Regger

Yup its Me... And yeah I'm a turtle, so its going real slow!!!! It doesn't help I'm only getting about 30mins a week to work on it.... Progress: I've basically bolted it all together, have it clocked up 6* for added clearance and have it all mocked up in position under the truck. I then cut a huge hole in the floorboards to make it fit, and have just made cardboard templates to cover the hole. I'm swapping bucket seats in to make sure I have clearance with the new larger tranny hump.. And thats as far as I've gotten... The next plan is to cut the new 16g sheet metal and fill in the hole. Finish the bucket seat swap and put the interior back together. I'll then work on the new crossmember and shifters.. here's the link to the thread with some pics... http://comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2068&highlight= I have some more recent pictures showing the size of the hole (beyond the rear seat bolt, to just before the seatbelt bolt) as well as my cardboard templates. I'll try and get them uploaded and post them here for you... Specs: -I'm using the box4rocks kit for dual 231's. At this moment, both cases and internals are stock. Duffy (from Box4rocks) said he has a ton of hardcore XJer's running this setup, and nothing has broke. So I'll give it a shot, and upgrade to a wider chain and a 6 gear planetary in the rear case later on. -The 2nd t/case adds 8" to the overall length of the setup, including the clocking ring. So yes, new front and rear driveshafts will be required. I also went with a SYE, so that probably saved me a few inches on the rear shaft length. But because your still moving the rear t/case back 8"... Some major cutting needed to be done. I really didn't want to cut the floor, but once I made the first cut it was easier.. So easy in fact, that I clocked the rear t/case up 6* and had to cut more out of the floor. I figured might as well do it now while I still can. Whats to come: -I don't really have a solid plan for the crossmembers yet. I want to try and use the stock one for the most part, but it will require some fabbing to allow room for the front shaft at full droop. (the clocking will help with this) and either run a second crossmember for the rear case, or fab a support from the back of the stock one. Or just build a complete new crossmember a little further back from stock, in between the two cases. - For the shifters... I have a few options. I can still use the stock shifter for either the front or rear case, and only have to figure out the second shifter. Now the front case only needs two positions, (Hi and Low), and the rear needs 4 positions. So far I'm thinking of using the stock shifter for the rear case, and then make a shifter for the front case that is a simple pull up/push down rod. Then I don't have to worry about make a lever, or fabbing up a pivot point, just need to make a slide bracket and a nice t-handle at the top. This way I don't have to cut any more monstrous holes in the floor, or try and deal with cables and such, and can maintain a somewhat stock looking interior HTH Ryan

I thought there were only outer axles seals on D44's?... Cause an inner axle seal would prevent oil from getting to the axle bearings.... same as a D35... Ryan

Yup, thats external... So go back and grab everything from the front of the tranny forward... Bellhousing, adaptor plate, lever, external slave and hoses(if its got it)... Then do the right thing and swap it onto yours... Best swap you'll ever do!!! Ryan

Personally, I think you went too far... how much clearance did you gain?... Cause now you will have leaking issues as soon as you slide back on a rock and peel your diff cover, or even just tweak it a bit.. But since you gone this far.. go further :brows: .. and then, drill and tap new bolt holes on either side. Then just make sure you use a good 1/4" diff ring around so that you won't risk peeling it off... HTH Ryan

