Comanche Fun-Runner: LS3, Ford D44 TTB IFS, AX-15/NP242, Built Ford 9’’

[Comanche SS]

This post is roughly 4 years in the making.

Got the TTB crossmember cut out, tacked together and mocked up. It fits wonderfully, some slight adjustments needed, but it couldnt have gone any better really. 

Before the I-beams were installed, I had purchased and wanted to do TTB, but I didn't have what it takes to do it back then. I put the I beams in instead, and was unhappy with them. Ive spent probably 100+ hours designing this in CAD...it looks simple but it really is not. Getting two items that have a fixed distance, rotation, and yaw squared into a chassis that is only available thru measurements and not in CAD, and then cycling those two items in a suspension cycle to make clearances. and then turning the tires each way and doing the whole process over and over again at various points. 
 

Nevertheless it pays off when the very first prototype works this well. It bolts right up, the spacing and clearances are all spot on. Have a perfectly centered track width, WMS is 65'' as factory ford intended. Cycles 8'' uptravel clean, and down travel will be limited by the U joint angles. Should net around 16-18'' usable travel with 4x4 when all said and done. 

Lots more to come with the design of Double swingset steering, and the control arms, shock mounts etc...

[neohic]

This is awesome!!!

[ghetdjc320]

Excellent work, looks great! Looking forward to seeing how it all turns out 

[Comanche SS]

14 hours ago, neohic said:

This is awesome!!!

 

10 hours ago, ghetdjc320 said:

Excellent work, looks great! Looking forward to seeing how it all turns out 

Thanks guys!

Working on designing the steering as we speak, then control arms and shock mounts

[Comanche SS]

Got the control arm mounts started…Will be bolt on with the shock mount and adjustable caster on the radius arms.

[Comanche SS]

Had to revise the Control arm mounts for the angle of control arms, and the angle of the beams. Now that the beams are actually under the truck with the crossmember, it’s much easier to get real world dimensions instead of trying to measure thin air and draw in CAD you just hopes itll work. 

[Comanche SS]

This steering really burned up my brain lol

[Comanche SS]

Got most of the parts cut now, slowly building this puzzle.

[Comanche SS]

cycling 18’’ of travel with some really tight tolerances!

[Comanche SS]

Steering swingers starting to take shape.

Also, received the parts to finish all (14) rod ends that the front suspension and steering take. 

[ghetdjc320]

Someday you’ll be the first to bring to market a bolt on IFS system for the MJ/XJ 

[watchamakalit]

3 hours ago, ghetdjc320 said:

Someday you’ll be the first to bring to market a bolt on IFS system for the MJ/XJ 

[Comanche SS]

23 hours ago, ghetdjc320 said:

Someday you’ll be the first to bring to market a bolt on IFS system for the MJ/XJ 

Already in talk with a manufacturing company…stay tuned.

[ghetdjc320]

1 hour ago, Comanche SS said:

Already in talk with a manufacturing company…stay tuned.

[Comanche SS]

Got cotrol arms mocked up

[speeding_infraction]

That rig is gonna look bad @$$ going over desert whoops😎

[Comanche SS]

Steering all mocked up!

[Comanche SS]

Some Glamor shots…so relieved this is working, now it’s just a matter of pulling it all apart, welding, painting, and assembling. This has been my biggest design and fabrication challenge to date. Definitely learned a lot along the way.

[ghetdjc320]

7 hours ago, Comanche SS said:

Some Glamor shots…so relieved this is working, now it’s just a matter of pulling it all apart, welding, painting, and assembling. This has been my biggest design and fabrication challenge to date. Definitely learned a lot along the way.

Very interesting steering design. Is there a reason you didn’t go with the regular ttb y link setup? I’m guessing the angles would have been too severe??

[Comanche SS]

2 hours ago, ghetdjc320 said:

Very interesting steering design. Is there a reason you didn’t go with the regular ttb y link setup? I’m guessing the angles would have been too severe??

Y link steering introduces bump steer, when the inner steering pivot is not in plane with the beam pivot it travels a different arc….same concept with wanting a track bar to be the same length, angle, and plane as your steering in solid axle setups

[Comanche SS]

Spent a few hours this weekend welding and another few hours sanding, painting and preparing.

Hoping to get all this back under the jeep this week, my sinuses are really feeling all the fumes I was breathing this weekend lol

[Comanche SS]

Been sick this last week, got behind schedule. Should be a runner this weekend, just in the assembly stage now

[Comanche SS]

Some teaser shots with the new TTB front end

[coheed]

This is such a great build. I've very rarely thought about getting away from the stock 4-link short arm setup, but if there was a kit for this, I'd be incredibly tempted.

[Comanche SS]

53 minutes ago, coheed said:

This is such a great build. I've very rarely thought about getting away from the stock 4-link short arm setup, but if there was a kit for this, I'd be incredibly tempted.

I do have a kit going for this, Thank you for the support!