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Uh oh... another MJ for me... lowered?

BrettM

BrettM

NAXJA Forum User
Location
michifornia
Well I picked up my new DD yesterday, an 88 MJ, 2wd, 4.0, AW4, D35...

It's got a few exterior cosmetic issues that will be easily addressed, but the drivetrain is solid and running great. This thread will document the modifications, though they will likely be more simple and subtle than what I've done to my other MJ.

My first two thoughts/questions:


Lowering. I think I want to lower it. It's gonna be a total street truck, and I don't feel right about owning a Jeep at stock height, but I don't know if I can bring myself to lower it.... someone talk me into or out of it!

Bumpers. I think I'm going to make some custom bumpers for it, but since it won't be an offroad vehicle, does anyone have examples of sturdy bumpers that still look stockish?

 
While I'm not normally a fan of lowered trucks, if you did a slight drop, like two inches, and put some lower profile street tires on it it would probably look good. Won't TJ springs lower the front two inches? Not sure about the rear, but maybe XJ leafs would lower it a little bit? IDK..

Looks like a nice, clean MJ btw. :cheers:
 
what gearing you going to use?
 
I would lower it by 1-2 inches, the front would be done by cutting the coils which will make them stiffer also. The rear is weird... it already has a 2" lowering block, but it doesn't look lowered (the rear is higher than in the picture above, it was loaded down in that picture). I think I would lower the rear by taking the block out and making a leaf pack useing some flatter leafs below the MJ main, and maybe an XJ shackle for a little drop.

I like the 3.55 gearing with the 215/70r15 tires, I plan to leave that alone.... any thoughts otherwise?
 
you going to have spoked wheels? Or spinners?
 
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Lowered 3" or so, D44 rear, some 3.73 or 4.10 gears, A paddle shifter :), some sort of 4 link with coilovers, 4.6L stroker, 17" or 18" wheels, low profile tires, healthy sounding exhaust. Make it a quick little truck, to surprise people, but can still haul a load. A nice paintjob of some sort. Thats what I would do with a 2wd MJ. Truck looks nice.
 
Knowing that its going to give you a firmer ride, why would you want to cut the coils. Maybe only cutting them a little bit wouldn't make as much of a difference as I've seen, but all the lowered vehicles I've experienced where the coils were cut rode horribly.
 
Atl XJ said:
Knowing that its going to give you a firmer ride, why would you want to cut the coils. Maybe only cutting them a little bit wouldn't make as much of a difference as I've seen, but all the lowered vehicles I've experienced where the coils were cut rode horribly.
Click to expand...

X2

Since everyone wants to toss Rusty's crap away, get a pair of Rusty's coils and cut those. That should provide a supple ride :wierd:

You know I'm just teasin you ;)
 
The very first fab job I did after getting into this was lowering my son Chris's S-10. Trailing arm 3 link and bags, cut out the rear frame, hooped, sits completely on the ground.

The first thing that struck me is how much better they look with 22 inch rims. If you lower it, ditch the stock rims. It's as retarded as 35's on 3:55's. I think even a 17" rim would go along ways towards evening out the looks an inch or two down.

--ron
 
12GaugeXJ said:
Lowered 3" or so, D44 rear, some 3.73 or 4.10 gears, A paddle shifter :), some sort of 4 link with coilovers, 4.6L stroker, 17" or 18" wheels, low profile tires, healthy sounding exhaust. Make it a quick little truck, to surprise people, but can still haul a load. A nice paintjob of some sort. Thats what I would do with a 2wd MJ. Truck looks nice.
Click to expand...

definatly not, 355's w/ a stroker is perfect, if not a little low.

rolling at 10mph in 1st (aw4) and getting on it on dry pavement kicks the ass end out..... w/ 255 street tires
 
don't forget every good street truck needs a big snorkel :)
 
Make it look like the "Street" MJ...........:dunno:

MJ.jpg



Ditch the stock alloys.

MJon20s.jpg
 
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BrettM said:
because it's free. if I think it rides to rough I'll put some TJ coils in, but trying the cut XJ coils first won't cost me a thing...
Click to expand...

I have a couple of stock sets of TJ springs, free if you want them, just pay shipping and they be yours... we lifted both TJ's...
 
Yep, or try to make it look like the race trucks from the 80s.

If you are lowering you'll want to firm up the springs a touch to keep from bouncing off the bump stops all the time. Whether that means removing a bit of coil or using custom coils I dunno.

Don't drop it too much - make it look "functional". 1"-2" max.
 
I just lifted my MJ back up. I have a set of cut coils if you want them. I cut enough to drop the front about 2". It was perfect. I had a set of 16" jeep wheels already, and mounted up 245-50 16's in the rear and 225-55's in the front (had the tires around from other car projects). I used a 1.5" block and XJ shackles in the rear. Also I replaced all of the rear leaf spring bushings (and shackle bushings) with poly. Also did poly sway bar mounts. It was still a little high in the rear, but it handled like it was on rails, and I did not loose my load carrying capability. Only costs were for the poly bushing kits. I drove it daily for a few months, it was fun, noone expects to get beat in the twisties by a Jeep pickup!! Oh, the rear came out fairly easily in the corners too.:shocked: :)

Its lifted again now though. (About 2" of lift). If you want the springs, let me know.

A.
 
So, for the guys who have lowered an XJ/MJ before, did you do anything with the bumpstops or shocks?

I looked tonight and there's about 3 inches before the rear axle hits the bumpstop and about 2 inches before the front hits. I'd like to lower it 1.5-2 inches, but don't want to be riding the bumpstops all the time, though they are long enough it looks like I could trim an inch off them and still have enough to do the job...
 
Do a roll pan in the rear.87 manche's mj had a roll pan on it and it looked CLEAN!!Although we both hated it for an off roadable rig and he soon ditched it for a solid bumper.....
 
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