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Junkyard upgrades

Consoles for shifters (if anyone cares) are modular - If you need to downsize from full to shorty the shift indicator from an auto will fit into the hole left when you pull out the manual rubber boot - and vice versa. The sheet metal tabs sticking out of the tunnel have screws buried under all the dirt and will come out. However, carpet patching is necessary, if you bother.

Some police versions have rubber liners (like pickups) instead of carpet.

The old chrome custom oil breathers from small block chevies are PVC sized and pop right in to the valve cover - NO more oil on the air filter. Yes, the hood shuts. I am also looking for a mid 90's Pontiac oil separator/breather from the quad 4 (?) which even includes a finned cast aluminum body and oil return line to the nearest point. I looks like it was styled by the same guy who did the valve cover, and is my latest search item when out junking.

Mid 90's caravans have a nice tranny cooler the size of Hayden's smallest 400 series - but they are plate style, not fins, even better. Get them with the bracket and hoses.

Get an extra jamb switch to install 12" down from the hinges on the hatch - so you can actually get the back light on when it opens, instead of tweaking the hall effect sensor weekly . . .

A Comanche overflow tank mounts on the fender next to the stock air filter if you have (converted) to the open radiator. The 18" hose that comes with it is almost too long - beats the 3+ foot hose and gangly tall factory thingy behind the battery.

I am currently experimenting with a 96 Mustang 5.0 air cleaner to install over the blower motor and draw air through the cowl, like a flipped TJ intake.
 
well while we're on the subject of parts yards, are there any DIRECT BOLT on spring packs that will work with the xj's?
 
semisynth said:
Well I gave it some thought and have come up with this theory. I think the bushings are designed to have more torsional give on the WJ arms, but once the metal sleeves are cut down to fit into the XJs LCA pockets I think it would partially negate the design. I think the WJ has the wider pockets and the LCA bushings have the sleeves that stick out from the rubber so more leverage is applied to the bushings themselves when the arms twist. Make any sense?? I feel like wile coyote “back to the drawing board” doh!
A good point I hadn't thought of. Would have to look at it closely in person to see if that would make a difference or not? Think it is still a good conversion that what to reduce the vibration transmittance into the body as the rear oval shaped bush is that way to help the NVH. I dont need it for the turning radius as have the right wheel offset to clear the arms anyway but was going to do it for the above reason only. I dont disconnect as mine is a Outback touring machine where relying on the lockers is enough for me so wont have the same torsional stresses of being disconnected.
 
One of the first things I did when I bought my XJ was to hit the boneyard for some of the factory skid plates that my 91 Sport didn't come with:
t-case, gas tank, etc.
 
To expound just a little on the ZJ rear disc conversion, they will fit an 8.25" axle as well after simply clearancing the caliper brackets for the larger diameter axle tubes. Just did it! :D
 
Badcop said:
92+ HO 4.0's - almost everything is straight accross swapable with the non HO engine. If your not a wiring geneous as I am not, use everything that doesnt need the computer, head, intake, exhaust, etc. Use your renix TB, injectors, etc. I did this just recently and noticed a considerable change in power. The HO head is ported much better along with the intake and exhaust.

got any websites on doing some of this work? how would that work for the TB, since it's a completly differant bolt pattern?
 
dfreeman616 said:
got any websites on doing some of this work? how would that work for the TB, since it's a completly differant bolt pattern?

Either with a TB adaptor/spacer or making a small "key" of metal that connects the HO TB to RENIX TPS (then try to bolt Renix TPS on).

I don't remember where but I have seen some discussion about the subject here at NAXJA...

Arctic XJ, do you know how much meat exactly you took off, it would help to know how much to remove in advance so I could do it or get it bored. I need to know the 8.25 axle tube diameter, so I know what diameter the brackets need to be and then I can go install them at my leisure rather than trial and error.

Thanks.
 
dfreeman616 said:
got any websites on doing some of this work? how would that work for the TB, since it's a completly differant bolt pattern?


Not too much needs to be done to get it on, a little boring with a die grinder to the TB its self and It bolts on.
 
red_01_xj said:
I know different setup have different gear ratio (not sure what tho)

4.10's "generally" behind 2.5/2.8L with stick, BUT you might stumble across a 2.5 with an AW4 (a real rarity). They came with 4.56's....like this one. This was my $89 junkyard upgrade this past Saturday :clap:
Jeff

D303.jpg

D304.jpg
 
BajaCal, I apologize, but I dont have the dimensions documented anywhere. I simply tweaked down a set of dial calipers over the tube, slid them off, and marked the bracket accordingly with a sharpie. I know the measurement was different than that of the immediate tube diamter, as it had necked down just slightly towards the spindle.
 
bajacalal said:
Arctic XJ, do you know how much meat exactly you took off, it would help to know how much to remove in advance so I could do it or get it bored. I need to know the 8.25 axle tube diameter, so I know what diameter the brackets need to be and then I can go install them at my leisure rather than trial and error.
I think I took off about 1mm - taking your time with a grinding stone and a dremel's all you need to do. Since the internal diameter is not a critical measurement it's not too important to get it 100% perfect - the bolts hold the bracket in place, rather than the mating surface between bracket and tube. You'll definitely get a near perfect circle if you keep on going round and round with your grinder smoothly and regularly rechecking the fit. Patience is a virtue!
 
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You go Jeff. That is deffently (sp?) a major find that I have seen in my interchange books, but not in person. Did you get the rear axle with it?
 
No, I left the rear....D35 with lsd. I'm holding out for an MJ D44 to eventually show up (been looking for one now going on 3 years LOL). The subject vehicle was an 87 XJ Country....first one I ever saw (2.5/AW4 that is). The rear is still down there, if anyone's interested I can give info on where the 'yard is (just south of Richmond, VA). Bring $79, another $1 to get in, and yer toolbox :)
Jeff
 
Heh, go get it your self, and SELL that puppy, L/S and all.
 
for the rear brake flex line a yj line bolts right in and it is alot longer than a stock xj . i am not sure about the yj front flex lines . if anyone knows if you can use the front ones and if they are longer that would be great .
 
waggy said:
for the rear brake flex line a yj line bolts right in and it is alot longer than a stock xj . i am not sure about the yj front flex lines . if anyone knows if you can use the front ones and if they are longer that would be great .

Yup, the same thing the guy in the original post said... :)
 
I too need to replace my bagged out leafs.......
Have a thought though.........
Couldn't we just use chev 1/2 ton leafs (2 1/2 inch wide, same as jeep), stacking 2 of them under main leaf as they are high arc?
 
Jeff in VA said:
No, I left the rear....D35 with lsd. I'm holding out for an MJ D44 to eventually show up (been looking for one now going on 3 years LOL). The subject vehicle was an 87 XJ Country....first one I ever saw (2.5/AW4 that is). The rear is still down there, if anyone's interested I can give info on where the 'yard is (just south of Richmond, VA). Bring $79, another $1 to get in, and yer toolbox :)
Jeff


Hmmmm... That might just dissapear Monday!! *LOL*
 
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