Project 86 Comanche

[Dillithium]

Last week I started this thread http://comancheclub.com/topic/41888-86-comanche-purchasing-advice/ to ask for help with purchasing a comanche. 

 

It took a little while, with the seller being absent for a while but since last tuesday I am officially the owner of a new to me 1986 comanche!

It's hard to describe how exited I am about this, it's my first car and what a car to start with!

 

Before I give you my long story, let's get the obligatory pictures out of the way first.

 

 

So, as mentioned before it's an 86 LWB. It was imported from Californio late 2012 and had been sitting in the p/o's garage since then. He started sanding the hood and roof and did some other things, but eventually just didn't have time anymore for it and wanted to get rid of it. Which I where I came in of course. I took it off his hands for a reasonable price and was able to drive it home, where I got some sweet time to get to know my new pick up. It runs fine, it shifts(though first and second whine) and it goes down at 75 mph quite well. But let's say that there are a few...ahem..issues. None of which I can't tackle, but I definitely miss having an autozone/advanced/napa with a full availabilty of knock off or reman parts.

 

Now, the list of critical problems.

- The (power)steering box leaks fluid, not at the pitman arm(as far as I know) but definitely at the input shaft from the actual steering wheel. There is also a lot of slop in the steering wheel, and when I go lock to lock the whole car vibrates pretty badly. I can't imagine what causes that horrible vibration, maybe low fluid or something, I don't know. The serpentine doesn't look brand new but it's not worn. The p/o gave me a few seals to tackle it, but I think I just need a rebuild kit or a new one. I haven't had it off the floor yet so I can't confirm the slop comes from the box, but considering its condition I suspect it's that. The steering wheel itself is offset too, but the weird thing is that the car tracks very well. I can let go of the wheel and it just keeps going straight...quite surprising.

- The brakes need to be bled, I found that out right when I took off. It was pretty scary. I went ahead and just treated myself to a WJ master cylinder + booster from a JY, i hope to god it works and doesn't leak or have vacume issues.

- Being in Europe, I need to adjust adjust the lighting. At least up to a point where I'm not blinding everyone in their tiny little Peugot 106's. Or smart roadsters for that matter, holy $#!& those are small and low...

- It has vibrations between 50-55 miles per hour. The front driveshaft is also not currently in it, though I do have it. I need to do ujoints on both shafts and see if that helps.

 

After I get these four critical things fixed, I can bring it in for a National inspection. Right now I don't have a formal title or even license plates. That means I can't legally drive it, insure it or pay the required quarterly roadtaxes. With the JY brake set up bleeding it shouldn't require much, but I haven't had it on four jackstands yet. Who knows what else there is to find, wheelbearings, CV joints on the halfshafts, the list is endless.

 

So far I've just taken off those horrid round lights off of the rollbar, they're nice and heavy but I want rectangular lights as they came from the factory. I think it just suits the headlights better. I've also been tackling the interior lights, which turned out to be a bad connection. I need to follow all of the renix tips, refresh grounds etc. But so far I just haven't had the time. I won't bore you with my long list of things I want to do to this car, because it's all pretty cookie cutter. But for now I just want it safe and mechanically sound so I can get plates and drive it to work and school.

 

I've been using the search function a lot to solve issues, but I'll keep posting updates here when I get time. I have next week off from class and (mostly) work, so I'll get a lot done I hope.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

*edit, as far as the last picture goes. Those were in the spare parts container. Anyone know what they are?

[Megadan]

Nice Comanche!  I love my LWB personally, and it seems that Mine is in about the same condition body wise as yours (Mine also came out of Southern Cali).  You can use the adjusters to aim the headlights easily enough.  Phillips head screwdriver and there is a height screw above the headlight (look between lens and bezel) and a Left/Right aiming screw on the outside edge (again between lens and bezel).  

[Dillithium]

Thanks Impulserocket! I hope that I can tackle that tomorrow morning, you make it sound very doable.

