Nick's 89 Comanche build thread! Locker writeup p2! pics/vid

[Oizarod115]

:cheers:

so i've been planning this swap for 4 years now and I've finally got it going on.

 

replacing my 89 BA10 with an 89.5-91 AX15 from a YJ, and replacing my 89 231 with a 2001 sealed output 231.

new clutch kit from sachs, and a custom pilot pushing since the 97 motor and the early AX were never put together.

 

now for some pictures.

shiny new clutch oooh ahhh.

the underside (she hasn't been washed lately)

comparison picture, notice the angle of the transfer case (attempted to get the picture as level as it would be installed.

compared to the YJ ax notice the transfer case is alot higher. hopefully she'll clear!

ugh! thats a pretty funky goat!

check out the funky warped and discolored flywheel!

shot of the fixed yoke 231

[-600JeepMJ]

:popcorn: looking good so far

[Oizarod115]

amazing how much lighter the puegot is than the aisin transmission, i bet its a good 10-20 lbs lighter.

 

i suppose i should say the AX is a good 10-20lbs beefier! junk french crap.

 

:clapping:

 

got the transmission in it today, filled up the t-case, chopped off the little funky outcropping to the top left, and found out i do need to clearance the body a little for the case to clear b/c of the YJ tranny. so i'll pull the case and make a dent tomorrow.

 

still need to bleed the clutch, re-install exhaust, and check driveshaft clearance b/c the sealed yoke output t-case is an inch longer than the older one. :ack: DOH! hopefully it'll work or i'll have to lift sooner than expected.

[Oizarod115]

i like pictures so i'll just post some more.

old clutch disc, just about to the rivets. she was spent!

the transmission, i pulled the t-case to beat on the floorpan, you can see the hammer marks on the left. new plan is to take a D30 diff cover, cut a hole in the floor and use the cover to make a clearance panel for the t-case.

truck on the lift.

dirty 10 spokes

top of my box

[WBKrazy]

i think i have the same toolbox.... is that a KRA5213 bottom/5208 top?

[TooTall]

Hey what custom bearing did you use I'm doing almost the same deal so let me no!Thanks I got a cj bushing from mid 70s but havent installed yet! :eek:

[Oizarod115]

Hey what custom bearing did you use I'm doing almost the same deal so let me no!Thanks I got a cj bushing from mid 70s but havent installed yet! :eek:

depends on what you're doing

 

i have a 97 engine (smaller 1.01" crank pilot hole) and the early 89-91 transmission with the .594" input shaft

if your setup is similar to this you will need a pilot bushing from a 90 4.0L 5spd, and a machine shop to cut the outside diameter to 1.01" (i don't know if they can do this with a bearing but i know they can with a bushing) it cost me 20$ to get it cut.

 

if you have the engine that came in your truck (87-90) and a late transmission 92+ you will need the CJ pilot bushing.

 

i can get you the dorman part number for the bushing i had cut down tomorrow i saved it in my box.

 

i think i have the same toolbox.... is that a KRA5213 bottom/5208 top?

 

and i know my box is a KRA series, don't konw the exact # (Does yours have that funky-@$$ trim too? i wanna buy chrome but 200$ is steep just for appearances.) i bought mine used off the snap-on guy for 1200$ a couple years ago. perfect condition though.

[TooTall]

thanks i have a 88 with the 88 engine so i guess that cj bushing will work fine then it looks right!Good luck on yours! :clapping:

[jteckmann]

Mellow Mushroom ... :drool: :drool: :drool: . One of the few places I still really, really miss from Atlanta.

 

And thanks for the thread, one I'll be keeping an eye on since a swap to the AX-5 or AX-15 is on my future "want to" list.

[dasbulliwagen]

Mellow Mushroom.... theres one in Greensboro, NC too. GOOD STUFF!!!!

[reson46]

Mellow Mushroom...we were at the one in Savannah this past weekend. :thumbsup:

 

Willy

[Oizarod115]

Time has come!

