SIERRA051 Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 Hi guys. I'm new to the forum and this is my first project Jeep. Had a 97 Grand previously and picked up a 90 Comanche last fall. She needed lots of TLC but now I'm in the home stretch. I wanted to lift it 3". Not set on the height but I need to replace the suspension and had a free set of decent 30s to run on 17" steel wheels. Any suggestions? I've been looking all over and didn't want an AAL kit and want a quality ride. Any help is much appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dan Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 Ive been satisfied with Hell Creek Suspension. They have a coupon code in the vendor section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertRat1991 Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 I just went through this. MJ specific kits are hard to find but I researched 3" XJ kits from Zone, BDS, Rusty's, Rough Country, Rubicon Express, Skyjacker and Iron Rock Off Road. I could not find a more complete kit for the money than the IRO XJ 3" Premium Lift Kit which included adjustable UCA/LCA, double shear track bar, shackles, and Bilstein shocks. If you call them, IRO will delete the XJ leafs from your order so you can source your own. Then they knocked another 10% off during their Memorial Day sale and I had to jump. All the parts are here and they look great. Haven't had a chance to install yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIERRA051 Posted June 20, 2017 Author Share Posted June 20, 2017 I appreciate the feedback. It looks like piecing it together is the best option. I thought I found an OME kit but everyone is saying stay away from RRO. If I went with a 4" lift, what would be the complete part list? I want to do it right the first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzimm Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 I spent a lot of time researching this as well. The only complete kits for the MJ I could find were from Hell Creek and Rusty's Off road. I ultimately went with the Rusty's because it came with a few extra things for about the same price. Both are pricy but very well made. Just remember that XJ leaf springs are different and rear XJ parts net less than advertised lift. The front is exactly the same as the XJ so you get the same results as an XJ up front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIERRA051 Posted June 21, 2017 Author Share Posted June 21, 2017 I'm leaning towards Rusty's since it seems to be the best for the money from what I'm reading. Luckily I was warned to stay far away from Rocky Road Outfitters. It looks like the only things missing here is a SYE? http://www.rustysoffroad.com/jeep-suspension/jeep-suspension-lift-kits/mj-comanche-86-93-jeep-suspension-lift-kits/rustys-mj-comanche-4-5-spring-pack-kit.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzimm Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 I'm leaning towards Rusty's since it seems to be the best for the money from what I'm reading. Luckily I was warned to stay far away from Rocky Road Outfitters. It looks like the only things missing here is a SYE? http://www.rustysoffroad.com/jeep-suspension/jeep-suspension-lift-kits/mj-comanche-86-93-jeep-suspension-lift-kits/rustys-mj-comanche-4-5-spring-pack-kit.htmlDue to the long wheelbase of the MJ you won't need an SYE. Maybe a small tcase drop but that comes with this kit. This is the exact kit I got. I upgraded the shocks to the next tier tho and love them. It's a very well built kit. Below is some pictures of my kit with the upgraded shocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIERRA051 Posted July 18, 2017 Author Share Posted July 18, 2017 Well I went with Rusty's kit since it had most of the parts I needed. Just had to buy some sway bar end links and a pitman drop arm. Gonna be finishing it up this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIERRA051 Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 Gonna post pictures when I'm done if I can figure how from my phone. Now that it is 90% complete, I'm seeing highway driving is different. A friend recommended switching gears in the Dana 35 rear. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzimm Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Gonna post pictures when I'm done if I can figure how from my phone. Now that it is 90% complete, I'm seeing highway driving is different. A friend recommended switching gears in the Dana 35 rear. Any thoughts? Use Tapatalk for posting pictures on mobile. As for regearing a Dana 35... It's a waste. It's a weak axle and as many will tell you, breaks just driving down the street. It will be cheaper to find a better axle to swap with the gearing you want. I myself swapped in a C8.25 from a 97 XJ. This is a cheap axle found everywhere and only requires welding on spring perches to stay spring under. Make sure you get a 95+ C8.25 as it has 29 splines and is comparable to the Dana 44 in strength. If you can get lucky, you can find a Dana 44 that came out of an MJ and swap that. (unlikely but I found one near me shortly after finishing my axle swap so you may get lucky). It sounds like a hard task swapping axles and welding new perches but this was my first time and it was easy and worked out great. I also wanted to mention that the lift will effect highway driving because there is more surface area, which creates more wind resistance. The beefier axles and better gearing will help with bigger tires but won't do much, if anything for the wind resistance issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIERRA051 Posted August 2, 2017 Author Share Posted August 2, 2017 So besides rewelding the perches, the C8.25 should fit in with no other modifications? I found one for 100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dan Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Yes, the only modification required is rewelding perches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIERRA051 Posted August 2, 2017 Author Share Posted August 2, 2017 Okay thanks. Would 3.55 gears be optimal or should I keep looking for something else? Recommendations? This is my daily driver with 31s on it. Mostly highway miles with some light off road in planned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzimm Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Okay thanks. Would 3.55 gears be optimal or should I keep looking for something else? Recommendations? This is my daily driver with 31s on it. Mostly highway miles with some light off road in planned. I would pick up the 3.55 it's what I'm running and will be fine at highway speeds with 31s. You can find them with better gearing but it's unlikely. Most C8.25s I've run into are 3.08 so what you've got there is a good deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIERRA051 Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 Alright so if I am correct, my Comanche has 3.07 gears in a Dana 35 rear with 27 splines. A 96+ C8.25 3.73 with 29 splines will fit right in? I'm new to this so I'm trying to learn as I go. Sorry for any newbie questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Well I went with Rusty's kit since it had most of the parts I needed. Just had to buy some sway bar end links and a pitman drop arm. Gonna be finishing it up this weekend. you don't need or want the drop pitman (unless your track bar bracket includes a comparable drop). Alright so if I am correct, my Comanche has 3.07 gears in a Dana 35 rear with 27 splines. A 96+ C8.25 3.73 with 29 splines will fit right in? I'm new to this so I'm trying to learn as I go. Sorry for any newbie questions. it has the correctt width and bolt pattern. you'll need to move the perches to the MJ's location. the 8.25 can get a junkyard disk conversion too, so you might want to look into it before spending money on the drums. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIERRA051 Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 Alright. I did want to do the disc conversion. What all do I need? Is there a write up on here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 I know the Jeep Libertys could be had with an 8.25 and disks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIERRA051 Posted August 8, 2017 Author Share Posted August 8, 2017 Alright, but what about the spline difference? Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't that matter for the driveshaft? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParadiseMJ Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 DesertRat...How much did you spend on the lift set up you bought? Sierra...where are you...in the Sierra? CA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 Alright, but what about the spline difference? Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't that matter for the driveshaft? spline difference of what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIERRA051 Posted August 8, 2017 Author Share Posted August 8, 2017 $760 for Rusty's 4.5" kit, 60 for Rubicon Express extended sway bar end links and adapters, and another 80 for the pitman arm drop. About 900 so far and I would like different axles. Neverending project... As for S051, that's an obscure Halo reference only nerds who read the books would get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 you still don't need or want the pitman drop. the steering and track bar should be parallel or bumpsteer can occur. dropping the pitman puts the system out of parallel. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 ^^ This. You don't need/want a dropped Pitman arm. See how the track bar and drag link axes are parallel? That's what you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIERRA051 Posted August 8, 2017 Author Share Posted August 8, 2017 Well it seems fine to me and I ain't removing that arm again. It was a gigantic pain. As for the spline difference, stock is 27 I believe, someone mentioned getting a 29 spline 96+ axle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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