M1A1TankerTom Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I have had my comanche for over two years now and have never started a build thread. Figured it was time to have a place on here to post all of the stuff I do. I started out with a 1989 Jeep Comanche, short bed, 4.0 motor, AW4 auto tranny with 120K original miles. here is a pic from the guy I bought it off, this is what it looked like when I got it. I don't have pics of everything I have done so I will just put together a list of the mods I have done so far. From here on out I will make a better attempt to document things. Here is what she has now: Body: -97-2001 front end and fenders -cut front fenders -IPF headlight housings -EAutoWorks headlight harness -Hella headlight bulbs -JCR front bumper -Custom rear bumper -OD Green paint -XRC 8,000 winch -97+ Door seals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1A1TankerTom Posted May 11, 2012 Author Share Posted May 11, 2012 Suspension: -Front HP Dana 30, 4.88 gears, lock right locker, Ruff Stuff diff cover -Rear Dana 44, 4.88 gears, Detroit locker, Ruff Stuff diff cover -4.5 inch lifted springs and leafs -Rubicon Express Super flex control arms -Rock Krawler track bar and bracket -Iron Rock Offroad HD tie rod -Sway bar removed -new spicer ball joints -new 760X u joints -new drive shaft u joints -all new moog tie rods -new Timken hub assemblies -RockCrawler black weels -33X10.5X15 KM2's -Diff breather houses routed under hood -Bilstien shocks -Crown extended brake lines Motor/Tranny: -Brown Dog HD Motor Mounts -New tranny mount -Had to replace exhaust manifold due to crack in original -Converted to open cooling system -New water pump -B&M tranny cooler -Removed AC condenser for more radiator air flow -Red Top Battery -Flowmaster exhaust -K&N air filter I am sure there is more, but this is what I can think of off the top of my head. I still have a lot of stuff I would like to do as time and money allows. Here are some more recent pics I have taken along the way. Dana 44 rear Snow Trip Rear Bumper Poser Shot How she looks now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rymanrph Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I really like your rear bumper. Did you make it? Any more pictures of it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1A1TankerTom Posted May 11, 2012 Author Share Posted May 11, 2012 I had the bumper built by a guy I found on craigslist. He does fab work out of his garage. After building my bumper I was pretty damn impressed. We actually ended up becoming friends and go wheeling together when our schedules both allow. He said he is willing to build more comanche bumpers and can make any changes you want, says he is also willing to ship. His name is Jesse, here is his email: balterbuilt@yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1A1TankerTom Posted May 11, 2012 Author Share Posted May 11, 2012 here is my other rig also. Just picked it up a couple of months ago. 1999 XJ, 4.0 motor, auto tranny, 8.25 rear end, HP 30 front, only 100K miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 :agree: I like that rear bumper. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockinMJ Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Good looking mj. I'm loving the rear bumper. Your buddy might be getting alot of business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmanhollister Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 looking good! did pretty much everything i wanted to do to it! ha. how are those motor mounts holding up? i just ordered a set for my new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RynoMJ Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Might be the sexiest rear bumper I've ever seen for a Comanche! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1A1TankerTom Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 TMan, long time no talk. Truck is doing great and the motor mounts are just as great. I have to say though installing the one side was a pain in the butt. Glade to see you picked up another Comanche. As for the rear bumper I could not be happier with it. Obviously a few of you liked it also because my buddy called me and said he needs me to bring my comanche back to his house to make a jig because a few of you contacted him about having one made. my list of things to do next on the comanche: hood vents, replace fan with electric, long arms, skid plates, sliders, and a cage. Although these things might have to wait a while as I am in the process of buying a house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1A1TankerTom Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Today I had a little time to work on the Comanche so I addressed the cooling issue. Originally I was thinking of going with an electric fan but I decided to swap the original fan clutch for an upgraded ZJ fan cluth (Napa Auto Parts #272310). I heard from Naxja.org that this fan spins at 30% faster speeds than the stock fan. Ended up working out great. After the swap I drove up a local uphill climb of several miles and my temps remained under 215 degress, which is much better than the last time I went up the same incline and my temps reached 245! here is the ZJ fan # 272310 fresh from Napa Here is the stock fan clutch next to the upgraded ZJ fan clutch installed on the fan. You can obviously tell the new clutch is much larger than the stock unit. Originally I was planning on replacing the factory fan with an electric fan but decided this upgrade was worth a shot. Glade I did, it really works. Still might replace the factory electric fan with a Ford Taurus fan but I guess time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1A1TankerTom Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 picked up a set of Lebaron hood vents from a guy off pirate4x4.com So today I got to work and made some templates to lay down on the hood I started by drilling out the corners so they were rounded. I cut out the left side with a cutting wheel and the right side with a jig saw. If I were to do it again I would only use the jig saw. I then painted the vents black, threw another coat of paint on the hood and BAM...the comanche has hood vents! I used angled aluminum as mounting brackets. All in all they turned out great. Looks good, I just finished so I don't really know if the temp dropped at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gork Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Tom have the highway nazi's gotten you for not having front flares? Just curious where is that guy out of for the rear bumper? Nice to see another tanker on here by the way.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1A1TankerTom Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 Never been bothered for not having fender flares. Bumper came out of Santa Rosa, CA. And everybody knows that tankers lead the way! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1A1TankerTom Posted February 9, 2013 Author Share Posted February 9, 2013 Sooo, yesterday i took a little trip out to cow mountain and ended up snapping my drivers side axle shaft :( I'll post pics when I'm not on my phone. Thinking about picking up a set of RCV shafts. Also did some body damage which made me realize i need some sliders in a bad way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirteatr717 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 You're better off snapping stock axle shafts than destroying the ring and pinion, at least if you break a shaft you can change it on the trail and carry on but if you destroy the r&p your kinda done for the day. At least that's how I look at it. Just carry some spare stock shafts :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1A1TankerTom Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 Ouch!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Been there! Atleast your out havin fun! hahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1A1TankerTom Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 The comanche says f#ck you to U Joints! Took the plunge on RCV shafts. Best shafts money can buy (so i have heard)... Plus a "it breaks you get a new set" warranty for life! Thought hard about putting money into the Dana 30 or not. Decided i already have enough money wrapped up in gears, lockers, new hubs, new ball joints, etc...might as well stick with it. Figured these will do the trick for when i step up in tire size down the road as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Cool deal! anxious to see how they work for ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hitman72 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Never been bothered for not having fender flares. Bumper came out of Santa Rosa, CA. And everybody knows that tankers lead the way! Lol I am a student at the California Maritime Academy (vallejo), would like to get in touch with the fabricator that made your bumper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1A1TankerTom Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 RCV axles are in! Easy install, just have too grind out the knuckles a little. Been in a couple weeks now and love them. Today i cut the rear fender openings. Came out pretty good. Next week the comanche is going in for some major work. Traded a big block 396 to my fab guy and in return the comanche is getting some sliders and a full exo cage! I also started collecting parts for rear SOA and long arm front. Pics to follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1A1TankerTom Posted March 30, 2013 Author Share Posted March 30, 2013 Exo Cage Completed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Nice! :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88whitemanche Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Man that Exo cage look BA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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