Bring this thread back to the top... I just started on the install of my XJ buckets in the MJ. I have a nice set of 2-dr XJ Curved seats and a set of MJ brackets. After doing a little head scratching.. I realized that I couldn't just swap the brackets. As the tops of the sliders, (where the seat frame sits) are different. I had thought I could get away with just swapping the XJ slider and brackets for the MJ one by just un-bolting the two. Had I known I had to do some fabbing on these, I wouldnt have bought the MJ brackets, I would have just used my MJ Bench brackets... Bad lesson learned I guess... So with that said, I would just swap the lower brackets. Started on the drivers side first (as I needed it to mock up for fitment of the patch panel I made to cover the whole I cut to fit my 2nd transfer case). After very carefully cutting and pounding the rivets out. I swapped the brackets and bolted them back up. So I am using an XJ cuverd seat Slider on MJ brackets. Now granted I don't have the inner back bracket bolted (AS I had to cut it out to fit the t/case), but these seats sit way offcenter to the inside of the truck. And almost slightly twisted so I am more facing towards the a-piller than straight through. Its almost like the steering wheel is over my left thigh... Where did I go wrong?... This is completely opposite to what JeepcoMJ experianced. His were too far outwards... Mine are too far inwards.... Could someone be so kind and measure the distance from the side of the seat to the inside door panel?.. That is my only reference... As I used to be able to store a 1Litre pop beside me on the bench seat, held there by the door. Now I could probably fit a keg, but a 2Litre for sure... HELP... Before I get frustrated and start cutting a welding!!!.... Thanks, Ryan

Oh Jeez.. I didnt read the ride height part.. I somehow thought he was talking max shock length... But yeah 29" is damn tall... jeepaholic, how much lift is that?... As dirty said, raise the lower bracket, and drop the upper bracket to get down to a more common size... Otherwise, you will be buy remote resoviour $$$$ shocks... Ryan

Yeah, you'll probably have a lot of trouble trying to find a shock that long with a stud... Either by, or make yourself a stud eliminator kit and then your options are endless... Just checking my rancho specs, shows me a bunch of shocks over 30" extended length HTH Ryan

The quick and dirty way.... Need to be able to lift one wheel at a time... 1.) stuff the wheel at max compression.. measure shock moutn distance, minus 1" or so for safety 2.) drop the wheel as much as possible, measure shock mount distance, add an 1"+ for safety.. That way you will have a 1" buffer on compression if you come down hard, and compress your bump stops, you wotn compress your shocks. And vice versa, if you drop a wheel hard, you won't be over extending your shock. The lazy way is just to add 5.5" to your current shock length. problem with this, is usualy lift suspension flex better than stock, so they will utilize more shock movement than compraed to stock. HTH Ryan

shoot for about 6* give or take... Anywhere around there and you should be fine... Ryan

Hey Dustin, If you could read your PM, or send me your current email so I can chat with you... I still have yet to receive that Cargo light, and am a little worried... Or, if the one member that helped me out before in getting a hold of Dustin, if you could do that again and get him in contact with me, that would be great.. Thanks, Ryan

Well that is a good method as described... but feel there is a slight mistake... When compressed, don't add 1" to that measurement, or else you'll be using your shocks as bumpstops... if you measure 10" between mounts, get a shock that has a compressed of 9".. that gives you 1" of safety zone... Just my opinion.. Another idea.. take your old shocks, measure them, then take the difference between your old mount and your new mount and add that to the measurement of the shocks.. Its not ideal, but it works.. HTH Ryan

You know, I've heard people say, "get a professional" to do it, but you have to think about it too.. they had to start somewhere as well... so here's your chance to start Just read up on it a lot.. There are numerous websites that have very good articles, (pirate for one, by Billavista) and if you get yukon gears, they have a good write up included with the gears. Then go and get the tools you need... as Jeepthing07 said... You'll have to spend a little money, but in the end, you'll be that much better off... And hey, now that you can do it, you can charge to do it for your friends and make some money to pay for your tools.. Since your truck is off the road.. this is the perfect time to start. Yeah it may take you a week the first time around.. but just go very very slow, and double and triple check all your measurements.. The criticals are your backlask, bearing pre-load, and torque.. And the one thing that you can only eyeball, is the pattern. Do it a couple times, maybe even 4 times until you can see a definite pattern that looks good acording to the book.. your all done.. See, once you break it down.. there is really nothing professional required.. The only thing a professional has over you, is just the experiance, to know how many shims, and what not. IF you can read numbers on a dial, numbers on a torque wrench, and look at pictures.. you'll all set.. With that being said, I'm in the process of doing not 1, not 2, but three axles myself... A close friend said he would give me a good deal at $150 each.. (normally $300ea), but thats still $450 that I could better spent on something else... and I gain valuable experiance at the same time..If it takes me a month to do all the axles so be... HTH Ryan

