88towmanche

What is the order of disassembly - does it matter... Disconnected the e brake cables since they were easy and right there. Broke all the ubolts loose and working on the lower shackle bolts. Once everything is unstuck - figure: Disconnect and cap brake lines. Drop the drive shaft. Unbolt lower shocks Remove ubolts so axle is free of the leafs and resting on jack/pallet jack Unbolt shackles let the leaf drop and pull axle out.

Yep - that's the donor truck and agree AAL for sure, that spring pack will stay with the donor. Going to swap the axels and snag the tail lights, rear flares, tailgate, bucket seats and few other odds and ends out of the donor and then send it on to glory - will offer what's left up cheap on CL or FB (wifey tired of sanford & son yard)

That's what the PO says - looks like one to me, but I'm comparing to pics off the web - don't have one to directly compare. Says it has a locker in it as well....guess we'll find out. Truck is pretty hacked up - think it was a wheeler, exhaust is routed up through the bed and the front fenders are cut.

Finally going to carve out time to swap axles with the '86 4 cyl parts truck. The '88 currently has stock 30/35 with 3.07 gears The '86 has 30/44 with 4.10 gears Even with the complete donor truck expect there will be issues... Figure that neither drive shaft is going to work...maybe the one out of the '86? Both trucks are 4x4 but with different motor/trans in the '86 not sure it will work. Prepared to have a new one made. Brakes? The original brakes in the '88 are intact and like to keep it that way - is the D44 different enough that have to make any radical changes? Longer lines maybe? Will definitely replacing the shoes/cylinders/springs in the rear drums but hoping everything else lines up. New shocks going in the rear - have airbag helper that will probably go in as well to help with squat when towing - unless there is some other suggestion for helping the old leafs which do not intend to replace or AAL at this time. What else? - the front D30 should just be a straight swap - was there any major difference between 86 & 88 on the front axle? Any of you guys done this or have tips send em my way

Have one made at a local hose & fitting shop - we've done it many times for marine applications (boats are all funky and one-off) Not that much $$

The factory screws pictured look like hi-lo pan head screws - probably #8 X 1" or so - stainless a good idea.

Using a powered amp in our set up - no complaints

+1 on the Krusty sliders if he's still making them - fit like a glove.

Damn! I guess bought mine a couple years ago - no idea they were gone, that sucks.

Got mine from Downey Products - made specifically for the trapazoid shaped MJ bed.

Factory bumper on my 88:

We always use the heavy duty attached lid totes - like from Grainger. Stackable in the garage, easy to swap out from truck to truck - each loaded for specific use: Chains, collapsible shovel, salt for winter driving Tarps, tiedowns, bungies Hitches, pigtails for towing tools, jumper pack, jump cables. biggest challenge is keeping them from sliding around - running a single cable down one side of the bed attached to the tie downs we have short leashes the use caribiners to clip to the cable.

Probably would - I was a bit concerned about that so figured that when I put the 2" puck & shackle lift on the truck I needed to add a 2" spacer to the airbags. I'm not out flexing the truck on trails so don't think will be an issue.

Airbag kit: Amazon.com: Air Lift 59503 Ride Control Rear Air Spring Kit, Black : Automotive Should help squat issue without affecting ride

Man I hope that is not the issue with mine (sounds like a hassle) - my truck sat for like a decade before I bought it, PO would fire it up every 3 or 4 months but never used it or put much gas in it so my theory is the top of the gasket just dried out - you can see where it's leaking if you fill up all the way - at least that's what I thought....now going to take a closer look at those hard lines.

If you're smelling fuel with the truck sitting static overnight probably not manifold related. Tank gasket leaking is my bet - mine leaks at the top 1/3 of the gasket - if I fill the tank it stinks like hell until it gets down to 3/4 tank. Been like that since day 1 - got the replacement gasket but every time I get under there to swap it out I find something else and get sidetracked - last time discovered a frayed ebrake cable and that turned into a bigger project than anticipated.

Lot of concerns pulling 5,000 lbs with a 30 yr old small truck. Tongue weight alone is going to be 500-750 lbs - that's gonna make the rig squat - mine does with 250 lbs on the old springs. I bought a helper air bag set up off amazon but am now looking at new metric ton springs when I swap out the axles to improve gear ratio - 3.07 gearing is unusable for towing - and this is just to tow around a 3,000 lb boat. Weight distribution hitch set up going to add another 100 lbs to the squat.... Don't know much about electric brakes (usually tow boats & they are surge if equipped) - so not sure how you get that all wired up on an old jeep, i have it on my Sierra but that was all factory and worked great on a travel trailer I drug around with the family for years but there is no way I would have ever tried dragging that thing with the Comanche and it weighed in at 4800 - but not the same as pulling a boat. I rented a uhaul tandem utility trailer and hauled a cord of firewood a couple weeks ago - figure total weight was around 2500 and it handled it fine, but it's working hard and you don't want to get into a hard braking situation - 5000 just doesn't seem doable on a regular basis without substantial mods.

Better pic with sliders installed

31's with 2" puck & shackle lift

Nice looking rig - the one on Craigslist up here is long gone, I missed how old that posting was.

This popped up on Seattle CL - 1989 Jeep Comanche SUV - cars & trucks - by dealer - vehicle... (craigslist.org) Don't think I have seen one with column shift - gonna see what these guys will take on a cash offer - this combo can't be that common...

Boats tow different than trailers - low CG and better aero dynamics, I spent years towing a 7000 lbs boat with the Sierra without issue but a 4500 lb travel trailer was a whole different bag of worms. My tongue weight is 250 not 150 (and it might be more than that) - but I think I'm right at the max of where the Comanche feels sufficient to get the job done - stopping is the biggest concern for me (well that and wagging the dog at speed - but that has never been an issue) so have been thinking about swapping out the trailer with one with surge brakes on it - usually don't need them for single axle (and can't use electric on a boat) but I got a lead on one for swap so we'll see how that goes.

Whoa....You running that old Bolens up/down a ramp to get it in there? I tried that on an old Ford and bit the dirt with Sears garden tractor - ramp was a pos and should have known better but I always tend to leap before I look....

That Crestliner hull weighs like 1700 - motor(s) clock in at another 300, trailer probably 700 throw in 25 gal of fuel, 3 marine deep cycle batteries a couple of electric down riggers, coolers, kill bags & Ice start getting up around 3000 loaded out. It handles it fine, but not running races - brakes are top shape (always) and have had to jump on them a couple times with no scares but I stick to the slow lanes and if it is a long freeway haul to the launch I use the Sierra. The nice thing about the towmanche is getting in out of tight gravel launches - really shines on those slicker than snot ramps. First vehicle I had was an old CJ and soon as I got it I towed a 1970 14 foot Chrysler Hydrasport runabout overpowered with a massive '60's Merc outboard all over the state chasing salmon, at the time seemed like a good idea.....in hindsight am lucky never had any close calls - that set up probably clocked in under 2000 lbs but these days I wouldn't tow 500lbs with an old CJ