Hi..mynameisHeep Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Hey guys I just bought my first Mj 89 2wd long bed and honestly don’t know what to do or where to get parts. The way I’m thinking is first change the bench seat to bucket seats, then get a lift don’t know if 3 in or 4.5 in works best. And then lastly trying to convert it into a 4x4. I’ll probably do more but those are the main ideas I have now. Any tips or tricks to help me get the process going I would greatly appreciate it. It’s going to be a daily so not looking for anything extreme, just a weekend out on the trails. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghetdjc320 Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Welcome aboard. There are so many different ways to go with the build. If your looking to build an off-road or trail rig then a long bed is always a bit of a pain to work with. I always like the idea of a long bed 2wd towing rig. That was the real “work” truck model. But with time and money you could build anything you want. A mild 2” lift will let you run 31” tires. 4.5 would be decent for 33” tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghetdjc320 Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 For parts, most xj cherokee front lifts will fit. There are few complete kits for the MJ available so you’ll have to likely source the lift for the rear. The rear uses a longer leaf springs than the Cherokee and the springs run under the axle. If you convert the springs to ride over the axle (known as soa) then you will gain approx 5.5” of lift in the rear. If your looking for 2-4.5” you could go with either an add a leaf setup (adding a new leaf your your rear spring pack to provide more lift) or you could go with an aftermarket leaf spring pack which replaces the whole spring and provides the needed lift. SD truck springs makes an HD 5 leaf sparing pack that will give about 2.5” of lift to a stock truck. Hells Creek off-road makes springs in the 4-4.5” variety iirc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 welcome to the addiction! my honest suggestion is to pump the breaks on alterations and get to know the truck first. make it a reliable daily driver before you go modding things. it's 3 decades old and big tires don't make the fuel pump work or keep the engine cool. the link in my sig has Cruiser's MJ tips. do all of them. They cover most all of the known issues with wiring and more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatslug87 Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Welcome to CC. Please post your VIN in the registry, someone will get you the build sheet information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 2 hours ago, Pete M said: make it a reliable daily driver before you go modding things. 100% this. Getting it running good before trying to mess with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghetdjc320 Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Agreed. The info above is assuming that you have a good running truck that has been properly maintained all its life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzimm Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Pete hit the nail on the head. Run through the entire truck first. Cruiser's tips are an absolute must! Also you'll want to go through and check/replace fluids, spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor, check your air filter, pull your tires off and check your brakes to make sure you've got life left on the pads and rotors up front and the shoes and drums in the rear. A big thing is to check for is rust and take care of that asap! Pull up your carpet and see what your floors look like. The sooner you fix that, the less of a headache you'll have later. These trucks turn into swiss cheese quickly and it becomes a royal PIA to fix it later. You'll also want to start making a list of what your truck has such as axles/gear ratio, trans, engine, ect and add it to your signature here so you can always reference it as can the rest of us so we always know what the truck has when we are discussing it. There are instructions for that in the DIY and write-ups section. Also be sure to ask every question you have and can't find an answer for, we are here to help! Welcome to the addition!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldManComanche Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 I agree with everyone else, get to know the truck and have fun with it FIRST! Find out what needs attention and fix it. Once you have a little experience with it you will have a better idea of modifications that you would like to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMO413 Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Welcome to the club! I agree with what everyone else has stated. Get it running and see what problems it has before you start modifications. Cruisers tips are a must. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted March 29, 2021 Share Posted March 29, 2021 22 hours ago, Hi..mynameisHeep said: Hey guys I just bought my first Mj 89 2wd long bed and honestly don’t know what to do or where to get parts. The way I’m thinking is first change the bench seat to bucket seats, then get a lift don’t know if 3 in or 4.5 in works best. And then lastly trying to convert it into a 4x4. I’ll probably do more but those are the main ideas I have now. Any tips or tricks to help me get the process going I would greatly appreciate it. It’s going to be a daily so not looking for anything extreme, just a weekend out on the trails. Thanks Don't lift it. An MJ at stock height on 30" or 31" tires is a VERY capable trail vehicle for up through moderate trails, and even some difficult trails. And lifts and huge tires do not make it better for daily driver duty -- they make it downright unpleasant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 29, 2021 Share Posted March 29, 2021 and of course read, through this thread if you haven't yet. , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi..mynameisHeep Posted March 29, 2021 Author Share Posted March 29, 2021 Wow... Jeepers are really a community. I appreciate all the tips and definitely will start getting work on getting to know the truck. But like it’s very new to me so if I ask a dumb question just don’t roast me to much. Lol. But I think I’m ready for this lifestyle. Ja feel ps and yeah I’m looking thru my truck find all the extra stuff like, axles/gear ratio, trans, engine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 29, 2021 Share Posted March 29, 2021 never apologize for asking questions. (I think it's rule #2?) we all start at the bottom of the knowledge ladder and work our way up. post your VIN in the registry and see what all pops up https://comancheclub.com/forum/28-comanche-registry/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldManComanche Posted March 29, 2021 Share Posted March 29, 2021 If you never asked a question, you would never learn anything! I ask a lot of questions, but keep forgetting the answers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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