JeepcoMJ

so I got my dad's friend Bruce (who is a machinest) to set me up on his lathe to make something... Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found they're sleeves for the UCA bushings of the control arms I'm building. managed to find the proper diameter solid stock and I bored out the center to match the OD of the bushing itself, and had bruce finish the proper machining on it. the arms themselves are 1-3/4" OD, 1-1/4 ID so they're quarter-wall. these are just the upper arms...they're going to be adjustable so I'm using some 2-1/4" square tube that's 1/4 wall to go around the bushings, then welding a 2" sleeve to it and putting the 1-1/3" machine thread stock in there. it'll be adjustable similar to the rough country adj. UCA's...though I will have a lock-nut on them which I will loosen when offroad, and tighten when on-road for flex purposes. the LCA's are fixed with RE superflex joint on the axle-side of the arm, and stock bushings on the body-side of the bushing. I'm using stock bushings simply because it is what I had to work with :cheers: anyways, that's the only thing that's new with the project...i'm replacing a friend's hydrolocked 4.0 tomorrow, and this week I will get back on track with the MJ...gonna gut the drivetrain and install a new drivetrain in the next week :brows: Edit: UCA's need to be 15-5/8" long at adjustment, LCA's need to be 17.1875" long center to center

mine is off by 13% so I multiply by 1.13 to get the true mileage. but, i've got the dinky tank and only average about 300 miles on a tank.

there's supposed to be a spring or two on the actual ebrake pedal assembly...that would be my first guess. after that, I'd just replace the ebrake pedal...i've got one or two of them.

the waggy grille from a quad headlight system doesn't fit a normal header panel. you can put the header panel from the waggy on to the MJ no problem. however, if you get an 85 waggy, which doesn't have 4 headlights but does have the 21 slot grille, then the 21 slot grille will fit the comanche header no problem.

that's too nice for parts. however, if it's got an aw4 automatic in it, and you part it out, I'd like to get the bellhousing, torque converter, and TCU from you...:D

Actually the 04's were putting down 230hp/250+ftlbs of torque Also, a neon is a lot more aerodynamic than a brick on a wheels :brows: Don't forget that the 4 cylinder is a bit lighter. Not like I'd recommend the motor in a comanche, but it sure was fun in my brothers SRT-4. i didn't. there is alot you can do to a 4.0 which would be cheaper than buying then swapping in a srt-4 motor, and net more power to weight ratio

that's practically downgrading from a 4.0 HO with a mild cam and a borla header. i've got a 3.8 buick in my comanche that outputs more hp and torque than that, and i barely squeeze 21mpg out of it normally, but have gotten up to 27 mpg out of it.

and what motor do you have (plus any other factors such as gears, tire size that you know) ...on my latest tank, I went 222.5 miles on 8.1 gallons. this is with the 3800...my 86 mj powered by a 96 camaro 3.8 liter v6. geared 3.55, 3" lift on her, and 31x10.50 dayton timberline all-terrains all highway driving of 45mph to 65mph, and it figures out to be 27-something miles per gallon :cheers: :D what're you guys getting?

lmao. sorry...i didn't read the thread jack :P :cheers:

i think he is talking drum brakes rather than discs :brows:

i really never understand what you're saying. :roll: hard swap, long lasting, but good idea is basically what i get...hopefully that's correct?

well, i'm in luck. just letting you all know. i'll post details on monday night :D

they're not all THAT rare...nice ones are, but finding a junker parts one is easy. I've owned something like 12 or 14 comanches, 8 of which survived to be more than parts or scrap. (some were just too bad to mess with)

lmao. yep, i was thinking about switching it above the CD player, but the mic wouldn't clip into the clips then...so i'd have to relocate it. of course, i could still do it and put a few switches in that area to power on or off the manual shifter i'll be installing. yes, MJ15 will get this setup...and as you well know, the surprise is more for everyone else than it is for you, since you already know :brows: ;)

lol. thanks man :D speaking of which... Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found i don't have time to replace the bad sheet steel, so i straightened it out with the limited time I did have (it's better but not quite perfect yet...) Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found then found that the hood hinges are even bent...so they've gotta be replaced Image Not Found and starting to get the body panels back on Image Not Found Image Not Found that's pretty much it for this week as I'm rebuilding a 4.0 for a buddy and installing it in place of his hydrolocked 4.0 over the next week ($$$$ for me to afford lift kit parts) in my spare time...then I'll strip my 2 door xj donor this week and take the trans etc. from it and toss it in this comanche, lift it, install the exhaust, finish the interior up and then last of all reinstall the grille and header panel. should have this done in the next two weeks, then after that i'm prepping beaterjeep's "surprise"

thank you VERY much. it's much appreciated. -Pat

hey, don't worry about it...the CB is part of his "surprise" only part of it though :D

oh, i'm sure it's worse. i had traded an MJ rear cab section for another HO motor so he's very, very lucky that i have the parts to fix it. i'm getting some 31x11.50 TSL superswampers, a kawasaki jetski motor (low hours, very good $$$ on ebay), and $400 in my pocket for the swap. can't complain. :D

star wars :D yay! :cheers: 8) :brows:

Image Not Found high water is bad. my buddy locked the motor, i believe it sheared the camshaft and caused the timing chain to go through the oil pan. i'm replacing it this week.

I'm off through monday the 21st so I think I'm wheeling all day sunday... guessing that beaterjeep can as well, anyone else who'd want to wheel multiple days would be appreciated.

for that price, you'd be better off just buying a nice clean 2wd shortbed MJ and finding a body kit for it...without the body kit it's nothing but a 2wd comanche.

Image Not Found who makes those? the springs are about 3 or 3.5" springs, they were red. lower control arms are trussed and need new bushings. they're grey. trying to figure that out just cause i feel like it :D

yea, for $35 you'd waste gas going in. parking tickets don't reflect badly on your driving skills.

mixed reviews on WISECO pistons. i will not use them as they've destroyed more than one motor that I've built for my snowmobiles. buy genuine replacement pistons for it if you aren't going to bore it out. also, have the cylinder honed and buy new rings (never ever re-use piston rings) my dad and I build snowmobiles and dabble in motorcycles, atv's, and the occasional hovercraft (man, are those FUN ) as well as dunebuggys, sandrails etc. so we've spent a fair amount of time messing with "smaller" engines and ALOT with two strokes. rule of thumb on the crank; check the cage bearings. spin them around, if you can HEAR them or wobble them then they are junk. a cage bearing on a crankshaft should be silent or almost silent, and operate smoothly. if it's not good, it's actually cheaper to buy a replacement crank than it is to pay to have one rebuilt. (generally) good luck and keep us updated. p.s. have the carbs gone through while you're at it.