xjblue

The plan was to work on my XJ all day today with one trip to look at and possibly buy a tranny and tcase for my MJ planned in the morning. I went out to the location this morning (45min drive) but was unable to locate the proper building where the drivetrain was supposed to be. Didn't have a phone number, just some confusing directions. Got home and began working on my XJ, almost had a broken bolt out of the frame and the phone rings. An old friend tells me her step dad has decided to sell his Comanche and asked me if I knew anyone. I said I was interested of coarse so I drop tools and run over there (25min drive) I knew it was a long bed but hadn't seen it for some time. Here is what I saw. :bowdown: 91 4.0 HO AW4 2wd column shifter longbed No AC with seats from a dodge truck, well matched topper and fancy pinstripes, perfectly clean, not a dent, only one new scratch under the passenger mirror. Well maintaned it's whole life. He uses it to get to the flying field but now he wants to trade it in for something with air conditioning. This thing is high blue book plus. If I didn't need my Honda's incredible gas milage I'd replace it with this as a daily driver in a heart beat. I can't afford it but I could swing it if I really wanted to. If anyone wants it I'll put you in touch with the owner! :cry: On the way home with MJ on the brain, I remember the promising doner/rustbucket I had spotted a few weeks back and decided to swing by. It was there still, sitting in front of a buisness. I walk in and ask the owner if he wants to sell. He said yeah I probably can and proceeds to show me the truck and tell me all about it. 87 4.0 with peugot tranny, np231, Dana 44, engine and tranny skids, tow hooks, said it always started for him, just needed a battery and had a slow leak in one tire, besides a major rust problem. He said $400, I said OK Now I'm either going to use it as a full drivetrain swap or at least the D44 and driveshafts and hood.....or I'm going to sell it to a good friend who started looking for an MJ project recently and who donated the battery.

My concern now is, since it was behind a 2.8l, is it going to want to bolt up to my 2.5l without too much trouble or....

Now I've got someone who was the owner 3 owners ago telling me they came out of a 2.8L XJ, he was told the trans was brand new and the tcase rebuilt. These things have changed hands a bit it sounds like.

updates The suspension feels a tad smoother than my XJ so far and that is saying something. A control arm solution has been installed for a while. I never showed the front bumper I picked up for this project either. (there was some bitter debate as to wich of my Jeeps would actually end up with it but the MJ won) hope to install it soon. have some of these 868's waiting to go on it. oh yes and feel free to move this into the project forum.

BTW that is a great price

DT shocks for stock MJ should be front (same as stock XJ) 3184 21.5"-13" Rear (approx same as XJ rear w/ 3"lift) 3231 22.5"-13.5"

cool, looks like I'm first in line to get them! Thanks for the quick replies. Goal to have her ready for the NAXJA Fall Fling is looking pretty good.

any major issues bolting it up to my 87 engine then?

listen to this - local forum guy selling an AX5 and NP231 he didn't directly answer my question regarding wether they came from a 2.5l equpped jeep or not... how can I tell and if so is it going to bolt right in like I think it would?? This would be my first tranny tcase purchase, just don't want to go into it more blind than I have to...

Opened it up to replace the park/turn bulbs. Driverside socket had been replaced and boy what a hack job! Never seen so many different connectors in one spot, but it still works. Pass side, the problem side, was sporting an inordinant amount of electrical tape and appears it could be an original socket. The electrcal tape appeared to be trying to hold at least one wire a certain way and now that it's removed I get nothing from that new bulb. Looks like two new sockets next trip to the parts store. I'll be installing a new front bumper, good time to check/rewire everything.

Was checking out the old truck for burnt out bulbs tonight and noticed some oddities. 1. With the headlights on, the corner markers do not blink when signaling a turn like they do on my 93 XJ, they remain constantly on - normal?. Now I can't remember if they blinked with the lights off but I don't think so. 2. Also with headlights on, the passenger park light remains off :eek: , but blinks during signal for right turn regardless of headlight status :roll: . 3. The right turn indicator arrow lamp in the dash remains constantly on when the headlights are on except when indicating a right signal then it blinks as usual :nuts: . Only one bulb appeared to be shot, the upper lamp, driverside tail. Gremlins of the electrical veriety or what?

He is closer to you than I am Eagle but not much, Texas. I'm sure he will look locally first but if he can't find anything I know where to send him! Having spent some time in Texas it comes to my recollection that the ratio of two wheel drive to four wheel drive is pretty high there. Thanks for the Info guys I'll pass it along.

:shock: I know of somebody slapping a 4.0 in to something interesting, I want to say it is a Gremlin IIRC. :D seriously though, This individual developed swap kits for other vehicles so it's right down his alley. I gave him info on XJ/MJ transmissions a few weeks ago along with links that were posted here that he found quite helpful, anyway.... He called me today saying he found a possible doner for parts, a 4WD 98 XJ with an AX15 and he is not interested in 4WD and wanted to know what would be involved making it a 2wd tranny. My mind just went blank and hasn't recovered yet. It's just completely backwards from my way of thinking :P Is it as simple as removing the tcase and swapping a 2wd tailcone on? Thanks in advance for un-blanking my mind. I may just take that t-case off his hands among other things for my own project but he is going to have plenty of stuff left over to part out and I'm sure some of you are closer to him so I'll keep ya posted.

