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Junkyard upgrades

semisynth said:
I got my 4.10 axles from a '87 2.8 XJ so check those too.
Correction. The 2.8L was only used from 1984 thru 1986.
 
Eagle said:
Correction. The 2.8L was only used from 1984 thru 1986.
good catch, I missed that.

I scored my 4.10's outta an '87 2.5.

I'd also like to give thanks to the thread starter, it'll be nice to have the cheap upgrades in one place for those starting out. I'd add that MJ rear flex lines are also longer than the XJ ones (probably same as YJ).

Some seat stuff:
For the MJ folks: Some may not realize that the pre '96 XJ buckets are bolt-in as well as the XJ consoles (both full and mini).

Also for those who already have buckets, some early buckets had a tilting seat bottom as well as the seat back. The mechanism for this feature was contained in the seat mount and if you can find the mount with it you can swap it in under your original seats gaining a lot more adjustability (my first MJ had these seats and I could never get comfortable in my XJ until I scored a set of bases outta the same '87 Poineer I got my 4.10's from).
 
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Spent a couple hours wandering the pick and pull nearby measuring springs. Below are the spring rates and estimated lifts you would get. All of the springs below except for the 94-95 T Bird (V-8) were fit checked on a Cherokee in the yard. I am going to fit check the TBird Spring on Monday with any luck. I would also like to find a 4 cylinder or 6 cylinder T Bird spring, it might have a lower rate, and longer free height which would make for more flex. The F-100/F-150 springs with the round pig tail end come in a wide range of rates from bone jarring hard (473lb/in) to just over 300 lbs (not shown due to negataive lift). This probably accounts for the wide range of opinions on using F-150 springs. Low rates with a long free length (lots of flex) are not a hallmark of the E/F-100/150 springs. If I have time I will wander the import yard and see what might fit there as well.

I am going to try on a set of TBird Springs if the fit check goes well. They are flat ground on one end and open on the other with an ID of 3-3/8 which is nearly the same as the cherokee small end (3-1/2).

Vehicle OD Wire Dia Free Turns Free Length Rate lb/in Lift inches
Chrokee 5 .5512 7 18 209 0
72 F-150 5.3 .6299 7.5 16.5 287 .250
94 TBird 5.0 .6299 9.0 18 297 1.93
75 E-150 5.5 .700 7.5 17 409 2.16
70's F-250 4wd 5.38 .685 8.5 17 356 1.67
65 F-100 5.13 .6772 7.5 ? 448
73 E-150 van 5.50 .748 8.75 ? 473

Hope this helpful.

Nosigma
 
tchase said:
Some seat stuff:
For the MJ folks: Some may not realize that the pre '96 XJ buckets are bolt-in as well as the XJ consoles (both full and mini).

Hmmm when I replaced my 89 MJ bench with the buckets out of my 90 XJ, it was not a direct bolt in. You have to swap the bench seat brackets and the bucket seat brackets. This involved drilling out some rivets and replacing with 1/4" hard ware. Not hard at all, but not a direct bolt in swap.
 
I fitted up a T Bird spring to a Cherokee in the yard. It is a tight fit on the lower end where the open end drops over the bump stop pad on the axle but it seats correctly as does the top end. I jacked up the axle on the corner where the spring was installed until that corner lifted of its blocks and it gave just under two inches of lift, 19-3/8 axle center to flare lip. Next step will be to install on my Cherokee and drive it.
 
nosigma said:
I fitted up a T Bird spring to a Cherokee in the yard. It is a tight fit on the lower end where the open end drops over the bump stop pad on the axle but it seats correctly as does the top end. I jacked up the axle on the corner where the spring was installed until that corner lifted of its blocks and it gave just under two inches of lift, 19-3/8 axle center to flare lip. Next step will be to install on my Cherokee and drive it.

Good way of trying it out before hand. ;)
 
this is not as "hard core" as most of these upgrades but for the people that still have the closed cooling system some of the Eagles (late 80's?) used the same presureized plastic fill bottles. Good luck ever finding a jeep one as they are a weak point.
 
uspsamaster said:
this is not as "hard core" as most of these upgrades but for the people that still have the closed cooling system some of the Eagles (late 80's?) used the same presureized plastic fill bottles. Good luck ever finding a jeep one as they are a weak point.

To my knowledge, all the LH platform Chrysler cars made from '93-97 had this type of bottle with a real pressure cap, not the phony plastic one. Look under the hoods of Eagle Visions, Chrysler LHS and Concorde models and Dodge Intrepids.
 
