CW's MJ 2005 - 10

[CWLONGSHOT]

i just read threw your whole build thread.. makes me wish for summertime up here in Northern MN. My 2 Comanches are stored in the wintertime. It was interesting to see its trasformation threwout the couple YEARS this build thread has been going. Sweet man :banana:

 

Thanks man!!

 

CW

[CWLONGSHOT]

The MJ got lots of attention today!!! It fineally installed my winter tires.... 33x10.5X15 BFG AT's.

 

 

I installed my ZJ V8 sway bar!!

 

 

Then I built some disconect "holders" for my JKS discos. I too a 12" piece of 1.25X1/8" piece of flat stock.. bent a 1" tab on each end and chopped it in half. then drilled mounting holes for the "pins that come with the discos.

 

 

Then I took the inner bolt out of the cradle that holds the sway bar bushings and put my brackets under it and tightened it back down.

 

 

It was a very GOOD DAY!!!

[STERLING STINGER]

i know i don't know much here cw, but the holders u built looks like they might break to me. y wouldnt u use something stronger? since your truck is so awesome :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

[CWLONGSHOT]

I know, I don't know much here cw, but the holders you built look like they might break to me. You would use something stronger? Since your truck is so awesome! :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

 

Thank you!!

But all the brackets do is hold the sway bar and disco's up out of the way when disconnected off-road. There is no appreciable weight or force put on them when in this position. before I built these, I would "zip" tie them up to the inner fender well. That worked fine, but was a PIA. I am certain the 1/8" steel is stronger than the nylon of the zip ties!! :brows: :brows:

 

CW

[MiNi Beast]

all about those little things that are often over looked but a pain in the but when out on the trail. Looks good man, still debating running my sway bar yet. :???:

[CWLONGSHOT]

Yesterday I got a chance to get out and work on the MJ some more!! BEAUTIFUL DAY HERE!!!

 

I removed the rear diff pan because I found the breather tube missing last week... a few weeks before that I was wheeling in an area with many water crossings.. nothing deep, but a couple feet in places and lots of ice! So its likely one of the ice bergs removed the rubber line... I did find some water inside, not much but enough to have rust beginning to form on the top where no oil was able to get to. (On the pan) The lube wasn't a milk shake as not too much got in, but enough to make it grey......

 

SO, new 80/90 and a 1/4 bottle of L/S additive.

 

I also looked at the intake tube project...No progress there as I need the hose adaptors... I thought I had a scope with a set of fittings with a couple little hole saws...trouble was the saws are not bi metal and made of plastic only...not the steel I was trying to drill.... So all it did was scratch the surface and ruin the saws teeth...8 bucks down the tube. Good news is the pipe should work well as it fits nicely.Once I get the two fittings installed I'll install and give it a go.

 

CW

[CWLONGSHOT]

all about those little things that are often over looked but a pain in the but when out on the trail. Looks good man, still debating running my sway bar yet. :???:

 

The ONLY time to consider NOT using one is if its a offroad only vehicle. If so toss it!! If not and you drive on the street...KEEP IT and properly disco it!! ;)

 

CW

[Darren]

all about those little things that are often over looked but a pain in the but when out on the trail. Looks good man, still debating running my sway bar yet. :???:

 

The ONLY time to consider NOT using one is if its a offroad only vehicle. If so toss it!! If not and you drive on the street...KEEP IT and properly disco it!! ;)

 

CW

 

:agree:

[CWLONGSHOT]

Today I had a day off and time on my hands....

 

SO, I worked on the Air Tube idea.... I started with a 6" piece of 3" exhaust pipe, and a set of Vacuum ports I found @ Pep Boys. The kit is perfect for this and comes with 4 ports and grommets sized for the XJ/MJ large vac/breather lines.

 

 

The tubes are made for plastic so the saws that come with it are useless for the metal tube... I use a 1/2 hole saw and filed the hole up to the proper size for the grommets. Then I took out the air box and related vacuum lines. Inserted the air tube in the rubber factory air tube and tightened the clamp. I installed the air filter and tightened its clamp. Now to address the bracket arm. I made this form a stick of 1/8x 3/4" flat stock. I drilled a 3/8" hole and bent it about 70 degrees. Then measure to the height I wanted and bent it again then chopped off the excess. I left about a 4-5" tag end and bent that into a 3" radius to fit to the air tube. I will weld this together, but for now I just "zip tied" it.

 

 

I wanted the ability to return to stock, so I found some hose that was the proper diameter to allow the factory tube to slip inside and retain vacuum. I cut the factory vac harness with 2" end to hold the hose. (So I could repair this and go back to stock.) I cut a long enough hose to make up the distance from the top of the valve cover to the side port of the air tube.

 

 

So far its working fine...I'll post up again after a couple days...

 

CW

[dasbulliwagen]

Seeing as how you kept soo much of the factory air tube, you probably won't notice any performance gain at all. The smoother the flow you have from the filter to the throttle body the better, less restriction and turbulance equals higher airflow. If you can build a box around the filter too and seal up with the hood so it don't suck in hot air will help too, or extend the new tube down and mount the filter lower in the engine bay would help too. Nice work though, as always!

[wannabeMJ]

I've read the whole project And I have a question (same as the first one I sent you)

you've replace the rear shocks on a angle bar that you've put underneath the bed but as you fixed the rear frame I saw that you had the original shocks still attached to the frame

 

did you just add new shocks on top of the original ?

