2WD Comanche

[Jkellahan92]

My ‘88 is currently a 2.7L 4cyl 2WD with no plans of changing anytime soon. What are y’alls thoughts on a 3inch lift and 31s?

[HOrnbrod]

Do you have a bored out 2.5L engine?

[Jkellahan92]

My mistake, it’s a 2.5L

[Jkellahan92]

Anyone else done this? 

[yxmj]

6 minutes ago, Jkellahan92 said:

Anyone else done this? 

Look at my avatar.... 2" pucks in the front to take out the rake and 31" BFG's on 15x8 rims....picture it an inch higher....

[strictlyxjs]

thats what mine has but i have a 4 speed ax4. it revs really high on the highway could really use that 5th gear overdrive.  youll be fine.

[DirtyComanche]

Putting bigger tires on a 2wd truck is like wearing hiking boots so you can ride the city bus.

[Jkellahan92]

11 minutes ago, DirtyComanche said:

Putting bigger tires on a 2wd truck is like wearing hiking boots so you can ride the city bus.

You’re right but not a whole lot I can do about right now 

[DirtyComanche]

What's the ultimate goal here?  And what are you using the truck for?

 

I just feel this route might be wasting money and effort if you have eventual plans to swap to 4wd.

 

I guess the other clarification is if you want 3" of lift over what you're at now, or if you want a 3" lift?  An actual 3" lift would likely be 4" taller than it is now, as lift components are based off 4wd components as the established 'zero' point.

 

IMHO 3" is a very awkward amount of lift to get out of the Comanche, as you're reasonably at the point that adding a leaf (or an actual AAL) combined with a larger shackle is fairly well at its limitation, especially since you're starting with flatter 2wd springs.  So you really should get a set of fairly expensive new leaf springs, which if your current springs are trashed is a reasonable option, but if your springs are in good shape it's a lot of money to spend.  The other problem is if you purchase new lift springs, and then later decide to go higher, you're fairly well guaranteed to be going SOA at that point and reverting to your factory springs, or finding another set of factory springs, so it's money down the drain if your intentions change later. 

 

Otherwise 3" is too little lift to match with a SOA; mine with bagged factory 2wd springs and a SOA is still fairly noticeably raked with RE 3.5" coil springs in the front (most RE springs seem to sit high too).  Personally I want the truck raked, because as I said they're supposed to be that way, the intention is that when you put things in the back of the truck it will level out or not sit noticeably front high.

 

At 3" lift you're going to want new control arms (uppers and lowers, you can get away without the uppers but it doesn't make it right), track bar, swaybar links, shocks, extended bumpstops, longer brake hoses, and maybe a few other things.  Ride quality will suffer from the increased static control arm angle, and again the 3" lift is an awkward place where it does not justify going to long arms, and long arms generally won't fit that easily, but they certainly would be a lot nicer.

 

You're also probably going to have to replace the u-joints in your rear driveshaft, as they likely have taken a set and will not be happy with the new angle.  Unless they're already fairly new.  If they're worn out anyways then it's no loss to be doing them, but it's one more thing.

 

If you're somewhere with rust, be prepared to break the ends off the brake lines when putting the new hoses on.

 

 

In summary, I'd leave the damn thing alone.

[yxmj]

12 hours ago, Jkellahan92 said:

You’re right but not a whole lot I can do about right now 

It's your truck...do what you can within your budget and your skill set to make it look the way you want.....there are quite a few 2wd MJ's on this site set up exactly like you are describing whose owners like there look and drivability... go ahead with your existing plan....you will love the end result.

[Pete M]

2wds sit an inch lower than 4wds, so a 3" puck lift for you is more like a 2" spring lift for 4wds.  but if you get 3" lift springs, your truck will be 4" higher than it is now.  roughly.  

 

31s on stock rims will need WJ lower control arms to prevent rubbing at full lock on the arms.

 

31s on aftermarket rims will need a 3" lift to prevent rubbing on the flares.

 

if it were me, I'd go with a 2" puck lift to bump up the front and some 30" tires for the "Jeep look".  below is my 2wd 88 with 30 inchers but no lift.  30s clear the arms just fine.  

 

[yxmj]

Is the tree a factory option?

