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ditched the XJ (warning- vehical dismemberment inside)


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my 91 xj out in the snow last year.

 

new toy next to my old toy (my 06 klr and 94 miata in the garage)

 

an hour later

 

and a bit after that

 

now the MJ's turn, note the ice :(

 

and another side by side (looking better now)

 

the city came by and told me i couldn't have this in my drive way, threatened big fines and what not

 

so i made it go away

 

bit by bit

 

used the xj rear springs ( they are not the same, had to use a high lift to expand em, not safe, I don't recommend it)

 

with stock MJ rear springs and 2inch blocks, sits way too low, but at least it doesn't make me nervous bout destroying expensive springs,

pic was taken after my first drive :D

 

Still need to fab up a rear upper shock mount (going with the bar across the x in the frame) and fix the ride height issue. also still running the 2wd Ba10/5 >.< ive got a AX15 and a matching transfercase sitting in california, just need to get the jeep there or the tranny here (and pray my SYE off my XJ fits the tranny). Fender flares and Bumper and rocker rails from the xj still need to be installed and the harmonic dampener on the MJs motor is separating so a swap from the xjs motor will be done before any serious amount of driving can be done.

 

I used my D44 out of my XJ and the spring pads seem to be about 1/2 to 3/4" inch closer together than the Mj's pads were. The springs and bushings allowed enough flex to bolt everything together but I'm worried bout long term issues. Either I'm going to make some offset shackles (angle the springs then >.< ) or re-work the pads (don't really wanna do it). any one have and suggestions, bout the pads of the jeep as a whole :)

 

-Geoff

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I have done this a couple times now!! FUN PROJECT!!!

 

I will say that your looking for troubles trying to retro fit the XJ rear suspension on your MJ. Just cut off those XJ perches and weld on CORRECT width MJ perches. Then make up lower shock mounts. I used the "help" rack shock mounts. I suppose you could fabricate new rear shackles to allow the shorter XJ leafs.

 

CW

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  • 2 years later...

So yeah, 2 years and some change later, theres an update...

 

I've moved back to cali, and spent lots of money and time on my Miata.

Miata intro thread

On going Miata work log

 

The poor Comanche got loaded with 2000'lbs of spare jeep motor, a ford 5.0, a 8.8 axle and lots of other stuff and driven to cali where it was promptly parked and only used occasionally for dump runs and helping friends move.

 

Last week I decided I felt bad for it and started working on it again. I have since replaced the 2wd BA10 with my AX15 (which is from a wangler it turns out...) and swapped my sye kit on to a 23 spline NP231 and installed that too. I also lengthened a spare front driveshaft for use in the rear (I will be getting one professionally made soon, and the home made one will just be a trail spare).

Because CA is not as nice about lifts and things as ID, I put my mud flaps on today. Some time this coming week I'll weld on my sliders and probaly make some more rock protection.

 

And a pic as it sits now (I fixed the rear springs while I was in ID so it sits level)

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  • 4 years later...

So it's been even longer this time!

 

My MJ looks just about the same as it did in the last picture, but it's been driven even less. I welded in a CA legal cat and got it to pass smog, so it's registered in CA finally. 

Recently I've been thinking about pulling out the 2" spacers all around, moving down to 33 AT's, and swapping the spool in the rear for something selectable. Basically I just want to get it to the point where I feel like it won't break if I try to drive it somewhere :p

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LOL, about the XJ. I had the county get on me for having my MJ parts truck on the side of the house!! So, it was disassembled under the carport in much the same fashion. The carcass was put on a rollback and taken to the scrapyard! I assume, with the stripes, it's an Eliminator like mine.

 

Jerry 

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I see a lot of post about how people are saying that either the state the community league are telling them that they can't have what ever junk vehicle on their drive way. is that a common thing in america? cause I see it quite frequently where I've lived.

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LOL, about the XJ. I had the county get on me for having my MJ parts truck on the side of the house!! So, it was disassembled under the carport in much the same fashion. The carcass was put on a rollback and taken to the scrapyard! I assume, with the stripes, it's an Eliminator like mine.

 

Jerry 

 

 

I see a lot of post about how people are saying that either the state the community league are telling them that they can't have what ever junk vehicle on their drive way. is that a common thing in america? cause I see it quite frequently where I've lived.

 

I think it's pretty normal here. That was when I was in Idaho, which I feel like is a much more personal freedoms kind of state, here in CA, I think I would have just got a fine and no warning :(

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  • 10 months later...

Every 6 months or so you all get an update :)

So I bought some things:

 

 

Got some bolt pattern adapters and put the new wheels on:

 

 

and then I did some other things:

 

 

and found out that the door badness is worse than I had expected :(

I want to fix it right (metal plates inside the frame to mount the hinges too, but other projects get in the way).

 

So I put the nose and fenders back on for now...

 

 

They're cheap repo fenders and a fiberglass nose, so the fit isn't amazing, but it's an upgrade in my book. The new wheels/tires are narrower, so the old flares look kinda too large. Eventually It'll all get painted too and match nicely, but I suspect that's a few years out. 

 

I've got new ball joints to press in, but haven't had the time, and I plan on doing the weld style repair on the brake sliders while I have the ball joints out, so I have to plan on even more down time. 

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