Angry_bucktooth Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Ok so to start I have a 1988 jeep comanche Pioneer. Its a 4cyl 5spd 4x4. My friend who's big into jeeps mainly cherokee is helping me with the build we are looking for a donor comanche with a 6cyl 5spd 4x4 to make the motor swap easier. My big issue is axles. I plan on doing a 5/5.5 soa lift I read about on this forum. So here is the big issue I have a Ford 8.8 d4(4.10) I am trying to find a dana30 with 4.10 for the front. One without the vacuum disconnect. I know that the earlier 2.5l cherokee came with that axle and would be the easiest swap are there other jeep axles with that gear ratio I can put in the front. Like from a tj yj zj. Or would it just be easier to get an xj dana 30 and regear it for 500 (parts and labor) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88whitemanche Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 None of those axles you mentioned maybe the yj are good for the front end swap...those are low pinion axles.... Your better off either looking for a 4.10 Dana 30 from an xj/mj or just regear... These axles are hard to find but you may have luck to find one.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chopper35nj Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 OK, don't look for an other Comanche for a parts Vehicle, find a Cherokee with the parts that you want. And here's why, (anybody can correct me if I'm wrong) the Comanche 5 speed was (I think) an AX5 = week, the Cherokee has the stronger and more desirable AX15, and a more modern (or at least newer) engine and T-case. Look for a later model XJ with the non disco D30 LP and if you are lucky bigger disc brakes, keep your rear end and re gear, your pioneer "should" have a Dana 44. My opinion.... my $.02 worth. Oooops, I did mean HP= High Pinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 AX-5s and AX-4s came behind 2.5L2.8/2.1 engines. AX-15s and Peugeots came behind 4.0 engines the model of Jeep matters not, just the bolt pattern of the engine inside (2.5s have a different pattern than 4.0s). :thumbsup: try car-part.com for junkyard searches. be sure to search for a variety of model years because the website lists thing by part number and those change over the years. later is better, but the early years can be upgraded with the later shafts with the bigger ujoints. brakes have changed in the MJ/XJ dana 30 over the years, but not in any substantial way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 keep your rear end and re gear, your pioneer "should" have a Dana 44. My opinion.... my $.02 worth. The Pioneer package was a trim level, and doesn't affect the rear axle. More than likely you've just got a Dana 35 back there, definitely not worth regearing. The D44 came with the Metric Ton and tow packages, possibly an offroad package, but could be special ordered as well or swapped out. Only way to know which axle the truck has is to check. If it's in fact a Dana44, it's worth hanging onto, but the 8.8 is definitely the better axle if you've got a Dana 35 underneath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry_bucktooth Posted September 30, 2015 Author Share Posted September 30, 2015 I have a dana 35 rear which is why I'm looking to swap to the ford 8.8 with 4.10 that I found at my local yard. And to clearify since a few different people commented other model jeeps dana 30 front axle will swap into mine I know the xj is easiest but if I have to use another model what work is involved. And I've thought more n more about just regearing. Only reason I'm not buying an xj with everything I want is because it will be more labor for the motor swap and I plan on doing the swap in one or two weekends Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 ZJ and TJ dana 30 front axles will swap right in, but they are low pinion and I don't think they ever had 4.10 gears. your 500 budget should be able to get yourself a 4.10 XJ dana 30 front. you just need to find one. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunnc1991 Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 I have a dana 35 rear which is why I'm looking to swap to the ford 8.8 with 4.10 that I found at my local yard. And to clearify since a few different people commented other model jeeps dana 30 front axle will swap into mine I know the xj is easiest but if I have to use another model what work is involved. And I've thought more n more about just regearing. Only reason I'm not buying an xj with everything I want is because it will be more labor for the motor swap and I plan on doing the swap in one or two weekends A YJ axle is leaf sprung, so you'll need all the control arm mounts welded on as well as coil buckets. I'd imagine you'd need to move the shock mounts as well. ZJ and TJ axles should swap in, but as stated they are low pinion. I'd swap 4.10s into an XJ axle and be done. How is it harder to swap the drivetrain from an XJ than an MJ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry_bucktooth Posted September 30, 2015 Author Share Posted September 30, 2015 Well I know for the xj there is more wiring and reworking of the harness as to with a 6cyl mj I can pull swap and plug it all in with no rewiring using the motor trans wire harness n ecu from a 6cyl comanche. I'm going for the easiest fastest n most pain free swap cause like I stated before I want to pull from the donor vehicle one weekend and put it in mine in the next weekend since the mj is also my Dailey n only atm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 comanche and cherokee labels are irrelevant here. the year of the jeep matters most when talking about wholesale swapping of drivetrains and wire harnesses. :thumbsup: XJs and MJs are practically identical in each particular year. only real difference is the rear wiring harness and there are plenty of writeups on how to adapt XJ harness to MJ taillight wirings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 Find a 91+ XJ HP30 with 4.10's and be happy. It will have the larger 297x/760x u joint and no CAD. There is nothing wrong with salvaging the drivetrain and components from a rusted out MJ. Just be aware that an MJ donor will be the same as an XJ donor. They are the same vehicle from the dash forward. I am not sure what 're'wiring you think will need to be done??? I'll never understand why folks hate the 2.5. My 185k mile 2.5 pulled my MJ over several Colorado passes just as well as my TJ with 4.0. My advice would be to build it, gear it and DRIVE it :) Don't get to excited to yank the 2.5 for a 4.0. Something won't go as planned and it will end up taking at least 2x longer to complete and cost 2x as much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikekaz1 Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 I have a zj low pinion in my mj..... it works, no noticeable difference in drivability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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