mvusse

If the gear stays engaged after startup it could be the starter, with the noise not being noticeable over the engine. If it is, it will almost certainly burn up in the next few days. Fan clutch can be checked by hand in about 2 seconds. Could also be the throwout bearing.

You beat me to it.

It fits over the same stock transfer case skid as the 231, albeit with less clearance.

Although I personally see no need to get rid of a good running 4.0 in a stock truck (mine got 24mpg on the highway when still stock if I kept my speed down to 60mph and had plenty of power), most of us like to modify, improve and/or personalize our rides. Some do it by lifting and fitting larger tires (typical), some due it by lowering their truck and trying to stuff large rims with rubber bands for tires inside the fenders (not my thing, but I can appreciate the engineering and fabricating to make it work), and some go for engine swaps. Out of those, the 4BT diesel is probably my favorite if anybody can figure out how to fit a twin turbo setup UNDER the hood without modifying said hood. If I ever do something like that I might go with a VW ot Mercedes diesel and go for mileage instead of power. A 5 cylinder Atlas would be somewhat unique as I don't know of anyone having done it in a Comanche, so why not. Good luck and have fun with your project, I will be watching for updates throughout the build.

If the tag is there, it may not help much. It may be too rusted to read, and even if you can read it chances are the axle was regeared and the original tag put back on.

Already 7 pounds, it's no big deal if she goes into labor. I imagine they'll want to do the C section or induce labor a week before the 2nd comes along. My youngest (now 15 :ack: ) was feet down 18 hours before labor started. When the ex-wife went into labor she'd decided to turn upside down and came out head first. Congrats and good luck! Kids make life worth living.

Ordered a new Alloy USA chain for the transfer case. (Purple People Eater).

I agree, put the 3.07 axle under there. Even if you were keeping it, 4.56 might be geared a too little low unless you up the tire size.

That's odd, WJ didn't come out until 99.

It's a pickup truck. It's allowed to sit s bit higher in the rear. You do need some larger tires to make it look right, though.

Though of getting a portable generator a few times, but never actually acted on it yet. Power's never been off for more than a day. I have a gas water heater with an old fashioned pilot light, so I still have hot water. Gas stove so I can still cook (but can't use the over, though), propane lantern and flash lights for light and a kerosene space heater if needed. Although with a generator I don't have to worry about the fridge and freezer and I would be able to run the furnace and use the oven. Furnace is gas also, so as long as I don't run the clothes drier I wouldn't need a big one. 3 or 4 kilowatt would probably suffice.

That many miles, it's also quite possible the timing sprockets are worn and the chain skipped a few teeth.

Stud extensions screw onto the top of your front shocks to make them longer. They used to be available everywhere for like $4 or $5 and I still had them laying around from when I put lift blocks under my F100 I used to have (rear shocks had the same studs on top as our front ones). Currently they're pretty hard to find and where I still do see them they're $20 or more. If you're only lifted 4.5" in the front you shouldn't need them with those shocks. If you go higher you may be better off buying aftermarket shocks.

I went through the Gabriel master shock catalog and got the longest shocks with the correct ends on it. They are from some 80s Toyota passenger car and are VERY soft. Comfortable ride, but be careful not to bottom them out when going over moguls too fast. IIRC, stock Comanche front shocks go from 13 1/8" compressed to 20 5/8" extended. Gabriel #81440 go from 14 5/8" compressed to 24 5/8" extended, but you have to take the bar pins out of the bottom of your old shocks and put them into the new ones. Autozone sells Gabriel shocks, don't what other parts stores do. I run these shocks myself with a 2.5" stud extensions on top with 4.5" lift front springs with a 1.75" spacer on top of them. You're also going to need a longer track bar and do something about your sway bar links.

I have mercilessly abused my 8.25" with a locker and 35" tires for almost three years now with never a problem. That includes doing a rear wheel stand bouncing under full throttle trying to climb a steep rocky ledge. Although that one stint cost me a rear driveshaft. Breaking a 29 spline 8.25" takes larger than 35" tires, more weight than a Comanche and/or more power than the 4.0 puts out.

