My D35 is Growling at me.

[JACKED88]

If it's as clean as it looks, I'd say fix and sell. Yeah XJs are great for parts, but ones that nice should be saved.

I agree but I can't afford to sink much money in it just to make it sellable.

I think tha best plan would be to pull the 4x4 trans and t/c out of it and put um in my truck. Then install tha 2x4 trans thats in my truck back in it. Then git it running and sell it for at least as much as I'll have in it.

At least that way it doesnt git scrapped and maybe the next buyer will restore it back to 4x4 and it'll live for another 20 years.

[freakjeep93]

oh thats a fail for me

 

HUH??? Whats this mean?

 

CW

it means I'm a complete idiot

Thats not true.. your smart enough to have found us!! Just look at everthing you have learned here from all your brothers on CC!!! :yes: :clapping: :waving: :brows: :D

I disagree. You can tell just by lookin at his avitar that tha guy is definately an idiot ................ for turning what looks like a nice MJ into a lawn mower shed??? :nuts: :nuts: :nuts:

 

LMAO!!!

 

thats another showing ofg my idiotcy i had to do some mowing down the driveway so being the lazy idiot i am i threw it o on the back of my atv and it promply fell off and broke th wheel off and we still avnt fixed it ... that was 2 monhs ago....

[freakjeep93]

If it's as clean as it looks, I'd say fix and sell. Yeah XJs are great for parts, but ones that nice should be saved.

I agree but I can't afford to sink much money in it just to make it sellable.

I think tha best plan would be to pull the 4x4 trans and t/c out of it and put um in my truck. Then install tha 2x4 trans thats in my truck back in it. Then git it running and sell it for at least as much as I'll have in it.

At least that way it doesnt git scrapped and maybe the next buyer will restore it back to 4x4 and it'll live for another 20 years.

\

 

and i agree

[JACKED88]

Went and looked at that 89 XJ today. To start with I was a little disappointed to find it has more miles on it that I had expected. (173,xxx)

All and all tha Jeep looks pretty solid. Tha body is straight and I couldnt find any rust other than light surface rust due to the oxidized paint.

Since tha trans and t/c is what I'm mostly interested in, I checked tha fluid and found it to be slightly off color and had a slight burnt smell. That in itself is enough to make me hesitate buying it. (thats open for discussion)

Everything under tha hood is in tact. The gas tank is out as is the fuel pump and sending unit. He claims he tested tha pump but it wouldnt run. I think tha motor would likely fire up with a new pump installed.

As for fixin and re-selling it .......... maybe. Considering I’ll have to put a fuel pump in it and git it running to test tha trans and t.c before I put um in my truck, I might put my 2x4 trans back in it and try to sell it. If I don’t git a buyer, I’ll start listing parts for sale and give away or scrap whatever is left.

Although I didn’t make tha man an offer, he said he would take less than the $500 he’s asking for it. I’m thinking I can git it for $350 or less.

 

I have another option. I found a trans and t/c at a j/y for $250 bucks. With it I git a 30 day warrenty. This trans and t/c is out of the vehicle and sittin on a shelf and therefore I won't know how many miles it has on it nore will I git tha t/c shifter or linkage.

 

So ……… spend at tha most $350 on the XJ that has known mileage and all tha parts I need and take a chance on tha trans being good OR move on to option #2 and go buy a trans and t/c with a 30 day warrenty for $250? (plus whatever the shifter and linkage cost me)

 

One other thought. I'm already having trouble with tha rear end in my truck hence tha reason I bought that 8.25. Not knowing how many miles are on the axles the previous owner installed and tha fact that I have never been able to run the front due to no t/c, ................. ahhhhh, yall know where I'm going with this. If I bought the XJ, along with all the other extra parts, I'd have an extra front axle if tha one the pre owner installed craps out just like the rear is.

 

 

Although I'd like to have a whole vehicle of parts and knowing it'll only cost me $100 bucks more than just a trans and t/c, I'm actually leaning toward option 2 and the j/y tranny. (less $$$, 30 day warrenty, less hastle and so on. But ....... there's always "what if". What if I need a front axle, or any other good parts the XJ has? :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

 

Yeah, I could really use some advise on this before I go :nuts:

[mythreesons]

I'm not seeing a "must be" either/or situation here.

 

The donor XJ pic shows a big round trailer wiring hook-up. It is not unreasonable to assume, if the hitch looks like it has been used, that the XJ pulled a trailer big enough to use such a hook-up. This "might" explain the smell of the tranny fluid. In that case, you might want to find another tranny & T/C for your truck.

 

To my way of thinking, the junkyard option is more of an unknown. 30 day warranty is only good if you do a lot of driving on it after you get it put into your truck. Plus your going to need extra parts that do not come with the JY option.

