JWheeler331 Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Okay, I figured I would go ahead and post up my new project here to document over time the changes made. Truck: 1988 Comanche Pioneer Short Box 4.0 5 speed transmission D44 D30 axles NP 231 Transfer Case Very solid truck over all. The only rust I can find is some small scratches on the bed rails that have a little surface rust. The truck had a spray on bedliner or something under it. It is starting to wear off now but at least it protected it for many years. Floorboards from the bottom are solid as a rock. I will eventually pull the carpet and make sure they are solid from the top. Dash cluster does not work so I will need to try and figure that out. I will try on my own first and have been reading over some links provided here to try and figure that out. This will be a project that may take some time as I am learning as I go and going to try to focus on one thing at a time rather than a bunch at once which my A.D.D. wants me to do. I feel like if I caved into that I would have a truck in a bunch of pieces and may be overwhelming. I am not sure what my full plans are for the truck but I do know that I would eventually like to run 33 inch tires and keep a fairly stock looking truck other than the lift. Not wanting to cut the fenders and such. Also, if you are on Instagram I made a page there also. 88ComancheJeep First up are some pics of when I purchased the truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 Once it was home I could actually go over it a little better. At the moment it has Corbeau Moab Seats. They are very comfortable but I got a bench seat with it and I will clean that one up and put it back in the truck more than likely. I am pretty sure that the rear end is a D44 and the front is a D30 from looking at other photos and shapes. Although I have driven other Jeeps in the past and actually have a JKU right now......this will be my first time actually having a project Jeep so I will hopefully learn a lot on this project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 First up on the list of things to do is the front brakes. These things are rough. Not sure when the last time they were changed but I can see and feel big groves in the rotars. The previous owner also stated that one of the calipers drags so I am going to replace the entire front brakes. Now that the front brakes are done I also gave it a much needed bath. The paint is a dull Colorado Red but not the worst I have seen. Maybe I will buff it and see how clean it will come but for now a simple wash will do. Being new to all of this I will no doubt have to purchase tools along the way. First tools purchased were a jack and some jack stands along with a allen key socket set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Looking good! And yes, that is a Dana 44 rear axle. Nice find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 4 hours ago, 87Warrior said: Looking good! And yes, that is a Dana 44 rear axle. Nice find! Thanks. I was happy to find this one. I almost made the very long trip to Pennsylvania to get one but decided the price of the trip plus the price of the truck just wasn’t worth it to me. The day I turned that one down this one fell into my lap and it was much cheaper and in my state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse J Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 11 hours ago, JWheeler331 said: Floorboards from the bottom are solid as a rock. I will eventually pull the carpet and make sure they are solid from the top. my floorboards are also rock solid from the bottom but have almost cancer on the top. treat it before it gets worse. Great truck really scored with that 44! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 8 hours ago, Jesse J said: my floorboards are also rock solid from the bottom but have almost cancer on the top. treat it before it gets worse. Great truck really scored with that 44! Maybe that will be my next step on this one. Pull the carpet and assess any rust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse J Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 7 hours ago, JWheeler331 said: Maybe that will be my next step on this one. Pull the carpet and assess any rust. you definitely should you can always put the carpet back in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 16 hours ago, Jesse J said: you definitely should you can always put the carpet back in I had def. planned on it eventually but I think I am going to make that one of my tops now. That way I can address any rust (hopefully) before it gets to be too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scguy Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 When you have the carpet out, it's always a great idea to do a rust proofing coating like POR15 or Chassis Saver and optionally put down sound dampening material. Lots like Kilmat, I used Noico with good results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse J Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 29 minutes ago, scguy said: When you have the carpet out, it's always a great idea to do a rust proofing coating like POR15 or Chassis Saver and optionally put down sound dampening material. Lots like Kilmat, I used Noico with good results. POR15 is great and definetely go with some sort of sound dampening Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 4 hours ago, scguy said: When you have the carpet out, it's always a great idea to do a rust proofing coating like POR15 or Chassis Saver and optionally put down sound dampening material. Lots like Kilmat, I used Noico with good results. For sure. I just recently watched a video where a guy addressed his rust and then put down some Por-15 and put down some Noico. Maybe it was your video if you have any on YouTube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 3 hours ago, Jesse J said: POR15 is great and definetely go with some sort of sound dampening Thanks. Will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 is your rear prop valve hooked up to anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 47 minutes ago, Pete M said: is your rear prop valve hooked up to anything? That's a good question. As I am new to all of this I am not 100% sure. I will have to look at it and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scguy Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 4 hours ago, JWheeler331 said: For sure. I just recently watched a video where a guy addressed his rust and then put down some Por-15 and put down some Noico. Maybe it was your video if you have any on YouTube. I don't have any Comanche YouTube content. I've been thinking about doing a walk-around video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 13, 2022 Author Share Posted January 13, 2022 1 hour ago, scguy said: I don't have any Comanche YouTube content. I've been thinking about doing a walk-around video. That would be cool. I have watched hours of different Comanche videos on YouTube lately for ideas and information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 14, 2022 Author Share Posted January 14, 2022 On 1/12/2022 at 3:07 PM, Pete M said: is your rear prop valve hooked up to anything? Are you talking about the thing on the rear axle for brakes? What made you ask? I’m new to all this and trying to learn as I go. Did you see something that made you ask? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 there's nothing attached to the differential in the pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 14, 2022 Author Share Posted January 14, 2022 20 minutes ago, Pete M said: there's nothing attached to the differential in the pic. Do you happen to have a photo of what it’s supposed to look like? I have tried to search and don’t see it. I guess maybe something is not hooked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 it's the weird contraption to the drivers side of the diff attached to the underside of the bed. has a swing arm that should be connected to the diff via a rod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 20 hours ago, Pete M said: it's the weird contraption to the drivers side of the diff attached to the underside of the bed. has a swing arm that should be connected to the diff via a rod. Yeah it’s definitely not connected to anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 Here is a video of the rear axle. if it loads. IMG_7607.MOV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 in the short term you can use zip ties to hold it towards the passenger side at about the 2 or 3 oclock position. the link in my signature should have a writeup on a custom rod to connect to the axle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWheeler331 Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 Thanks. I’ll look through the links. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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