So many toys, so little time (to figure out jeep yj/steel horse issues)

[dmcnew]

my most recent toy is a jeep wrangler yj... picked it up right but I have a lot to learn b4 the jeep is right...

4WD didn't work... vaccuum line replacement.
Starter quit... new battery cable end.
Handling funky... mags, tires, alignment.
Not ready for prime time... looking for winch, bumpers, nerf bars

Biggest problem now... steel horse after market top has missing glass and the upper doors are in bad shape... seems that steel horse went bankrupt in 2002 and I can't find a source for the #$%@ glass... also need to understand cross-match issues with steel horse fiberglass upper doors...

If anyone has any ideas, they would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave

[ffruff22]

try quadratec.

www.quadratec.com

Their tech dept is pretty good and may be able to hook you up. I own an 87 YJ w/ about 240K on it (chevy350, T5 trans, 4.10 gears, 4" lift, to name a few things I have done). Have fun with it!!! Any other questions feel free to ask!!!

GOOD LUCK!

[AeroE]

Originally Posted by ffruff22

try quadratec.

www.quadratec.com

Their tech dept is pretty good and may be able to hook you up. I own an 87 YJ w/ about 240K on it (chevy350, T5 trans, 4.10 gears, 4" lift, to name a few things I have done). Have fun with it!!! Any other questions feel free to ask!!!

GOOD LUCK!

how do you like that 350 in there? is your jeep a daily driver?

[ffruff22]

The past four years it has become more of a hobby (since I bought a house, got married & had kids). But prior to that it was all that I had to drive. I yanked the old engine while it was my daily driver and was able to borrow another vehicle until I finished it. Since then I have had it all over the country about 28 states and north of the UP in Canada. Overall I drove it for about 6 years with the Chevy & wouldnt hesitate to take it anywhere. One of the main reasons I wanted to swap it out (aside from the power gain) was the ability to get small block 350 parts everywhere!!

My daily driver now is a 2001 Chevy 2500HD crew cab 4x4, but there is nothing like tooling around in a Jeep w/ the top down. And as far as wheeling goes, its the best.

The 350 was a great improvement over the 4.2 liter, its was like a match made in heaven. The only thing I would recommend is beefing up the brakes. It seems like you can get kits & components all over the place to do it. I had to fab a lot of stuff up myself. Right now it has its second chevy in it, which is a little more practical than the first (runs pump gas). But I am going to swap out the heads to get a little more powerout of it sometime soon

Ruff

[AeroE]

i've got an '87 yj and i'm trying to decide what to do with it. or even if i want to keep it. i have to admit that owning a sports car looks like a lot of fun. but i already own the jeep, and it is just begging me to lift it.
how high did you lift yours and when kind of mod did you have to make to the drive train?

[ffruff22]

AeroE,

I put a 4" lift kit on mine from ProComp, the reason I chose that kit is that I got a good deal on it (trading times $150 new). I used the axle shims and trans plate drop kit that came with it. I also had some problems my drive shafts, but it was at this time that I dropped in the second 350. So, I am not sure if you will have the same problem?

Being from MI, I also had some problems with rusted on fasteners. I had to replace my steering gearbox because the pitman arm would not come off (broke 2 breaker bars and a socket trying). Also, 2 of the bolts holding my transfer case skid plate on snapped. I cut any others off that gave me problems because the kit came with newones.

If I was going to do it again (and $$ wasnt an object). I would go with a shackle reversal kit and also use greasable shackles and maybe incorporate a shackle lift in the process (Though that would call for some drive train revisions & probably a trans case slip yoke eliminator kit). One of the newer kits that looks pretty good is made by OldMan Emu.

Hope I helped!

Ruff