Root Moose
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- ON, Canada
This is probably a loaded question for this forum but here goes anyway...
My "farm truck" is a `90 Chev 2wd pick-up with a fresh engine (305/700R4) and the rest of the truck is falling apart around it. Lots of rust, rear brake line is starting to leak, one of the front calipers is intermittently seizing "on" when parked for a few days, lots of other niggling things. Not sure why I bothered putting a "new" engine in it - but oh well.
I also have a semi complete carcass of a `89 4door XJ kicking around (4.0 RENIX, AW4, 242). It's a bit of a basket case - actually bought it for the engine to go into my CJ project. I have a 258 out of the CJ also (`79). All three engines have good compression, 4.0 is fairly high mileage (~250,000 km). Not sure of mileage on the CJ. I'd guess ~100,000 miles. ~10,000km on the 305.
So, being a bit of a flake I've been kicking around a few ideas on how to get around my soon to-be-lack-of-pick-up problem and was thinking about the Cheromanche idea but using a SWB MJ box/frame grafted onto the Cherokee "cab". Graft the MJ B-pillar to the XJ C-pillar is what I had in mind. Kinda like the "sport track" that was posted to the Extreme XJ/MJ thread the other day. I'd plate the uni-frame from the MJ box rails all the way forward to the front suspension LCA points. I have the tools and skills to do this - time intensity is a concern though.
If I did that I could haul the whole family when going to the hardware store and stuff. I could also get/make a slide in camper for the PU bed, tow the CJ or boat behind us when going on trips, that kind of thing. With the XJ it either tow a camper or sleep on the ground (Ugh, I'm getting too old for that).
Here's the question part (Whew! You actually read all that rambling?!)...
In your opinion which drivetrain would make a better tow vehicle? Neither is not an option!
Assume loaded with 5 people, gear, 1000 lb slide in camper, flat towing a 4000 lb CJ-7. Maybe add 1000lb for a vehicle trailer if you think either drivetrain can deal with it.
- 4.0 based stroker (4.5?), AW4, NV242, 3/4T D44 front, C14FF rear
OR
- 305 (stockish), 700R4, NV242, 3/4T D44 front, C14FF rear.
Am I nuts to even be thinking about towing something like that with these drivetrains?
Is the NV242 up to this kind of load? I'm guessing yes - most towing will only occur in 2wd. Should be as "sensible" as a 231 anyway.
If I do this that means my CJ project will need to get back burnered for a while. Sigh, just when I thought I was making progress on that.
Thanks for any/all constructive comments!
r@m
My "farm truck" is a `90 Chev 2wd pick-up with a fresh engine (305/700R4) and the rest of the truck is falling apart around it. Lots of rust, rear brake line is starting to leak, one of the front calipers is intermittently seizing "on" when parked for a few days, lots of other niggling things. Not sure why I bothered putting a "new" engine in it - but oh well.
I also have a semi complete carcass of a `89 4door XJ kicking around (4.0 RENIX, AW4, 242). It's a bit of a basket case - actually bought it for the engine to go into my CJ project. I have a 258 out of the CJ also (`79). All three engines have good compression, 4.0 is fairly high mileage (~250,000 km). Not sure of mileage on the CJ. I'd guess ~100,000 miles. ~10,000km on the 305.
So, being a bit of a flake I've been kicking around a few ideas on how to get around my soon to-be-lack-of-pick-up problem and was thinking about the Cheromanche idea but using a SWB MJ box/frame grafted onto the Cherokee "cab". Graft the MJ B-pillar to the XJ C-pillar is what I had in mind. Kinda like the "sport track" that was posted to the Extreme XJ/MJ thread the other day. I'd plate the uni-frame from the MJ box rails all the way forward to the front suspension LCA points. I have the tools and skills to do this - time intensity is a concern though.
If I did that I could haul the whole family when going to the hardware store and stuff. I could also get/make a slide in camper for the PU bed, tow the CJ or boat behind us when going on trips, that kind of thing. With the XJ it either tow a camper or sleep on the ground (Ugh, I'm getting too old for that).
Here's the question part (Whew! You actually read all that rambling?!)...
In your opinion which drivetrain would make a better tow vehicle? Neither is not an option!
Assume loaded with 5 people, gear, 1000 lb slide in camper, flat towing a 4000 lb CJ-7. Maybe add 1000lb for a vehicle trailer if you think either drivetrain can deal with it.
- 4.0 based stroker (4.5?), AW4, NV242, 3/4T D44 front, C14FF rear
OR
- 305 (stockish), 700R4, NV242, 3/4T D44 front, C14FF rear.
Am I nuts to even be thinking about towing something like that with these drivetrains?
Is the NV242 up to this kind of load? I'm guessing yes - most towing will only occur in 2wd. Should be as "sensible" as a 231 anyway.
If I do this that means my CJ project will need to get back burnered for a while. Sigh, just when I thought I was making progress on that.
Thanks for any/all constructive comments!
r@m