Worlds Fastest Comanche Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Most of the work over the last 6 months have been on the engine, and has been documented pretty well over at http://www.Jeepstrokers.com We are getting pretty serious about the body, the roll cage is pretty much done, and the body was painted last week. (Black) Work this weekend was on the suspension. We need to drop the Comanche 4" at least. We have a 2wd. Actually most of the Comanches built were 2wd. I thought the subject of dropping it would be interest ot some of the other people on the board. Not everybody is into 4wd and massive lift kits. To drop the front, we came up with the idea of keeping the stock axle in the same location, and just raising up the C pieces. I thought of cutting off the C pieces and welding on some kind of machined part that would go inside the tube and fit in the C piece. It turns out the the spring is almost right up against the c piece, so no room to put anything in there. Plan B, Purchase another 2wd axle and cut it about 8" in from the C pieces, just the other side of the spring buckets. The cut off the C pieces and spring buckets form the original axle and stack the tubes. This would make kind of a drop axle. The problem is that the coil springs would be 4" too long. You could cut the stock springs down, but the suspension was way too soft for what we wanted to do, soi purchased some Eibach stock car springs that were 9" long ( 600 ldb rate) the stock springs are around a 200 lb rate. The front axle tube is only 2.5" in diameter, so if you put tube on top of the tube, it would only drop the truck 2.5" , I wanted 4". We also needed a way to align the two tubes. I came up with the idea of using some 2" channel iron that would sit on top of the tube and give me a flat surface. The flat part of the channel was up and the open part of the channel was down straddling the tube. I used about an 8" piece. Now i had a flat surface , and it was about 5/8" above the tube. I was looking for 1.5" to get the total drop to 4" So i inverted another piece of channel on top of the first, and ended up with about 3 3/4" drop. The inverted channel also served to line up the upper tube. it created a nest for it to sit in. Looking from the end, the two pieces f chanel looked like an I beam turned sideways. I will take some pictures tonight so you can see what I am talking about. For the rear we will be using a 4 link with coils overs, but that is another post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I got my hopes up when I realized you were in IL, then I found out it's a 6 hour drive from me, a little west of StL. One of these days I'd like to pop on over and check the truck out. I would really like to see pictures of your roll cage, and how you routed it, if you don't mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worlds Fastest Comanche Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 On the roll cage, we copied the one from the 1986 truck, see this post http://www.comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13074 I will get some pictures up tonight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worlds Fastest Comanche Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 Hewre are some pics of the front axle modifications Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper2000 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 What are you using for a power plaint in this thing ? Just wondering about your clearance under the motor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasbulliwagen Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Will that front axle pass tech inspection??? That thing looks scary! :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worlds Fastest Comanche Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 :rock on: What are you using for a power plaint in this thing ? Just wondering about your clearance under the motor The axle under the motor stays in the same place, only the C pieces are moved up and shorter coil springs are used. The suspension connection points and the geometery are all the same as stock. We are using a 4.0L bored and stroked to 5.0L So the engine sits the same as stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper2000 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Okay thats going to be one Ell of a motor. I was just wondering if your axle was going to hit it or not, But i got it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worlds Fastest Comanche Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 Here is a pic of the truck, What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanche13 Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 :drool: that is a purdy truck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Here is a pic of the truck, What do you think? Please tell me that was photoshopped and you are NOT seriously already out there running times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtdesigns Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 The decals are chopped I know that much... I would think the way the front was cut down so much that it'd be sitting on the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worlds Fastest Comanche Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 The truck is the truck, but the background was photo shopped in. We also used photoshop for the decals. I have to send the entry in today, and they want a picture with it, so we whipped somthing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Whew. I'd still like to fly out to Bonneville for the run if that's possible. :thumbsup: The truck looks fast just standing still. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worlds Fastest Comanche Posted May 16, 2009 Author Share Posted May 16, 2009 You can come out, finding a place to stay is a problem, everything is booked up. You can camp for free off the access road to the salt. They have Porta potties, and there is a truck stop about 1/2 mile away where you can get a shower and they let you fill water cans or water tanks on your camper. they also have a dump station. From Chicago you can fly to salt lake for about $200.00 You would then have to rent a car, and if you camped the cost would be minimal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Do you have a timetable yet for your first trial run? :brows: Or is it too early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worlds Fastest Comanche Posted May 18, 2009 Author Share Posted May 18, 2009 I guess we woll drive it on the road to try it out, but no idea when. We have to be at Bonneville on Aug 7 ( friday) for tech, then first runs will be Saturday Aug 8th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ndru911 Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Please tell me that was photoshopped and you are NOT seriously already out there running times. If the stripes don't give it away the reflecting cargo plane might .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worlds Fastest Comanche Posted May 18, 2009 Author Share Posted May 18, 2009 That is not a cargo plane, that is the front of my pickup camper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 We have to be at Bonneville on Aug 7 ( friday) for tech, then first runs will be Saturday Aug 8th I'll be marking my calender. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zjrog Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I live close and still haven't been for speed weeks... Then again, I have been to Moab yet either and only managed parts fo the Pony Express Trail. Might finally get me out to the salt to see a MJ run it... :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Any chance we could get more pics of the truck? The gory details, the innards, etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Great progress Peter. Been following the project off and on over on Strokers. :D Couple of questions: 1. Did Lee at Hesco provide any good usable advice and/or equipment for you? 2. Are you planning on adding any kind of belly pan? Or is that allowed? 3. Are the specs for the stroker build over on the Stroker forum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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