4.0L manifold bolts?

anyone have any ingenious ideas for properly torqueing that handful of bolts that are holding the exhaust/intake manifolds on an 88' cherokee "laredo" 4.0L "internal combustion motor", automatic transmission, custom roof rack, grey stock interior, oem axle shafts, cat-free exhaust, and in need of an oil change? :wierd:
as it stands I can barely even get the open end of a small combo wrench up in there, let alone my gi-normous torque wrench....

I don't know how different it is, but on my 96 there was only one I couldn't
use a torque wrench on (3rd from the rear). Actually I think I could have got that with a stock manifold but the banks wraped around that bolt too tight
to even put a socket on it.

For most of them I did 'not' use the swivel socket I've heard everyone say to use. I was typically using a regular socket, short extension, swivel adapter.. another extension .. you really need a arsenal of extensions for this job.
(and be aware you need to not turn much angle with the swivel or your torque wont be accurate)
The swivel-socket was best method only for one or two up top..

Anyway after 'properly' torquing several I felt I had enough feel for it to do the one with a combination wrench.

By the way, the banks instructions said to remove the motor mount.
I couldn't see why, so I didn't, and I'm still scratching my head over that
one since it wasn't remotely in the way.
I did pull the air filter box, that made a big difference.

pbanj: I just recently replaced my manifold and had the same problem as you. I used a torque wrench forthe ones I could reach and and just torqued the others by "feel" with a swivel socket. Still a pain, but so far so good. HTH Don

Also I have an 88, and removing the air box like JXJ said does help a lot.

Don´t know if the heat shield in the Renix intake is really necessary, but I removed mine (about ten years ago) and it sure makes removing and tightening the manifold bolts a lot easier. After pulling the air box, I could use a long extension and reach most of the bottom bolts. Being able to see them (mostly) through the intake and exhaust, made it a bunch easier.

thanks for the encouragement, at least I know that I SHOULD be able to do it as for the stuff in the way- I had completely bare intake manifold, moved the steering pump and even took off the big bracket that combines the T/V, cruise and throttle cables, and the egr tube was out of the way but it still seemed like I the exhaust tubes or brake lines weren't allowing me to engage a socket.... oh great, now I'm just whining!

Been there done that it´s a pain. Got a lot easier after the 90 model year, One improvement that was actually an improvment. I can do my 96 in about half the time, it takes for the 88.

A wobble extension works pretty well on the bottom bolts.