[CWLONGSHOT]

I've read the whole project, and I have a question. (same as the first one I sent you)

You've replaced the rear shocks on a angle bar, that you've put underneath the bed. But as you fixed the rear frame, I saw that you had the original shocks still attached to the frame. Did you just add new shocks on top of the originals?

 

My truck has gone thru a number of changes. The rear shocks have changed position and type a couple each!!

 

I started with Monroe magnums at stock length. They worked till the 3" lift came along. I sold them to a member here and a set of longer Rancho's replaced them. The Ranchos went with the 4" Rusty's full spring packs about a year later. I sold the Ranchos to another member here. I wanted better shocks so I splurged and I picked up a set of Bilstein 5100's. :brows: But I bought a set that was a bit too long. (Nothing listed for our trucks) So I made up a upper mount with a piece of 3" heavy angle iron and a couple "HELP" shock mounts. I drilled a number of holes so I had some adjustment. But these proved to be too light a rebound for my taste, so I sold them. I picked up a set of 5125's. These where still a bit long but better in dampening and rebound. Then the Rusty's springs broke... in half! I also found the frame problems. I ordered a set of Alcan springs 4.5" "MT" packs and fixed the frame. A friend was building up his XJ at the time and was needing shocks. I still wanted a bit more dampening from my shocks so he bought mine and I again upgraded to the 5150's front and rear. These along with the new leafs, where exactly what I was originally looking for. I was able to go back to original, factory shock mounting points. That's where and how it sits now.

 

[buxmj]

CW, that is some great work. Even though I don't plan on doing a 4X conversion, you have given me many things to think about.

[wannabeMJ]

thankx for the answer CW

[CWLONGSHOT]

CW, that is some great work. Even though I don't plan on doing a 4X conversion, you have given me many things to think about.

 

thankx for the answer CW

 

:thumbsup: ;)

 

UPDATE:

 

dasbulliwagen, I agree with you! This is a work in progress and somewhat of a test. thats why I did it in such a way that I can return to stock.

 

I have now driven it a bout 50 miles. DEFINEATE improvement off and at idle. More grunt climbing hills and the little hesitations are all but gone. So maybe I will invest in the Rocket tube for $150.... I'll drive it some more first... :banana:

 

CW

[CWLONGSHOT]

The MJ got a good "going over" today!!

 

Spent a couple hours underneath with a wire brush and a couple cans of Black Rustoleum!! MAN the salt is tearing up my truck!!! Almost every weld I made was rusting! Its much better now!!!

 

I changed the tranny Fluid, T-case fluid, Engine oil, Power steering fluid and I finished up changing out the brake fluid. I did the Axles a couple weeks back.

 

I have been having troubles with the ECTED for most of the winter.. trouble was it doesn't work!!! I pulled the DS and checked the operation of the ECTED. its got 12V and seems to be just fine. BUT it doesn't lock... I was remembering that this was a clutch limited slip that simply compresses the clutches to lock the axle. Well, I'm thinking that the clutches are about gone so it cannot lock any longer. When I installed it you could not turn one wheel with out the other, simply the limited slip was so tight, you couldn't "bias" the axle by hand. NOT NOW!! Its so EASY to turn one wheel against the other you can do it with one hand!

 

I think I'm gonna replace it with what I should have bought to begin with, a full case Detroit locker!! NO NONSENSE and always works!!! I'm thinking to pull the ECTED, install the Detroit and send the ECTED back for repairs then pedal it on EBay. Lessin' one of you fellars wants it...

 

THEN, I installed a switch on the winch so its able to be turned off.

 

 

Lastly while I had the drive shaft out, I changed the universals. The one at the back of the T-Case was squeaking, so I changed out both as well as cleaned and painted it while it was out!

 

 

CW

[CWLONGSHOT]

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The Detroit Locker is here and is getting installed on 4/27/10!!

 

Stay tuned for the pics...

 

CW

[MJ is dead]

[89eliminator]

I'm sure i don't need to say this, but your gonna love it!

[CWLONGSHOT]

I'm sure i don't need to say this, but your gonna love it!

 

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I'm sure I don't need to say this, but your gonna love it!

AND I DO!!

 

Its in and its WONDERFUL!! I should have done this from the start!!

 

I have too much going on in the next couple weeks, so I had a good friend and a Jeep mechanic do the install for me.

 

Got it up on the lift:

 

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Pulled the cover and drained off the fluid.

 

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Then pull the axles and pop out the POS ECTED.

 

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The gears look great and the seals and bearings are perfect so all are re-used.

 

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Press on the old bearings on top of the shim packs and install the Detroit for setup.

 

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Got a great pattern first time and was VERY lucky with the shims. Everything looks great so on with the cover and fill with fresh fluid. Ready for the test drive. Out of the lot and down the road, nothing.. its smooth and invisible. Turning left and right still nothing. then up a grade and a 90degree right turn. Nice and slow and the inside wheel is squealing. Just as it should!! Taking a corner with a bit of go pedal results in the same tire howl, not at all in tune with the slow speed of the turn. Again exactly as it should be with a locker that's engaged. Both rear tire are turning at the same speed. Because its a turn one wheel must turn at a slower RPM because it turns a smaller arch. But with the locker, it cannot so it turns at the engine speed instead of the grounds and the result is that the wheel scrubs as its rotating slower then the ground that's traveling under it.

 

 

I LOVE IT!!!

[JeffK]

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Very nice. :bowdown:

[dakal]

welcome :wavey:

[dasbulliwagen]

welcome :wavey:

 

HUH??? Are you saying welcome to CW???? :hmm:

[dakal]

welcome to detroit locker land!