87 Comanche rear coils

[Jeep_Rat]

  

 Let me begin by saying I would not chop up a good Comanche. That being said, mine was hit hard in the bed and totally stripped before I got it. So with nothing to lose I am removing the bed. The goal is to have rear coils and shorten the wheelbase by about 16 to 17 inches, without cutting up the original frame.

[89 MJ]

Oh this is going to be good. 

[MiNi Beast]

 coils.. interesting... what about air bags? 

[Jeep_Rat]

 Since the frame install was successful I mocked up the hood and did a quick floor repair with galvanized roofing after grinding and rust encapsulation. Fitting fenders will take some cutting. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[grumpiebill]

 Since the frame install was successful I mocked up the hood and did a quick floor repair with galvanized roofing after grinding and rust encapsulation. Fitting fenders will take some cutting. 

Drivers side rear cab corner looks like mine did. I got it close and my Dad (retired autonomy specialist) finished it up for me...

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

[Jeep_Rat]

  

 Hammered on the cab today.

 

 

[Jeep_Rat]

12 hours ago, Jeep_Rat said:

  

 Fantasy photoshop

[Jesse J]

14 hours ago, Jeep_Rat said:

  

 Hammered on the cab today.

looks way better than it did

[Jeep_Rat]

Here's the front Cherokee donor axle for the front of the Comanche. It's a 41-10 (4.10 ratio). I have a 41-9 but I would need 2 so I'll save it and the corresponding rear axle for another project.

[Jeep_Rat]

Here's the planned donor, 4 cyl. 4 speed manual (rare Borg Warner) and 4.10 gears.

[Pete M]

one of the most unique ideas I've seen yet  

[Jesse J]

so wait what are you doing?

[Jeep_Rat]

Since there is only 5 inches between the Comanche frame and the Cherokee subframe, the stock springs are too wide. So I'm using a pair of coils that are 4 inches in diameter. The perches are rear end housing ends that are offset inboard an inch with a plate bolted to the old perches. Mocking them up on the front axle.

[Jeep_Rat]

Installed the Cherokee donor axle and modeled a tire to get an overview.  Looks like the wheelbase will be about 96 inches, same as a short Wrangler.

 

[Jeep_Rat]

More axle pictures.

 

[Pete M]

On 3/7/2021 at 8:00 PM, Jeep_Rat said:

  

 Hammered on the cab today.

 

 

 

 

I keep telling guys they don't have to jump right to the welder to fix dents.   that's some fine rough body work there.  

[Jeep_Rat]

Just needs about 4 hours of hammer, dolly, heat shrinking and bondomagic.

 

 

[Jeep_Rat]

Later...

 

[Jeep_Rat]

Used an inclination gauge to locate front axle control arm brackets before welding. One bracket had to be modified to clear the edge of the Dana 35 housing from the rear of a Cherokee.

 

[Jeep_Rat]

Finished welding the perches and control arm brackets from the 2x4 Cherokee front axle to the donor rear axle.

 

[Jeep_Rat]

Installed offset perches for the 4" OD springs.

 

[Jeep_Rat]

  

 The Cherokee rear differential hump is centered as opposed to a front axle that is 6 inches offset. So the curve in a stock trackbar is in the wrong place.  One advantage is being able to set its length to center the axle.

 

 

[Swampy]

This is pretty cool honestly. Love the ingenuity. I will have to ask two questions. 1) Why you decided to shorten the wheel base? Was that just where it happened to fall when you grated the front clip onto the back of the comanche? 2) Why stick with the d35? Again was it something you on hand already with gears and lockers to keep cost down?

[Jeep_Rat]

Another fantasy photoshop.

 

[Jeep_Rat]

Welded trackbar together. It took 2 flat washers spacing one weld joint to center the steering. This may be the thickness lost when the bar was cut.