Looking for mj info

[bigalpha]

The buckets dont' really go back that far either; especially if you have the seat back reclined.

 

[MoparManiac]

Rear frame on the MJ.

The large X crossmember back there is fully boxed and just as thick as the frame. I'd say the whole rear end is pretty stout.

 

[bigalpha]

I thought the 'frame' was only the thickness of a few sheets of sheetmetal?

 

[89eliminator]

i cant fully extend my legs, unless i have the doors off haha.

 

[89eliminator]

I thought the 'frame' was only the thickness of a few sheets of sheetmetal?

noooope. i tell people all the time how much stronger an MJ is compared to an XJ, and they dont believe me.

 

[87manche]

noooope. i tell people all the time how much stronger an MJ is compared to an XJ, and they dont believe me.

X a billion

the rear end is stout.

AMC rated the payload at nearly 2K lbs in the bed. It's way sturdier than the XJ "frame"
There are also extra gussets under the cab section that tie the unibody into the floor/doorsills, and like I mentioned before, the LCA pockets are substantially stronger. The weak part of the rear frame section is the stock shackle mounts. I tore one from the frame, but I did have the entire weight of the Jeep on it, and then dragged it across a rock. So still not something you're likely to break. Mine is well used.

 

[bigalpha]

Here is a picture:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=245341663&postcount=6

 

[bails85]

im 6'1" and i feel i fit fine in my MJ. i have a bench seat which sucks for adjustability but once i swap in buckets it should be better. that bench seat doesn't slide back very far

You should've tried mine out at the xmas party. Mine's a little tougher to get in and out of because of the side bolsters on my Mastercraft seat. But once I'm in, I'm fine and I'm 6 feet.

You should be able to find one to try out. We have 12-15 MJs in the SoCal Chapter. Or next time you see one in a junkyard...

Jonny seeing yours at the Xmas party was when I decided I like them. I haven't personally seen any lifted up like yours. Up here where I live you only see stockers with a little old man driving it.


I like the fact the mj has a better frame than the xj. The xj frame is pretty pathetic IMO. Do the built mjs have frame stiffeners or is there a need to?

 

[shelbyluvv]

There is a nice 87 LWB on the SD CL right now for $1800

 

[bails85]

2wd. Not for me. I saw a 91 eliminator for 1000 on cl. It looked pretty beat though. I do like that it was an h.o. Though. Listing didn't sayy if it was 4x4 or not. Will the short beds bolt on a long bed frame? I would just cut the frame to fit. I like the short bed look better.

 

[shelbyluvv]

you can make a MJ a 4x4. It is a bolt in. You would have to modify the hell out of the frame to put a short bed on a long box frame. It is not a viable solution in my book.

 

[bails85]

Yeah I would rather not mess with converting to 4x4. I guess I could always bob the bed if I had to. My ideal mj to find would be a H.O. 4x4 with a short bed and gray interior. How far off am I? Exterior color doesn't matter I can alway paint it.

 

[cheapcherokee93]

would be hard to find in decent condition. your major set back being that you want an HO and factory 4x4. at that point you can't really be picky with interior color or bed size :lecture:

 

[87manche]

I like the fact the mj has a better frame than the xj. The xj frame is pretty pathetic IMO. Do the built mjs have frame stiffeners or is there a need to?

In my opinion the only weak part of the MJ is the front frame rails/steering box area. It's the same as an XJ from the firewall forward. So I'd do the front frame stiffeners (I have a set of the HD offroad ones in the garage)

If I was starting over I'd plate underneath the cab just to keep rocks from bashing in the frame rails, not for strength. And I'd do something to cover up the gussets, because when you get hung on one of those in the rocks it sucks. You're pretty stuck.

I wouldn't worry about the back half unless you planned on racing it or jumping it in the desert.

I've abused mine pretty thoroughly. I've had it sitting on the bumpers/shackle mounts at both ends with the tires off the ground. It's never noticeably flexed and I've never had trouble opening doors or anything like that. The bed has never hit the cab either.

Rust is the only thing that will kill one.

Good luck finding an HO one just like you want. There simply weren't that many made. 87-88 were the biggest production years. Personally I love the Renix, it's simple, and once you understand how it operates you can fix it with not much more than a multimeter and a rock.

 

[MoparManiac]

I wouldn't worry about the back half unless you planned on racing it or jumping it in the desert.

I wouldn't even worry about it then. If you're racing/jumping it then I assume you have a cage which ties into the suspension points. I wouldn't even bother plating it.

The bumpstop points are right in the middle of that rear X crossmember. Plenty of strength there.

The only flex I got out of mine before the cage was the roof popping in and out due to the front unibody flexing. The rear frame didn't show a sign of movement.

 

[cheapcherokee93]

Rust is the only thing that will kill one.

X2

this is what my frame and shackle hanger used to look like

inside the frame rail

beefed up the inside

final product

so even if its rusted, it can be fixed to a point. this was the only spot on my "frame" that was rusted out. i've wheeled it twice now with no issues.

 

[bails85]

I saw your thread. You've done a nice job on it so far.

 

[Lowrange2]

I don't know if mine feels cramped or not. I haven't sat in it yet.

 

[bigalpha]

You need a new job!