[Megadan]

It's very straight forward.  I don't know what your government transportation department states for aiming regulations, but it may be worth looking into.  With headlights here the basic minimum aiming guideline is 1 in 25, or the top edge of the main beam pattern should go 1 inch down for every 25ft out.  I usually go with  2-3 in 25, especially with trucks that I tend to haul stuff regularly and loads in the bed will point the headlights up more.

In any case, you may want to try and search for that information or contact the transportation authority in your area to find out.

[Dillithium]

I have this week off, so I've started to tear into it. I'm doing my own little inspection to see what's wrong with it mechanically so I won't face any surprises during the national inspection.

 

I started with the right front wheel, took the brakes off and the wheelbearing and cleaned it all up, lubed it and put it back together. Torqued it to spec and buttoned it up. Nothing wrong there, wheelbearing is old but still alive. So far, so good.

 

Then I started the left front, but after spending four hours on the first wheel and knuckle, I started to lose daylight. To my shock I saw that the tierod on the left side was missing a cotter pin, and that the brakepad was put back so poorly it's basically ruined. The ear/tab of the inner pad caught the caliper arm and bent the pad, making the liner come loose at the same time.  Previous owners can be scary.... I have to tear into it farther tomorrow.

 

Tomorrow I'm starting a little earlier and will shoot for doing all three wheels AND fixing the gas gauge. I hope it's a bad ground, I really do.

 

On a good note, my reverse lights work! I used contact cleaner on every related connection I could find and beefed up the ground. I'm stoked that's working.

 

Tomorrow I'll promise to include pictures, my Phone was left inside with due to the excitement of the first day.

[Gnarmanche]

That interior is PIMP!

Good luck with the build!

[Dillithium]

Well, since I'm waiting on a phonecall I figured I should update this. It's only been what, 5 weeks? I think that's a good average, right?...right? Anyway, moving on.

 

I had a few things I knew I needed to take care of before my national inspection, the steering input shaft was leaking, brakes were full of air and that was it (or so I thought at the time).

 

 

Digging right in, think it can't be that bad.

 

 

Whoops, someone installed the pads on wrong. There's a short pad and a long pad for Comanche's, PO didn't get that memo so the tab on the brakepad caught the caliper bracket. Good to know I only drove 90 miles with this!

 

 

Tearing off the hub nut, everything came off pretty easily.

 

 

Replaced the u joint on both cv axles on the front D30, though only took a picture on the one.

 

 

These were the battery clamps, holy molten metal batman! Didn't take a picture of the new clamps, it's not that interesting but if desired I can add it in later.

 

 

Replaced the U joint on my front DS, the double cardan was still good. Then re-installed it all

 

 

Bolting it up.

 

Then the dreaded power steering box, that was a PITA sandwich!. Hard to get out, heavy to catch as it's falling.

 

 

I used some rope to help me catch it.

 

 

Out it is, ready to have the seal replaced.

 

The old seal and dustcap were pretty far gone!

 

 

Reinstalled, added a little too much ATF which promptly exploded all over me while bleeding it...you live and learn, provided you didn't swallow the ATF.

 

 

Some last minute cleaning of the factory Diff guard.

 

Off I was to inspection I thought! But nope, found this the morning before the day of inspection...

 

 

I mean, the sun is nice and all but it heated the window up so much it must've cracked an old repair.

 

 

Window being replaced on the morning of the inspection

 

So, off I went to the national inspection to get my plates! Not...

 

I failed inspection, not horribly but there were some issues I should've caught.

 

- Massive amount of play in my tracker bar

- Loose tierod on the axle side.

- seatbelts didn't lock as they were pulled(found out later they're just American seatbelts, they're inertia lock)

- Rear Prop valve inoperable

- Handbrake didn't stay down, the pedal that is

- Upper balljoints on the knuckle had a little play in them, but it was still passable. Told me to do it within the next 5K miles or they'll fail.