 

What about doing both? Buy the donor XJ, put your truck on hold for a little bit. Put in the fuel pump and a new sock. (at least the pump for that vehicle is readily available at most parts houses) If it runs, then decide to sell it whole or part the sucker out.

 

At this point, if you sell it whole, use the excess toward the parts for your truck. If you part it out, it will take a little longer but it is possible to get a little more cash for your truck build. Additionally, if you part it out, you've got some good parts to decide to keep for yourself or sell. (tilt steering, full guages, front doors and forward body parts, etc. )

 

Not necessarily a bad position to be in. A good XJ can bring in some fast cash real easy. In my area a good XJ can be sold for $600 any day of the week. They are just a little hard to find. A good XJ can bring in LOTS of good parts that don't really take up a lot of room in the corner. A good XJ can provide some parts for others to use on their trucks and make a little more cash for your truck build.

 

Looks like more fun time for you!

 

Scott

[JACKED88]

I think what I'm gonna do is make a low ball offer on tha XJ. I'm talkin $200 bucks. First I'll explain all tha reasons why I've decided not to buy it and my concerns about tha trans. Then I'll hesitantly offer tha guy $200 bucks just to git it out of his yard. All said and done I don't see myself givin him any more than $250 for it.

If I git it ..... great. I'll figure out which way to go with it then. If I don't ..... no big deal. I'll keep lookin.

As far as tha trailer hitch. Tha man claimed all he used it for was to pull his Hobie Cat to tha beach. Hobie's don't weigh crap and from where he lives thats only about a 40 mile round trip. Other than that up till it quit running he used it to move things around in his back yard. I'm more inclined to think thats how he burnt tha fluid.

[Geonovast]

Doesn't mean the fluid wasn't burnt when he got it.

 

He's not the 1st owner, is he?

[JACKED88]

Doesn't mean the fluid wasn't burnt when he got it.

 

He's not the 1st owner, is he?

No. He bought it used in tha mid 90's. I don't know how many miles it had when he bought it. He claimed he put quite a few on it going back an forth to work in Dallas during tha late 90's. (480 miles round trip) By 2000 he was working in California leaving it parked in his back yard. He says it hasnt been driven since other than being moved so he could mow tha grass. Also used it to move his little Hobie Cat sail boat around for tha same reason. (mowing)

[JACKED88]

Well, I'm supposed to make tha big decision today. (To buy or not to buy the XJ) :dunno:

[JACKED88]

I sent my offer. Told him other than tha trans thats likely burnt up I could use a few other parts off his XJ and that those parts would cost me about $100 dollars at a j/y. That if he didnt git a buyer soon and just wanted it gone, I'd give "him" that $100 dollars instead of handing it over to some j/y.

 

I'll let yall know how it turns out.

[JACKED88]

No reply on the XJ yet so lets git back to this 8.25 axle I bought.

 

I need to know the correct measurements for relocating tha spring perches. I assume the measurements will be taken from the back side of the brake plate flanges. Also need to know how many degrees of angle the perches need to be set at for a 6 inch lift. While we're at it, how do you do it? Set the axle/dif at the correct angle and then level tha perches? Or, level the axle and then set the perches at the correct angle? (I'll be doing this with the axle out of the vehicle sitting up on jackstands)

 

Thanks in advance.

Robert

[mvusse]

For the spacing of the perches, go off your old axle.

 

We need more information for tha angle. Like what style drive shaft?

[Geonovast]

For the spacing of the perches, go off your old axle.

 

He can't, the PO put an XJ axle on SOA without relocating the perches.

[JACKED88]

For the spacing of the perches, go off your old axle.

 

We need more information for tha angle. Like what style drive shaft?

Sorry but I don't know what you mean by "what style shaft". I didnt know there were different styles. I thought I'd be using a stock shaft or a modified version there of but that was going to be one of my next questions. What shaft will I need for an 8.25 behind an AW4/242? Will whatever shaft I need have to be modified? (cut)

 

As for tha perches "Geonovast" is right, I don't have the MJ axle to take measurements off of. I did however find an old thread saying that the stock MJ perch location is 42 inches center to center. That measurement will work but having a measurement taken from the back side of the brake plate flange would be easier.

 

I'll just do tha math. Overall distance between tha flanges, minus 42 inches, divided by two. 54 1/2" - 42" = 12 1/2 divided by 2 = 6 1/4" from the back side of the flanges. Their current XJ location is 5 3/8". I'll double check everything before a start makin sparks. If I'm wrong, please advise. Otherwise thats what I'm gonna set um at.

Now, how bout tha angle. ?????????????

[Geonovast]

If the center to center measurement for the MJ is 42 inches(I can't verify that), and you want backing plate to perch, simply measure your axle backing plate to backing plate, subtract 42", then divide by 2. You'll have your backing plate to perch center measurement.

