1987 Comanche SWB 2.5l (Betty) Build Thread

[thousender]

Hi there, I am officially starting a build thread for my 1987 SWB 2.5l 2wd. I already have a donor cherokee for the 4wd and will be putting in wj controll arms but am stuck on what to do lift wise. Since its a 2wd I think I'll be getting my driveshaft cut down as the cherokee one won't fit (correct me if I'm wrong). My original plan was to try a 2" shackle lift in the back and put 3" lift blocks in the front with plans to go more extreme in the future. But I don't want to get another driveshaft made in the future, so I'm thinking it might be the time to put the bigger lift on now (I'm thinking around 4-5 inches). I want it to ride comfortably on the highway and be soft on the trail so I'm hesitant to put in stuff like helper leafs. I'm in school so this is a budget build, but I have the time to do a nice job if that's what it takes. What are your opinions?

[OldSch88L]

Start with the lift you really want first, because then you will most likely need rear axle shims to correct the pinion angle. Once everything checks out, take your driveshaft measurements with the truck resting on its wheels, preferably with a full tank of gas. I got lift shackles on my MJ, and while cheap, I'm not a fan. The rear is now stiffer because the lift shackle has less angle than the stock one; at least that's my theory. And for 4-5" of lift, don't bother with WJ arms, as they'll be to short. Go right away with adjustable arms and save yourself the headache when comes the time to do the alignment. I have a 3 or 3.5" front lift with WJ arms, and my 31s rub the back of my flares when turning because my front axle is a bit too much set back. I need at least longer lower arms to solve this as I'm maxed out with caster adjustment shims.