I meant to write this post a week or so ago, but I just haven't gotten around to it. After much consideration and ponderation, I decided that my Jeep isn't the best thing for me right now. I no longer have the resources that are required to be poured into it--time to work on it, money for repairs and upgrades, and also time to actually go 4-wheeling. Also, now that we have 3 kids the Jeep's back seat is not wide enough to accomodate them without a lot of fab work.
So...I decided to sell everything I have that is jeep-related, instead of only the axles which was what I had originally intended. I put everything up for sale on a local 4x4 forum, and got quite a bit of response--mainly just for bits and pieces. One guy then wanted to buy only the jeep itself, which is up on jackstands.
We reached an acceptable deal and he came to get it on October 18, 2011.
When he came, the jeep had its leaf springs on but was on jackstands at the frame. He and his uncle had a truck with a trailer and backed up the trailer as far as possible. Up to the first set of jackstands.
At this point we kind of tried to figure out the best way to get the thing up onto the trailer, which is kind of difficult being that it did not have any wheels attached. The uncle said we could use my engine hoist, set it on the trailer, and then lift the front end of the Jeep. We did this, and then removed the front jackstands and he backed up the trailer (slowly) to the second set of jackstands. The engine hoist rolled along the surface of the trailer, so it slid up under the jeep very nicely. We lowered the front end down onto the trailer with the leaf springs resting on some wooden slats.
Then, we removed the rear jackstands by moving the engine hoist to the rear of the jeep on the ground and lifting it from back there. The uncle then ran the cable from his winch on the front of his truck up underneath and around back to my jeep, connected to the front and then proceeded to use that to pull it forward. We had to push the rear side-to-side to keep it aligned right, and then set the rear leaf springs down on some sliders as well.
All in all, the whole process went much more smoothly than I ever could have pictured.
So now my jeep is gone--I had owned it since February 2006, which is quite a long time for me. However in that time period I think I only put 28k or so miles on the thing.
I still have the axles and a few parts, which I am trying to sell as well. I may get back into 4 wheeling after a few years when my kids are a little older. I'm not sure yet, though.
I'm a bit sad that my jeep is gone, but it is definitely for the best. And we have a lot more free space in the driveway now!
