darwin

Good stuff. We'll MIG the new perches on after lining it up. No big deal. The 8.25 has 29 spline shafts and I think it'll hold up fine to 33s/34s. While the 30 is open it should be okay too, but I don't know how long I'll leave it like that. pingpong: Will the MJ LCAs fit the XJ?

I'm near Frederick, MD but if I needed parts you aren't that far! pingpong: I'm putting a Chry 8.25 in the rear, not a D35. The D35 is going into the XJ. Is the Dana 30 going to be a problem too, or just the 8.25? I'm going to be reusing the MJ's rear spring, so shouldn't it be fine?

I've got a 1998 XJ that I've owned for almost three years. Started with a mild little budget boost lift and as I got into wheeling more and more, I just decided that it isn't smart to wheel my DD. The '98 still has a lot of life left and is what I want in a daily driver. So it's time to take it back to stock and swap what I can onto my new MJ and sell the rest to recoup costs. Cherokee specs: 1998 Cherokee, 4.0L, AX-15, NP231, Dana 30, Chry 8.25, both geared to 4.56 with a Detroit in the rear. MJ specs: 1988 Comanche, 4.0L, Puke goat, NP231, Dana 30, Dana 35, 3.07s open open. So here's the plan so far... I'm going to swap the Cherokee's axles onto the Comanche, bringing it spring over. I'll leave the stock springs, add the shackle and it should even out. If its not even, I'm going to add a leaf to the rears. I'm going to take the Dana 30 out of the Comanche and a junkyard (looks to be nearly new, still has glossy stock paint on it) Dana 35 and put it into the Cherokee with stock springs, control arms, and shocks. The front lift springs are 3.5", with a 2" spacer, longer control arms that fit the lift, tie rod, some skids that will fit it. I may reuse the bumper, or sell it and get some 2x4 steel and make my own. Purchased the MJ yesterday and I'm renting some space with a buddy in a big garage. First step is getting the MJ there, pulling at least the front axle, taking the XJ to another garage with a lift and putting the MJ Dana 30 and junkyard Dana 35 on it, with the stock suspension so I can daily drive it again. I'm undecided about what to do with the MJ's bed. It is a longbed and I'm considering removing it, cutting the frame from the shackle back and tubing some of it. The kind of wheeling we do, the bed is going to get pretty messed up in tight turns around trees. It's probably going to get repainted, maybe OD green. Rockers and skids underneith are a priority. I want to make the September Big Dogs at Gore, VA with this thing... About two months to get it totally done.