Be aware the 8.8 is an inch narrower. Not a big deal for Cherokees and Wranglers, but in Comanches it can cause problems between the tire and the inside of the wheel wells, so you have to run wheel spacers or wheels with less backspacing. Not to mention adapting either the pinion yoke or the driveshaft to hook up to each other and adapting the parking brake cables.

I don't know that there are any differences. They all have a switch for a backup lights. Some may or may not have the hookup for the shift light, but IMO the shift light is worthless anyway. If 2wd some would have a mechanical speedo hookup and some the electronic depending on year, but the one is a straight swap for the other.

Pretty much, yes. Cut off the spring perches and shock mounts, then have new spring perches welded on in the correct location. You can do the cutting yourself with an angle grinder and a cutting disk. After that use a grinding disk to clean it up and remove all rust and grease to show shiny metal (needed for a clean weld). Then have someone with a large welder burn the new perches on. If you have a buddy who can do it it might cost you a six pack. I had a local welding shop do it for $20. If you are staying spring under, stock perches from Mopar or Summit Racing (the 8.25" tubes are the same diameter as a Ford 9") will work fine. If you're going SOA I suggest longer perches, such as those made by http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com

A Chevy 2" drop shackle will only lift a Comanche between .5" and .75". It will also change your pinion angle causing driveline vibration. IMO both an add-a-leaf and a shackle lift are "quick fixes" if the only intention is lift and nothing else is done. You get what you pay for. You pay for something cheap, you get cheap results. If you don't like the ride of the add-a-leaf, either have a professional shop re-arch your stock leafs, or get a full replacement leaf pack. Both Hell Creek and Motion Offroad sell 3" leaf packs. Despite what someone said in the recent past, unless I hear differently from both MO and Hell Creek, I believe their packs are made to the same specs by the same company (Alcan?). My MO 3" leaf spring raised me 1" over my stock 4wd springs. IMO they weren't designed for 3" lift over stock 4wd specs, but rather look "right" or mostly level when combined with 3" lift front springs. I do not have an engineering degree, nor do I work in the Jeep or 4wd industry. The above is my opinion combined with my personal experiences.

4.0/5 speed stick should have 3.07. 4.0/4 speed automatic should have 3.55. But to be sure you'd have to remove the diff cover and read the stampings in the edge of the ring gear.

Been out to Jeepskool more times than I can count (it's my daughter's favorite place to wheel, or swim for that matter when the weather is nice), but it is no longer. Jeepskool lost the lease to the property, and now the property owner himself is running events there. For info go to Southington Offroad on facebook. Great family atmosphere, lots of stock/stockish trails, some hard core trails (deep water :ack: ) and some hard core obstacles. At one time or another I have beat every obstacle and completed every trail safe one. And that one requires dual lockers and a winch. Last time there I was going to attempt it but I broke an axle shaft within 2 minutes behind the wheel and spent the rest of the weekend in 3wd. Never been out to Yankee Lake. Wouldn't mind running the trails there some time, but forget the mud. It gets everywhere and ruins bearings, ball joints and tie rod ends.

If there's any bare metal on the frame under the bump stops, coat it with something. Two dissimilar metals in contact with each other will cause corrosion. Other than that, simple, functional and looks professional. :thumbsup:

If it's done like the 231, it just specifies it has input and output shafts/yokes as specified per customer (AMC). A 231 in a GM truck is a 231C (Chevrolet), Chrysler products (except Jeep) are 231D (Dodge) or 231D-HD (For Dodge, Heavy Duty. They have a 1.25" chain as found in the 241 instead of 1") and ours are 231J (for Jeep). I think the only difference between D and J is the rear output shaft seal. Jeeps use a 1.5" yoke on the driveshafts where Dodges use a 1 9/16".one. Don't know what difference there is between the other ones, including AMC.

Doing a 231/242 swap in a Comanche is identical to a 231/242 swap in a Cherokee and similar to a Wrangler.

He's about an hour from here, but I know we have members closer than me (Lisbon and Akron).