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Newbie build - 91 Eliminator


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Okay, now I'm curious. What's the 7mm Allen(?) hex for? Don't recall seeing one on my '91, I want to say the calliper slide bolts have a regular 13mm hex.

 

They're 7mm on some and not others I guess because... Chrysler? idk haha

 

Very nice looking Comanche! How many miles on her? What are your future plans if any?

 

Thanks! 114k on the clock. Future plans are to keep slowly chipping away at deferred maintenance, I basically just bought it as a learning tool to get some experience with automotive work. Front suspension still needs some refreshing, I have some control arms I just haven't had time to install yet, not sure what else needs to be replaced at this point. Engine seems strong but has a bit of a tick to it so we'll see. This summer I'll be learning how to weld to fix the floor pans (no rust anywhere else luckily). After that I think I'm gonna try my hand at repainting it. I could probably afford a decent paint job but I think I'd rather just do it myself, that's kind of the whole point of having it. Also I'm weirdly protective of it haha, I don't like letting anyone else mess with my truck!

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Replaced the aging, sagging front coil springs today with Moog CC782's. Not a great before photo but:

 

comanche_5.jpg

 

and after:

cAIItqql.jpg?1

 

Definitely a noticeable bump in height in the front, almost too much actually! The rear is probably sagging too, I haven't measured yet to see how far off it is. What would be a good, easy way to get a tiny bump in height in the rear? Shackles? I don't know anything about lifts and I'm trying to keep it as close to stock as possible, might just leave it as is.

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That stance looks great to me as it is, but they'll settle after a little while as Don noted. You'll probably wind up with exactly what you want after they settle :thumbsup:

 

Did you notice much loss in stability on the road?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Not a very successful workday today...

Doing front brakes, right side went fine, left side - broke both caliper bolts. Don't have time to get to Advance right now, so decided to swap out temp gauge sender and see if that solves my temp issue before trying anything else. Now the temp gauge does not work at all so uhhhhh there I fixed it???? :thumbsup:

 

Ugh I think I'm done with Jeeps for the weekend, it's Miller time. I'll wait til next weekend to break my truck any further.

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So I did get those busted caliper slide pin ends out of the steering knuckle, in case it helps someone else with the same problem here's how I did it:

Top one - easy, enough of the pin was still sticking out so hit it with PB blaster and then a torch and turned it out with some vice grips

Bottom one - broke flush with the edge of the hole so drilled two very small holes next to each other a couple mm deep, then hammered in a small flathead and was able to turn it out with the screwdriver

 

Now I can finally start the five minute job I should have finished three days ago lol

 

Also, can I get a price check? What are Comanche buckets going for these days, I hardly ever see them for sale so not sure what the going rate is but this seems... high?

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/pts/5522782728.html

 

They look pretty nice though and I'm literally driving right through there this weekend. Anyone have an opinion on what I should offer? (And is it someone on here selling?)

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No way I'd pay that much for torn up seats. I recently converted to bucket seats by using MJ seat frames to make imitation Eliminator seats (a seat kit build if you will) and the total cost was just over a hundred bucks. Those are just the basic buckets too with a torn up cover. I'd offer $150, maybe 200 on the high side, and that's assuming the floor brackets (the most valuable part of the package) are included.

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I have those buckets in my '89 with the exact upholstery.  The place where it is torn can not be repaired, you need to reupholster it.  I did find that material and only had to do that part of the drivers side, unfortunately the supplier that I bought the material from said that what I bought was the last of it in existence, just in case the guy tells you it will be easy to find the material.  Tell him you will have to reupholster both seats because that material is out of production, see how far he comes down.  

 

Buck.

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If you end up buying the seats , here's the bottom cover . I seen the top somewhere but don't remember where .

 

http://m.ebay.com/itm/88-89-CHEROKEE-LEFT-FRONT-SEAT-CUSHION-COVER-VINYL-NOS-/280671034900?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVE

 

The same seller as the above has a crapload of NOS gray XJ/MJ seat covers. Check out his other auctions.

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I have a hard time justifying those prices. Let's say the OP talks the seller down to $200 (unlikely) - he needs $160 in seat covers per the eBay prices. That's $360 for basic vinyl buckets. Another thing he could do if he's in for an adventure is find some hideous, torn up MJ bucket seats. All they need to do is flip forward and recline. As long as he has the MJ floor brackets and MJ or 2dr XJ flip forward frames, he can make any seats he wants. Even the ones with the thick bolsters. (or hell, even leather) The padding from any seats can be made to work with very, very little work. I did this with seats from a 1993 4-door XJ Country and ended up with, essentially, Eliminator wingback buckets for relatively cheap. And comfy doesn't even begin to describe them.

 

All of this assumes the OP is willing to play seat legos and is able to procure the parts.

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I got the guy down to $175 but ran out of time to pick them up on my way back to PA. Which is fine because I think if I'm gonna bother replacing the bench I'm gonna hold out for legit Eliminator seats or at least a close equivalent. Oh and random aside - I totally saw an MJ on the road while visiting friends in Newport News! Red LWB with bed rails, he was going the opposite way so no time to even snap a pic.

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The Eliminator seats (same as the standard seats in XJ Country and Laredo) are fantastic. They actually hold you unlike the bench or basic buckets, but anything is better than the bench IMO. The bench makes a better couch than a truck seat. Very much worth holding out for, or building your own.

 

Here's my custom job "Eliminator" seats (4dr XJ Country padding on MJ flip forward frames, with 2 passenger side cushions). My donor MJ frames were the basic, small bolster buckets, so the bolsters on my custom seats aren't quite as ridiculously thick as the genuine article, but still far superior to the basic buckets. Very, very comfortable.

 

GqBevinl.jpg

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Agree. Mine are from a 2-DR XJ Laredo with NOS covers and butt bottoms. Got about $200 in them. Very comfy, much better than the crappy leather seats in my (read wife's) new JK. They are still out there - keep looking.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Haven't updated in a while as I've been fighting the truck running a bit hot over in the Tech section. Still not 100% in slow traffic (but pretty close - maybe like 215 now?) but seemed fine on the highway sooooo...

 

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BEUH3VLl.jpg

 

I finally took it on some trails! Nothing super exciting, just starting to explore Wharton State Forest in NJ and barely even scratched the surface before it started to get late, can't wait to go back! Love this truck!

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Snagged a roll bar today! Doesn't seem to fit with the bed liner in there so that might have to go, hope there aren't any nasty surprises waiting for me underneath...

 

Vyycwoel.jpg

 

Didn't come with any mounting hardware, anyone know where to get the brackets for the underside of the bed? I guess I can just get the bolts and stuff from Fastenal?

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