cab swappin/donor vehicle for parts?

[GirsMJ86]

how hard would it be to swap cabs on my 88 and 86?

[pingpong]

Impossible.. the cabs are made into the frame hence the reason why mj's are unitbody trucks.

 

 

 

Patrick

[DirtyComanche]

I'm not willing to say 'impossible' but I am willing to say it'd be darn close.

[GirsMJ86]

well i have weldin stuff and plasma cutters and all those other fun expensive toys so i can probly get it done but i don't want it to look like crap. so if it requires alot of hackin and stuff like i can't just break the welds and bolts or whatever then i might as well skip it then.

[Cooter]

The problem is, the tools don't do the work- you do.

 

The amount of time, space and effort it would take to jig everything up just to swap imperfect parts for a rig that isn't all that rare or expensive just isn't worth it.

[Pete M]

It's infinitely easier to swap a new drivertrain into the 86. And no, the 4.0L isn't the best cadidate.

Jeep on!

--Pete

[GirsMJ86]

ok then whats a better engine then becuase that was my main idea behind this along with a few other reasons but nuthin big. i need something that will handle 33s without the problems that the 2.8 has.

[mj_lover]

for motor look at the 3.4L gm its a bolt in, if you have the 2.8L and has decent power

[Pete M]

Yup, 3.4L. You can even get a brand new crate 3.4 from GM. Add that, plus some better gearing, and you'll have more than enough grunt to put a smlie on your face. :D Don't forget to upgrade the front axleshafts/ujoints and front driveshaft (86s in particular suffer from a weak front driveshaft). All can be had from the junkyard.

http://www.off-road.com/jeep/cherokee/x ... 4swap.html

Jeep on!

--Pete

[87manche]

here's another site to look at for the 3.4 swap

http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/Pro ... ect_XJ.htm

[Cooter]

...or go with a Northstar :twisted:

[Bounty Hunter]

GM Performance makes a 4.3L bolt-in replacement for the 2.8L, otherwise it's the smaller V6's which are much better than the 2.8L.

[87manche]

GM Performance makes a 4.3L bolt-in replacement for the 2.8L, otherwise it's the smaller V6's which are much better than the 2.8L.

I thought that the 4.3 was a 90* block and used the SBC bellhousing pattern. I might be wrong though.

[mj_lover]

GM Performance makes a 4.3L bolt-in replacement for the 2.8L, otherwise it's the smaller V6's which are much better than the 2.8L.

I thought that the 4.3 was a 90* block and used the SBC bellhousing pattern. I might be wrong though.

 

your right, the 4.3l does have the 90 degree bolt pattern, the 60 deg. motors are the 2.8L 3.1L and 3.4l

[87manche]

I also remember hearing of a 3.8 used by olds or buick that was 60*, but I don't pay much mind to those, since I'm already a 4.0

[GirsMJ86]

well i guess ill just go to the 3.4L sumday then since swappin the cabs sounds like too much that i don't want to get into right now. maybe if i had more free time. :roll: too bad i just can't find sumone to trade me a newer 4.0 4x4 for either the 86 or 88 or heck id might even do both if i wouldnt have to do much to it. :D

 

now then about needin a better front driveshaft, stronger d30 axleshafts and ujoints to go with my lift, 4.10s+ and 33s. whats a good donor vehicle for those parts?

[87manche]

2.5L cherokees should have 4.10s

Latermodel Cheros also got rid of the CAD, so you can swap in a 2.5L front HP 30 and get rid of the CAD and get 4.10s I forget the years that the newer 297 joint was used. I want to say from 96-99.

I know that 00 and 01 got low pinion 30s, so you don't want one of those.