I was also told that the '86 years had the longest stock cables out of all the years for some reason... Whether that was for the M20 version or what... But its worth a try and the local parts store to look up the early model years and see if its a different number than what you have.. Also, I was running 6" lift and still used the stock cables.. They got a little tight at full droop, but still worked... HTH Ryan

Also, the one thing about 8.8's is that they are c-clip.. Which means you cannot use a full spool for it by itself, unless you get a c-clip eliminator kit which is about $150 or so.. And have heard the rear discs So the cheap spool, just became the same price as a lunchbox locker... And with a mini-spool, its basically 3 chuncks of metal. the two splined side pieces, and then the one locking block in the middle which accepts the cross pin through it. And as for strength, the mini spool is only as strong as the cross-pin in shear.. Which can or can't be a ticking time bomb as well.. Depends on how you drive and how heavy your foot is.. The girlfriends Jimmy(running the MJ D35) had the cross-pin bolt shear, which allowed the cross pin to rotate and wollow out the hole in the case, which binded the spiders and resulted in the spiders busting and taking a pinion tooth with it... And this was on an open diff... And hwat also could have happened was the crosspin fall out and jam into the case and stop the truck dead in its tracks... So as CW said, anything can break, especially when non-stock forces are applied.... HTH Ryan

88swampedMJ... I bought the kit from a vendor on Pirate4x4,... I think it was $350 including shipping. He's right across from Seattle. It was call "Box4Rocks".. Now its the same idea as the Company "Madrooster" makes down in California. So I guess which ever is closer. Mudzilla... Vertical shifter eh???.. Never really thought of that, but it just might work.. My plan was to use the Novak Adaptors reaplcement shifter (http://www.novak-adapt.com) idea and make it work for two shifters coming through the stock shifter hole... I really like keeping stuff as stock looking as possible, so it really hurt me to have to cut my floor, but the carpet and seat should cover it up... Thanks for the idea, Ryan

Well, I actually got some work done on it this weekend!!!... I felt bad, and said sorry to the old girl, but I had to cut her belly open to fit her new drivetrain!!! I couldn't believe how nice the paint was under the carpet... Now I know what the outside was supposed to look like 19yrs ago.. yeah there were a few rust spots by the seat bolts, but it was in pretty darn good condition.. and really didnt want to cut her up... Now the 2nd t/case fits a bit better... Unfortunately, I won't get much more progress on her for about a month now,... I have a couple Club AGM's to attend on the weekends, and then I have to drive my Cousins TJ, 10hrs to Calgary Alberta on Friday, visit family in Lethbridge 2hrs south on saturday, and then fly back home on Sunday.. So the old girl will have to sit for a little while longer.. Ryan

Well, I guess its time to post an update... The dual t/cases and SYE kits have been assembled.. And partially installed... problem is, there isn't enough room for them to fit..(see how the new shiny brackets don't line up).. So I'm going to have to cut the floor pan some to fit.. Which also requires the moving on the inner rear seat bracket bolt.. Now If I wasnt going to buckets, this wouldn't be problem with the bench.. but since I want buckets.. I need to relocate the bolt.. I've also aquired the rear D44 disc brake caliper brackets, as well as a Detroit for the front.. While the t/cases are out, I'm also designing up a maunal t/case yoke park brake as well, to be used with an XJ hand brake in the center console... Just need to draw up the yoke profile so I can get the disc rotor fabb'd up.. Then once thats installed, I can correct my pinion angles and start making the brackets and coil buckets to fit the front axle.. Then the major control arm fabbing comes into play.. Thats it for now... Ryan

