boardmanMJ

i am starting on the complete restoration of my 89 MJ (clyde) and ive hit a bump. i need to remove the bed and i can't seem to find out how. I'm probably overlooking something really obvious but here is where I'm at so far: i have the tailgate off rear lights are removed, wiring harness is still there. rear fender flares are off bumper is almost ready to come off where does that leave me before i can remove the bed? how many bolts are holding the bed down? thanks in advance! I'm sure there will be more questions to come in the project.

thanks for helping me identify what that was. i did notice a light on the top of the cab, but i wasnt thinking and assumed it was a third brakelight :doh:

thanks pete! is that for in the cab or in the bed?

i found a 1990 eliminator on craigslist for $375 bucks! it has no motor but for $525 i bought the truck and a motor. it is also a true eliminator too!! I'm really excited! it is now my 3rd MJ in my fleet. one question though is as i was looking in the interior, i noticed a switch i had never seen before (both my other MJs and the one XJ are pioneer editions) it was mounted on the left side of the steering wheel next to the factory fog light switch. it looks kinda like a shower head. can someone help identify this switch? photobucket isnt working so i can't upload pictures :( but maybe it will work later.

let me first start off by thanking everyone who helped me get my truck back on the road. if it wasnt for this forum, my mj would have been long crushed by a junkyard (before i bought it of course. i would never junk an mj) now comes the question...now that Clyde is back on the road, what should i do with him? here is what he is: 1989 jeep comanche pioneer shortbed 4.0 stright six auto transmission (i was told it was an aw4 cause the power/comfort switch but it has toyota internals so I'm not sure what it is) 2wd white with brown solid stipe at the bottom (it has been repainted) burgundy interior its got 1995 zj limited gold alloy rims with bald 30s in it i got an early christmas present from my very loving girlfriend which consisted of a black FACTORY rollbar with 5 55watt procomp lights on it suspension is stock. i have a d30 out of a 1990 xj along with another aw4 (maybe) transmission and np231 mated to it waiting to be swapped in. and i also have a set of wrangler grey grizzley rims wrapped in 33inch truxus MTs now normally i drive a 2000 xj as my dd but the brakes locked up on me and i began to drive one of my mjs. my xj is lifted 3 inches with the same 33s and same drivetrain. my xj gets about 15 mpg. my MJ gets about 23mpg. i love the gas milage of my mj but i love the way it would look lifted and I'm worried if i throw a lift and 33s my mpg will sink. either way I'm going to be painting the truck the yellow that came on the TJ. if i lift it, I'm going to use the grey grizzley rims and 33s. if i don't lift it I'm going to powdercoat black my zj rims and wrap a new set of 30s on it. I'm thinking of getting comanche cheif stripping also. but i still can't decide to lift or not. whats everyones opinion? also, what is the minimal amount of lift to clear 33s without cutting? its not a trailrig its for looks only so flex is not an issue. I'm going to be getting 2inch wheel spacers so the 33s will clear my control arms if i lift it. i don't have pictures now but ill post some tuesday night. thanks everyone in advance!!

ok so i got some new parts to the story...my auto tranny wouldnt shift. took it to a family friend who fixes trannys. he replaced the TPS and it shifts. the speedo never worked since i bought the truck. the family friend said the speedo cable rubbed off somewhere. the speedo cable does go into the tranny and its tight in there. i never had the dash apart yet so i think it is still connected to the cluster. my 89 mj does not have cruise control. the speedo cable i pulled was from a 90 xj. i can't remember if it had cruise control or not. I'm thinking that it didnt since it was a cherokee pioneer. thanks everyone for all your help! it means alot to me and everyone here is very informative and helpful! :banana:

ok my old speedo cable got whacked in half by something (idk what it was by, i bought the mj with it broken) i have a replacement cable, but i have no idea how to change it. all help is greatly appreciated!!!!

Now according to wikipedia, the metric ton Comanches had a heavier duty suspension all the way around (bigger leafs, sturdier coils, heavy duty shocks) what all do I need to convert my mj to a metric ton mj since I already have a d44 minus it being a swb?

