Regger

Your best bet is to purchase a Master Install kit from Yukon or some other manuf., as they will have everything you need to completely install a gear set. Your local parts store should be able to get that for you, or you can find some real good deals online and on ebay. HTH Ryan

Without running out in the rain to the shop with my spare unit bearings, I would say yes. Your only going another 1/8 further out per side, and I would say there is at least 1/4-3/8 or more of material on there. I have rear ranger 8.8 that has been drilled out to 5x5.5. And they threaded the studs in, instead of pressing them, because there isn`t a whole lot of material that far out. You should be fine. HTH Ryan

I for one don't see the huge difficulty in setting up gears, or the huge persona that seems to follow it, that you should only have a professional do it. :bowdown: Well those professionals had to start somewhere right??.. We all had to start somewhere, so whats a better place to start than right here? Yes you can set them up wrong, and have premature failure, but that can be true for most other jobs. Tightening your wheel bearings too tight, not properly installing your ball joints, or even incorrectly installing your brakes, etc.. the list can go on. But if you educate yourself before hand as locojeeper has done, you really can't go wrong. Yes you may need to buy some new tools (used for that matter) but, I for one won't say no for an excuse to buy tools!!! And if this is not under a huge time constraint (has to get you to work on Monday) then why not give it a try. Realistically, you can pick up the most required tools for under $100. I bought my dial in.lb torque wrench off ebay for $50. And a dial indicator and mag base can be found for $30. And then buy your self a cheap caliper or micrometer for $20, and your off to the races. Yeah bearing presses and pullers are nice, but not needed. You can rent most of what you need, and then you can even take your bearings and carriers to a local shop and have them press them on for you. And a good trick for setting up the gears, is make yourself setup bearings by honing the ID's larger so they slide on. Do all your setups with those, and then get the shop to press on the new ones when done. But really, the most basic breakdown of a gear setup is ensuring your pinion depth is correct, your carrier side to side movement is correct, and then a visual comparison of the wear pattern. And thats basically it (of course there is a lot if detail in between those lines) I'm with Locojeeper, in that I have 4 axles than need re-gearing. So I figured I'd do it myself. And really, if I only had one axle to re-gear, I would probably do it myself as well. Only because I've never done it before and love to learn new things. And an added bonus to this, is once you get a couple setups under your belt, you can then set them up for friends, and then you can charge others for this service. Its really a win-win situation. And Pete, I see in your list Machining and Engine Block. Well I agree with you there as it does require big expensive machines, which most of us couldnt afford anyway. But your list doesnt say, assembling an engine. Well I would consider setting up gears on par with rebuilding and engine. I bet if you give it a try, you will really impress yourself Just my thoughts... Ryan

Well then, I might see him around, although he porbably wonty see me, as the MJ is still in the garage!!! Ryan

Sorry, I don't... Well i actually, I think there are some on the net somewhere, but I can't remember where they are. Ryan

Well its been a few months, and I've finally made some more progress on my project.. I finally bit the bullet, and had my buddy come over and burn off my lower control arm mounts. The first side was a little hack But we figured it out for the second side. A little grinding cleanup and it will be smooth as silk Also got started on the bridge for the upper control arm mount And rough cut all the other control arm mounts and spring pads I still have a lot of clean up left to do on the mounts and coil pads (they are way too long, and will be cut down, but couldn't find the coil buckets at that time). Then I can test fit it under the truck, mock up some steering, and then burn it all home. Then move on up and make the crossmember/upper mounts for the control arms and my dual t/case setup.. I've actually changed my long arm design, and instead of going with a 4-link and track-bar, I'm going with a radius arm setup similiar to the RE long arms. A lot simpler than my previous designs, and easier and quicker to fab up. Which means it will get done faster!!! Hopefully I'll get some progress over the holidays, and if the gods are with me, I'm hoping to have this project finished by May long, just so I can say it took me less than 5yrs..LOL Ryan

Here is a Pic of Rob's old MJ. He basically cut it a few inches back of the lights, and just behind the shackle mount on the frame. HTH Ryan

I'm in Chilliwack BC, with one MJ in the garage!!!

