codymanche Posted September 26, 2010 Share Posted September 26, 2010 okay here's the deal i bought my comanche 1990 red, 4.0l with 217,000 shortbed, 231 transfercase, with 33x12.50x15. I'm new to the jeeping thing. my friends got me in it but the have cherokees i wanted something different no i got it. when i was in "A" school in Great Lakes, IL. when i got home i replaced the front clip on it. i love this thing. Now I'm in San Diego, CA. now I'm looking to lift and maybe some performance stuff. i been looking online since i got my truck for a lift but all i really can find is xj $#!&. i know the front is the same but the rear is a spring under kit and I'm trying to find a cheap way or i think this is the cheap way a dana 44 with a locker or limited slip out of a cherokee. I was told in order to lift the rear the axle perchs have to be relocated. i also found one place rocky road outfitters that has everything i need but i don't know if its worth it or if any one has bought from them before. the stuff sounds legit. also I'm looking for people to offroad with here in cali. if u have any ideas or parts for sell please text me or call me my names cody 702 883 7044 thanks guys i can use all the help i can get Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted September 26, 2010 Share Posted September 26, 2010 If you run 33x12.50 tires you must already have a lift on the truck. That being said, I have not heard a lot of good things about Rocky Road Outfitters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParadiseMJ Posted September 26, 2010 Share Posted September 26, 2010 Rocky Road has a bolt on SOA...not recommended by myself and others. I have gotten most of junkyard AND aftermarket %$#T from XJ's or ordering XJ parts. Doors back...no, doors forward, identical (almost). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
64 Cheyenne Posted September 26, 2010 Share Posted September 26, 2010 What axle is currently in the truck? The bolt on SOA kit only works with the axle that came out of the MJ. Will not work to bolt up D44 out of an XJ. Not sure if this was your plan, they have different spring perch widths XJ and MJ. For the cost of their "kit" or less you could relocate spring perches etc for a D44 or 8.25 or my favorite 8.8. And welcome to CC! :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymanche Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 thanks now i just gotta get my pic on here okay i got a dana 44 with limited slip and a 30 up front and theres a spacer not much of one but i did cut fenders front and rear and the soa kit would be fore the dana 44 if i didnt relocate the perchs. also should i install a trany cooler my buddies who have comanches say i should just wondering if i should and which way is better to run the radiator with the stock or should i get the fill neck one and loose the resevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MjPioneer Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 If the closed cooling system works, leave it alone as doing anything to them will cause them to never work correctly again. If you have a DD in there already why swap one in from a Xj? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymanche Posted September 28, 2010 Author Share Posted September 28, 2010 i have to do something till pay day and i zip tied it around the cap and then tight ed it on and its working for now :clapping: and in order to lift the rear i either have to a swap axles or relocate the perchs and thats expensive espcially here in cali.also have to get spring and slip yoke elimanator and all this they guy i talked to said around a grand to all and thats not even labor. and all my friends say keep the axle i got Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Slip yoke eliminator is a nice upgrade, but is not needed on a Comanche, even with 7" lift. Also, you speak up swapping axles to go spring over, but there are no axles out there with spring over perches spaced the correct distance apart for a Comanche. So no matter what axle you get, you STILL have to relocate the perches anyway. But to match a SOA lift in the rear you will need AT LEAST 4.5" springs in front, which means longer lower control arms, track bar, sway bar links, shocks and brake hoses. And upper control arms would not be a bad idea either. Yes, that will probably total over a grand just for the parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy21669 Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Slip yoke eliminator is a nice upgrade, but is not needed on a Comanche, even with 7" lift. Also, you speak up swapping axles to go spring over, but there are no axles out there with spring over perches spaced the correct distance apart for a Comanche. So no matter what axle you get, you STILL have to relocate the perches anyway. But to match a SOA lift in the rear you will need AT LEAST 4.5" springs in front, which means longer lower control arms, track bar, sway bar links, shocks and brake hoses. And upper control arms would not be a bad idea either. Yes, that will probably total over a grand just for the parts. Unless you are savvy and shop around all the forums for used parts. RuffStuff has a good kit for the D44...you will need someone with GOOD welding skills to do the SOA for you. http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/d44-rear-axle-simple-swap-kit-p-201.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 That is a good kit. I use their perches with a 3" axle tube cut outon a 29 spline 8.25", and their shock brackets as well, but had my u bolts custom made locally, and used junk yard XJ u bolt plates. Bolted it together under the truck, and once I had everything sitting right I tack welded it with a little wire feed welder. Then took the axle off and took it to a local welding shop to have the perches and shock mounts permanently burned on with the mother of all stick welders. Cost me $25 for the welding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Here's my bolt on SOA kit: I got it from Motion Offroad, it fit my D44 perfectly. No complaints. I may add some degree shims later for a better pinion angle. But I've got a NP241J with a factory SYE and a double cardan style drive shaft. Its shorter than a 231 which required a longer driveshaft. Its very smooth on the highway. I've got no vibrations so I may not need more pinion angle. I had an MJ trailer that I planned to use offroad and I put an D35 SOA kit from Rocky Road on it (long ago). It worked just fine, but I did have to re-drill the bolt holes