Jump to content

Vakarian's Comanche 'Trailbreaker'


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 96
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Pete M below is the set of numbers off the AX-4. I am assuming that is the part number you are looking for. (not sure how to tag you so hopefully you see it)

 

The numbers in the second picture are on the silver rectangle forward and left of the duck tape. If that is not what you need I will take another look.

 

KIMG0087.JPG.a57b692a6a1167c4685d39532d169ab8.JPGKIMG0088.JPG.583ec2755397a9605387f394d665bd8b.JPG

 

► ........... Wrenching Update .......................◄

 

The AX-15 transmission is installed! Did notice an issue that I didn't check when out but the front drive shaft has a different style U-joint then was the transfer case will accept. Good news is the front drive shaft U-joints need to be replace so that should correct itself. Began hanging the exhaust to get it in place before lift the skid plate.

 

Also had to drill out the lock cylinder in the wife's Cherokee as both keys have been lose for a week now. Thankfully that didn't take long and finished up the night there.

 

KIMG0086.JPG.c68f2bf19c5e5dfe77a3a1ff49fc2d0e.JPGKIMG0085.JPG.6c6bc78ea96f497fb012f1945b18b690.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Well the transmission has been reinstalled  into the truck but something is not functional correctly. :thinking: Before the transmission was connected to the truck it locked into place. However now there is an issue with the truck started and shifting into the gear the clutch springs won't disengage. 

 

So now I need to drop the transmission again and measure my input shafts. In addition to compare the clutch plate and retainer between the vehicles. :brickwall:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Been a while but time for an update on all the issues, troubles and skills learns.

 

►.......... WRENCH STATUS TRANSMISSION INCOMING .......................◄

 

As stated in my last post, the transmission had to come back out and this would be the first of many removals on this front. With the change to an external slave cylinder the clutch was giving me issue so that was the first thing to check. Found out that the factory transmission has significant changes compared to the plate I had been running with the external system from the Wrangler.

 

The clutch on the left and top in the two pictures are the factory clutch from the Comanche.

KIMG0153.JPG.027d8d4deb1b9f02eab88f1c51b57301.JPGKIMG0150.JPG.bf00368d61395f12e8385e3f97ee7bf6.JPG

KIMG0155.JPG.322b1b41fa72e5c2e7edc5774ed8d198.JPG

 

Once this issue was determined and resolved, back in the transmission went. Once all bolted in we started the truck up and shifted into first quickly followed by the shift handle getting really loose and moving all around. It acted like the internal selector for the shifter was free floating around the levers inside in addition to the clutch still not completely engaging.  So back out came the transmission again and stood it on its front to not have to drain it so I could just remove the rear section.

 

KIMG1086.JPG.8607b98b42635bf76d3a0e21fb742318.JPGreceived_489517855300379.jpeg.5fccdd7f206e9036f4566c56a3b68b7a.jpeg

 

With the transmission here and discussing with my buddy we made two immersive discoveries. 

 

1) The shifter length between a Wrangler and Comanche for the same transmission on different. [Wrangler on top, Comanche on bottom]

 

received_593475557892744.jpeg.6113d729b52751c79c89504fb3a37f77.jpeg

 

 

2) The transmission cover that secures the shifter are different heights. Thus causing the free floating issue as the shifter base was not seated properly.

[Comanche on left, Wrangler on right]

381399704_received_3907550252604230(1).jpeg.0af419ff17fd90b641fdae9892eaf3e2.jpeg

 

 

So with these two discoveries we began buttoning up the transmission. Drilled and tapped the for the breather line on the new cover and reinstalled the shifter rod. Bolted on the transfer case and went about reinstalling it. This past weekend on 11 Jan, started up the truck again testing it out and excited to drive the truck out of the garage. Well no go, transmission worked in 2 gear, 4 gear and reverse but 1,3 & 5 gear were a no go. After some research, we determined and remembered during the moments of our discovery, the shifter shaft was knocked off the saw horses supporting the transmission. This caused its orientation to be changed and I didn't realize that the set bolt was not centered. Thus it was bottoming out on the retention bolt keeping the transmission from going into gear.

