Like most vehicles, short-wheelbase Jeeps like the CJ, YJ, and TJ have a rod in the engine bay that’s intended to hold the hood open while you’re working on it. This is fine for working near the front of the…
401 V8 Camshaft Selection
While rebuilding the 401 V8 from my ’77 Wagoneer, I found that the camshaft it had (which appeared to be aftermarket, since the measured lobe lift was higher than stock on many lobes) was quite worn. Since I had the…
Greasable Leaf Spring Bushings
Ever since I installed rear (and originally, front) add-a-leaves on my ’95 YJ, I’ve had to suffer the rough ride that they caused. It isn’t so bad when I’m heavily loaded. In fact, when I’m loaded for bear on a…
Bestop TrailMax Pro Driver Seat
On 16 December 2000, my ’95 YJ was rear-ended at about 45 mph. The impact knocked my Jeep forward about 30-40 feet and broke the back support on my factory driver seat, permanently reclining it about 4″ farther back than…
Custom Sway Bar Quick Disconnects on a ’95 YJ
One of the most significant restrictions to a YJ’s axle articulation is the front sway bar. The sway bar is necessary for maintaining on-road stability, especially during emergency maneuvers and sharp turns, so you don’t want to remove it…
’74-77 Wagoneer Gas Filler Hose
When we first bought our ’77 Wagoneer, every time the gas tank got semi-full, gas would leak out the top of the make-shift filler hose and run down the inside of the quarter panel onto the ground. Not only did…
’74-79 Wagoneer 2.5″ Exhaust System
When we first bought our ’77 Wagoneer, it was missing half the exhaust pipe and leaked fumes everywhere. What remained of the stock exhaust system (just a couple inches past the muffler) was very rusted and beat-up. I could have…
Shocks for a 2″ lifted Wagoneer
When I bought the Wag, it stood taller than most Wagoneers, as though it had a 2″ (give or take) suspension lift. The springs appear to be the factory heavy-duty suspension option. The rear has 2-3″ lift blocks, so I’m…
Spring-Over-Axle Conversion for a ’95 YJ – Maiden Voyage
I finally finished making the upper front shock adapters and attaching the shocks just two hours before we were to leave town for the Flatlanders Jeep Club’s annual 4×4 Fest. There were a couple small things yet to be done…
Spring-Over-Axle Conversion on a ’95 YJ – Statistics
OK, here are the before and after numbers: The rear axle articulation is about the same as it was before I installed the add-a-leaves last year. The front articulation gained about 0.5″ over stock. The SOA lifted the front 6″…