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88 Comanche Chief - 'the UniTruggy'


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  • 2 months later...

 

Not much has happened since the last post; the UCA mount got rebuilt with more gussetting, and a new floor was rebuilt as well, not pic worthy. Other than that, The Chief has been on a few quick trips to the local dirt lot for a quick fix of wheelin, but no big trips. I'll hopefully be goin out this sunday with my local wheelin club. also, hydro assist is on the way. i'm really hoping to have that and my hi-steer ready for Car Show weekend in Moab at the end of April. What about EJS you ask? probably not gonna happen this year. Too much doing on, and with the hydro assist not together, it probably best to sit this one out; i got into some sketchy situations last trip (Thanksgiving) when I needed to go one way, but the Chief just wanted to go another. turns out that aired down 40's on red rock smoke the stock pump and box pretty quickly.

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  • 3 months later...

5 months late is better than never, right? Time for an update.

 

Been out on numerous wheeling trips; been to Moab, been out a handful of times on local trails, and a few drives to work. All in all, its been performing awesome. 

 

Hydro assist is in and after a few bugs, and a replacement steering pump, steering is super easy and doesnt feel too 'floaty' at speed. I've had the Chief at speeds up to 70mph on 40s (GPS certified) without issue. I probably won't do that too often, but its reassuring that i know i can. eventually, id like to do some longer trips in it. 

 

Currently, its sitting next to my house without an interior. I stripped the entire dash out, along with the heater core and most of the wiring, in order to make more room for an internal roll cage. I picked up around 100' of 1.75x.210 wall DOM a few weeks back, just need to pick up some 2x6 for the rocker replacements and it should be time to bend some tube! Just gonna have a simple flat dash with minimal gauges after that. 

 

IN other Jeep related news, we sold out beloved '01 TJ affectionately known as Jackson. He was with us for 4 years (?) but with just 2 doors, he was too compact for us. So we let him go off to a girl in Washington State, and we picked up a brand new 2015 JKU, which has since been named 'Walter", since hes all white, get it? so far, hes stock, but will soon be on 35s with some other mild mods. He's my wife's daily, so we don't want to go too crazy just yet......

 

anyway, pics!!

 

 

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thanks! I'm ready for a cage. ive been risking it for too long. i don't plan on using it (nobody usually does), but its nice to know that its there in case something happens. id like to run some of the crazier trails down south that have a bit more of a risk of rollover.

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  • 10 months later...

i know you havent posted to this build in a while, but first off AWESOME manche! 2nd i was wondering if you have a better pic of your front axle specifically the driver side coil mount. i have the same axle and ballistic brackets just wondering how yours was welded to the short side

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i had totally forgotten about this thread 

 

the chief has been doing GREAT. lots of trail time, and not too many changes. other than THESE:

 

 

40" Nitto Trail Grapplers. 

super pumped to be running Nittos. they hook up incredibly well, and theyre not even broken in yet. the sidewalls are incredible. can't wait to really test them.

 

 

 

also put on one of Yukons new hardcore diff covers. PURE BEEF. i love it. 17lbs. of nodular iron. integrated fill and drain plugs. super awesome. this thing is bulletproof and then some.

 

 

 

which brings us to the sand hollow trip. here's our circus on wheels, loaded up; towed surprisingly well. very happy with this setup. not bad for a 20' deck.

 

 

on The Maze

 

 

on Double Sami; you can see me standing upright under the Chief. super deep crack. 

 

 

...and this is the outcome. Cooper was not happy about my 'modifications'.

 

 

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after that trip, we headed to Moab with our JK, 'Walter'. 2015 JK sport, 2.5" Teraflex lift, rubicon shocks and rockrails, 35" ko2s on 17" AEV Savegre wheels. Its my wifes daily, so nothing too crazy; just enough that it doesnt look stock, but doesnt look like a mall crawler either. We've done Hell's Revenge, Fins'n'Things, Shafer Trail, and 7 mile rim in him so far. Very pleased. Full AC and satelite radio are very nice to have on the trail lol

 

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which brings me up to this past weekend. took the chief out for a quick little local run, and my axle side track bar/hydro assist mount decided that it had had enough. 

 

 

 

too much stress on the bracket. its a poor design, since it hangs out in front of the axle centerline, and then the hydro assist is off the front of that. add the stress of 40's and me driving it like a baja truck, and this is the result. back to the drawing board i guess. the welds held, but the fatigue on the metal itself caused this failure right along the weak points in the bracket- the brake press bends. like i said, bad design. 

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i know you havent posted to this build in a while, but first off AWESOME manche! 2nd i was wondering if you have a better pic of your front axle specifically the driver side coil mount. i have the same axle and ballistic brackets just wondering how yours was welded to the short side

 

ill try to grab one later today. i believe i pushed it up against the diff housing as close as possible. can't remember to clearly though. 

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:drool: i love this rig.

 

 

Man this things awesome! So much inspiration to get mine finished. I was looking into nittos but settled for the procomp mt2s since I got em for 320 a piece. We'll see how they hold up

 

thanks guys. its been fun. 

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