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Check my work, please!!


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Hello all. It's been a bit over a year since I took the plunge into MJ-world, and I THINK I'm about ready to perform a 4x4 conversion on my truck. I would really appreciate it if y'all would lend me a hand by letting me know if I'm forgetting something before I start tearing my truck apart.

 

So far, I have collected:

 

A front diff off of a 98 TJ

 

A rear diff off of a 98 Explorer Limited

 

AX5 (to replace AX4) off of a 95 YJ

 

NP231 off of a 88 YJ that was equipped with a 4.2/BA10

 

Spring perches from Ballistic Fab (keeping it spring under)

 

Tubular LCA's and new UCA's

 

Poly leaf spring bushings

 

Beefy shackles

 

Front brake lines off of a mid 90's C1500

 

I know I need driveshafts, a new flange for the 8.8, a new trans mount (mine's hashed), as well as having to cobble together some sort of shifter for the T-case.

 

What else do you guys think I'll need?

 

Oh, and I pulled some 4+1 MT springs from a 2wd junkyard MJ.

 

If I use the MT springs, will adding my stock main leaf into the pack give me more lift, or will it just make the truck ride worse? I have a 3" lift in the front right now. I'm looking for around 2-3" of lift in the back and I figured now would be a good time to knock it out.

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You sure your t case and trans will mate?

Actually, I'm not 100% on that. :-/ I know the BA10 had a 21 spline output as does the AX4/5. I got the t-case locally in VERY good shape for 100 (with a free BA10/5 thrown in the mix), so, if it doesn't mate automtically, I won't feel too bad about buying parts for it to make it mate to my AX5.

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You will want long shock tabs/mounts/brackets since you are staying spring under to put the shock mounting position relatively close to stock. I was able to modify a set of TJ 8.8 swap shock brackets for my truck. However, RuffStuff has some long curved shock tabs that I think would work perfect (and I would have used if I wasn't in a hurry).

 

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=ruffstuff&Product_Code=R1653&Category_Code=shockbracketstabs

 

You will also need center pins or rounded off grade 8 bolts (to fit the aftermarket spring plate that is designed for SOA, they all are) for your leaf spring rebuild.

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If you use the stock spring plate then you have your shock mount already in the correct location. I think the ford axle is a little narrow you may need wheel spacers.

I tried to go this route with my 8.8 swap. However, I was uncomfortable with the minimal material left on the spring plate after I elongated the holes to fit the much wider Ford tube width.
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