Thanks guys, I guess I'll just go for it, and see where I end up... This is going to be a trail rig, but I do like to make things pretty as much as possibly.. Hacking is really not in my vocabulary... JeepcoMJ, thanks for the offer, but I think once they are gone, there is no turning back.. that would be just too much work!!! THanks again guys, Ryan

Hey Folks, I didnt want to do it, but it looks like I have to cut off my lower control arm frame brackets to make room for me new long arm setup. I just mocked up the new brackets with my new RE Flex joints, and the upper long arms will hit the side of the lower brackets, and from the looks of it, the lower arms might hit the bottom of the bracket under full stuff... My reason for keeping the brackets was for more strength of the uni-body, and it would be a pain to remove them.. Plus if I ever wanted to put the truck back to stock form.. Well, now they are in the way, and must be removed.. and I don't think this truck will ever be stock again... So has anyone done this with successful results? I don't want to hack them off, and was wondering if anyones just cut the welds and taking them off cleanly?.. Also any hints, tips, tricks and pics would be great.. Thanks, Ryan

Its Christmas in August!!!!! Just went down to my local postal outlet to pick up a parcel that had arrived... It was a box full of boxes!!! With each box containing a bunch of parts.... And when assembled, equals one mean RE Flex Joint!!!! Damn these things are nice... but yet very simple... its one of those, "Why didnt I think of that?" designs... And they are beefy!!! roughly 2lbs each, with a 2-5/8" OD seamless pipe outer, and .200" wall thickness, with a total assembled width of 2-5/8" for a total cost of $32 US shipped... best price I found throughout the internet and locally too.. Bought from a place in Virginia, but they shipped directly from RE in California... So now I can finish off my frame brackets, then I can position the front axle, fab and finish up the axle brackets... Then attach these joints to some control arms and I'm off to the races!!! Ryan

Well, Some more progress was made.. Finished the welding and painting of the new tranny hump; Put the carpet back on, and it fit pretty good. Almost looks stock And finally bolted the new seat brackets and bucket seats back in.. Its actually coming together nicely, although slow, its still making progress.. The rest of the pictures can be found here http://hot4x4.ca/gallery2/v/RyanEgger/albun80/album541/ The seats sit way to high for me, but its something I can get used to. I Just have to fix the sagging headliner. The girlfriend likes it cause she can see over the hood, where before the bench had sagged so much, she looked like an old lady driving it with her head just pearing through the steering wheel. I can't put the complete interior back together just yet, As I still have to figure out where to put my crawler box shifter. My idea right now is to use the stock shifter by getting rid of the pivot mechanism and run a rod directly back to the rear case. This should give me the clearance I need for the CV driveshaft. And then use the pivot mechanism housing, with the crawler box shifter though it and out the side of the tranny tunnel. Then contour the shifter so it comes up just beside the stock shifter. Right about where my bicycle shifter/throttle control is in the second and thrid pictures. But that will only come after I figure out the new crossmembers and locations and only after I finish the control arm frame brackets. So back to the shop I go to finish of the frame brackets. Should probably have a few more updates in a couple months or so :roll: Ryan

Pinpong, when you get up to .375 wall.. You will not be bending that easily no matter how you drive.... But if you want it, and can get it, do it... As for brackets... What I want to do is not something that can be off the shelf.. I'm raising all my brackets and mounts about 1-2" (havent figured out the exact measument yet) and so its not something that is common. Most people would just buy the RE kit, and weld everything on, and call it done... Not me, I like to make life difficult for myself as much as I can... As for getting stuff across our great border... NAFTA only allows us to get american made products through the border without paying duty on them.. But we still have to pay our taxes both provincial and federal, plus depending on how they are shipped a brokerage fee... And of course, the border takes their sweet @$$ time accessing the products coming through making sure they are terrorist funded or of that nature before getting through.. it basically all adds up to more money spent and time wasted then required... Thats why I just ship everything to an adress just across the line, and head down and pick it up myself. Sometimes I pay taxes, sometimes I don't, depending on the mood of the border gaurd, but at least I get them in a very timely fashion and way cheaper than shipping them directly to my house... HTH Ryan

Ouch... Thats a steep bill... But then again, your buying expensive steel to begin with.. You could always go with HREW instead and save money. And it that size, would be plenty strong... I think I've finally decided on the Large RE Flexx Joints at about $40 ea, but I'm still undecided if I want to go with round are sqaure tubing... Then its a matter of making the alxe and frame brackets... Ryan

Last time it dynoed, was 300HP at the rear wheels with just under 800 lbs-ft. torque!!.. And thats with new injectors, fuel plate, 3000GSK, 4" straight from the turbo back, adjusted timing, and a done up tranny.. I have since slipped the torque convertor, and my valve body is messing up, so its losing a lot of power through the tranny... I would definetly not leave it stock!!!.. Thats just a bad word!!!.. There is so much unharnessed power in that truck your really missing out. I would recommend first and foremost get yourself a set of gauges (boost, pyro, and tranny). Then a quick, cheap, simple and easy mod is a fuel plate. That will get you anywhere from 50-150HP in less than a hours work, and less than $300. But the higher HP you go, the quicker you blow your tranny. but the tranny can handle a modest upgrade. and with that you'll gain more HP, more torque, and better fuel economy. Then you can take it in steps from there... Its all on how much money you have. Right now I'm avergaing about 15mpg, but thats not corrected for my 315/75 tires. so add about 15%. And add to that, that I'm alos paying only .80/liter right now. so for 100Litres, costs me $80 bucks and I get about 650km worth or so... I love diesels so much because of this, that i want to stuff a 4cyl cummins into my MJ next year.. Then add dual stacks!!!, cause I want at least one truck to have stacks, and my Ram can't because of my camper!!! Overall great trucks, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.. we'll maybe if they Make a Mega cab with a long box, and the mechanical 12v.. then maybe!!! Ryan

