DirtyComanche

Axle wrap is an overstated problem with SOA. I think most of the people that squawk about it don't have and have never driven a SOA MJ. Remember all the XJs came SOA, and it's not like you see them having massive problems and being denied on obstacles because of axle wrap. SUA is a crappy way to combat it anyways, assuming you're not limited by arbitrary rules. You're better off with a properly designed anti-wrap bar if you have a real problem with it. Also, the other big issue with SUA is that the springs, spring plates, and shock mounts are hanging down under the axle, which is completely counterproductive to gaining ground clearance. You need an adjustable track bar for more lift, although you can cheap out and redrill the bracket on the axle. This isn't the greatest solution as the factory piece isn't the strongest. Honestly if I was you I'd not screw with it until I had more money to spend. Just go SOA and long arms with new shocks all around. I have not long armed mine yet, and even just with the 3.5" RE springs the ride is garbage on potholes and washboard because of it. With a long bed you're not going to need a SYE for angle reasons. That said I still believe in them and would do one, others will disagree. If you're to do it, doing it at the same time as going SOA makes the most sense as you can set the pinion angle correctly then.

What thread size/pitch is the knock sensor on the Renix? M8x1.25? And how critical do you think the factory placement is for it to function ideally? Has anyone moved it to another boss in the block? It would make sense that it needs to be somewhere in the middle of the block as to be equally likely to detect knocking on cylinders 1 and 6. It's not really a MJ thing, trying to put it in a J truck and the motor mount picks up on the boss for the knock sensor. Brown Dog makes a threaded adapter that would fix the issue, but it's $50 US to my door.

This. Other than he said he's swapping in a 4.0 I guess. I remember running around with open header(s) on stuff and thinking it was great. I'd say just start with a cheap glasspack, a Red Hot is like $25 or so. When it gets annoying move up to something slightly more expensive, like a $35 multi chamber muffler; I have Raptors on my plow truck. Don't throw that original glasspack away though, keep it to throw back in WITH the other muffler when you get annoyed again.

You could probably do it in desktop dyno.

If you want to turn heads, whistle tip is the way.

He's got a 4 cylinder though.

If the rest of the Jeep is nice I'd consider just buying a new one. You already have the external slave and bellhousing, and I'm assuming you're getting a deal on the Jeep because it has no third gear. Like I said, I think you can get one cheaper than Novak's price. Brand new, with a warranty.

How loud is loud?

I do have to admit that such a rolling environmental disaster is rather cool in its own way.

The ZJ ones are all the same. Watch out for the WJ ones, they are not. And 2000 was the changeover for TJ engines.

Is there a shop anywhere in the first world that charges only $50/hour though? It's $100-135 in my experience, dealer is about $150. Honestly I would buy a brand new one before trusting some sort of 'rebuild' any day of the week. As I see it, the only good options are buy new ($1540 US), buy a good complete unit from the boneyard ($650 CAD here no discount, so that's about $500), or buy a parts XJ that you know shifts correctly for ???? (normally can be had for under $1000, but you probably want to pick and choose so you get a transmission worth swapping in). Then plan to buy a flywheel, clutch kit, and a master/slave, plus you might as well change the transmission mount while you're there for another $20.

Lots of rebuilders do not really rebuild them, they pull them apart and fix whatever is blown up. Hence probably wanting to see it... You can buy a brand new one later style one from Novak for $1540, it comes with everything other than a bellhousing. I doubt Novak is cutting any sort of a deal, so I'm sure it can be found cheaper. So don't pay anything more than that for it to be rebuilt. Ideally if you're going to do this you should track down an external slave bellhousing and convert it over. Another good option would be to get a whole later style AX-15 from the a wrecker.

Closed knuckle axles were gone by 73. Many of the Quadratracs had part time kits installed and manual locking hubs installed in lieu of the drive flanges.

The thread sucks because the pictures are dead for page 1 and most of page 2. I forgot about that and never fixed them.

No, pretty much just get an XJ Cherokee that has the parts you need and swap them. Basically just get one that has the same engine and fuel injection, then take the transmission, transfer case, front axle, front driveshaft, tcase shift linkage, etc out of it and install them in the MJ. The only thing you'll need is to have a new rear driveshaft made, as finding a 4wd Comanche one is rather elusive. There's a few builds here where it was done, and lots of threads on it in the tech forum. My green one started out as a 2wd, although I bought it half converted.

Looks good.

Solid looking 2wd in Medicine Hat: https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/medicine-hat/89-jeep-comanche/1346230636?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true Honestly, I'd rather take one with a decent body and convert it to 4wd than start with a rotten body that's already 4wd.

You could, but I think it would be fairly undersized for the 6.0L.

I've seen a couple nice MJs come up for sill in 'Beerta over the last few years. Scour Kijiji and Facebook, I'll bet you'll find one.

Yes, it's not polarity sensitive.

They're only cool if you graft two of them together.

Front wheel drive is an abomination made for people that are just along for the ride.

That's why I thought it would be a Lada. But it's not, since it's a Dana axle.

Can you put it in gear from a standstill?

Forgot to reply to this. It's not a clock panel, it's the "I'm too poor/cheap to even get the optional clock" panel, so it's just a piece of plastic that looks like a clock panel. I think I got it out of a 94 XJ? There's enough space behind it to jam SOME gauges in there. With that Viair gauge I really had to cheat for space to get the fittings on the back. I'd planned to eventually get a little clock to put in the top of it, but never got around to it, honestly it's terrible trying to get it in an out with the air line that's routed behind the gauge cluster and all the wiring.