- Lastly, it needed a vin number. Not under the window, not on the radiator bracket but actually stamped in the frame. Appearantly 'Murica doesn't do that, so I had to make an appointment for that.  

 

So, I had to fix all of this and come back in 2 weeks. No problem!...I guess... The Jeep thing started to find its way into my wallet.

[Dillithium]

Didn't know how much I could fit into one forumpost, so here's part two!

 

 

Found out it was inertia lock here, yay!

 

 

Studying the Handbrake system, what a crap system...

 

 

Welded in a plate, drilled a hole in it and tapped some thread so the catch for the handbrake has zero play it in. 

 

 

Then we made a new catch, oilhardened it and voila, a working handbrake!

 

 

Disconnected the rear prop valve, took it off and made it into this.

 

 

Used the nose brake line coming out of the front junction block and hooked it up directly to the rear brakes, all thanks to Eagle!(I searched a lot, he has a great forumpost on this somewhere)

 

 

Front axle missed the track bar, steering dampener(noticed it was leaking pretty badly) and and the lower tierod.

 

 

New dampener plus dog

 

 

new ZJ tierod set, bought new.

 

 

old trackbar balljoint side, if I blew hard enough the balljoint would wiggle...it was pretty bad.

 

Didn't get a picture of it all bolted up, but everything was torqued up to spec and off I was to a second inspection!

 

 

Got my new VIN number stamped in

 

But alas, it failed again. There was a 62% difference in rear braking power between the two wheels. I just didn't understood how, I bled everything, set them myself and it was such a big difference.

 

Seeing as it was an early morning, i decided to rush to my local Jeep specialist and have him tackle it. Set them, new shoes, whatever..I wanted my damn plates.

 

He set them, new shoes, etc. The works. On his brake tester it came down to  a 22% difference. So off I was, back to the place of inspection.

 

Only halfway there, a lot of white smoke came from my rear axle and a sudden jerk pulled me into the ditch....I knew I was screwed, something was wrong with my rear brakes again. I limped to the inspection place, and this time it was 65% difference. I was defeated.

 

It gets worse, while driving back from the inspection place on the highway, my car started to jerk really badly. Literally back and forth motion as I was doing 60 mph on fourth on the highway. It goes away as I depress the clutch, and it only happens when the car is warm. I still need to figure out what it is. It's just not driveable now.

 

 

This is it on a trailer, going to the shop so they can fix their mistake with the rear brakes. I'm hoping to get a call about it today, so I can go pick it up and have it inspected thursday. But who knows...we'll just have to see.

 

I just hope I can fix whatever is causing that weird jerking motion.

 

That's it for now, I'll update again later.

[Dillithium]

I passed the state inspection last thursday!

 

I'm very glad I can now actually drive it on the road, and start using it. I had it aligned as well, since I re-did a lot of steering parts. I had the tires balanced too, to be sure. Then this happened.

 

 

It's warped, it's beyond saving. I can't say I care that much, because I wanted new rims anyway. I just figured I could drive on these for a while more.

 

I scored pretty good though, with this.

 

 

As soon as I get around buying an 8.25'' rear axle to replace my dana 35, I'll swap discs on them too. I also bought a new cluster, interior footwell courtesy lights and something I'm going to try to turn into a rear bumper. I'll update and let you guys know how that goes.

 

I'm seriously considering buying a ZJ donor with a 5.2, when time and money allows it. I just think that my first car, being an American car, needs to have a V8. It's a lot of work, but other people have done it so why can't I?

 

More to come!

[Megadan]

Nice score on the disc hardware.  I'm patiently waiting for a ZJ in the local yards to show up with a set that I can ninja.  My drums are fine, but I hate drums...

[Dillithium]

I hate drums too, I just put new shoes on them and I'm already trying to get rid of them. Discs are just nicer to work on and look better.

