knever3

I have made up my mind. After much deliberation about what I want I am going back to an automatic. The donor I have is an automatic on the column so I will have to get the necessary shifter for the floor from an XJ in the JY sometime. As much as I would like to keep the manual it would be much easier to go with the auto. Because of the needed driveshafts and crossmember parts I would have to find anyway this seems like the logical choice. I have driven an auto 4wd comanche and it rode like a cadillac on the road. Not to say that mine will with the 3 inch lift provided by new rear leafs from hell creek and the new springs I got with the donor truck. I plan on replacing the ball joints and upper and lower control arms with new bushings for the front end. I ordered an adjustable trac bar from hell creek also. The brakes are relatively new, will make sure everything is good before installing the axle. I will get new brake hoses too, and oh yeah, shocks also. I will install a moog trail boss steering damper on the front axle too. I don't know why they paint them white? I will repaint it black to match the other components. For the rear axle I am going to replace the axle seals and fluid. I will sand blast and grind any rust and paint before installing. I found the U-joints are bad, not to suprising so they will be new spicer joints. The continued work will have to wait till I get back from Florida, I hope the hurricane will not make it over to us! I would like to stay in the hurricane for the experience, but not on the cruise after the wedding, a cousin of mine, not me. Stay tuned for more pictures of the progress, I can't wait till I can drive this. I think 6 months is a long time to wait for a build, I don't know how people can wait years!! If anyone would like any pictures of something specific feel free to ask. The stereo system will have to sit on the back burner till I get it on the road. Moving out of the garage on it's own power will be priority.

I have made up my mind. After much deliberation about what I want I am going back to an automatic. The donor I have is an automatic on the column so I will have to get the necessary shifter for the floor from an XJ in the JY sometime. As much as I would like to keep the manual it would be much easier to go with the auto. Because of the needed driveshafts and crossmember parts I would have to find anyway this seems like the logical choice. I have driven an auto 4wd comanche and it rode like a cadillac on the road. Not to say that mine will with the 3 inch lift provided by new rear leafs from hell creek and the new springs I got with the donor truck. I plan on replacing the ball joints and upper and lower control arms with new bushings for the front end. I ordered an adjustable trac bar from hell creek also. The brakes are relatively new, will make sure everything is good before installing the axle. I will get new brake hoses too, and oh yeah, shocks also. I will install a moog trail boss steering damper on the front axle too. I don't know why they paint them white? I will repaint it black to match the other components. For the rear axle I am going to replace the axle seals and fluid. I will sand blast and grind any rust and paint before installing. I found the U-joints are bad, not to suprising so they will be new spicer joints.

Wow, you take great pictures. I will have to get going on mine also, I seem to work on it only at night. The new gauge cluster looks awesome! What a nice gesture of your wife to buy into your hobby getting you carpet, I bought the same carpet from ebay as well. Keep going, looking great!

Ahhh, my long awaited donar truck. 4wd is only a couple weeks of work away. Over the last couple days I removed the rear axles of both trucks. I will put new axle seals and maybe a new pan with new gear oil. I will also convert from a ba-10 to an auto. The donar truck is a column shift and mine is a stick so I will make my truck a console shift. I will be looking for parts for this conversion so if you hear of any let me know!! The donar truck has new brakes all around so the swap is all the more worth it, I was crossing my fingers while picking up the truck for a Dana 44, but it wasn't meant to be this time around. I am ordering rear leaf springs from hell creek, I have new 3 inch coils for the front and would match them on the back. Does anyone have any pics of a comanche with 31's and a 3 inch lift? I can't picture it. I don't want it to be to tall for 31 inch tires. Pictures would be awesome so I can make up my mind what to buy. Thanks

I did the gauge swap, and it was much easier than I expected. I forgot to take some after pics, but I did set the mileage back to 39,700. Yes that's correct, only 39k on this truck. It just sat outside someone's garage for a long time. It sure looks nice. When it's light out I will take some pics of the interior. I also finished my floors then put in the new carpet. I used 3M undercoating, 4 cans.

A picture of my bed after paint, I am going to line-x the bed sometime, by the way, does anyone have a good shape metal plug, or know where I can get replacement ones?

I redid the old decaying seat back material just like the underside of your bed. It was torn so I tried to sew a patch on it and then decided to just replace the entire back piece and sew the zipper back on. It was a lot of work and thanks to the help of my parents with holding it the result was something I am very happy with. My mom's cat has a cameo... The picture is of the first attempt of sewing a patch in it. A picture of the material cut out. Here is a couple of a pics of the finished project. I used a stretch black fabric that I sewed on every edge because it unraveled easily. I also bought heavy duty thread and needles.

Well, using another computer now, here are a few pics of restroring the frame. I sandblasted the frame then installed new brake lines to the rear. I tried to find another load sensing brake adjuster, but I decided to do away with it for now. I just plugged the one at the dist block at the front and ran a new line directly from the bottom of the block to the rear brake hose. I used a flaring tool and bought the lined brake line roll so I didn't have any troublesome unions which leak and corrode. After I was done the entire frame and underside of the truck was por-15'd.