John90XJ said:
To my knowledge, all the LH platform Chrysler cars made from '93-97 had this type of bottle with a real pressure cap, not the phony plastic one. Look under the hoods of Eagle Visions, Chrysler LHS and Concorde models and Dodge Intrepids.

YES they do, I did the upgrade earlier this summer and have had no problems at all.

Hers is my original post:

90 XJ pressure bottle
I was having problems with my 90 XJ pressure cap holding pressure, the local NAPA didn't have one in stock and I was noticing a crack forming in the bottle.
Of course there were none to be had at he local U-Pull-It, so I started searching for an alturnative to changing over to the 91 and later system (I had just changed the rad over to a new copper and brass 2 row unit. My search of the wrecking yard came up with 2 possibilities, late 90's Ford Crown Vic or Dodge Intrepid and its cousins, being an old MoPar guy I chose the Intrepid.

I removed the old bottle and the shelf it was mounted on, the Intrepid bottle fit like it was made for the XJ.

The lower hose was almost a exact fit, I didnt have to but I replaced it with a short piece of bulk 5/8" and it was a exact fit on both ends.

The upper hose was a little bit of a problem I had to adapt from 5/8" to 3/8", a trip to the hardware store and I found the brass adapters I needed.

The total project including the trip around the junk yard took me 2 hrs and looks like a factory installation

click this link for pix.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...LE/IM000465.jpg
 
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semisynth said:
Thats some sound advice. If I didn't already go through the trouble of finding some and cutting down the bushings, didn't have a pile of scrap metal laying around, and had more money than time I would definitely
follow it. :)

I got my 4.10 axles from a '87 2.8 XJ so check those too.

So, do all the 2.8 XJ's have the 4.10's? There is a local dealer here with an '87 2.8 XJ. bad motor and will take 200 bucks for it. It might be something I might pick up then. Take the axles and crush the rest.
 
88XJ_FireFighter said:
So, do all the 2.8 XJ's have the 4.10's? There is a local dealer here with an '87 2.8 XJ. bad motor and will take 200 bucks for it. It might be something I might pick up then. Take the axles and crush the rest.

Not all. I had an 85 that had 3.73 gears that came with the tow package.
 
My experience with upgrades for the "Early" XJ my 1985 Wagoneer Limited XJ.
My '85 has 2.5L, 904 tranny, NP228 Selec Trac - first problem was the front driveshaft. The GNK "ball and cage" CV front driveshaft is junk - you must replace it with a "double cardan" CV style - You must also replace the round flange with a normal yoke on the front of the TC. A 32 spline yoke is required to swap to a double cardan - if you can get a Chrysler part number you can get the yoke from a Jeep dealership or order directly from Spicer. I just called Tom Woods, it was easier. Once you get the right yoke - You'll need a front driveshaft to fit - running length is 27" (2.5L/904/228). Late 70s Full Size Wagoneers used this exact length front driveshaft that works perfect!

Also, some early XJs used Dana 30 axle shafts with CVs instead of U joints. These are garbage too, they can be replaced with 1991 or up front axle shafts that bolt right up, and use the stronger U joint (297x). You need to change your '85s rotors to a newer rotor for a 1991-99.

As far as I know, the best replacement for the NP228 is the NP231, I've been told a FSJ NP208 would also work.

Ford Ranger or Explorer 15x7 wheels have 4.5" backspacing instead of stock Jeep wheels which have 5.25".
 
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Went back to pick up the springs and fitted them up a second time on the junker Cherokee. Some one cut most of the bump stop off and took the rubber-metal composite pad that the spring pushes against at the top. With the pad removed I could see exactly how the spring laid against the body work and what the load path would be if the spring shifted. In a nutshell the spring is just a hair to large in diameter. The flat ground upper surface does not mate cleanly with the flat area on the body work. With the pad in place it looks ok but with the pad removed it is clear that if the top of the spring shifts outboard 1/4 or so the load would no longer be evenly distributed. With a lathe a metal donut with a larger diameter could be fitted up but then this would not be quick junkyard fix. I am not going to put this spring on my Cherokee unless I can find a slightly larger spring pad.
 
Dont know about the difference in the seat mounts but all Aussie XJ's from 95 on had ZJ seats from the factory!
 
BSH said:
What about seats? Does anybody have the years that changes were made in the seat bases? What ZJ/WJ seats fit in what XJs?
My 95 and 2000 both have the same seat mounts.
 
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