Trac-Lok showed up today, spider gears have a few random chips, but really no major damage. Looks like I'm gonna put off the rear disc conversion, get a clutch and install kit and do it all next weekend.

 

Ordered some 15x8 3.75 Pro Comps from 4WD.com on Sunday, they came in. Had them mounted. Going to stay capless and also have some open end lugs to put on tomorrow while doing brakes.

 

Finally was able to get to power washing all last October's Fluid Film off.
Just going to get under there and blow off as much water as I can.
And see all the sections I missed. LOL.
Last year I used the $15, with a coupon, electric sprayer from HF to spray the Purple Power underneath
everywhere. I must not have cleaned and oiled it good enough cause this year it did not want to work.
So I spent $10 with a coupon and bought this from HF. Worked pretty good for spraying the Purple Power.
And twisting it around to get up in tight places didn't stop it from spraying so that was pretty good.
Going to let the Jeep dry and tomorrow surgical apply Fluid Film to certain areas for the warmer months.
Also hoping to get to my annual check every bolt and nut that I can get at in case some decided to loosen up.

 

I got my 96 up on jackstands today (6 ton stands from HF) and had a good look at the underside. Went crazy with the PB Blaster in preparation for replacing the brake lines. Found I need to replace a section of fuel line, too. It's pretty far gone. I'll grab a roll of NiCopp from NAPA and a few fittings for a splice, and knock that thing out next week.

I kept the master cylinder from my scrapped 97, and I plan to put that in the 96 (same part number) because the inside of the 96 reservoir is NASTY. Oddly enough, the front calipers on the 96 look relatively new. A few years at most. The rears? That remains to be seen. I need to replace the pressure switch on my compressor so I can get some work done!



Yuck.

 

So I blew out the uni-body and the supports for my running boards to get that last bit of water out.
That and all the other places that I am going to surgically apply Fluid Film or a combination of PB Blaster and Fluid Film.
Letting it dry just a little more crawled all over under the Jeep putting a wrench or socket to every nut and bolt I could get at.
Nothing loose.
The uni-body and running board supports will just get a light film of Fluid Film. Plus all my bushings.
The E-Brake Adjustment get a liberal PB Blasting and Fluid Filming. Really hate that it is out in the open like that.
Leaf spring bolts, control arm bolts, shocks bolts, and any other ones that I even think I might even touch get PB Blaster sealed
in with Fluid Film also.
So if and when I get to the suspension I will have PB Blasted for years.
Not a measly week or 2 like you guys do. LOL.

 

Hey, Ralph, did you see the new guy (in Introductions) who laid down section of house wrap to work on? If I could find that stuff in smaller sections, or by the foot....

 

Today was probably the third, maybe fourth time in my life that I've rebuilt drum brakes from scratch. It still f*":$&#_@($;_;$($)!#$+$;ing sucks!




Still, it's all together cheaper than disks and when they work, they do their job, so...
​​

 

I did.
Quick measurement looks like a Jeep is about 5.5' X15'
I always thought about buying enough of those rubber mats I use that Tractor Supply sells to park the Jeep on top of with about 3 to 4 feet of
excess around the Jeep.
Just for you.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-X-8-ft-TY...QAAOSwXSZdafY6

https://www.ebay.com/itm/9-Tyvek-Hom...4383.l4275.c10

I don't know if it is worth it or not though. 2 of the first one is almost $40 and it would have to be two pieces giving you barely a foot all around the jeep.
Second is more like $60 but would be 1 piece with a good excess around the outside of the Jeep.

 

Fuel line too? My 1996 XJ (356,000 mi) the only metal line under there is still pristine. Was worrying about the rubber/plastic stuff then gave up worrying about that. Have some NiCopp brand tube from Advance that I'll be replacing that front to back brake hardline with, as well as the vapor tube. Going to run a rubber line from the rear diff vent to the engine bay too.

 

I did the same with that and my tranny and transfer case breathers.



Ordered more "top hat" breathers from my dealership.
My mistake was putting the tranny and transfer case breather over by the brake booster.
That was a dumb idea because they come up on the passenger side in my '00 so I should
have just zip tied them on that side.
The rear diff is on the driver's side so that made sense to put that there.
I want to say I bought 11' of hose but only used about 9'. Plus secured the hose with fuel injector clamps
and not worm gear ones.
For the tranny and transfer case I just cut off the breather and extended the hose instead of replacing it all.

 

I pulled a white top hat breather from a junkyard truck, but I also have some of the little black ones with a cone shaped top. Not sure if one is better than the other for this application. Some vent line on the passenger side of the engine compartment has the black one, never tracked down what it was. I have a manual trans 4x4 1996 XJ.

 

Did not realize you had a manual trans.
That is most likely the transfer case.
I always figured that was a check valve of sorts. Cause where it rides, lower down, it could get water in it.
Guessing that is the black one you are talking about.
Pretty sure this is the breather and hose for a transfer case.

 

Yes, that looks like it.

 

It's even worse when the yard determines that they have been completely stripped then go to the crusher.....

 

Drivers side rear deck 16 gauge cold rolled sheet; the fuel filler hose tunnel (rusted out at the bottom) will be replaced with one from a 98.

Underneath...welds will follow...............

Frame rail pass-through for the filler and vent hoses welded in....