Ok, it's been a while since I have updated this build. The truck is now painted and I have put the interior back in minus the headliner for now. I think it turned out great, I will get pictures up as soon as I get my computer fixed. I updated windows to service pack 2 for windows vista 64 and it says my bios is no longer loaded! It will not load windows. I haven't tried to press F8 yet and try to restore it to another date, that's all I can think of :hmm: I will go to LineX to see if I can get my bed sprayed for less than $500, I will do it for $400. On my short to do list is to replace my RR wheel cylinder that's leaking before I change axles and such for a 4wd setup. I don't want brake fluid ruining my wheels. I still would like to buy a heavy duty brush guard so a deer won't wreck the front end. I also need to replace a worn water pump and all the vacuum hoses. Not bad, just can't wait to post pictures for you all to see the progress.

Where did you get the camper shell and what brand is it? I am looking for one and I can't seem to find any that look that good. Since they don't make the truck anymore I don't know where to buy one. I would rather buy one used if I can, awesome truck!!!

I love the new seats!! If anyone else knows where I can find these let me know because I have the same black interior and would love buckets! Great job on the truck, no matter what you paid it was worth it.

We used 60 grit sandpaper on a 6 inch sander. We will sand it with 120 grit to prepare it for primer, so the owner of the shop says. I didn't make that decision, the shop who is painting it says they always do that. I was quite suprised myself, but without taking it down to bare metal I wouldn't know where to cut and replace bad rust spots. It was a lot of work! There is about 8 places where metal must be replaced along with the 8 holes in the roof where the "Visor" was. I didn't like the look on the truck so I have to weld the holes shut. I know now how much work this is and I wish I could do it all myself, but I don't have a paint booth. I stripped the truck and will put it back together after the paint is done. Thanks for looking.

Well with the dissasembly there are some spots to address: And after some work removing panels: And off comes the paint! I still have to do some work on the underside when the box is removed; plans include a new gas tank and evap line, new brake lines and rear brakes. I would like to simiplify the rear brake system, the current system has the proporting valve and a return line coming up to the front one. I will have to search the site to do that. I don't need the load sensing valve in back because the lever is already broken.

Well, work has begun on the floor boards. They weren't exactly easy and there is much work to go, but here is some pics on the progress...

Well some expected news, floorboards only Fred Flintstone would adore: Drivers side front, or what's left of it anyway... Drivers side rear: Passengers side: Temporary fix until I can get them redone: After some blasting and grinding: Oh, yeah the temporary seat I made up for transport, not the most comfortable thing but I didn't have any milk crates laying around.

Well, I have cought the Comanche fevor so these are some pics when I brought her home: Before I got started: Interior: Set of leftover wheels from my XJ just to see how it would look: Plans are to strip her down, replace floors, repair any rust damage, repaint. Replace brake lines/rear brakes, shocks, and refinish gas tank. I would like to upgrade to full gauges soon also, but that can wait till it's back in one piece.

Check your caliper bolts/bushings on your front axle, if they are loose or sloppy they will also clunk causing this type of noise.

Do you still have the black buckets from the donor MJ? I am looking for a set. Thanks, Kevin

No I haven't yet, Actually I just sent my truck to have floorboards put in it today. It was a trick to drive it with a home made 2x4 seat, you really have to hold on to the steering wheel during turns! I will post pictures as soon as I get it back together, I snapped some pics before so I will post them also. Let the fun begin!

I got mine from ebay, the list is $112.00 and if you wanted the extra thick rubber mat underneath it is an additional $60 which is what I ordered. They custom make them to any color and you cut in your console and seat bolt holes to fit. I got mine the other day and I am happy. Auto carpet professionals (ebay seller) 1-800-657-1076

I abandoned the 4wd conversion for now, I just bought a '01 cherokee so I will leave the comanche 2wd for the forseeable future. Thanks to all for the great advice and I will keep the comanche for a project truck, first floor pans. With 2 jeeps now I will have a little time to tinker with the comanche and drive the cherokee.

It sounds a lot more complicated than I figured. It would seem I should abandon the XJ and just find a new donor with all the correct parts to begin with. If the auto doesn't work with the computer than I should find a xj or comanche 4wd with the ax-15 and a set of D44's. I may be dreaming, but if I can't use all the parts of the xj it would seem silly to remove parts to a good truck now. I will look around for some parts at local jy's. Thanks so much for your feedback, very helpful. I live in the middle part of MI so I enjoy your offer but I will let someone who needs the trans more than I do have the chance of a freebie.

I was going to keep the 5 speed but it seems like this board can't stand the older 5 speed because of it's durability so I was going to make it an auto. I would like to keep the 5 speed just because I miss a manual tranny but does the trans mount to the transfer case without new parts? I thought the spline count was different, and the length of the output shaft was different? I just don't want to put it in and then grenade it. I am just going to use it as a daily driver so I will not be going off road much with it. Thanks again for the help, I can't wait to get started!

Yes the same motor, 4.0. So your saying that the '98 ECU controls the trans so will I have to use that ECU? If so what will work and what won't? Thanks for the info!

I have a '87 2wd 5 speed SWB comanche and would like to swap the 4wd out of my '98 XJ cherokee classic which has the 4 speed auto and the 8.25 rear axle I think. The easiest way I can think of is to swap in the auto trans with transfer case and axles. The questions are: Will it be a direct fit? Will the computer in the '87 recognize the auto tranny/transfer case? And if not what do I need? Will the driveshafts fit without getting new ones? As in are the wheel bases the same? I bought 2 inch spring spacers for the front coils because the front end sits lower, are the 4wd springs longer? Should I buy new springs when I am doing this? I would like to update the gauges because I have the retarded HUGE fuel gauge if anyone has a spare with tach. I am also looking for a drivers side seatbelt in black for my bench.