Geez.. 203/300 is a heavy setup.. but its equally as strong... If you got, run it... I only had 231's so thats what I used.. if they break, I go bigger... Yeah I was thinking of the cable shift system, but I figure a simple lift/push lever going up and down is the simplest.. Plus it would take up very little room, and I wouldn't have to worry about cables and brackets and alignment, etc.. But who knows, that idea may not work , and I'm either back to a cable setup, or maybe using a YJ setup... Well, I havent dealt with Craig at JT for along while, pretty much since the whole stolen vehicles thing... BUt yes, the D300, is just the first cost.. I would still have to flip it (cause I have all Drivers side front axles, and don't want to switch now) and then double or even triple stick it... This project is taking long enough, and that would open up whole other can of worms!!! I just want this thing back on the road... My last major expense will be the joints for the control arms.. and then the steel for the arms themselves... and then of course, all the little things like brakes, bearings, seals, that start out cheap but end up costing the most after all said and done!! Ryan

Now theres a smart man!!! A backup to any good MJ is a Dodge Diesel!!!! My other passion!!! Theres not to many diesels that can do this!!! http://gallery.hot4x4.ca/albums/The-Tow-Rig/aad.avi http://gallery.hot4x4.ca/albums/The-Tow-Rig/aae.avi Ryan

Pingpong, I looked on Pirate a few months ago and couldn't find anything about a cable shifter... So someone suggested doing a vertical shifter for the 1st case. It only needs to go up and down one notch, and would take up very little room. That would then leave me to use the stock shifter for the rear case... What cases did you go with??.. D300?? I was thinking of going that route, with a flipped D300... but it just isnt in the budget at the time. I'll see how this does, and if it breaks, then I'll have to go bigger... Ryan

Well some more progress was made this weekend... Finally!!!!.. I filled in the hole I made to fit the 2nd t/case. Its only tacked in right now, and hopefully I'll get to fully weld, sand, prime and paint next weekend. I also finished up the brackets for the bucket seats. (Sorry No pics right now) They do sit a little tall, but I'll se if thats a problem.. I might end up lowering them later on. The only bracket left is the drivers side, inner rear. I had to cut the bolt out to fit the t/case, and cut off that protion of the seat bracket. So I'll have to make a new bracket and put in a new bolt. Then I can get back to making the bracket for the front axle and long arm kit Ryan

Yeah, I saw Cole (The 2nd Owner after Rob) a few months back. I had to take some pics of his dual t/case setup for my project. He wheels it good and hard.. Its now flatdecked cause he kept bashing in the box on rocks and trees. I just wish I could have bought it instead!!.. Would love to have had Twin MJ's!!! Ryan

I had a hole in my floorboard too (although man made) But its all patched up now!!! Ryan

I used two tanks mounted under the bed at the front passenger side. I used the two bolt holes for the exhaust hanger, and just relocated my exhaust. (actually, shortened it and have it dump out in front of the rear tire above the spring) Works perfect and its tucked up out of the way.

Cause he has rear steer.. Ryan

Jeez.. I wonder what happened with mine then... I'll have to get back in there and measure up a few things to see whats the difference... Very weird... Ryan

Well, for a busted rear shaft... pulling the front might get you moving, but if you wheel in any difficult terrain at all, FWD will do nothing for you... Happened two weeks ago. Buddy broke rear u-joint. Pulled the rear shaft, and began to spin his front tires with zero forward movement.. Also he was on a hill.. So out came a strap and he got towed out of there, which was an adventure itself when you throw in a rock garden!!! My plan... if I was to bust a rear shaft, (not a u-joint as I will have spares, unlike my buddy who didnt :nuts: ).. I would pull my busted shaft, and swap in my spare shaft... And when I mean spare shaft, I don't mean a custom shaft built to exact specs. and balanced.. I mean a sqaure shaft that I made at home with spare yokes. Sure the shaft won't be balanced, but it will get you moving under your own power. And if a squre shaft is good enough for the front of my rig, why not the rear to get me out of the trail!!!... Now for a real question... What if you butter the back of a cat and threw it out the window... Would it land on its feet, or buttered side down??? Ryan