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Thread: Progress thread for my 87 MM Sport 4x4 2.6L 5 speed

  1. #1

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    Progress thread for my 87 MM Sport 4x4 2.6L 5 speed

    I got this thing on 9/28/14


    It has about 166k miles, and appears to have had a decent amount of work put into it by the previous owner. The carb is new. It has a new distributor cap and plugs/wires. Some of the hoses are clearly new. I was told new brakes went into the front. The water pump is new. New wrangler tires.

    The truck seems to run great from an engine standpoint. No major leaking, no smoking, and it fires right up. Lets hop it stays like this for a bit.

    Current problems after having it a few days.
    • The rear left turn signal light is not working. I have discovered it is NOT a bulb problem. The other lights in this fixture are working.
    • The Headlight switch off of the steering column is broken. It twists 360 degrees freely. Right now, if the fuse is in, the running lights turn on and cant be turned off. Headlights cannot be turned on. This lever still operates turn signals and high beams normally.
    • Front suspension and steering are junk. Vertical and horizontal play in the wheels. Shocks are dead, and the front left shock bolts on the lower control arm are rusted and snapped so the shock is not even connected anymore:
    • Rear shocks are dead.
    • Missing the license plate light.
    • Radio is wired such that it only works when the headlights are on.


    Current parts on order so far
    • Outer tie rod ends (2x)
    • Inner tie rod ends (2x)
    • Upper ball joint (2x)
    • Lower ball joint (2x)
    • Pro Comp ES9000 shocks for the front (2x)
    • Pro Comp ES1000 shocks for the rear (2x)
    • New thermostat and gasket
    • DIY roll on bedliner


    I am hoping to get these parts in this weekend to get this thing closer to being safe on (and off) the road. More pics to come.

  2. #2

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    I don't think ANY of these trucks come to us without some designer problem. But they really DO respond to our care and patience, and despite the bad reputation they may have gotten, they're solid little trucks with great designs.

    Yours' looks like a spirited toughie, and though the shock absorber problem is a real stickler, once it's tended to you'll really appreciate your truck.

    Likely best to order a NEW headlight switch...no, they're not cheap, but if you're keeping the truck for the rest of your life, might as well give longevity to its controls. http://www.rockauto.com/ Be sure to use our discount code.

    The rear turn signal sounds suspiciously like a bad ground wire somewhere, and these trucks are notorious for not keeping a good ground (just fixed one, myself, 30 minutes ago). I think the headlight switch is going to solve a lot of problems for you.

    We're here to cheer you on, JPrime84!
    The greatest gift you have to give to the world is that of your own self~transformation.

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by royster View Post
    I don't think ANY of these trucks come to us without some designer problem. But they really DO respond to our care and patience, and despite the bad reputation they may have gotten, they're solid little trucks with great designs.

    Yours' looks like a spirited toughie, and though the shock absorber problem is a real stickler, once it's tended to you'll really appreciate your truck.

    Likely best to order a NEW headlight switch...no, they're not cheap, but if you're keeping the truck for the rest of your life, might as well give longevity to its controls. http://www.rockauto.com/ Be sure to use our discount code.

    The rear turn signal sounds suspiciously like a bad ground wire somewhere, and these trucks are notorious for not keeping a good ground (just fixed one, myself, 30 minutes ago). I think the headlight switch is going to solve a lot of problems for you.

    We're here to cheer you on, JPrime84!

    My plan was to give the headlight unit a look over to see if it could be fixed before ordering. The part CBS1546 has cruise and my truck doesnt. Would this add cruise? Would it work at all?

  4. #4

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    Also, what discount code?

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by jprime84 View Post
    Also, what discount code?
    http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...4328#post34328 is the latest one. The thread is located in General Discussions, so you can always keep up with the latest discount code.

    I am unfamiliar with the cruise controls on these trucks, but it seems to me that cruise control is a seperate knob~thing. I doubt the replacement part would give you cruise control, as there are cables and servos needed to control the throttle.

    You can take a chance by getting a light switch from a junk yard, or seeing what's available in the forum's parts-for-sale thread. I'm also confident Mike Warme can help you, send him a PM and see. He's a very helpful, friendly person.
    The greatest gift you have to give to the world is that of your own self~transformation.

