Logan Lanfear

I believe there were 2 different size options for this truck. Probably depending on your GVWR. Go to a parts store and they will be able to tell you based on that info.

Try and find a driver side drop dana 60. Rare but youll need it with all the weight of that 6.5. Try and find a mechanical one. Even a 6.2 with a turbo charger is basically the same thing.

Proably in the low teens. Maybe 13000 pounds. Could even be 10,000 pounds. Hard to know without knowing the rest of the trucks options.

Bah, front brakes do most of the braking anyway. Be happy you lost the rears and not the front!

Well you sure covered your bases. Maybe its time to look into an ECM.

How did the plugs look other than being out of gap? Just because they're new doesn't always mean theyre working right. Start by testing for spark on each .

I second the tow mirrors. Also, anything that is a wear item like shocks. I also like the idea of lights.

The biggest mistake the past owner made was putting all that crap on. Yanking all the wires could possibly set the truck to never want to start. Best bet is to start doing some research and get an idea of the system. Call the numbers on it maybe. Once you get it running and unlocked I would definitely remove it.

Could always take it apart and measure. It has to come apart anyway and I wouldn't drive it with that much slop in the system. Sounds like the axle needs a rebuild. Might be cheaper to get a junkyard axle.

Yeah, lots of new cars just have the gauge sit in the middle. Time to bring back idiot lights. Any oil pressure at all is good. The truck will warn you if it gets low. Let it do its thing. Edit: I remember my jeep had a idiot light but in gauge form. When started the gauge would move to the middle. And then it would never change. And your engine oil pressure does change as it heats up and depending on engine speed. I guess Jeep was looking for a way to make the vehicle seem more fancy than it was.

Brakes on these trucks should last forever if youre decent with them. Heavy towing without trailer brakes will wipe them. So will lots of stop and go traffic and interstate traffic too. Driven mildly, they should last over 100k. Especially the rears.

First Id check with 1987. If it looks similar to your vans, more than likely itll work. Wouldnt hurt to start shopping around for pictures of them.

Keep us updated. Love to see that thing fire up!

Run a compression check. That should give you an idea of how worn it is. Whats your exhaust smell like? Id bet it smells like burnt oil.

Yeah not likely but I figured id toss in the maybe just in case.