George

[Darren]

So around this time last year, I had to sell my 88 Chief, Red Dragons, to pay my wife's business taxes. I regretted selling it the moment it left my driveway. So I spent the next few months looking at MJs on Craigslist for exactly what I wanted, a 91-92 because Renix Jeeps are ghey. I found a 92 in Albany on Craigslist for $1200 so I called him, and told him I would be there tomorrow with cash. BPB, Eric and myself drove to Albany and I handed her cash before even starting it or test driving it. She said he husband was daily driving it, but it had clutch issues "when it got warm". Whatever that means.

 

 

What I had just purchased was a 92 4.0 AX-15. What I didn't get was four wheel drive or air conditioning, but I figured I could change that later on. The truck came with the bed full of parts that were all basically garbage, except for a 4wd AX-15.

 

How I picked it up;

 

I had a 100 mile drive home to get acquainted with my new truck. However, my drive home was interrupted by a call from my Mom informing me that my Grandpa George passed out and was taken to the hospital. He died about a month later. Don't smoke cigarettes.

[Darren]

Once I got it home, I washed the outside, then it sat for a little while.

 

 

I took the truck for a few drives, mostly trips to the dump or just around town.

 

 

 

 

 

Then I used the truck haul off the debris from a tree on my property I cut down.

 

This is the first load;

 

[Darren]

This is the second load;

 

 

You might be wondering, why is it in the garage? Well the clutch/slave issues I had been dealing with since I bought it finally caught up to me. About 20 feet after I loaded the truck, I lost all pressure in the clutch pedal and had to move it into my garage using the starter. I had only put about 300 miles on the truck since I bought it in September.

 

So now it's time to put in a new clutch and slave. My initial plan was to hold out on this until I had collected all the parts for a four wheel drive conversion but that will have to wait because I could really use the truck right now. So it's staying 2wd, for now.

 

I had to remove the center console to remove the shifter.

 

Well that was only held in with one screw and it was in rough shape. So once that was out I decided to remove most of the interior. Especially the ZJ seats that the PO swapped in that sat crooked. Carpet is in pretty good shape except for a wear hole under the gas pedal.

 

Carpet up;

 

Once that was done I got the transmission pulled and that's where we are right now.

 

[HOrnbrod]

So I spent the next few months looking at MJs on Craigslist for exactly what I wanted, a 91-92 because Renix Jeeps are ghey.

 

Have to agree with that. Good solid looking 92, love the color too. Only available on the 91-92 MJs.

[mvusse]

So that's not the metallic grey my 87 started out as?

[HOrnbrod]

So that's not the metallic grey my 87 started out as?

 

KS7 (sometimes PS7) is the paint code = Dark Silver Metallic. Started in 1991 on Jeeps.

[reson46]

So I spent the next few months looking at MJs on Craigslist for exactly what I wanted, a 91-92 because Renix Jeeps are ghey.

 

Your just jealous that you don't get the awesome Peugeot transmission and extra vacuum lines. :P

 

My condolences for your grandfather.

 

Willy

[Darren]

Thanks Willy I appreciate it.

 

Anyway, my clutch showed up from RockAuto. Normally I like to buy at my local Napa, but it was $60 cheaper even after shipping to order online.

 

Of course I ordered a budget clutch for this truck.

 

 

When I pulled the old clutch and slave I didn't see anything that screamed failure, but on closer inspection I noticed that the splines on the tranny side of the clutch disk were broken.

 

 

Got everything installed and buttoned back up but I didn't have any brake fluid plus I was hungry so I called it a night. I'll get it bled and get to work on the bench in the next few days.

[Darren]

I got the clutch all done and the slave bled properly. So I was finally able to haul the garbage in the bed to the dump.

 

 

My bench seat recovering project was a complete failure on every level. I'm actually looking for a set of 2-door XJ buckets to put in it, or I may just install the ZJ seats I have.

 

I also decided that it will probably be a while before I do a 4wd conversion on the truck, so I might as well do something to the stance in the meantime. I did some research and decided I could lower it for almost nothing.

 

So I got some 2" blocks and XJ shackles to drop the rear 3". I blew up one of my cast blocks before I even started torquing the u-bolts down. So I got on Craigslist and found some blocks about 20 miles away for $15. These were aluminum.

 

 

I got those blocks in and decided to put the vehicle weight on the leafs before final torque. Which according to my Haynes manual is 82ft pounds for a Comanche. One of my newly purchased aluminum blocks blew apart long before reaching 82ft pounds. Damn. After closer inspection, I believe the reason I'm breaking blocks is that the Comanche leafs have quite a curve to them, and the perches are actually curved to accommodate this. So I'll have to come up with a solution to this.

 

Anyway here is a before and after shot of the rear drop.

 

 

 

a wheel well shot;

 

I think I'd like it down another inch or two. Three inches just isn't enough.

[neohic]

... and the perches are actually curved to accommodate this. So I'll have to come up with a solution to this.

 

Just use wood blocks. They should curve to the springs just fine. Don't forget it's okay to heat up the front coils to lower that some too. :laughin:

[Darren]

I got the front axle pulled last night to start work on the drop. As soon as it was out my friend Dustin decided to open my hood and break a 40 of Old English in my engine compartment. For no reason. That stopped all progress.

 

 

[88whitemanche]

Punch him!!!!!!

[Darren]

Well since all the OE has dried I got to work on relocating the factory control arm mounts.