  6. #6

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    Well this seemed like a good place to start:


    Last night I got the truck jacked up and started working on getting the suspension taken apart. To my surprise it was a job just to get the logs off the wheels. I snapped a 3/8" socket extension in the process. Some penetrating oil and a 1/2" socket later I got them off.


    Next I took the caliper off on the passenger side, but then realized i would probably need the brakes on to hold the rotor so I could remove the bolts holding the hub on. Otherwise I was just going to be turning the rotors. After I put them back I began to take apart the hubs. The first piece to come off was the locking/unlocking piece. After that there is a sort of spacer on top of the wheel bearings. I got both of these off on the passenger side before I had to clean up and eat dinner. The gaskets disintegrated while taking them apart so hopefully I can find some replacements. The mechanical parts look to be in good shape though. I am going to clean them all well and put new grease on when reassembling.



  7. #7

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    More parts ordered today. If I am going to be taking all of this apart I may as well replace stuff while I am at it.
    • Inner wheel seals (2x)
    • Outer wheel seals (2x)
    • Wheel bearings (4x)
    • axle shaft seals (2x)
    • front rotors (2x)

  8. #8

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    I likely won't be of much use for you, jprime84, because I know nothing about your truck...other than it's the first year of second-generation.

    But I will be a source of encouragement, and I cite my own problems with doing a repair fully, without half-measures or quick fixes. You will not regret investing the care and longevity into your truck.

    My build thread is full of the process I went through to discontinue an attitude of half-assed repairs, and going the distance with preventative replacement. To this day, I am happy I did that.

    So hang tough, jprime84, and KNOW you're doing the right thing for yourself, and you have this community to share it with.
    The greatest gift you have to give to the world is that of your own self~transformation.

  9. #9

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    I think I should start buying stock in penetrating oil.

    The steering and suspension parts arrived


    Got the wheel bearing and hub assembly totally out. Look at that black grease


    I started to work on getting the hub separated from the rotor. Wow it is like the are fused together molecularly. I was beating on it with a hammer through a block of wood, but I began to worry about waking the baby. I will have to keep trying later. You can see it began to separate.


    Here is what the axle looks like. I cant get the screws off of that thin debris/heat shield.


    I began to work on removing the castle nuts from the tie rod ends and the ball joints. It went pretty well until I got to the lower ball joint and discovered I dont own a large enough socket for it. I then decided to take the shock out. The bolt began to move freely but ended up snapping. I am willing to bet I will be drilling and tapping 4 new bolt holes for the shocks.... Two new lower control arms will cost over $200, so that will be a last resort.



    To be continued

  10. #10

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    Looks excellent, jprime84. Nice, methodical work.

    When working on my truck, I found that I lacked larger wrenches and sockets...these trucks give us surprises every step of the way. The good news is: you only have to buy those once (hopefully).

    With these great "before" pictures, you'll have plenty to be proud of when the "after" pictures arrive.
    The greatest gift you have to give to the world is that of your own self~transformation.

  11. #11

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    Here is what my garage looks like now.


    My dad come over this morning and we worked on the truck for most of the day. We made good progress. He has an electrical engineering background, and he worked out the issues with my tail lights.

    The steering knuckle and everything is off of the passengers side. Rusty fought us tooth and nail for every bolt, nut, and screw. The tie rod ends were fused to their openings so badly I had to use the sawzall to cut them, and then I used the ball joint pusher i rented to push them out. When they finally went it sounded like metal snapping. You can see in one close up how the pusher was actually beginning to flatten the end of the tie rod like an accordian. This was with 24 hours and multiple applicatios of penetrating oil as well. We ended up getting one of the bolts for the suspension to come out, and we drilled out the broken one.

    I barely started the reinstall. The new tie rod assembly is attached via the new inner tie rod. I will probably do the new shock in next, followed by the ball joints.

    Anyway, here are the pics.




    It takes a lot of force to do this to a tie rod end.


