Parts Needed
Rustys K&N cone conversion tube/bracket

1.5 feet of 1/2 emission tubing
2 - 3" Hose Clamps
Air Filter

Tools Needed
basic socket set
Flat head screwdriver

*Not even hard enough to be a "project"...*

With the Rusty's airtube conversion kit ($29) you get to install a cone style K&N (or other brand) air filter. All you really do is remove you stock airfilter housing, bolt in the tube and tighten the cone on...

1. First thing to do is to get at the old air filter housing. Take the top part off just like if you were changing the airfilter, but undo the "hose clamp" attaching it to the tube running to the TB. Pull out the filter, now you can see the bolts holding the bottom in.


2. Remove the 2 bolts and 1 nut (save the nut) and pull the bottom of the housing out.


3. The Tube Bracket attaches to the stud sticking up that you removed the nut from. Re attaching the tube is self explanitory. I did cut my stock crankcase vent tube so that it would fit better with the Rustys tube.


4. Now throw in your new Air Filter and it's ready to go. I got a cheesy paper one until I can determine the larger K&N I can possibly fit in there...


5. I ended up getting a new tube to run to the crankcase (I'm anal)b/c I didn't like the fit of the stock stuff. I also bought some now metal hose clamps to replace the stock plactic crap because they didn't seem to tighten very well.


I'm happy with the kit, made the 4.0L "whistle" more noticeable though. I wish the bracket was a little shorter so the filter sat a little lower. I also think it would be easy to make a heat shield for the filter out of some heavy rubber matting so maybe that will be a future project.

UPDATE:
After some time, I noticed my Hwy mileage had improved, but my city mileage had gone down. I'm not sure if this is because I was getting on the throttle more or if it is due to the fact that the filter now sucks in hotter air from the engine compartment.

UPDATE:
Decided to make a splash guard for water crossings. You'll need some cardboard, sheet metal & sheetmetal screws. I sed an old PC case, so it wasn't quite as large as I'd like, but you can get the idea. Use the cardboard to make your self a template that fits the way you want it. Then trace & cut it out in the sheet metal. Mine was fastened along the bottom near the "frame" and had bends in it that I did by hand. I also put a bolt through the rustys mount with a rubber cap on the end to apply pressure to the shield to stop it from rattling. If you had a long enough bolt you could just pinch it with 2 nuts... If you're really good you could probably make a new box for the cone filter and then run a tube out of it for the intake.... Or just get a snorkel.
I never got around to painting it, so no finished product pics.... and if I were to do it agin I'd make it bigger, but it was better than nothing.... and after a few mud runs I could tell it did it's job as a splash guard...