Jump to content

New MJ owner have a few questions


Recommended Posts

Hey all, over the weekend i picked up a Comanche for about 2k, its a 4.0 4x4 longbed, i have a budget of about 3k to do work on for the time being. here is what i need to do to it and hope you all can help:

  1. i need to redo the interior; seats, headliner, dash, and floor. any ideas on what/where to get what i need?

  2. i need to replace the passenger door. someone broke the lock out of it and punched a hole under the lock. or can the door be fixed?

  3. i want to Lift it, it currently has 31in tires and rubs like a hell. what lift have yall done?

  4. i want to put a rollbar in it. any idea what aftermarket rollbars fit?

picture of jeep: http://i.imgur.com/b9JIuyb.jpg

   posted on Reddit as well.  i use to be a Wrangler owner as well. i prefer to do most of my work myself. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Much of the interior can be had from an XJ - but not all.  The MJ seat brackets are different from XJs.  If you get bucket seats, pull them from a 2 dr XJ.  These tilt forward, where the 4 dr seats do not.  Is the ceiling headliner board still intact?  If so, you can get it recovered.  Otherwise, the headliner board is unique to an MJ.  Someone on CC makes replacement headliners.  Search on here.  The dashes are the same. Floor pans are different but can be modified to fit if you are handy at metal work.  

 

The MJ doors are inter-changalbe with the front doors of a 4 dr (pre-97) XJ.

 

Lots of info on here about lifting the MJ.  Google it.

 

My understanding is that the roll bar is unique to the MJ (pls correct me if that is not true).  However, other brands can be modified to fit. Again, Google.

 

It is good to hear that someone is saving an MJ.

 

Welcome to the madness.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Door: any front door from any 4-door XJ Cherokee is a donor. 

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/body-chassis/154-0901-jeep-cherokee-xj-door-upgade/ 

 

 

Interior: stock restoration or custom?Many XJ parts will work but things like the headliner and seat supports are MJ-specific. If you can fabricate the sky is the limit.

 

Lift: What are you looking for? Be honest: if you need a hardcore rock crawling rig build for that but don't lie to yourself about it if it is going to spend the majprity of its life on the street. Their are compromises either way you go and you should try to get what you actually need out of a lift. A 3" - 4.5" lift is most common. In my and many other's opinions Zone is a good company for an off-the-shelf lift. It performs well off road and on.

 

Rollbar: a junkyard Dodge Dakota roll bar is a common swap for this. Most mini-or mid-size bars will fit. Compare the measurements of a bar you are interested in to the space you have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Much of the interior can be had from an XJ - but not all.  The MJ seat brackets are different from XJs.  If you get bucket seats, pull them from a 2 dr XJ.  These tilt forward, where the 4 dr seats do not.  Is the ceiling headliner board still intact?  If so, you can get it recovered.  Otherwise, the headliner board is unique to an MJ.  Someone on CC makes replacement headliners.  Search on here.  The dashes are the same. Floor pans are different but can be modified to fit if you are handy at metal work.  

 

The MJ doors are inter-changalbe with the front doors of a 4 dr (pre-97) XJ.

 

Lots of info on here about lifting the MJ.  Google it.

 

My understanding is that the roll bar is unique to the MJ (pls correct me if that is not true).  However, other brands can be modified to fit. Again, Google.

 

It is good to hear that someone is saving an MJ.

 

Welcome to the madness.

Beat me by 2 seconds. lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

Much of the interior can be had from an XJ - but not all.  The MJ seat brackets are different from XJs.  If you get bucket seats, pull them from a 2 dr XJ.  These tilt forward, where the 4 dr seats do not.  Is the ceiling headliner board still intact?  If so, you can get it recovered.  Otherwise, the headliner board is unique to an MJ.  Someone on CC makes replacement headliners.  Search on here.  The dashes are the same. Floor pans are different but can be modified to fit if you are handy at metal work.  

 

The MJ doors are inter-changalbe with the front doors of a 4 dr (pre-97) XJ.

 

Lots of info on here about lifting the MJ.  Google it.

 

My understanding is that the roll bar is unique to the MJ (pls correct me if that is not true).  However, other brands can be modified to fit. Again, Google.

 

It is good to hear that someone is saving an MJ.

 

Welcome to the madness.

Thank you for the reply. 
 

Since this a forum committed to the Comanche, ill trust your word about the doors, some people were telling me that 97+ doors will only fit. 

 

Door: any front door from any 4-door XJ Cherokee is a donor. 

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/body-chassis/154-0901-jeep-cherokee-xj-door-upgade/ 

 

 

Interior: stock restoration or custom?Many XJ parts will work but things like the headliner and seat supports are MJ-specific. If you can fabricate the sky is the limit.

 

Lift: What are you looking for? Be honest: if you need a hardcore rock crawling rig build for that but don't lie to yourself about it if it is going to spend the majprity of its life on the street. Their are compromises either way you go and you should try to get what you actually need out of a lift. A 3" - 4.5" lift is most common. In my and many other's opinions Zone is a good company for an off-the-shelf lift. It performs well off road and on.

 

Rollbar: a junkyard Dodge Dakota roll bar is a common swap for this. Most mini-or mid-size bars will fit. Compare the measurements of a bar you are interested in to the space you have.

 

regarding the lift, i will be using for weekend driving at the most, mostly for offroad. some people were telling me that the : OLD MAN EMU lift is preferable. others have told me to go rubicon express, but i had a rubicon express lift on my old YJ and it was an awful lift kit. expensive as well. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

97+ doors will fit with some modification. The door latch/stike plate has to be modified for the later model door.

 

Also, the door panel shape does not line up with the early model doors and fenders.

 

There are some build threads on here where owners have done 97+ front end swap: doors, fenders, grill, front clip.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...