    We also took of the steering wheel and found what was wrong with the light switch. There is a tiny nub that is attached to the arm and it moves a little switch assembly up and down to work the headlights. The nub had broken off at some point and was inside the assembly. We flipped the switch with our fingers and it worked, so all we had to do was fix the nub. Gorilla glue is curing as we speak. I am hopeful.

  12. #12

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    Wow, you are to be commended for a boat~load of determined work! And congratulated for prevailing with excellent results.

    How cool your Dad's helping you.

    Not a big believer in Gorilla glue, but I do hope for the best outcome.

    It speaks volumes of your personal charactor to bite the bullet and do this enormous job all the way through without skimping. Kudos to you, jprime84!!!
    The greatest gift you have to give to the world is that of your own self~transformation.

  13. #13



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    Try a little heat on those parts might help also to free them up from their mates.

  14. #14

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    Got back to work Sunday putting new stuff in. I put the new shock in. I managed to find some bolts with the same thread as the stock ones, so I was able to thread into the stock welded on bolt on one side where we got it out. For the other side, we drilled it smooth and I put my own nut on the underside. I used blue loctite on both.



    Here it is with the new tie rod assembly, upper ball joint, lower ball join, and shock in place. The axle was cleaned and greased with new grease. The steering knucle was cleaned up as well and reattached. There is now no play in it. Today or tomorrow my new bearings and rotors come in. If they dont come today I will work on the rear shocks tonight.


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    Good to see that you have persevered with your truck. Going the long way and doing it right first time pays off - you get to know your gear and it'll be that much more rewarding when you get it back on the road

  16. #16

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    You're awesome, jprime84! Nice, nice, NICE work!
    The greatest gift you have to give to the world is that of your own self~transformation.

  17. #17

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    While waiting on parts I pulled my seat out!


    I am going to pay my sister, who is a design school graduate and incredibly gifted with working with fabric, to reupholster the seat. You can see the damages.



    I took off the current upholstery. It was pretty easy to do, just a bunch of little wire rings holding it on. She can use it to measure for the new one.


    While I was at it, I decided to pull out my disgusting moldy carpet. Wow it was a rust underland underneath it.




    I am going to clean this up, bondo a hole or two, and then put some primer down. Fun times. Thank you for the comments and support!

  18. #18

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    The original standard upholstery for these trucks is gawd~awful. That's probably why so many of us appreciate the Sport models with the up-graded door panels and nice little details.

    From personal experience, I assure you that the right bucket seats in these trucks changes the whole experience. And in case you didn't see my build thread, the top part of the door panel can be removed to reveal painted metal, which spiffies up the interior...if you're so inclined. (photo below)

    You're really getting to the heart of this truck's neglect, and it will come back in thank-you's you can't anticipate!

    Below: my door card modification. Might not be your style, but ideas stem from thinking outside the box.
    scan0025.jpg

    Bucket seats allow tons of room and access that the bench seat prohibits. Plus they're so comfortable for long drives.
    scan0026.jpg

    It's wonderful to be able to reach behind the passenger seat and pull out my camera or paper towels. I can also quickly stash stuff back there should I take on a passenger.

    Something to consider.
    The greatest gift you have to give to the world is that of your own self~transformation.

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by royster View Post
    The original standard upholstery for these trucks is gawd~awful. That's probably why so many of us appreciate the Sport models with the up-graded door panels and nice little details.

    From personal experience, I assure you that the right bucket seats in these trucks changes the whole experience. And in case you didn't see my build thread, the top part of the door panel can be removed to reveal painted metal, which spiffies up the interior...if you're so inclined. (photo below)

    You're really getting to the heart of this truck's neglect, and it will come back in thank-you's you can't anticipate!

    Below: my door card modification. Might not be your style, but ideas stem from thinking outside the box.
    scan0025.jpg

    Bucket seats allow tons of room and access that the bench seat prohibits. Plus they're so comfortable for long drives.
    scan0026.jpg

    It's wonderful to be able to reach behind the passenger seat and pull out my camera or paper towels. I can also quickly stash stuff back there should I take on a passenger.

    Something to consider.

    I only saw the four outer bolts for putting in the bench seat. What did you attach the bucket seats to?