 

So with that discovery I spend the following day trying to remove just the transfer case to not have to drop the transmission for another time. Made a mess trying to drain the transmission fluid back into the bottle as it was unused fluid and found out its just easier to drop the entire transmission.

  

received_468235397459099.jpeg.db03a7ed0217576b3ca34e83f423db9f.jpeg   1940662290_output(1).jpg.99ba74e3bf35d412c5a43a0ec0391cda.jpg

 

So back out the transmission will comes again this evening to make the simple correction. Hopefully this is the only issue and the truck will be back on the road tomorrow.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

So the truck has been sitting on the side of my driveway after towing back to the house. Started up the hill on my driveway and hurt two loud pops and all power was lost to the transmission. My initial thought was something inside the transmission broke but it was still shifting smoothly into all the gears. So towing the truck back up the driveway with the wife's 99 Cherokee it has been sitting as we researched what the issue could be. What we could gather is it could possible be that two of the flywheel bolts sheared off allowing the clutch plate to not engage. Tonight the truck should be back in the garage to take it apart again to figure out the issue. The truck had been sitting as the head gasket went on the wife's Cherokee and that was the higher priority.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

A little video eluding to this previous comment that I found on my phone.

On 10/31/2019 at 12:16 PM, Vakarian said:

 

:dunno: That is very interesting! I will post picture of the shift knob because there was definitely no fifth gear in the transmission.. 

 

Quite the funny thing we found that day!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMeM_wXRBLo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

On 2/6/2020 at 4:38 AM, Vakarian said:

So the truck has been sitting on the side of my driveway after towing back to the house. Started up the hill on my driveway and hurt two loud pops and all power was lost to the transmission. My initial thought was something inside the transmission broke but it was still shifting smoothly into all the gears. So towing the truck back up the driveway with the wife's 99 Cherokee it has been sitting as we researched what the issue could be. What we could gather is it could possible be that two of the flywheel bolts sheared off allowing the clutch plate to not engage. Tonight the truck should be back in the garage to take it apart again to figure out the issue. The truck had been sitting as the head gasket went on the wife's Cherokee and that was the higher priority.

 

In regards to this very saddening post, I found the video of Trailbreaker moving on its own power out of the garage right before this!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...

So it has been a good amount of time since I last updated this thread so going to be long one.

 

So where did we leave off.....oh right the rebuilt transmission popped and lost all power. So not sure what the issue was, I just removed the transmission and put the original back in to save for another day. From there been trying to looking at houses and working on the other projects. 

 

Well on October of 2021 the wife and I moved into our new to us dream home, that needed a lot of work. The previous owners trashed the place but the potential was there within the 27 acres. From there the projects really slowed down as the place took work priority. However, the Comanche was put to use moving stuff out in the fields.

 

KIMG0212.JPG.3da9d26cb8359e225f7da62c027aeca3.JPG

KIMG0211.JPG.9eb6a0e124fa2410245b2a3d864ff8db.JPG

 

 

Was handy as I could load tools and crap found in the fields without having to take the big dually. Well one morning on my way to work the driver tire came loose and fell off. Not sure how it happened but a few studs sheared. So it currently sits to have those replace and get the exhaust fixed as it has a few holes that have begun to melt the speedometer wires.

 

Talking with a buddy has sparked some dumb ideas for the truck to help out on the property. Thus leading to the idea of making it a small dually for increased stance width to not flip on the hills with a little service body for tools and the goose neck to park the trailers easier. So many ideas just first one is get the tire to stay on.

 

So that is a quick and brief update on the truck and hope to get back to working / updating the thread more now that the property is started to get moving in the correct direction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, fiatslug87 said:

Congrats on the new property!!

 

Thank you flatslug87. It has been a busy time since moving in. Still trying to get the little attach garage cleaned / organized to try and start working on stuff again. Hoping to get back to updating this tread more.

 

 

13 hours ago, CapitalCityPioneer said:

Such a beauty. Something about a longbed.

 

Appreciate that compliment. I love the long bed, it has been real handy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share


×
×
  • Create New...