500 MJ Posted July 9, 2008 Author Share Posted July 9, 2008 The swap isnt a bad one at all to do. Some people claim to be able to do it in a weekend. Others, like me, took their own sweet time and did it over a summer's long restoration/refurbishing of their MJ. The MJ and the XJ come from the factory with all of the components needed for the 4wd system already on their Unibody frame. You shouldnt need to weld anything on or cut anything off to clear the new parts that you put in as long as you use parts from another XJ/MJ. These parts will be directly bolt in. Axles In my ORIGINAL swap, I used a front axle (Dana 30) from a '91 XJ (Post CAD) and the matching rear axle from the same XJ (Chrysler 8.25) Here are pics of those axles. They ran me $300 total from an area Junkyard. If you are planning on putting in a lift, the time that you swap over the axle(s) is the best time to do it in my opinion - thats what I did - FYI I swapped both axles in because my MJ was originally geared at 3.07, had a BA10 manual transmission, and it had a Dana 35 in the rear (a junker of an axle for offroad use). The axles I got from the XJ were from one with an automatic in them and were geared at 3.55. Thus a gear change was in order for the front axle or I could just get the matching rear axle and pop it in at the same time. I chose the latter. If you can find a Dana 30 HP from another XJ/MJ with the gears in it to match the ones in your rearend you will be all set. If you go the route I did and get BOTH XJ axles, you will need to be able to find someone to cut and reweld the perches for you on the rear end to SUA (Spring Under Axles, the MJ configuration) rather than SOA (Spring Over Axle, the XJ configuration) - just a highlight for you to be aware of. Suspension The front suspension on the XJ/MJ is the same for 2wd and 4wd models. All suspension components can be reused from the original layout of the Jeep. These parts should be able to be re-used unless you decide to put a lift in. Then you start putting in $$$ here. I put in $100 for a set of used 3.5" Rubicon Express coils for the front, $300 for a new set of 4.5" rear springs from Rusty's Offroad and $120 for new shocks from Rusty's. Steering The same that goes for the suspension goes for the steering. All of the parts are the same and can be reused, right down to the tie-rod ends. If you have a shot steering set-up like I did, now is the time to fix it. To fix mine probably ran me around $400 because I replaced all of the rod ends, the stabilizer, the drag link and the tracbar. Trans/Transfer I LUCKED OUT here. I was able to bring home a AX-15/NP231 combo for $250 TOTAL. That is DIRT CHEAP for this setup. This usually runs around $500 +/- $100. The reason I got my setup so cheap was that I had a motivated seller and he had pulled the parts from a YJ Wrangler. This would turn out to cause some issues down the road with clocking. This difference is in the tail housing of the trans. It clocks the transfer case to a horizontal angle in a Wrangler and a tilted angle in the XJ/MJ. So to fix this problem I needed to make room on the floor boards of the truck to accept the new higher clocked transfer case. It was kind of a pain. So if you can, get one from a XJ/MJ. The setup bolts in on the factory crossmember and is again all bolt on stuff. One thing to consider if you have a manual or auto. To swap from one to the other requires a whole set of things to happen (Clutch pedals, Automatic Electronic parts...) It is easiest to keep your Jeep setup as it currently is, otherwise you need to do ALOT more work. Nickel and Dime Stuff This one is the kicker. Most things go un noticed by guys when they plan on doing the swap. Driveshafts need to be bought and or shortened. Universal joints replaced. Components in the Trans/Transfer or Axles may need work or need to be replaced once you get them home. You should get an alignment, not hard to do by yourself, once you get everything in there. Other things include: Speedometer cables, gear lubes for the new parts (tranny fluid and axle grease), a new clutch (resurfacing the flywheel), paint for the parts (I like mine looking nice), 4wd shifter linkage, the list goes on... On these things, I must have spent around $600 or MORE after all of the stuff was done... Final Word Overall though, if you have the money and the TIME to do it and do it right, it can be a very fun swap to do. Its getting late and I don't have many of the other pics I have hosted on the net. If I get the chance I'll host them up somewhere and post them up later on. - Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 Well, its been a long time coming but I did some more work on the '88 last night. I finally put my fender badging and other decals back on. :D I almost broke a sweat doing it too. Oh and I installed this gun rack to hold my fishing poles for the summer months. Another Tuffy ;) Truth is: I really am keeping pretty busy with building a bike rack that will mount in my rear receiver and a canoe rack to haul my aluminum one back to school in the fall. I still am doing things to the '90 (white MJ) as well. I would also like to fab up a steering box brace for the '88 and make some rocker panel sliders to put on it with the remainder of the time I have left in the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 YOur such a poser :roll: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 Been Keeping Busy. I've welded up a canoe rack, bike rack and steering box brace for the old girl and I've been using it alot to haul parts for the white MJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Damn that canoe is ugly, does it even float? :rotfl2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 Yes, it does :roll: Thats the reason I got it cheap. It needed some welding done to it to repair a crossmember and it also had the remnants of that old camo paint job on it. Hopefully it will clean up with some paint remover jelly. If that doesnt work, I'll repaint it solid olive drab... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 What no matching paint job? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BREEZE1 Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 me love your jeep long time! :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 I bought a gallon of the olive drab paint from the surplus store. Supposedly its made for amphibious vehicles. I figured I would go that route so its easily touched up and it was pretty cheap. :brows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted September 17, 2008 Author Share Posted September 17, 2008 Went wheeling again last weekend. I'm back in the Upper Peninsula for school in the fall now. We climbed the cliff at Cliff Drive in the Keweenaw Peninsula this time - elevation change of 700 feet in about 1/2 mile of driving. Great view at the top. Me and My Girlfriend, Lindsey Story of why my friends rode in the bed: We get about 500' down the trail and their GMC Jimmy died. We tried troubleshooting the problem but couldnt figure out what caused it (they are still trying to figure it out). So, I had to turn around and tow their pile of rust back out to the trailhead and we parked it there to get it towed home. Instead of just calling it a day at that though, they still wanted to go riding. Thus they rode in the bed all the way up and back down. Had to drive nice and easy for them though so they wouldn't get thrown out of the truck going over rocks and dead logs ;) Had a good time overall though. I've got a video of me towing that Jimmy out, I'll get it posted up sometime... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 Dang that looks like a nice place to ride. Have to make it up there sometime. Nice pics too, your girl take those? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted September 19, 2008 Author Share Posted September 19, 2008 Nope, those were taken by the guys in the bed. It paid to take them along ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted October 23, 2008 Author Share Posted October 23, 2008 I'm getting bored up here and my friends are busy with school work. Wheeling is good and all but its best when you have friends to go with ya... So I'm hoping to get out this weekend sometime when they can come along... I'm keeping busy with small projects up here and bow-hunting in the evenings. I just bought a trailer to work on and fix up and I've been fiddling around with stuff on the MJ. I put the stock radio and tape deck back in it after I toasted the CD player the other day TIG welding on the Jeep. I like the look of the stock unit in the dash and I think its there to stay for good. Also, I pinstriped :D it the other day and painted the lettering on the tailgate... Patiently waiting to hit the trails... :roll: Anyone feel like making a trip up here? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I would if I wasn't leaving to AL this weekend. But we will meet up and ride sometime next spring :brows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I would, if I wasn't broke (or at least if my truck wasn't also). :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted October 29, 2008 Author Share Posted October 29, 2008 :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejndssn Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I'm getting bored up here and my friends are busy with school work. Wheeling is good and all but its best when you have friends to go with ya... So I'm hoping to get out this weekend sometime when they can come along... I'm keeping busy with small projects up here and bow-hunting in the evenings. I just bought a trailer to work on and fix up and I've been fiddling around with stuff on the MJ. I put the stock radio and tape deck back in it after I toasted the CD player the other day TIG welding on the Jeep. I like the look of the stock unit in the dash and I think its there to stay for good. Also, I pinstriped :D it the other day and painted the lettering on the tailgate... Patiently waiting to hit the trails... :roll: Anyone feel like making a trip up here? ;) i would love and maybe get a chance to hunt but i hunting the ash-hole :mad: that stole my cc number and ran a muck at some fancy online stores lucky for me that they call me up to put a stop :headpop: i would like to catch this person and use then for some archery practice :brows: btw nice truck :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted October 30, 2008 Author Share Posted October 30, 2008 i would love and maybe get a chance to hunt but i hunting the ash-hole :mad: that stole my cc number and ran a muck at some fancy online stores lucky for me that they call me up to put a stop :headpop: i would like to catch this person and use then for some archery practice :brows: btw nice truck :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :agree: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted December 15, 2008 Author Share Posted December 15, 2008 Well, its that time of year again. Time to swap the steelies on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted December 15, 2008 Author Share Posted December 15, 2008 Well, its that time of year again. Time to swap the steelies on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I like the steelies better. I'm partial to black wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92comanche4x4 Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 that truck has a sweet look to it i like it alot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89eliminator Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 I like the steelies better. I'm partial to black wheels. x400. keep the black wheels on all year, Brent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daking Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 That is one nice rig :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted December 16, 2008 Author Share Posted December 16, 2008 I like the steelies better. I'm partial to black wheels. x400. keep the black wheels on all year, Brent! Yah. I do have alot of money wrapped up in those Aluminum rims though, and I really like the look of them for use as the daily driver. The black ones don't ERK me bad though. I do like them to an extent. Plans are to probably keep the black ones on there for awhile and wear the tires down to nothing. Then I can go out and get myself a NICE set of lightly used treads to put back on them. Baja Claws, Mud Terrains, etc... Have a set of tread for the streets and one for the trails... I always get too worried about hitting the aluminum wheels on rocks and whatnot when I'm on the trail. The steelies I don't care about. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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