While I was bored Sunday and duly inspired by this thread http://www.comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=734 and wanting a platform to perhaps photoshop my dream MJ plans with... I took a four door export spec XJ line drawing someone posted here or on NAXJA a while back and referencing photos of my MJ did some "photo_chopping". It's a little rough around the edges and some of the details are a little sketchy; for instance the rear fenders are XJ sized wich probably threw off my eyeball measurements of the bed length by a fraction. I caught myself before I saved it with Comanche spelled wrong though... :oops:

They need an overhaulin style show for offroad vehicles, Pick some poor guy (or me :D ) who just empties every pocket to keep his junk on the road and dreams of one day fixing it up for the trail. fill in the rust, slap on a durable coat of paint/bedliner, lift, tires, axles, bumpers, winch, hydrolic truck bed for kicks and giggles... etc.... bring him in for the big tearful suprise when it's finished.... :idea:

saw one Friday, a 93 XJ with "country" up high on the fender in a break in the waist-line pinstripe, Had interior brown woodgrain panels on the doors and dash with a tan or beige carpet, can't remember if it had panels on the outside (I'm too old to remember everything past saturday :? ), was dark blue with the cross spoke wheels that may have color matched the interior.

Actually they developed thier own spring over kit for YJ's, don't know how much like Warriors offerings it is. Those spring pads gave my MJ over 6" lift in the rear and would have required welding shock mounts. Not a problem just more lift than they wanted and not fully bolt on using the YJ part like they wanted. So rather than the YJ pads they took some time and developed a completely new type of spring pad for the MJ kit. The factory shock mount still sits below the axle but it is much closer(higher) than when spring under because the leaf pack is no longer between them It has it's pro's and con's like most kits on the market but I wouldn't use Lazy to describe it.

lets have some links!!!

Here's the scoop on that kits development... http://comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=221 the control arms are still stock. They should be offering drop brackets soon. Maybe you missed the list??? I have not seen the ebay add but the website lists parts at least twice.

Ultra rare, but I saw one in the 'yard last month. It only came in 87-89, and had 4.56's stock in the D30/35. I snagged the 30, and am regearing a D44 I got to match after the new year's hoopla settles out. Jeff I wonder if that combo is available in YJ's too? For a swap what about wiring for the tranny? A donor sounds best for any of those issues.

No welding, Bolt On! fits d35s perfectly and wraps over the axle to contact the stock perch. they might take another test mule on, esp if you have a stock D44. I have DT shock part numbers DT3350 up front and DT3368 in back for a nice long shock. Shocks are optional, add $155 for all 4 DT's I was wondering about how much longer on longbed rockrails, I was told the short bed rails are the longest they make so far. I'll pass along any measurments you take.

my truck is some time from being "done" (are they ever?) but the lift kit is official as they began to take orders http://www.rocky-road.com/comanche.html And the rockrails also. http://www.rocky-road.com/xjrockrail.html Hopefully new front springs and drop brackets won't be much longer. In the mean time I'll be saving up for things like power steering, front axle parts, AW4, np231, gears, lockers, driveshafts, yikes it adds up fast.... TNT longarm, CB radio, recovery equipment, trail tools, raised steering. questions; tranny and T-case: I'm thinking keep it light(er) so stay with the 2.5 liter and stock axles to run 33's. If I understand correctly easiest thing would be find an aw4/np231 out of a 2.5l? what gearing with that combo? 4:88 would be my guess

useful Update (pictures)! - sorry for the wait got to like fresh powdercoat the new setup installed testing some 265/75's (still stock cntrl arms etc) not too shabby

Yes I said BOLT ON. (one more mod the world MJ preservation society won't cringe too badly at eh eagle :D) here is more info. I'll post some more pics later. My truck is getting test fit for a new bolt on SOA kit for MJ's. first they did a trial of the bolt on pads from a YJ SOA kit, wich fit fine but a little taller than they can match up front for now, and didn't have shock mounts incorporated. They designed and built new pads, a little shorter and to maintain the bolt on ability and re-use the stock lower shock mount/u-bolt plate. Although I think I'll go back to the other pads to run 35" in the future. Still working on front end stuff like controll arms. can't' wait for tires and then the obligatory testing phase! still plenty to do... weld on systems are always better, downsides to bolt on will be the pads are designed for the D35, upside is bolt on = easier for the non welder equipped do it yourselfer, also you can unbolt the system and A; sell the stock axles still in unwelded stock form B - keep the kit and sell the vehicle in stock form etc etc...