2wd to 4wd swap vs rear wheel lockers

[f1tbiker6]

i recently bought a 1989 jeep comanche for a steal of a price, and i want to lift it and put some nice wheels on it and much more.but i'm faced with the problem that it is 2wd. and putting money into a lift and everything is pointless if it is only going to be 2wd, unless i just got some lockers for the rear wheels.

 

my questions are which should i do 4wd or lockers?

 

and what is everything i need to convert it to 4wd? ( i have access to a junk yard with a few nice XJ's, with what look like everything still under them.)

 

sorry I'm new to cars/trucks, and don't know much about them.

 

this is my 89 comanche that i bought for 500 bucks.

[Geonovast]

A 4wd swap is fairly easy. I've done one and I'm doing another in the next few weeks.

 

Simple list-

-4wd front axle with matching gear ratio to your rear axle(depending on what your current rear axle is, and how you're doing your rear lift, it you may consider doing an upgrade while you're at it)

 

-4wd transmission

-transfercase

-front driveshaft (they are different dependant on motor and trans

-rear driveshaft (XJ one will not work, easiest way is to have your current one cut down)

-transfercase shift linkages

 

Why not do a 4wd swap AND a rear locker? :brows:

[f1tbiker6]

A 4wd swap is fairly easy. I've done one and I'm doing another in the next few weeks.

 

Simple list-

-4wd front axle with matching gear ratio to your rear axle(depending on what your current rear axle is, and how you're doing your rear lift, it you may consider doing an upgrade while you're at it)

 

-4wd transmission

-transfercase

-front driveshaft (they are different dependant on motor and trans

-rear driveshaft (XJ one will not work, easiest way is to have your current one cut down)

-transfercase shift linkages

 

Why not do a 4wd swap AND a rear locker? :brows:

 

thanks a bunch. i would do both, but I'm tight on money.

[89eliminator]

i would do the 4wd swap first.

 

Yes, theoretically a 4wd with open diffs vs. adding a rear locker gets you the same amount of "driving wheels" (2) there is a difference. In 4wd, you have a front wheel getting traction which helps when trying to get over a log or going up a hill or something. By adding a rear locker, just the back 2 will be getting traction which won't do you much good when your front tires are against an obstical like a log or rocks.

 

and btw, i did both and love it!

 

my $.02

[Pete M]

You can still lift it if you'd like. 2wd or 4wd, the lift components are the same. :D