I think the most common one, at least in my parts, is the JD2 Bender.. Its a little bit pricey but does a very good job from what I've seen... The dies are just as pricey as the bender, so make sure you get a size that will work for everything you think you'll be building.. I think the common is 1-3/4".. HTH Ryan

Just do a 4/5link rear coil setup.. Then you will have nothing past the rear tire... Thats the only true way to go.. Those sliders may work for street rods which they were designed, but would be terrible offroad Ryan

If your concerned about space in the cab... Go with this Cobra: http://www.cobra.com/index.php?page=shop/flypage&product_id=5&id=1 The main power unit is small and easily fits under the seat out of the way, and then your just dealing with the mic. which has all the control on it.. We have a couple guys in the club running these both on their rigs and their tow rigs and have had zero problems with it... HTH Ryan

My plan is to run an XJ hand brake, but have it attach to the back of the second t/case cv joint..... But thats as far as my project has taken me.. the thought of what I'm going to do... I'm still trying to figure out how to fit two t/cases under the cab!!! Ryan

Theres a link and write up somewhere on the net that shows how to do a somewaht factory dual battery setup... It uses the battery tray from an Austrailan RHD XJ. Everything bolts right up.. And yes you do have to remove the airbox and replace it with a cone or something like that... I just say it a few days ago, but can't seem to find it now... The other option is to run dual batteries in the back of the box in a Tool box of sorts... Ryan

Okay, I finally have some angle numbers for those tie-rods.. Now these aren't "official" numbers.. they are me using a precision protractor and comparing the angle.. Now there are two different sets of number here.. Because the ball does not have the same movement through out the joint... So for the angle along the centerline of the stud.. (parallel to the stud centerline) I was measuring about 25-30* per side!!!... Thats 50-60* total movement. For the angle perpendicular to the stud center line was 15-20* per side, or 30-40* total. Now those measurements are lock to lock.. So in real life, you probably won't see as much angularity as it all depends on how they are mounted, and how close the mounts are to the tie-rod housing.. But those are still pretty impressive numbers.. If you compare those numbers to the numbers I got from Pirate 4x4 from BillaVista's links article... http://www.pirate4x4.com/articles/tech/billavista/Links RE Large Bearing johnny joint - 23* Poly Performance Uni-ball - 32* Evolution Heim - 28* So worst case on the tie-rods, I highly doubt that they would be any less than the Re joints, or more likely the Evo Heims.. So I don't think the anglularity is an issue with these Tie-rods at all.. Well back to the shop I go, and see if I can fit these into one of the many different setups rattling around in my brain!! Ryan

All Right Pete.. I'll take a bunch of Canadian Decals, and stickers.. I was giong to wait till the truck was on the road, (cause no point sticking on my Mj in the garage just so the dog can look at them!!!) but I don't want you to be holding a bunch, or when the time comes for me to buy, it would be jsut my luck that your all out.. So I'll take 4 Canadian decals, and 4 small window stickers.. PM me with a Paypal Addy, and I'll send you some money.. But please, at least give me a rough idea what these things cost, so I'm not low balling... Thanks, Ryan

Well, you really have to think of it here... How often do you blow tie-rod ends off your steering linkage and you loose steering???... Not too likely... and if it does blow off... then that means you obviously didnt do any maintenance on your truck or else you would haev noticed it was badly worn.. Tie-rods are allowed to have a lot of wear without extreme failures... its only when they have extreme wear do catastrophic failures happen... So I'm more than confident in the strength.. mine, and Eagles concern at the moment is the amount of mis-alignment (angle) it has... When I thought I was going a different direction with my front setup and not going to use the tie-rods.. the new crossmember I was just giving for the raidus arm setup, won't work because with my dual t/case.. the front output is too far back, that on dropp it will smash into the lower control arm upper mount... So back to the drawing board... Ryan