  20. #20

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    There are 4 additional mount provisions already in the trucks. Look along that forward rail where the front of the bench mounts, and you should see the bolt holes for bucket seats already in place. The rear mounts have bolts in place (or it's the other way around) but you can locate them and use them for mounting bucket seats. Depending on what seats you choose, you'll probably have to create your own mounts. I was fortuneate in that I had the parts truck seat to take bracing from, but I still had to create adequate mounts to get it all to jive. There are members here who have made the switch, and apparently there are bucket seats that fit with very little fudging. Also, Noahwins knows of an e-bay or craigslist site where new carpets for these trucks are sold, and fairly cheap: perhaps he can chime in if he sees this post.

    My seats came out of a 2005 Saturn: they were the final choice out of at least 30 vehicles I looked at in a huge junk yard. I think people have posted about seats from Dodge Neons fitting good, but my choice was based on color, condition, and comfort. $70 for the pair, I removed them myself. Mounting them was challenging, but all came out satisfactory. I removed the seat belts that came with the Saturn seats and used the truck's original belts, with good results. I'll get some better pictures, now that I have a digital camera...thanks to ragragtimetime.

    EDIT:
    Took some pictures of mounts. This should help you locate the existing holes/bolts, and give you some idea as to height.
    Driver side, front of seat
    DSC00132.jpg

    Passenger side..note coordinates: seat belt, wrench mount, bolt. Yours' being 4 x 4 and a bit newer shouldn't make much difference. The bolts are in place on the rear mounts to keep water out of the cab, so you should see them (or caps/plugs).
    DSC00136.jpg DSC00138.jpg

    Lookit all that room/accessability for junk and clutter! A mesh pocket on the passenger seat holds my Haynes manual. I was not concerned about appearance on the console frame, as it doesn't get seen when seats are in service. (So if you want, you and your sister can create a custom console).
    DSC00137.jpg
    Last edited by royster; 10-07-2014 at 05:40 AM.
    The greatest gift you have to give to the world is that of your own self~transformation.

  21. #21

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    A quick note on my door panels ("cards", some call them) - I simply used vinyl paint and incerted cloth (after removing vinyl in that area) using spray adhesive (industrial strength). The experience was good for me, and my future plans are to create totally new door panels with nice materials that look a bit more "factory". The metal door top is a personal choice, for me. The self-adhesive chrome strips are staying put very well. Chrome replacement window cranks are available in the "Help" -brand section of any auto parts store...take your old one to assure proper fit.
    DSC00135.jpg DSC00134.jpg
    The greatest gift you have to give to the world is that of your own self~transformation.

  22. #22

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    Attachment 11457

    On the floor pan and under your door panel you can see the color that will be on the top of the door if you remove that section of vinyl. Should you decide to go that route, be sure to leave a 1 or 2" flap of vinyl to tuck over the top of the actual panel and staple to the back, using 1/8" staples (tape will lose adhesion eventually, my experience). A thin coat of nasty padding needs to be removed from the metal, and paint thinner does the job well without harming the factory paint.

    I'm not sure, but I think this photo also shows the passenger-side bucket seat bolt, just under the seat belt head hanging there.
    The greatest gift you have to give to the world is that of your own self~transformation.

  23. #23

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    Thanks for the photos - that is something I will consider for sure.

  24. #24

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    Apollogies for junking up your thread with my own photos (you can have a MOD remove them if you want: they served their purpose).
    The greatest gift you have to give to the world is that of your own self~transformation.

  25. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by royster View Post
    Apollogies for junking up your thread with my own photos (you can have a MOD remove them if you want: they served their purpose).
    Absolutely no worries Royster. Im just glad to know someone is following my progress.

    I had the new rotors and the rest of the seals come in yesterday. I couldnt believe the difference.


    I did not have a lot of time to work last night. I got the hub attached to the new rotor, and I just finished packing the wheel bearings. I didnt have the specialized tools to measure the torque on the bearing nut, but the wheel seems to turn normally with no play. I put on the lock washer and then had to quit. I dont have any photos because my hands were covered in grease.

    I do have a few more photos of the truck interior that I worked on Monday. I have not started working with the bondo to patch the holes, but you can see the rusty spots I uncovered, brushed, and then primed.


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