuilt locally. Quadratec or Omix-Ada might have a reman trans on the shelf.

Thanks for the honor :D . Georgia has been quite a project but she's turned out well. Still more to do, of course, but there are always additional tweaks. Here are a few. When I first did the bucket conversion: After finding a matching 4 dr and swapping seat covers & console lid Waggy bezel installed with old steering wheel Recovered headliner installed:

Maybe we can do a meet & greet next time you're home. I'll shoot you a PM Stuff like that happens me all the time :laughin: . It's cool the trans is doing ok so far. Do you have a link to the project truck build?

Nice rig :thumbsup: . Did you get your new ebrake cable? When mine broke I called around and, surprisingly, O'Reilly had one at their warehouse. The other big box stores said it was no longer available.

Western NC. Asheville area. How did that AX-15 work out for you?

I figured out the answer to a longstanding issue. When it was humid and/or rainy outside Georgia's belt would either chirp or outright squeal. I tried a few different brands of belt and found the Gatorback minimized the noise but it never stopped completely. I checked pulley alignment with a straight edge and it seemed ok. When I replaced the power steering pump I reused the OE plastic pulley and the depth needs to be set. I noticed the '94-'95 XJs used a metal pulley with a deeper dish that is bottomed out when pressed on. I grabbed one at the jy, swapped pulleys, and the problem went away :thumbsup: . OE plastic pulley installed. If the pulley is bottomed out it's way off and won't even spin: Metal & plastic pulleys side by side: Metal pulley installed. Note I pressed it on until it was bottomed out:

Good point. Working with the headliner while the entire thing was coated with adhesive was challenging. I also worked front to rear but, based on the contours, I should have started at the back of the headliner.