r.j.c.omanche

i luv diesels

good thread :popcorn:

they are the factory panels, or at least the ones that came with the truck. i cut the panels and mounted the speaker grills that came with my new speakers onto the panels, because the truck did not origally have a stereo. before pics: Image Not Found if you look close, there are no factory speaker grills on the doors Image Not Found after having the interior that far apart, i can say that someone was there before i was. i found a short length of speaker wire in the lower driver's A-piller and a handful of missing and / or mis-matched screws in the dash. but the factory stereo wire harness was intact. i wonder if some of this had to do with the snow plow that used to be on the truck??

well, the holidays are over and i have made a little progress on my 'manche. it is still running strong but i really wish it had some 4.10 gears. i have painted my bumpers and 3 out of 5 wheels :hmm: . front bumper before: Image Not Found i used rustoelum hammered finish in black. tho it is more charcoal gray i really like it. Image Not Found Image Not Found especially with the center caps painted gloss black :brows: Image Not Found i also re-painted the blue interior :puke: but i did not have enough time to fix the floor boards, so i didn't even pull the floor mat up. i had bought some random J/Y bucket seats, but i'm kinda starting to like the bench. i supose that might have something to do with how much work would be envolved trying to fit escort seats in there . Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found i also got my stereo and alarm installed Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found and removed the gi-norm-ous tool box to mount the spare tire Image Not Found

12:00am on the dot here in O-Town. happy freakin new year

awesome. thanx guys!!

i have an ax4 trans and np231 t-case. whenever i am in 4wd-low and i put the transmission into reverse the trans grinds and pops out of gear. :???: reverse works good in high range, 2wd or 4wd. and the all the forward gears work good in 4-lo. anyone else had this problem?

thanx for the info. tho i am not too concered about the technicality of a ring and pinion swap, my background as a certified motorcycle tech and having friends at local shops that do gear swaps regularly has easied my concerns in that dept. on a side note, has any one every used a set of early bronco axles? i have a 4.10 E.B. dana 30, and i might be getting a E.B. 9" from my brother for cheap or free. the 9" is 3.55 geared, but that can be changed. i think the E.B. axles are 58" wide, if i remember correctly the E.B.s are one of a very few vehicles that had the same track width front and rear. Any body know how wide MJ axles are? or, what are the odds i could use the 4.10s and carrier from the E.B. in my dana 30? :dunno: but i suppose i would have to take the 9" axle shats to the machine shop to have the flanges re-drilled for a 5 x 4.5 bolt pattern. then brake drums would have to be matched as well :hmm: . :wall: maybe i am over complicating this :nuts:

thanx for the info. tho i am not too concered about the technicality of a ring and pinion swap, my background as a certified motorcycle tech and having friends at local shops that do gear swaps regularly has easied my concerns in that dept. on a side note, has any one every used a set of early bronco axles? i have a 4.10 E.B. dana 30, and i might be getting a E.B. 9" from my brother for cheap or free. the 9" is 3.55 geared, but that can be changed. i think the E.B. axles are 58" wide, if i remember correctly the E.B.s are one of a very few vehicles that had the same track width front and rear. Any body know how wide MJ axles are? or, what are the odds i could use the 4.10s and carrier from the E.B. in my dana 30? :dunno: but i suppose i would have to take the 9" axle shats to the machine shop to have the flanges re-drilled for a 5 x 4.5 bolt pattern. then brake drums would have to be matched as well :hmm: . :wall: maybe i am over complicating this :nuts:

what would be the best way to replace my 3.55s gears with 4.10s? should i try to find donor axles or should i man up and install new gear sets in my axles? randy's ring and pinion gets about $600 for gears and install kits for both ends. i have never done gears, yet, but i want to install a set. i have friends locally that have done multiple sets that i can question if i run into problems, and i can't imagine it would be more difficult than setting up high performance harley engines. :chillin:

here are a couple of pics i have found the comanche limo: Image Not Found Image Not Found from what i can see in the pic this one looks nice: Image Not Found this one is ok: Image Not Found and then the cut-up XJs: Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found and the nicest X/MJ: Image Not Found Image Not Found

well it has been a good, long weekend. i finished assembling the exhaust and front suspenstion thursday nite and friday. then i added my add-a-leafs to the rear on saturday, add took the truck out for it's first test drive :cheers: . all went well. i do have some steering issues to deal with, i think i need tie rod ends, ball joints, or both. i will find out more this week. i forgot how much it sux driving a truck with no radio, but i guess that it's a good thing as i am listening for strage noises and such. i noticed the worst noise i have is the plastic trim piece directly below the rear window, that thing is obnoxious as hell :headpop: . i have put about 75 miles on the truck now, all it is running better and better. i still have excessive blow-by but i found a band-aid for this problem, i routed my PCV hoses directly into the base of the throttle body. plenty of un-used ports since the de-smogging. i also tested the 4x4 and low range out today, they work fine. here are some pics. Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found and a couple of dad's XJ with the 3" kit installed, i think it turned out good but now i'm gonna have to get a 4.5" kit :yes: Image Not Found Image Not Found

thank you!

:popcorn:

i like bobbed and dovetailed. :thumbsup: here are some pics of my old 'yota. i know it would be a bit more work on a 'manche because of the inner and outer sheet metal, but maybe you can get some ideas from it. Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found