 

Tomorrow morning I need to fix a battery terminal that died on the operating table, and twist the key. Got it 98% finished Friday afternoon.

I'm VERY nervous wish me luck!!!

[Oizarod115]

well the ax15 swap is done and it works great, i had a front drive-shaft failure, (noisy as hell!!) after a long wheeling trip with another club member and our buddies. and have now started my lift.

 

got a picture or two here, no good ones yet, just a phone pic.

 

working on a 6.5" kit using;

4.5" hand-me-down RE springs and a 2" spacer (til i can afford springs)

Rough country drop brackets

rock krawler 6.5-8" trackbar

explorer+comanche leaf spring mix spring over axle.

either a xj44 or a discbrake 8.8, i have both just havent decided which way to go.

(44 has matching gearing, 8.8 has discs. its a toss up)

 

the late-model transfer case left my driveshaft to long at stock height, so i should be good there, the front shaft that was coming apart i'll replace with an automatic shaft since according to the D/S thread is an inch longer (and MUCH easier to find)

 

[Oizarod115]

pulled the 35 and the springs out

an explorer main leaf sitting next to my factory leaf pack, going to add it in there for some extra load capacity.

my 44 getting the brackets hacked off, NO the diff cover is not chrome, its been stripped cause the paint was funky.

[Oizarod115]

been doin a little tinkering lately, selling my volvo since i really only need one car, going to finance gears/interior refurb with the money :cheers:

 

since the lift and tires i've just been drivin (and getting in more trouble than ever!) stuck!

 

 

Nice hole i fell off in! oops :oops:

then....

 

 

Dang open diffs! stuck again SAME WEEK! argh!

 

 

anywho, been ignoring the water leak for 5 years now so it was time to pull the glass and reseal. I'm on try #3 with the back glass and the MF-POS- :mad: is still leaking! ah well, try again eh? :cheers: can't win em all.

 

windshield sealed up first try with a 9$ tube of RTV but turns out you need spacer blocks and RTV works but isn't the preferred method of mounting so i guess we'll pull it back out and do it right this time (at least its not dripping on my knee in the rain now!)

buddy celebrating that we got the glass out in one piece!

 

lot of $#!& to clean off the glass

 

boring i know

made a damn mess out of the back window. :rant:

 

 

and our new project! buddy picked up a 89 YJ for 1800 bucks, great body/tub/frame completely stock suspension,

 

 

non-running renix 4.0 swap + manual transmission (can you spy the TWO WHEEL DRIVE ba10 in the pics? ugh. idiot PO.s)

 

 

stripping the engine/trans/XJ harness to be replaced with a 99 4.0L/ax15/231 combo out of his totalled XJ and a HO harness for a YJ.

[89eliminator]

loving the 10.5s

[Oizarod115]

its either a love/hate thing for most people, thanks man! i love em too

[Oizarod115]

so yesterday i got a wild hair (might have been the yuengling, idk) and pulled my transmission, the plan is to swap with my buddy who just got the YJ. he has a XJ ax15 i have a YJ ax15 so i got it yanked in the damp street with 20mph wind and 30 degrees out. found out why my clutch pedal hasn't felt right since the new clutch.

 

my brandy new SACHS clutch kit from a reputable source that the shop i work at has bought hundreds of clutches from was junk! the plastic internal slave was already leaking! also i've been having a bad flywheel type vibe buuut lucky for me, the YJ my buddy bought came with a 2wd peugot and DING DING DING a brand new valeo clutch kit in the bellhousing :clapping: with a nice looking high quality cast metal slave cylinder and brandy new renix flywheel! :chillin:

 

so tomorrow i'm gonna throw that in there and see what shakes! excited to have the t-case not hit the body anymore and be able to install my factory 4x4 linkage i pulled from the JY.

 

plan is to eventually get the external setup for the slave since it has such a good pedal feel when right. but for now i'm runnin with what i've got.