 

 

Uppers cut off

 

Uppers trimmed down and tacked into place;

 

This is where I had to stop because I was completely out of gas for the welder. I had zero gas because I let Ben aka mulipurposemj borrow my welder and he brought my bottle back so empty there wasn't even a reading on the gauge. Unless I get off early one day this week, I won't be able to get to the welding supply shop until next Monday. FML.

[reson46]

I had zero gas because I let Ben aka mulipurposemj borrow my welder and he brought my bottle back so empty there wasn't even a reading on the gauge. Unless I get off early one day this week, I won't be able to get to the welding supply shop until next Monday. FML.

 

Why do you need go to the welding supply shop?

 

Willy

[Darren]

So I spent the last two days with the help of my local NAXJA chapter thrashing on my axle. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking, but the axle mounts were lowered 2.75", we trussed the bottom of the beam and knocked about 2" out of the center of beam to help with oil pan clearance. We also took a bent track bar, cut it and sleeved it to make it straight, and adjustable.

 

 

RedJeep2.0 "free-handing" the cut on the beam, because I was too scared.

 

Big thanks to RedJeep2.0 for the help there's no way I could have gotten this much done without his Arizona Tea fueled energy. Thanks to Mnkyboy for making my horrible notches look better. Also thanks to SpecFab for the use of their tools and their shop, without it I'd still be in my garage trying to cut the beam using a pile of cut-off wheels.

[Darren]

Today we (RedJeep and I) got the axle mocked into place and fooled around with the front ride height as well as overall clearances. Considering I made as lot of guessing and made things up as I went along, everything seemed to fit perfectly into place.

 

The rubber pads were removed from the upper bumpstop towers then I cut out the cup as well. Shortening the upper towers about 4". A little over 1.5 wraps were cut from the stock 2wd springs. Leaving a little less than 3" of up travel.

 

 

As far as what tires I plan to run, I'll be running a 235/75R15 for now since they're new. It didn't turn out as low as I had hoped, but it'll do for now. The rear is going down another inch, then I'll drive it for a while and see how it works.

[knever3]

It will drop a lot lower once you put some low profile tires on there.  Those 75 series are TALL!! 

 

Ya know you could have saved yourself a lot of trouble with all the front axle modification if you would have dropped in a LS7 dry sump oil V8 from a Z06 vette!!  They have a 1" flat oil pan!

 

Good work, glad you are getting some help.  Interesting build.

[earl*t]

Very nice progress Darren! The direction you're taking this build is refreshing.

[vaquaro]

:agree: Nothing like a clean & low street truck  :thumbsup:

[Darren]

So I blew up the last two pairs of 2" blocks. My souloution......

 

 

....a 3" block! So the other blocks were cracking do to the curve in the perch and of the leaf. Also the 2" inch block just wasn't low enough. So I scored these blocks from Mnkyboys wrecked XJ and ground the blocks to match the contour of the perch and leaf. Worked great.

 

So this will be my ride height for now.

 

 

I'm really happy with it now that the back is down another inch. I've got plenty of up travel front and rear and didn't make any unibody modifications. All I have left to do now is box in the lowers, paint the front end, and pick up some new shocks for up front. Then I can go cruising for chicks.

 

Before;

After;

[Darren]

Also for those who are wondering here are some ride height measurements. Keep in mind I'm currently running a 235/75R15 which I'd consider pretty big for this application.

 

Center of front hub to bottom of flare: 14.5"

Ground to pinch seam below rear of the door: 13"

Ground to door handle: 36.5"

Ground to tailgate handle: 35"

 

For comparison my Wife's stock 01 XJ 4x4 running a 30x9.50R15 (The Brendamobile)

Center of hub to bottom of front flare: 18"

Ground to pinch seam below front door: 16.25"

Ground to door handle 39.75"

 

I'd love to compare these numbers to any other "low" MJ or XJs out there. So if you too have dropped your junk, grab a tape measure and post the results.

[danbyrambler]

 ....Then I can go cruising for chicks. 

 

How did you OK this with Mrs. Darren? - - - - Could be a sticky in DIY fourm - -Like, What goes on in CC stays in CC

;)

[Darren]

I got the lowers boxed in and made some stubby swaybar links.

 

 

I also threw a coat of primer on it tonight. The next two days I'm going to put a new rear main seal in while the axle is out, then get everything put back together. Hopefully, I'm ready for this thing to be back on the road.

[Darren]

Got the new rear main and oil pan put in. If you have a stock height (or in my case lowered) XJ or MJ it's so much easier to do with the front end removed.

 

 

I also bought some new shocks at NAPA 11" collapsed and like 17" extended.

 

 

Everything in place

 

I was so excited to drive it but when I turned the key it was dead. I had left it in the on position when I was checking clearances.

 

Getting a jump from the Brendamobile.

 

Then I finally got to take it for a spin.

 

Drove great an handled great! No clunks or rubbing from the suspension that I can tell. I am very happy with how it turned out. My only complaint is that I don't think anyone will notice it's lowered. Maybe that's just because I'm running a stock tire still. Overall I got this done for less than $100, most of that was the shocks.

 

The only thing that went wrong on my test drive wasn't suspension related. I'm writing this from the side of the road waiting for my motor to cool. My thermostat failed, lol.

[ftpiercecracker1]

I think another inch lower and some low profile tires would really give it the look you are going for. My 2c, :D

 

 

Maybe something like these? :dunno:

 

I honestly have no idea where you want to go with your truck, just throwing out ideas. . . :cheers: