In less than 24 Hours...

[diyman]

Tomorrow dawn the ordeal begins, though I won't tackle that alone...at least.

Chores are :

- Replace Rack & Pinion ( and finally fill with ATF+4 instead of PSF )
- Replace front coil overs ( OME + Ironman + Teraflex )
- Replace rear coils and shocks ( OME + Ironman + sorta hockey pucks....)
- Repair intermediate shaft ( the well known transfer case side C/V... )
- Replace brake pads ( with EBC green front ) and bleed system
- Replace right speed sensor (still works, but cable is patched, don't like..)
- Probably do maintenance to left C/V ( clean & change boots )
- swap fan clutch, while I'm at it..

I'm a bit scared (friend is a professional mechanic though ).

Hope I'll be able to post some pics, at least of the ...corpses :happy175:.

PS: given the $$$ , surely had been better off if my KJ had been in ' Overhaulin' '

 

[yellocoyote]

Good luck! Looking forward to your 'after' photos.

 

[diyman]

Thanks YC, also will make good use of Your 'how-to' (R&P)

 

[Dave]

That's a lot of work. Good thing you have professional help. Let us know how it goes.

Dave

 

[Phil + Neela]

- Replace Rack & Pinion ( and finally fill with ATF+4 instead of PSF )

Just curious, what does the ATF+4 do for you as opposed to the PSF fill?

 

[diyman]

First Update!!!

- Old rack is out
- Front coilovers are out too.

Surprises: :favorites68:

As expected, lower ball joints' boots are ripped, so friend will have them changed for me on Monday.
I have the proper Miller tools less the press, so can't tackle it for now. Surely next time...
Water pump has minor play, will be swapped then (on Monday, while I wait for the installed shocks and
knukle (due to the LBJs...).
Both UCAs' boots are gone, but as I only have one stashed, I'll change driver side only....

Also, about the fan clutch, 'just a couple strikes with the belt on' my A## :disgust: (sorry Ladies), without
the proper tool (Miller 6958 + 8346 adaptor pins) I could not have made it...

Just curious, what does the ATF+4 do for you as opposed to the PSF fill?

I'll clear my stash out of the damn PSF, which here is a bit more expensive than ATF+4 too. Also, IIRC,
all Chrysler PS systems should have switched to ATF by now.

Now, time for a nice cup of tea

Will keep You posted

 

[diyman]

Sunday Update!!!

Well, new R/P is in. Reinstalled all pressure lines but will leave connecting the steering column as one
of the last tasks ( and subsequent refill of course ). Ah, I had the O-rings too...
Driver side UCA is on, minus of course the 'on the ground tightening'..
Rear 948s and ironmans are on rear axle, look nice...
As I'm throwing parts anyway :favorites68: I removed old water hoses as these were starting to bulge..
Also noticed rear brakes badly need new pads, will take care of that too.

Tomorrow is 'water pump day'...

Stashing parts in the past really saved my day. Will keep on doing that, just let my wallet rest for a while :happy175:

Uh, must change mi sig rightaway!!!

 

[diyman]

Day #3!!! (Hey, I'm taking it easy...).

Just in case someone's name is (St) Thomas (nobody, I know...) :whip:, here a couple of pics...

Uh, almost forgot... 'Johnny Rotten' on top had to go too. Replaced with Mopar 52101120AD.
Already stashed as well.

Missing from the picture but gone too are: upper hose, viscous drive, rear shocks, lbjs and pads.

R&P will eventually be fixed and sold as second hand part and same for fan clutch and rear shocks.

Hopefully tomorrow before sunset job will be accomplished and my KJ will be on her wheels,
or should I say...on her lift....:smokin:

Yeah, I know, alignment...

 

[tommudd]

Can't wait for full pictures of it, sure does look clean on the front of the engine!

 

[diyman]

:disgust: :favorites68: :disgust: :favorites68: :disgust: :favorites68: :biggun:

Ehmmm, by chance, anyone realized I'm pixxed off????

To make a long story short...newly installed LBJs are....THORN W.T.F.!!!

Even if tempted to, I'm almost sure I can rule out operator's mishandle, You'd see the signs...
No, the SOB looks perfect at a glance, but when I put my fingers between the two 'folds', don't
know how to call them, but those of You who have seen a LJB know what I mean, I realized they
were separated thus allowing grease to squirt out. In fact I only inspected those as I had spotted
a dab of grease which at first thought was the one used during installation.
Why hadn't I realized
earlier??? Well, as You know, LBJs come with a white plastic cap that says You don't have to
remove before installation... And no, I have none stashed :disgust:. Maybe Mopar finds this funny??!!

I'm not qualified in matherials analysys, but I'm almost sure I've just found why Mopar LBJs SUCK!!!

Answer: the chemical composition of rubber boot is dead wrong, material simply AGES BY ITSELF.
Guess Chrysler tried to tackle the issue much the same way as Ford had been doing the days
of the 'Explorer rollovers'...
Don't believe me? Ever seen some DeWalt battery drills handles?? If Yes, You know what I mean..

Friend of mine managed to rush me a pair of non Mopar LBJs (hope they won't be 'lowel ball...').
Anyhow, knuckles won't be back here in less than 48 hours...

Chances of me driving my (lifted...) KJ on Christmas Eve are getting feeble...

PS: Tom, whenever feasible, I try to clean the areas I'm/have been working on. I do believe that
a tidy job is a well done job.

 

[tommudd]

has it been 24 hours yet???p:
Hope you are getting things back together and running again

 

[diyman]

Thanks Tom, I'm back

Well, today oughta be the day....friend will be back in a couple of hours with knuckles.
After the front axle job, we'll have to re-assemble fan-clutch and rad-fan, fill radiator,
btw damn, my H-OAT was just one year old, well.. and finally refill P/S pump and rack.
Uh, shall not forget brake pads....:happy175:.
We'll do a rough home-made alignement (no pro service before Dec. 27).

To be continued...

 

[yellocoyote]

(popcorn)

 

[diyman]

OK guys and gals

Well the TRUE ORDEAL is over... :33:

The beast is lifted (and partly overhauled), took much longer than expected, I apologize.

Most of wasted time was due to not being able to perform a task (LBJs) or waiting for spares
or or.. getting wrong ones, i.e. wrong rear pads :favorites68: My bad for not checking in advance.

Though I learned my lessons...

-have ALL the tools You might need
-even parts YOU think are OK, may be not
-KJ 'eats' rear brakes more than front ones (at least mine does)
-sway bar bushings are a cheap fix, change them if necessary
-one can only rely on himself...
-lifted KJs are harder to ...wash

Alignement was done this morning. KJ drives straight, also put the steering wheel in position
as it's supposed to be. We had not been able to do it when installing new R&P.

Engine sounds a bit better with new OE muffler, old 'Johnny Rotten' really was overdue..

It really makes a world of difference, for those who haven't done it yet...'Lift Your KJ'!!! :whip:

Thank You all, especially YC and Tom, for the support and advices.:-({|=:worship:

Pics in the next post (if I'll figure out how to do it properly). Will take a few days as tomorrow I'm
on a new Year's trip (well, I almost feel I'm having one...). Will be back posting soon.

 

[wheeee32]

Please post up pics. I'm getting all the info I need to lift after my next deployment.

 

[yellocoyote]

Glad you got it taken care of! Good deal! (cool) Can't wait to see your pics.

 

[tommudd]

Real happy to hear that you are back on the road again!
Thought for a while I may have to make a trip and sneak some parts down to you! ha ha

 

[rockymountain]

OK guys and gals


-one can only rely on himself...

^that

Let's see the pics.

Maybe your rear calipers are sticking.