[Oizarod115]

Installed my new powertrax no-slip locker from richmond gear check it out here http://www.richmondgear.com/powertrax/noslip.html

 

i've got a full set of install pics I'm gonna post up as soon as they upload, and a youtube vid of it in action!

fKBp_oPMSfw

[Oizarod115]

Whole install took about 2 hours start to finish, real easy job even with pulling the carrier out. Instructions from Richmond gear were brilliant step-by-step with clear pics, and the actual locker itself works flawlessly! smooth as glass even with a 5spd, only way you can tell its doing its thing is if you get on-and-back-off the throttle through a good corner you can feel the understeer when the locker engages (kinda fun actually :brows: )

 

start by draining the diff, i actually had to use a mini-torch to loosen up the rtv i used last time! thing was STUCK

 

 

 

yank passenger side axleshaft (only pass side at this point until you find out if you have to pull the carrier or not)

 

use a punch to knock out the pinion shaft retaining pin

 

 

you'll probably want a set of these before you start on this (unless your axle has a bolt not a pin)

 

This is the point where you find out whether or not you'll have to pull your carrier/ring gear. If the gear is to thick the pinion shaft won't come out without removing the ring gear first. DOH!

 

 

pull drivers side shaft now too in order to remove carrier.

 

unbolt bearings and use pry-bars as such to pop it out

 

 

 

 

ring gear removed, pull the pinion shaft

 

 

rotate the spiders around to the opening

 

everybody falls out in yuor hand. be sure to remove the washers outside the gears the locker does not use them

 

 

Parts of the locker all out of the box, pretty simple design

 

lube with heavy grease the teeth on the drivers couplers and synchros

 

install saddle springs with grease so they don't fall out during assembly

 

install ring gear side first (i think this mainly only matters when the ring gear is still installed)

[Oizarod115]

Here are the other "driver" and "synchronizer" greased up

 

slip the synchro into the driver and it lines up ready to install

 

 

once both sides are assembled use a screwdriver to keep the couplers and drivers locked up while rolling it through to get the spring holes facing you

 

little spring goes in the big one, pry em in the hole make sure they seat

 

 

the new pinion shaft is a little tight to work in there and the "saddle springs" have to ramp up on it, to install the instructions say to use the pin (or your punch) as a t-handle and twist while pressing it in. worked like a charm!

 

install the pin back through the pinon shaft

 

re-install ring gear

 

 

re-install carrier and bearings

 

re-install axles and brakes/wheels (install new brake shoes if you've got a good eye on this photo :rotf: looks like its time, huh?)

 

[btm24]

WOW! rly nice! :clapping: so what is the size of your lift any ways? like ride hight? what 5"? it looks rly good. and for the longest time I have been thinking about getting new rims when I update to 33" mud tires but after seeing 33's on yours it looks really nice. I think thats the way I'm gonna go. very nice man keep it up with the full updates :cheers:

 

Brandon

 

Oh and I didnt see what gears what your running? thanks

[Oizarod115]

I'm at 6.5" front and 5.5 or so rear, had a LOT of rake factory. tires are 33x10.50 km2 bfgs and i like em, still can't turn full lock with them but alllmost.

 

3.07 gearing in it still won't have enough to fix that til tax-time

[Oizarod115]

in further news i have since replaced the blower motor and resistor, gotten the headliner and visors back in (an upholstery buddy redid them), replaced the worn out brakes in the pics above^^ and starting on the poly trans mount and beefffy motor mounts from rustys in about 10 minutes.

 

oh an i broke the front e-brake cable mashing it to hard. :headpop: then found out it's a 24$ cable :rotfl2: big waste of a couple of choice words. :chillin:

[Oizarod115]

new parts again! got the front axle disco shimmed over (well, slid over and clipped)

 

got my bomp-proof motor mounts and poly trans mount in yesterday...

 

HOLY BEJESUS what a MISTAKE! the poly trans mount will rattle your teeth out!

 

motor mounts are SWEET though, love the solid feel but I'm getting a new factory style trans mount tomorrow.