87 YJ

I drove it around a little after getting it home, tranny seemed to have survived. So would a good idea have been to drive it in 4wd for a bit before throwing it up on the tow dolly and then trying to put it in neutral?

Of course I'm sure we'd all agree that off-roading is purely for TC maintenance.

i have a Can> The transfer case is capable of oiling itself when towed in neutral, but

Sometimes all you have to do is drive or move the vehicle a few feet. In practice, you can tow the vehicle for "some number" of miles, during which the residual oil in the transmission bearings will continue to lubricate them, but nobody really knows how long a distance you can do this. In the future, when dolly towing or flat towing both, make sure to get that TC shifter in neutral first.

Earle

I have a problem that whenever Microsoft issues any kind of an update and it is installed some of my settings change from the way I prefer them to the way Bill Gates prefers them.

You know the old saying: "Microsoft's not done till Lotus won't run."

Why you shouldn't drive Part Time 4WD on the roadway

I know, I know. I didn't want to leave it in gear, just couldn't get it out of gear. Next time I'll try harder, I swear.

billy ray wrote:

Ok...some photos are up, my '93 Wrangler which will be receiving a shackle lift in a few days when the rear shackles come in and the new '92 Cherokee toy. There are more pictures coming whenever photobucket stops being stupid and lets me upload them.

The Merg wrote:

Or just cut the fenders like mine and run 33's on the 3.5" Rubicon Express lift.

Lots of clearance, and if done with care it's hard to tell it didn't come from the factory that way:

most recent shot

You are going with a shackle lift on a YJ????

Man dealing with all those shims to attempt to have any hope of a front end alignment isn't my idea of fun....

You should get new spring u-bolts also because the old ones have likely stretched too much already to ever stay tight again. You will need these for the shims.

Mike

Shackle lifts look dumb too. If you don't have the money to do it right, then don't do it.

Earle

Simon,

Looks really nice. Did you re-weld the pinch welds in the rear fenderwells?

Carl

"Sim>> XJ's are a ton of fun and dirt cheap to buy and build. An XJ with a 3.5"

Mike,

A friend had a 94 YJ, SOA on stock springs. I had an 89 YJ SOA with 1" lift shackles. I could out flex him on any obstacle at any time because my springs could actually move around.

I can't comment on the alignment issue, as I custom set up my castor angles when I did the SOA lift.

Carl

There are issues with stock spring perches, glad to know you know what you are getting into.

I have shackles that are 1/2" too long on my CJ7 and that does create more wear on the rear driveshaft u-joints. The angle is 'just' at the edge of trouble on a CJ7 and is noticable running empty with no top and doors with my light 'glass tub.

Mike

Carl wrote:

I suppose I had the advantage of aftermarket perches set up with the shackles in place.

Carl

Uh oh, I didn't realize the shackle lift was that much trouble - naivete I guess. Still, they're already purchased, so I'm just going to put them on anyway. I'll check out the u-bolts.

The YJ is still probably a year or two away from a full suspension upgrade (lift, wheels and tires, lower gears, etc.) because I'm relatively broke right now and I leave for culinary school in March. After school - 15 month program - when I get a good job, then I'll go nuts. Right now I just want to add a touch of lift to compliment the

I also got a soundbar, but I'm worried that I'm going to bang my head on it (I'm 6'2"). Does anyone else have a soundbar in a YJ? Right now only the driver's side speaker works. Would it make sense to just fabricate some brackets that would raise the bar a few inches?

Mike Roma> You are going with a shackle lift on a YJ????

You can just put them on and hope. Some come with shims even. The u-bolts are only needed if you have to change the angles of the axles with shims so the driveshafts don't vibrate apart and the front end alignment isn't too far off.

Just pay attention to the conditions of your u-joints and feel for vibrations. you might be ok if your existing springs are just sagged. It might bring the angles back even...

What you have to watch for in the rear is the angle the u-joint at the t-case and at the rear pinion are. They want to be really close to parallel with each other.

That means the plane through them is like |--------| or /-------/, not |-------/ or it will shake itself apart. Some folks have to lower the skid plate under the t-case to line things back up in the rear. There are kits for that or you can just use stacked washers as shims for it.

Mike

The Merg wrote:

Take them back. Raising the suspension is going to create suspension and possibly drive line problems. Whatever, it is guaranteed to make your vehicle less reliable. Lifting a vehicle is a complicated process with many interacting vehicle systems involved, usually to the detriment of your driving experience unless you do it right. There is really no such thing as a "touch of lift". If you ignore this advice, which you are sure to do, make sure to have the caster checked at a professional truck alignment shop afterwards. You'll probably ignore that advice too.

My friend graduated from culinary school and now works in his father's camping and hiking equipment store. My neighbor's daughter, on the other hand, graduated from a different program and just got back from a month internship in Provence, France, one of the nicest places in the world. It takes all kinds. Don't count your chickens. Heh, have you watched "Top Chef" or "Hell's Kitchen" yet?

Earle

You're right, Earl, I'm going to throw them on anyway because I have them and I'm bored. However, since I'm nothing more than a fairly intelligent, mechanically-minded 23 year-old, I will follow your second bit of advice and have everything checked out by a professional. Your advice is too good to ignore completely.

As I'm sure you've figured out, I'm learning as I go. Naively, I'm sure, I look at anything I do to my Jeeps as an opportunity to play with things and learn how to 'do it right'. I guess I've been lucky - I bought my YJ with a blown engine about 5 years ago and threw in a used engine from a junkyard. 40k miles later, aside from routine maintenance, I've had to replace the alternator, clutch, clutch master cylinder, and that's about it.

I'm go> Take them back. Raising the suspension is going to create suspension and

In article , The Merg wrote: #I know, I know. I didn't want to leave it in gear, just couldn't get #it out of gear. Next time I'll try harder, I swear.

Did you try backing up a few feet?

/herb