Tomahawk Comanche - 1989 to 2001 Conversion

[Tomahawk_MJ]

Personal Introduction:

My name is Britton and I am an addict...jk but seriously though haha. Career wise I am a mechanical engineer but I prefer to consider myself a jack of many trades and a master of none. I am constantly tinkering on something, working any number of projects, and tossing ideas around in my head constantly (both a blessing a curse).

 

Anyways, I've been into Jeeps since I could drive and this is officially the 4th Jeep I have owned. 

 

1. 1999 2 door XJ 5 speed, 4.0L, 3.5" lift, 265/75/16 BFG ATs on TJ Rubicon wheels, overhead console, cruise control. She was a street queen and truly hated to see it go. Especially since it was my first car with a lot of memories. 
2. 1999 XJ 4 door, 4.5" lift, 33x12.5x15 Federal MTs, doorless mod, bedliner floors and headliner. Nothing special made for the woods but not a true beater and I still took care of it
3. Sold both and bought a stock 2005 TJ/LJ Unlimited 6 speed with 78,000 miles. Installed 2.5" suspension lift, 1.25" body lift, 305/70/17 Goodyear MTR/K on JK Moab wheels. Kept it otherwise stock and clean because I started to venture away from tearing things up off-road and prefer mild trail riding and camping now.
4. Then I stumbled into this project...1989 Jeep Comanche MJ. Drivetrain and dash were swapped but not finished and virtually rust free with 4/5 star floor boards compared to a lot of other Comanches.

 

The back story:

December 2018:

Me: "Dude look at this Comanche! Its half way converted, you think I should buy it?"

Friend: "Do it! You always said you wanted to build one. It'll be fun."

 

It is not fun. Well sometimes it was but never again will I take on a project like this. It might just be the straw that broke the camels back. Still undecided...

 

I have a bad habit of getting started on a task and becoming completely focused on completing it then forgetting to take before and after pictures. I usually remember about halfway through that I should've taken before pictures so I apologize in advance and I'll try to explain each picture/process in detail to give the full picture.

 

As bought condition 12/1/18 (Previous owners shop, but wish it was mine):

 

Build Plans:

-Full 2000 XJ swap interior, exterior, and drivetrain

-Dual gas tanks ~40+ gallons (TJ gas tank behind axle and Dakota gas tank in stock location)

-Metallic silver paint

-Ford 8.8 rear axle

-4.10 gears

-Spring over rear

-4.5" Rubicon Express front coils (possible spacer to level out)

-Rubicon Express control arm drop brackets

-JKS Quick Diconnects

-ZJ V8 tie rod and draglink

-Ten Factory Dana 30 axle seals

-JL Rubicon wheels with 285/75/17 BFG KO3s

-1.5" wheel spacer adapters (5x4.5 to 5x5)

-Rancho 9000XL adjustable shocks

-WJ control arms

-Raptor Liner or LineX bedliner

-Custom bed rack

-Custom bed rails

 

Teaser shot of the current status as of 9/29/19:

 

I will be posting a full start to finish timeline/explanation/how-to of the build in the days to come to walk everyone through the long process this has been. So stay tuned for that.

 

As of right now (10/10/19) it is currently my daily driver while the LJ is being worked on.

 

Here is a list of things I still need to do on the MJ to make it "100% finished":

-Bedliner (probably Raptor Liner)

-Restore tailights (maybe LED bulb swap)

-Modify and install overhead console (shorten, graft, LED bulbs, and determining mounting)

-Reupholster visors to match new headliner, LED bulbs, and install (matching material was provided with it)

-Install tailgate (at sand blasting 10/8/19)

-Install Dirtbound Manta Ray rear bumper (ordered on 10/7/19)

-Replace clock spring (possible WJ steering wheel swap at the same time)

-Mount/Install emergency brakes with 8.8 adapter clevis

-Fender flares (Very undecided on this. Napier or Notch or just stock trimmed with rubber edging)

-Front bumper (JCR Crusader or Dirtbound Mojave. Really like the thought of a hidden winch front bumper and hope these could be modified for that)

-Gear swap to 4.10 (front Dana 30 is 3.55 and rear 8.8 is 4.10 so 2WD until then)

 

[Pete M]

love it!   

 

quick question though, is it me or does the bed seem... off just a bit?   eh, it's probably just the photo that makes it look like the gap at the bottom is larger than at the top. 

[Tomahawk_MJ]

18 hours ago, Pete M said:

love it!   

 

quick question though, is it me or does the bed seem... off just a bit?   eh, it's probably just the photo that makes it look like the gap at the bottom is larger than at the top. 

You have a good eye. There was a stamped bed gusset on each side of the bed near the rear most bolt hole that was interfering with the new x-member I welded in for the TJ tank mounting. I was able to slit it and fold it over flat so it's fixed now and sitting level with all 8 bed bolts installed. I'm going to explain that when I get around to posting all of the pictures.

[Pete M]

excellent!   

[ValpoManche]

What made you decide on Rubicon 4.5” over Rustys or other high quality lifts... no need to discuss Rough Country.  Also, since you have been driving it daily with the Rubicon lift, how do you like it with your WJ control arm swap? I just picked up my project and want to do a 4.5” lift and have noticed a lot of people doing the rubicon lift. 

[Tomahawk_MJ]

On 10/15/2019 at 12:05 AM, ValpoManche said:

What made you decide on Rubicon 4.5” over Rustys or other high quality lifts... no need to discuss Rough Country.  Also, since you have been driving it daily with the Rubicon lift, how do you like it with your WJ control arm swap? I just picked up my project and want to do a 4.5” lift and have noticed a lot of people doing the rubicon lift. 

Sorry, went dark for a bit. Still trying to finish this build but getting burned out. Dual gas tank using a  Dodge Dakota in the stock location is going in the week and I just finished installing the overhead console. That was a pain but definitely well worth it! Massive picture dump is coming this weekend.  

 

I went with Rubicon Express after comparing the spring rates of every company for the lift height I wanted. The Rubicon Express RE1310 4.5" XJ coil is 164 lbs/inch and the Rusty's 4.5 XJ coil is 150 lbs/inch. I have had the Rusty's coils before on a short arm XJ with 4.5" lift and didn't really have any complaints. Rusty's consistency in quality for other parts is sometimes questionable though so I ultimately went with Rubicon Express for 3 reasons: 1) Better overall trusted reputation 2) Relatively the same spring rate 3) They were cheaper on Amazon and had 2 day shipping haha.

 

I had to add a 2" spacer the the front to bring it level with the rear 8.8 spring over. Before the spacer my control arms were parallel. After the 2" spacer the control arms are still nearly parallel to the ground with around 10° incline and I noticed a slight change in the handling bumps or potholes but nothing drastic. So I'm at 6.5" lift now and looking back I probably would have went with the 6.5 Rusty's spring since it's also 150 lbs/inch compared to the RE1345 5.5" XJ coil at 184 lbs/inch.

 

With saying all of that, the angle of the control arms is your main factor in ride quality, then shocks, then springs, then control arm bushings which is just icing on the cake. Combined with the Rubicon Express drop brackets, WJ control arms, and Rancho 9000XL adjustable shocks it is the best riding XJ/MJ/TJ solid front axle I have drove or rode in.

 

Spring Rate Link:

https://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/springs-heights-their-spring-rates-613756/

[Tomahawk_MJ]

A teaser of the shortened XJ overhead console grafted to fit in the Comanche .