 

I picked up a full cluster, too. Will be putting that in later today I hope.

[Dillithium]

Got a little update, it's been a while but I've been working on it steadily.

 

Got facelift doors bolted on and aligned, I also got some new rims and tires. 225/70 Discoverer AT/3's.  I decided to go BWL because i wanted the focus to be on the rims, not the tires.

 

Also scored a set of Hella's as new spotlights, right now they're just a test fit because i need to wire them first. But I love the look of them.

 

 

I'm also loving the full gauge set I installed, it's nice to know what it's doing at all times!

 

 

Not having a warped rim definitely improved the ride, my next priority is my fuel pump that keeps cutting out. It makes for a weird idle. After that I need a muffler without 2 holes in it and a new powersteering pump. After that is all done, I can get started on my interior!

 

Also, does anyone know how to get the Cherokee letters off of the doors? I don't want to scratch the paint and I've been fighting with them for a bit now.

[knever3]

I really enjoyed reading your posts.  I am in awe how strict they are for certification for the road to get your plates.  If that were in the states 20-30% of all cars would not pass, I guarantee it!!  Do you want to save the Cherokee emblems?  If not a heat gun works well to heat up the adhesive but be very carefull you don't heat it too much.  You can also use dental floss to get behind there, it's not strong enough with one strand, you will have to braid it to get some strength.  I used the heat gun and a plastic pry tool and once I got the side peeled back enough I used pliers to pull on it while heating it. 

 

Very nice work, with the inspection it really makes you go over the whole truck and that means you get the experience working on it too.  Most people here just fix it to drive it no matter how bad things are.  There are so many cars that aren't safe to drive, but no one cares enough to fix them.  Good luck with the rest of your build, great job!

[Dillithium]

Hey thanks Knever, posts like yours encourage me to keep posting. The inspection was strict, and pretty frustrating at times but it definitely pushed me towards doing everything right. I have a long way to go, but it hasn't stopped being fun yet! (except the bills, those are pretty awfull)

[Dillithium]

Here's another short update, and it's within a month of my last one! Be impressed!

 

Something that's been on my list for while was finally done earlier this week, the motor mounts and transmission mount. I didn't get a lot of pictures while installing them, because it's not that interesting and it took longer than I wanted it too. But here's a pic of the old ones:(warning, you may be shocked by what you're about to see)

 

 

The p/o filled them with kit, to prevent movement I guess? It didn't work, I suspect it was just a forgotten trail fix.

 

 

The old tranny mount was completely collapsed and deteriorating. 

 

 

 

Cleaning the crossmember in the degreasing tank

 

And to conclude, I removed the Cherokee badges off of my doors.

 

 

 

Who knew it they were rubber letters with chrome stickers on them? I expected metal letters on a jeep, but I guess, I was once again, Chrysler'd.

 

Plans now are to replace the rear yoke and rear prop shaft u joints. While I'm doing that, I'm going to inspect the fuel sender and replace the fuel pump. With the prop shaft out, it clears a lot of room to work in.

 

Oh, and one last thing. Replace your motor/tranny mounts people, it makes a HUGE difference in driving a car. The car suddenly shifts better and seems like it has more torque. It's an amazing change for 25 dollars' worth of parts.

[Dillithium]

It's been a while, life got in the way.

Since february, when I started this restomod project I was prepping it to take on vacation. Plans had been made to take the Comanche through Germany and Denmark in august, but early august my clutch stopped disengaging fully. I replaced the Clutch Master, slave and replaced the line for a braided SS one. It helped, but didn't fix it. I was forced to rent a car to do our trip. After I came back, school came back around and I simply didn't have enough time to replace the clutch myself, so I handed it to my local jeep specialist. He replaced the Pressure plate, friction plate and throwout bearing. The friction plate was fine, as was the flywheel. The TB was shot beyond belief and the pressure plate had severely bent fingers.