[Pete M]

aftermarket.  I did have the factory tweaked-bumper and  tailgate handle delete though.  

[HOrnbrod]

1 hour ago, Pete M said:

2wds sit an inch lower than 4wds, so a 3" puck lift for you is more like a 2" spring lift for 4wds.  but if you get 3" lift springs, your truck will be 4" higher than it is now.  roughly.  

 

31s on stock rims will need WJ lower control arms to prevent rubbing at full lock on the arms.

 

31s on aftermarket rims will need a 3" lift to prevent rubbing on the flares.

 

if it were me, I'd go with a 2" puck lift to bump up the front and some 30" tires for the "Jeep look".  below is my 2wd 88 with 30 inchers but no lift.  30s clear the arms just fine. 

 

Agree with all except the use of pucks. I'd recommend a new set of OME 930 springs up front first and see what you net for a lift. It will be 2"-3" initially. Plus the handling and ride will be substantially improved.  

[Eagle]

On 11/23/2017 at 12:50 PM, Jkellahan92 said:

My ‘88 is currently a 2.7L 4cyl 2WD with no plans of changing anytime soon. What are y’alls thoughts on a 3inch lift and 31s?

 

My thought is that a stock 2.5L doesn't have enough power to run 31s and be comfortable driving on the street.

[Pete M]

some owners with 4.10s have said it was "not that bad" but it varies with the driver's opinion.  I put 30s on my 88 (a little different since it was 4.0/3.08s) and hated it (eventually the dana 35 ate itself and got a 44 with better gearing.    )  

[DesertRat1991]

On 11/23/2017 at 10:50 AM, Jkellahan92 said:

My ‘88 is currently a 2.7L 4cyl 2WD with no plans of changing anytime soon. What are y’alls thoughts on a 3inch lift and 31s?

 

Go with a 30" tire instead. Less weight, less torque loss, less speedo error, only 1/2" less ground clearance.  And if you stick to 9.5" wide you are less likely to have interference with the control arms when turning. 

[HOrnbrod]

1 hour ago, DesertRat1991 said:

Go with a 30" tire instead. Less weight, less torque loss, less speedo error, only 1/2" less ground clearance.  And if you stick to 9.5" wide you are less likely to have interference with the control arms when turning. 

 

Nothing wrong with using a 30" tire, but the less speedo error statement is not always true. All 30" and 31" tires are not created equally. Some manufacturers' 30" tires are actually taller than another manufacturers' 31" tires. The actual tire diameter for your tire of choice can be found on the tire manufacturer's spec sheet for your tire. Actual tire diameter and the differential gear ratio are the two factors that determine the accuracy of the MJ/XJ speedometer. So when you finalize your tire size and the diff gear ratio, you must have the correct tooth count gear installed in the speedometer gear housing on the transmission or t-case depending if you are 2WD or 4WD.

 

There are lots of sites out there that list the correct speedo gear based on vehicle year, diff ratio, and actual tire diameter. Here's the best one.

[Jkellahan92]

This is how it currently sits 

[carnuck]

4wd 4.0L coils will lift the front a bit. If yours is like mine, AX4 and 3.55 gears SUCK for take off power after many miles and then add a load which is worse.
So to add tall tires and try to take off on a hill?
Fughedaboudit!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mjeff87]

Wow....NICE looking truck

 

I wouldn't do anything to it.

 

If yer really itching to change the stance, you could swap in a set of 4wd rear spring packs and add a set of 1" spacers up front, and throw a set of 30" tires on it.

 

Jeff

[Jkellahan92]

11 minutes ago, mjeff87 said:

Wow....NICE looking truck

 

I wouldn't do anything to it.

 

If yer really itching to change the stance, you could swap in a set of 4wd rear spring packs and add a set of 1" spacers up front, and throw a set of 30" tires on it.

 

Jeff

I think I’ve been convinced into putting some OME 930s on the front and throw on some 30s

[Eagle]

10 minutes ago, Jkellahan92 said:

I think I’ve been convinced into putting some OME 930s on the front and throw on some 30s

 

Short of leaving it stock, that sounds like a good choice.

[HOrnbrod]

OME calls them 2930's now, but it's the same spring. They just don't mark them Left and Right anymore.