[Pete M]

[JACKED88]

If the center to center measurement for the MJ is 42 inches(I can't verify that), and you want backing plate to perch, simply measure your axle backing plate to backing plate, subtract 42", then divide by 2. You'll have your backing plate to perch center measurement.

LMAO!!! Great minds think alike. :thumbsup: Check out the edit I added to my previous post. :cheers:

 

Thats a real purdy pic Pete. Now if it just had some measurements on it I'd actually do me some good. :hmm:

 

LOL!!! Just messin with ya.

 

:doh: I hadnt thought about doin it that way. Thanks!!!

 

 

I got that 42 inch measurement from a thread "Duner" replied to back on 5-19-07 (SOA ????'s) Here's a quote from his post ...... "we had the perches cutoff and relocated to MJ specs. (44" cen to cen on the 89 XJ, 42" cen to cen on my 90 MJ) and bolted it in."

 

If 42" isnt correct ....... now would be a good time to know.

[mjeff87]

that 42" is correct, and it's from the center of the pin hole to center of the pin hole (not from either end of the perch).

 

HTH,

 

Jeff

[Pete M]

You can get the measurement from your truck. measure the center-to-canter dimension of the front of the leaf spring where it bolts to the truck. :thumbsup: Or the rear of the shackle where it bolts to the truck.

[JACKED88]

that 42" is correct, and it's from the center of the pin hole to center of the pin hole (not from either end of the perch).

 

HTH,

 

Jeff

Thanks Jeff. (and yeah, I intened to measure off the holes)

 

 

Thanks again Pete. I was gonna do that but in case you don't remember,

your tha one who told me to ask questions. :???:

 

Again, I'm just messin with ya.

 

Ya ever think about doin this .... :pcwhack: .... to some of us??? :rotf:

 

Gotta go for now. More later.

[mvusse]

I just measured to also say 42 center to center is correct. 6.25" from the flange the backing plate bolts to to the center of the perch.

 

For a stock style drive shaft (single u-joint at each end) the pinion shaft of the axle and the output shaft of the transfer case should be parallel, so both u joints have the same angle. Not parallel can cause drive line vibrations. Some people go a few degrees below, so that under load it will be parallel, but the pinion shaft on an 8.25" is very low, and I don't want my drive shaft any lower than it already is.

 

For a double cardan shaft (single u joint on lower end, double u joint on upper end, like the stock front drive shaft on a 4wd), the lower u joint should be straight, or the pinion shaft of the axle in line with the drive shaft. Again, anything else can cause vibrations.

 

I would like to get a sye and double cardan shaft to get my drive shaft up higher out of harm's way, but on my truck that puts the pinion bearing higher than the axle vent hole meaning I can't have enough oil in the axle to keep the pinion bearing lubricated.

[Pete M]

just remember that the center of the diff may not be the center of the axle. I recently went through all that with my "new" 9". that's why I measure from the wheel mounting surfaces. even the backing plates on my axle weren't identical. :shake:

[JACKED88]

For a stock style drive shaft (single u-joint at each end) the pinion shaft of the axle and the output shaft of the transfer case should be parallel, so both u joints have the same angle. .

OK, but with the axle out of tha truck how do you come up with tha correct angles? This is what I'm thinkin ..... With tha truck sitting on level ground find out what angle tha tranny output shaft is at and then with the axle on jackstands rotate it to the same angle and then level tha perches?

If thats anywhere close on how to do it, what about the fact that my truck currently sits a little low in the front therefore changing the tranny angle. Should I jack tha front up till tha truck is level? Or, should I wait till I have the correct springs under tha front giving me a more perminate front lift heighth before I attempt to set-up the axle?

 

 

 

 

Pete, I can see where the backing plates may not be exact but the axle flanges tha plates bolt to should be. I understand their probobly not perfect (unless I had machined um :thumbsup:) but surely they aughta be within spring perch tolerance.

Also, by just throwing a tape across the axle, I think tha dif is about 5/8" off center.

[mjeff87]

when Pat and I SOA'd my D44, we just set the new perches parallel to the stock SUA ones and burned them in (to retain the original pinion angle, just as mvusee explained). I know you can't do that, since your axle came from an XJ, but IIRC the pinion angle was something like 7 degrees or so.

 

I'll grab my angle finder and toss it on the axle in the morning and snap a pic for ya.....that should at least give you something to start with. Mine's sitting at ride height on 35's, and I don't have a single driveline vibe to speak of (axle wrap is another story, however.....)

 

Jeff

[mvusse]

I installed the axle under the truck with everything bolted together, byt the perches not welded on yet. I adjusted the pinion angle with a yack under the pinion housing, and when I had it where it needed to be tack welded the perches in place.

 

I then took everything apart again and took the axle to a local welding shop to have the perches permanently burned on as I lack a welder big enough to do that. He use the largest arc welder I've seen in my life, and it cost me $20.