86ComancheXNate

I'm slowly but surely doing the 4.0L/4x4 swap in my 86. Since its getting hard to find a decent donor for cheap that isnt a pos I'm going to try to piece it together from jy parts. I think I'm gonna start by pulling a motor and tranny and rebuilding the motor if it needs it and then go from there. Few questions: What year cherokee should I look for an engine donor? Any particular parts I should look out for?

Well I just loaded and hauled about 1160 lbs yesterday about 15 miles. I've got an 86 with the Metric Tonne package and 31" tires and AMC M20 with 4.11 It ran really smoothly.

Thanks a lot for this post. I have been confused about how locker work for a while now. Everyone in my jeep club has told me I should put one in my rearend and I just haven't been able to grasp what they do. This has helped tremendously. The other Nate

What's the best stuff to use? I've tried that engine brite foamy stuff but it didn't seen to do anything. There just seems to be too much dirty greasy oil all over everything

Is it a good idea to get an adjustable track bar? And is there anything else that should be changed as well? Like shocks?

But who's going to Jeep Beach?

Well I just recently joined the Ocala Jeep Club and we've been trying to do a ride at least once a month. This weekend we're doing a play day at our course built at the Ocala Speedway but because of our insurance policy its only open to club members. I'll be sure to post the info for next month's ride and maybe we can get some more comanche's out there. We usually hit up the Ocala national forest but sometimes they go out other places too.

I sure love my 23 gal tank :banana:

Mine says June 1986 so I'm guessing its a late model? So I'm guessing I can fit the 4.0 with little no firewall massaging?

what was the build date in your door?

Is it possible to see the difference in engine compartment size from the early model 86's to the later models from the outside? if so could someone post some pictures?

Damn if that's stock then I'm guessing the chevy ones are a lot bigger?

It almost looks like a chevy drop shackle and if it is it would explain why my rear end sits up so high

Wondering if anyone has any laying around they'd like to get rid of before I look around elsewhere.

Well after some serious thought and research this is what I'm thinking. Somewhere in the hopefully not too distant future :hmm: : Save up some money and find a decent donor XJ hopefully 97+. Swap drivetrain, front clip, interior. Lift about 6" Hopefully doing Friday: replacing track bar installing 2" coil spacers up front to clear wheel wells. WILL BE POSTING PICS SOON.

Well with the stroker idea I just wanted something powerful and unique. Not something everyone on the block is gonna have. Kinda the reason I drive a comanche :banana:

A 20 will fit the bill nicely, as well as boost the cool factor. Rob L. That's what I was thinking and couldn't I just figure out a way to get the bigger drums on my AMC 20? And I was actually quite surprised what I could find for the AMC 20 in after market parts. Just gotta look in the right places. I'm putting a locker in it sooon. :jump:

What about an AMC 20? :banana:

Well I've been looking for a 97 or newer. But its hard to find one for cheap. For the donor part I'm looking to do a drivetrain swap looking for the 4.0 and the front axle. I'm keeping my rear amc20. I might also do an interior swap if I can get my hands on a 97 or newer. I might just go look at this 96 tomorrow for $#!&s and giggles

Well as for the price I'm thinking about using it for a dd for a little bit while I gather up the parts for the drivetrain swap.

I might be going to look at a 96 XJ tomorrow for a donor is there anything special I should look for? I'll prolly have one of my jeep club buddies go with me. Here's the craigslist add http://ocala.craigslist.org/cto/2212941707.html

Well I think I'm gonna go with that idea for now. Get the 4.0 system running and save up to get the 4.9. How much beefing up would I have to do? My rear axle is already running 4.10 gears.

All right so it's not the smartest investment. I wasn't too sure I just wanted to shoot it here and see what people thought of it.

and before I even really thought of this I would get a cherokee with the 4.0 and start the conversion. but I was just wanting to hear people's opinions on the 4.9 stroker idea.

Well it would be a hell of a lot of increase in power from a 2.8 lol