...if i have a comanche with the metric ton package? the only thing i have read on how to check is the rear springs (either 4 or 5). its a 1989 comanche, 2wd, shortbed, 4.0l, aw4, with a d44 in the rear. i can't check the gear ratio tag cause it rusted away, and i have yet to pop off the differential cover. the comanche is not at my house so i can't even count the springs. what are some key givavways to know if i have the metric ton package or not.

the truck is going to be used as mainly a daily driver with some mild offroad use and towing. its the 4.0l, but getting close to 200,000 miles i am going to build a stroker motor for it. its got a d44 in the rear but the gear ratio tag has rusted away. i am going to be running the ever controversial 2inch wheel spacers on it. the rims are factory grey grizzley rims off a wrangler. tires I'm not too worried about. i was oringally looking at the super swamper thornbirds because the sidewall looks like really aggresive but the actual tread is very streetable. i havent herd good things about them in the mud or snow, but the truck is stored in winter and i am hardly ever going to wheel it (the suspension probably will never be flexed to full articulaton) the size i was looking at was 33x11.50x15. a friend of mine works in the factory that makes superswamper, interco, pitbull, parnelli jones tires and i can get any tire design (besides the bogger and irok, they are made in mexico) in any size for about $200 for ALL 5. so back to the lift...i want to run 33s, with minimal amount of lift without rubbing or cutting my fenders on stock wrangler rims with 2inch wheel spacers. what is a good lift height that will suit my needs?

ok so its been awhile since i logged on. since i was last on i picked up another comanche. its a white and brown 89 2wd sb. i got a front d30 out of a cherokee and the tranny and transfercase set up for a 4x4 swap. now that i have all the parts for the 4x4 swap, i got some money saved for a lift. i already have a set of 33s and i don't want to cut my fenders so i was thinking about a 6inch lift. does that sound right or am i going up way to high to fit 33s? i have a d30 up front and i got a d44 in the rear so I'm not too worried about gearing. i should be ok right? the lift i am mainly looking at is the hell creek 6 inch. looking to spend somewhere between 600-900 on a lift, but as usual the cheaper the better. any other kits i should look at? thanks for all your help. being only 17 i am really learning my way around these jeeps. i got 2 comanches, 1 cherokee, 2 grand cherokees, a cj7, and had another cherokee but it went to the scrapper.

the belt seems to me to be fine. no serious stretching or dry rot o be found on it. when the guy at autozone pointed out that the fan fully was out of alignment, you can clearly see it. it is about 1/4 inch away from the front end of the pully. i will take pictures of it tomorrow to show you what i mean since its dark here.

ok so i wentand tightened the serpentine belt and it still squealed. i got new bearings in the idler pully and it still squeals. as a last resort before i started ripping to get to my water pump i went ot autozone and the guy pointed out that the fan pully was misaligned. so now my new question is how to i align the fan pully? sorry for all the questions, this is all very new to me as i am only 17.

ok well that answered a few other questions i had. now i know for sure i have the aw4 tranny, but I'm guessing i have a renix 4.0 cause i don't have the "4.0 litre high output" badge on the tailgate? so its better to leave it in comfort mode.

its not a 4x4 (yet :thumbsup: ) but i will go over all the connections. i am guessing that its not mechanical then? as for the tranny, ill check the connections and sensors, but one final question for all you automatic guys... i have a switch that says power/comfort what is that for and could that keep the tranny from shifting correctly?

its alittle bit after 12:30 am here and my garage light has burnt out (go figure!) so i am going to have to wait untill i can take it down to my shop in the morning. any help with the speedometer? or possibly the transmission? i don't mind shifting an automatic manualy, but i don't want to cause any more damage, if that possible.

actually i think i have a decent idea of what your talking about. i just installed a new powersteering pump on my 95 zj, and i kno its not the same, but it atleast gives me an idea.

ok so i picked up my second mj today. its a 1989 comanche pioneer white 2wd shortbed straight six and i paid $325 for it. its also an automatic but something is wrong with it and i have to shift it manualy on the column shift. now my questions. it has a loose serpentine belt so it squeals really loud. i was told all i had to do was tighten it, and I'm not going to lie, i have no idea how to do it. the speedometer also doesnt work at all. can anyone help me fix atleast the squealing?

I really don't want to swap beds, I would like to get a Comanche bed if at all possible, I just thought being a dodge with similar looking tailights it would be a direct bolt in. Anyway all the junkyards around me don't have Comanches with good beds. I'll take some pictures to post tomorrow to see everyones opinion to see if mine is worth repairing...I want to make it a mall crawler show truck so it needs too look almost flawless when I am done with it.

Hey everyone, I'm still new to my mj and I have a question about the bed. Mine is all dented and rust has taken it's toll so I've been on the lookout for a new bed, but I noticed something...now I just glanced at it really quick as I drove by, but it looked to me that the first and second generation Dakota have the same tailights as the mj, so could a Dakota bed fit on my 88 pioneer longbed?