1987Comanche

The mouse fur on the junkyard headliner I picked up was starting to bubble and it was black (I have a gray interior) so I've been keeping an eye out for another one. I found an '86 MJ with a good backer and picked it up to experiment on. Here's the donor: Headliner fabric was crusty but the backer was good: Cleaned it up and picked up some headliner fabric at the craft store: Center line marked on fabric: Headliner adhesive on backer: It came out ok. A bit rough in the back but it's the first headliner I've ever tried to recover. Still a lot better than the old one, which was full of bubbles. Installed: I also found an '89 MJ with a gray interior that donated new seat belts and a few misc interior panels. It only had 125K miles so the belts were in good shape (mine were worn out). I changed them out when I installed the headliner. It's a good thing I swapped them as my old passenger's seat belt was missing the bob weight that locks up the inertia reel. I found it laying on the speaker. I don't think it would have worked in a crash...just as well I didn't find out.

Looks fairly clean and a good rolling shell for a build. Not mine, just found it on Craigslist: http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/5656738285.html

pick up a pair of coil spring compressors from auto zone. with no spring tension it will be easy to line the control arms up.

Just couldn't pass it up...I have a pic of my '69 Olds at the corner of Olds Ln too :).

I took Georgia on a road trip this weekend through part of the Smokies. Went to the car show in Maggie Valley and then through the Cherokee reservation. Hit Pull-a-Part Knoxville Sunday and, on the way back to the interstate I spied a road called Comanche Drive. Of course I had to make U turn and go back for a pic :thumbsup: Only Comanche on the Cherokee reservation . :MJ 1: .

Replaced the power steering hoses this weekend. The old pressure hose was really, really crusty. Found some debris in the lines so I'm on the lookout for a clean ZJ steering box to transplant. Before: After:

Good to confirm at least the early ZJ boxes are a direct fit. Thanks Cruiser :)

Yep, the 262 (4.3) is a 350 Chevy with 2 inner cylinders missing (I think 3 & 6). A lot have balance shafts as a 90 deg V6 isn't the smoothest running design. There are some subtle differences in some of the bolt on parts but, like the 350, parts are generally plentiful & cheap. Check for the presence of the Fel-Pro "problem solver" intake gaskets. They have metal cores with rubber bonded to them. The OE gaskets are plastic with cut rubber channels and they are junk. Typically when either the injection spider or LIMG goes you replace them both but some guys may not have done that.

The '84-86 XJ/MJs with the 2.8 were all carbureted. EFI helped those engines out a lot. The 2.8 is an ok motor but the GM 4.3 TBI is indestructible if you take 1/2 decent care of it. I've seen S-10s with 300K+ on the 4.3L. The 4L60 usually needs a rebuild around 150K or so. The CSFI engines are ok if you put in the good intake gaskets & the Delphi SFI retrofit spider.

I know the '98 ZJ box uses M16 X 1.5 and M18 X 1.5 threads on the box. I put one in my '69 GM A body and had to source a bunch of things from the local hydraulic shop. Here's the how to I followed: http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/chassis-suspension/1407-jeep-grand-cherokee-steering-box-swap/ It looks like I could use an 800 series 12.7:1 ratio box from a '96-'98 ZJ and everything would fit. I'd also drop from the current 14:1 ratio to 12.7:1. http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=986565 I don't necessarily mind the 14:1 ratio. Still don't have any idea what's different on the 2nd XJ boxes though

Found them! Never Installed. If you're still interested send me a PM and we'll go from there

I'm bringing this one back from the dead but it looks like I'll be in the market for a new steering box soon. I changed Georgia's pressure & return hoses last night (crusty OE hoses) and found some metal in the return line at the box. I don't have any issue with her steering at the moment but if I have to score a JY box I might as well upgrade if the opportunity presents itself. I did some research and found the following, courtesy of Hollander: -551-1353 box Fits 84-95 XJ/MJ. This should be what's on the truck now. Either an ES or EK code, not sure which I have. -551-1688. '96 only. Not sure what's special about it -551-1742. '97-01 XJ. -551-1690. ZJ steering box listed as '96-98 per Hollander I looked up the Durango box as well but forgot to write down the P/N. I was very surprised to see 3 different options for XJ steering boxes. Anyone have an insight as to what makes the '84-'95, '96, and '97+ boxes different? I was thinking that,for 98% street driven MJ, a relatively low mileage XJ box of any year would be fine. Thoughts?

I have a set of new ones in my basement. If you're still looking I'll see if I can dig them up.

You ended up buying a parts XJ for all the 4WD conversion parts, right? From what I remember finding the first AX-15 was no easy feat in your neck of the woods. Is the $1500 the price if they R&R it? Changing the sychros will require a press, etc and that portion of the job is prob best done by a tranny shop. Removing the case & separating the shafts isn't too bad...I tore a 2WD AX-15 down just to see how it went together. If you're inclined and the tranny shop is game I'd see if you can take the assembled shafts to them and have them service the synchros & bearings on the shafts, then handle the rest of the disassembly/reassembly yourself.

Now that the weather is consistently nice it's time to give her a shot of spring TLC. The RR fender flare picked up a tear and was not sitting flush with the bed (parking lot wound? big chunk of snow/ice this winter?). I had a spare RR flare that I picked up a few years ago so I swapped it out. Dirty but nice and solid under the flare:

Did you use a new chunk of rubber fuel line when you replaced the fuel pump? If the pump is running but no fuel is coming out the hose could be kinked, torn, etc. You need fuel hose rated for submersion (SAE 30R10). Standard hose won't hold up.

Pick up 2 coil spring compressor loaner tools at Advance, Auto Zone, etc. One for each spring, compress before dropping the axle, & carefully place the compressed springs in the bed. After you get the Dana 30 bolted to the UCA and LCA you can drop them back in.

Here's the 242 listing from the '96 parts manual along with the input shaft listings. I also verified there's one 231 for both M/T and A/T '96 XJs.

I can't speak to the 242 but I looked into this extensively when i converted Georgia to 4WD. The '96-'99ish NP231s are the same for auto vs. manual and are all medium length, if memory serves. I bolted a '96 231 to my AX-15 and it worked fine.

Found a workable substitute from a 1990 V1500 Suburban. I'm good for now. Moderator can delete the topic

My steering wheel started oozing a black goo whenever Georgia sits in the sun. It was making a mess: I hit the junkyard for a replacement and both the '92 YJ and '93 XJ had nothing to offer. As it's a standard Saginaw column I looked through the GM cars/trucks and found a 1990 V1500 Suburban that offered up a workable solution: It doesn't say Jeep but it's also not oozing goo. It's in pretty decent shape overall. $12 well spent. It is the exact diameter of the OE Jeep wheel:

Turned 275K on the way home from work!

My steering wheel has started oozing a black tar-like substance from the holes in the leather wrap. Looking for a nice 3 spoke leather wheel in gray.

Maybe he doesn't need the MJ b/c he just got the Delorean back from the shop ;) . I'd love to put a Mr. Fusion on my cars...

Not mine but thought someone might be interested. http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/5479577484.html