to get them to line up. If you peruse the numerous SOA threads here, you'll find a common issue with shock length. Depending on how you mount your shock brackets, if you decide to keep them, you'll need either much shorter or much longer shocks. I just called Adam at Motion and he hooked me up with the right length shocks to go with the SOA kit. Be careful with the SOA though. It means at least 5"-6" of lift in the rear of the truck. Which means more components will be required for the front. That is, if you want a capable rig you can still drive safely on the road. 6" is sort of the "next level" for the MJ/XJ. Start with this: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=11693 and determine your actual lift height. Then you could get some regular 3-4" SUA lift springs, they are available from Motion or Hell Creek (both are members here). I'm sure Hell Creek could recommend the right pack for you or make a custom set depending on your planned usage. Then you could save a little bit of money by forgoing the SOA conversion and use what you already have up front. If you go with the SOA, it is best to get new U-bolts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidoo_j Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 I just did the D44 SOA conversion. Got perches from Ruffstuff. they're huge, cost me 20 to get them welded. But I wanted to reduce the lift so I had a guy with a milling machine take the precut deeper so the perch sat about .5 off axle instead of 1". Very happy with putting the d44 in. however anyone have input on the drive shaft length??? with the d44 now in the rear being 1" longer and only 4" of lift is my driveline going to be too long??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motorhedmach1 Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 rustysoffroad.com sells a kit for the 44 and can also make you anything you want. keep the axle you have. you don't have to go spring over to lift it there are kits for a standard set up available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 a 4" lift and a Dana 44 should balance each other out and your driveshaft should be fine as-is. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymanche Posted October 1, 2010 Author Share Posted October 1, 2010 well I'm in cali so finding a welder here is going to be expensive and it would be easier i believe to do the bolt on from rocky road i mean there are some other stuff there i was looking at too and since i was plannning on getting some stuff there and everything its all i want to do like over the knuckle steering (bolt on) being there might as well and here in the navy we don't have much time so a bolt on kit would work and i was looking at the six inch lift and it come with the bolt on soa? sound good to me right i mean it would be cheaper then rough country just for the lift and they want 599.00 for that lift with soa unlike rough country whos wanting almost a 1k. but thats my plan i think cuz a bolt on kit i could have it done in one day and drive it costs extra to keep truck over night and let alone someone who could take my parts to a welder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 muffler shop. they have welders and they don't charge astronomical fees. just do the work yourself to remove the old perches and figure out where the new ones go, then haul the axle to the shop. what rear axle are you looking to use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymanche Posted October 1, 2010 Author Share Posted October 1, 2010 mmmmm maybe and i don't have access to a welder we can't take welders home with us then again i don't have a way to move the axle even if i could every one of my friends owns a car here in cali cuz of gas when the prices where jacked up.... and i would like to use what i got a danan 44 with limited slip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Be aware that over the knuckle steering most likely means no more front sway bar, as the sway bar brackets may need to be cut off the axle for the tie rod to clear, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 mmmmm maybe and i don't have access to a welder we can't take welders home with us then again i don't have a way to move the axle even if i could every one of my friends owns a car here in cali cuz of gas when the prices where jacked up.... and i would like to use what i got a danan 44 with limited slip what is the Dana 44 out of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymanche Posted October 1, 2010 Author Share Posted October 1, 2010 i don't have them right now anyways and the 44 is in it when i got it from what my friends say Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidoo_j Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Well it sounds like you've made your decision. I admit if I had planned to stay with my original axle I would have probably done bolt on for the time factor and it would be very easy to change back to stock too. Just remember if you decide to change out the rear axle the bolt on kit will not work because the frame rail (or leaf to leaf distance) on the MJ is different than the XJ, so new weld on perches must be used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymanche Posted October 1, 2010 Author Share Posted October 1, 2010 well thats kinda my plan unless i can find other reasons or some people who have done what i wanna do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 some photos of your current setup would be nice. :thumbsup: If you MJ is currently spring-under, then you just need newperches burned directly above them in spring-over configuration. There's no need to remove the originals, so you could still revert back to stock at any time. Also, if the axle was NOT out of an MJ originally and was installed using aftermarket perches, then the bolt-on kit WILL NOT WORK. It is designed to use the stock MJ perches. The kit's pieces fit into the inside of the perches and uses them for both locating and for strength. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codymanche Posted October 1, 2010 Author Share Posted October 1, 2010 well i wish i could but it said my pic is to big and i can add a pic on here it won't let me or even post it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 email your photos to comancheclub@hotmail.com and I'll take care of the rest. :thumbsup: you will need to eventually figure it out though. we love seeing pictures of MJs. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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