 

So I have a working Jeep again, I've been driving it to work and the stores. During the clutch replacement, the speedometer cable snapped so I haven't really been taking it on highways yet. I still need to order a new one, assuming they still make them.

 

Then to make matters worse, someone decided to hit my car last week while it was parked in our neighbourhood. A girl in a Saab 900 backed into my left rear flank. thankfully the Saab was too low to damage the taillight. But it's still a good bit of damage to my poor truckbed. I'm dropping it off tomorrow at the bodyshop for damage appraisal, because it has the same paint it had in 86 they can't simply fix it and do a partial respray. The paint is some kind of magic paint that won't let new paint stick to it properly, so the whole left side of the bed will need to be stripped and painted. I have some damage around my fuel gate from the previous owner, so I'm hoping that will get fixed under the insurance as well. I mean, why paint over a damaged part, right? Especially since they give out a long warranty on their paint and bodywork. This whole ordeal reinforced my need for a rear bumper with corner protection. The girl's dad kept saying my pick up is too long, and was sticking out of its parking space. It bloody well was not... His daughter should've just looked before backing up, the whole pick up was pushed over a foot or two. That's how hard she hit it. I'm glad it didn't happen in my presence, I would've strangled her...Thankfully she left a note, her/his insurance is taking care of it.

 

Anyway, that's my little update. Since July I've got the electric windows to work, installed central locking(aftermarket) and that's about it really. I also installed chrome headlightsurrounds(Hornbrod!!) which I love, I just need a reasonable chrome grill. I have so much left to do to my Comanche, it's almost a little depressing.

[Dillithium]

Allright, time for another little update. As a way of closing off this hectic year, I did some wiring to help during the darkest times of the year.

 

I did the wiring loom upgrade for the headlights, as per Go-Jeep's instructions. I should've taken a before picture, but I did it a while ago and am only now updating this thread, so forgive me for that.

I used a little thicker wire than Go-Jeep prescribed, and 80/100 watt OSRAM H4's. One 40 amp relay per light.

I also finally wired my Gentex 177A and my Hella extra lights.

 

Headlights turned off:

 

 

headlights on:

 

 

With Hella spotlights:

 

 

These are not aimed properly yet, I aimed them rudimentarily to avoid blinding people, but you can see there's still quite a gap in lighting I need to resolve. This is my fault, not the Hella's. They're Jumbo 220's with 55 watt H3 bulbs, though I've wired it to take 100 watt bulbs easily if I ever wanted the upgrade.

 

Gentex 177a Interior mirror [compass and temperature sensor]

 

 

 

Now, you'll notice I don't have a picture with my high beams. They do work great, but I haven't had a need to use them, iif that makes sense. My normal beams are so bright, the picture doesn't really do it justice. I haven't had a need to turn them on yet. Thus, I forgot to take a picture of my high beams really.

 

Now, what are my new year's resolutions for my Jeep? Lots of things, as I've accumulated enough things to last me for a while.

 

- I have two door XJ folding bucket seats + a center console I need to install

- I still have Euramtec B pillar lights I need to fit + footwell courtesy lights

- I have a WJ Booster and MC upgrade waiting for me to do it

- I have a JCR DIY bumper in the mail coming to me

- I need upper balljoints, so I'm replacing all four of them

- I am upgrading all of my control arms for WJ arms

 

There's probably more, but this is off of the top of my head. So yes, a lot of stuff to do in the new year. Once all of that is taken care of, I will have to pick a new heading for it. Either paint, or maybe a 4.0.

 

See you in the new year!

[BlackBeast]

Happy new year! Good job and presistance!!I don't have inspections here thankfully but serves also to let ya know things you may not have known!

[Dillithium]

Hey thanks blackbeast! The inspection really did help someone like me, with a lack of real world experience. I've come a long way since february, learned A LOT. A lot of it due to CC.

[Steve Gregory]

I love that interior!