Tactical Bacon Posted February 6, 2022 Share Posted February 6, 2022 (edited) Don't have a name for her yet but figured it's attempt 2.0 since it's my second Comanche. She's a 1992 Eliminator with an AW4 and 2wd. Pictures will be coming soon. The goal is to lower her about 2" up front and 3-4" in the rear, really give her that sporty feel. That and just restoring her in general, making sure she doesn't have any rust (looks solid so far, even the floorboards), and hoping another moron driver around here doesn't t-bone this one, too. Drove her home yesterday and had trouble getting the driver door to unlock after locking it so my first few hours with it were taking the actuator out, cleaning and lubing it, and then driving around town finding and buying lock rod clips in the hope that something would work to replace the ones that broke during disassembly. I had partial success in modifying a clip for the lock rod at the inner door lock switch. I also discovered the spring for the driver handle is broken so I'm hunting up a replacement for that. Edited May 1, 2022 by Tactical Bacon Change thread name to reflect Jeep's name Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 Onto the next one eh?? well sounds like a nice candidate to be slammed. Congrats and look forward to some project pics. Not very often do you find these be lowered but they do have a nice sporty look when they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted February 7, 2022 Author Share Posted February 7, 2022 Took some time today to clean out the bed and went through all the spare parts that came with the truck. I made sure to let the tailgate down and stretch out in the bed to enjoy it. I also got it to take some freon and the compressor kicks on now but it's hard to tell how well the ac works when it's 40* outside. Also reconnected the vacuum hose to the recirculation door actuator. Next was a trip to the part store to order a new coolant temp sender since the old one is open circuit between the pin and the body. That should be here tomorrow. I also checked the oil and it was about 2 quarts low, looks like a potential timing cover leak. By the time I finished shooting the breeze with my buddy there, it was night out. All the exterior lights and dash lights work but I realized the heater controls did not. One 74 bulb later that was fixed. Bonus fix! I found the antenna cable wasn't connected to the radio so now I have reception even without an antenna on the fender. Brake fluid is blacker than night and needs a flush so I'll be taking care of that soon. Underside is getting Fluid Filmed soon to keep it rust free. Driver door speaker being dead is noticeable now that the radio has reception. I'm also going to try and find some sporty 17s since I think they'll match the look I want. I also need to find a driver rear fender flare and all the mounting hardware for all 4 flares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted February 9, 2022 Author Share Posted February 9, 2022 Small steps are steps nonetheless. I replaced the driver side B Pillar bulb without exploding it to bits. Then I flipped the passenger side since it was installed upside down. Very surprised that they were in such a good condition. I also replaced a driver tail light and back-up bulb. The glove box bulb was also missing so I put one in and it works fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted February 9, 2022 Share Posted February 9, 2022 Let there be light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 solid lookin' truck. good score! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted February 15, 2022 Author Share Posted February 15, 2022 My buddy has an 86 long bed that's in pretty rough shape overall and eventually destined to be a trail rig so I saved some parts off it yesterday. The big score for me is the complete set of fender flares and and mounting hardware. Brackets are in decent shape, a few pieces are slightly bent and only 33 of the studs snapped removing the bolts. So I fabbed up a drilling rig from an old 2x4 that I had lying around (used to use it to help jack up my old Comanche) and spent a bit drilling out the busted studs from the driver side parts. I'm not 100% on how I'll attach the bolts to replace the studs but the holes are the perfect size to tap for 6mm bolts. So, I may do that and thread them in, then put some jb weld on top of them to hold them there. Also scored a nice pair of tail lights in better shape than my own. So they'll get a cleanup before I swap them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 I skipped the brackets entirely for some 1/4" SS bolts and SS fender washers on my MJ trailer. other guys have done as you are thinking and just use the brackets as giant washers. still other guys weld bolts to the brackets. it doesn't matter much as long as the fenders stay put at freeway speeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted February 28, 2022 Author Share Posted February 28, 2022 I ended up tapping the holes for M6x1.0 threads with mixed results. Some of the holes had threads that held and others didn't but in the end they all tightened down nicely to hold the flares firmly in place. I finished that up last weekend. I also found my battery to be completely dead (around 800 mV) yesterday afternoon so I tricked my smart charger into charging it overnight and after reinstalling it tracked my 140 mA draw to be in the Horn or Headlamp Delay circuits as the draw dropped to ~10 mA when I removed the fuse for those items. Too cold to stay outside and trace wires and investigate further so I left off at that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeComanches Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 Nice score! Glad another '92 is being saved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted April 30, 2022 Author Share Posted April 30, 2022 I can't change the thread name but I did decide on a name for her, Kaede. In the past few weeks I bought a big kit of lock rod clips from Disco and replaced all the old clips in the driver door. Dumped some Slime in the DF tire because it kept leaking down to around 20 psi. Still haven't replaced the tail light assemblies so I may get out and clean/install the nicer ones today. Aside from that I've just been driving it some days to work. I also have rear spring shackles from an XJ out for delivery so that should level the suspension height between front and rear and move me towards my goals of lowering this into a bit of a sport truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 1 hour ago, Tactical Bacon said: I can't change the thread name but I did decide on a name for her, Kaede Yes you can. Just edit your first post which lets you edit the title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted May 1, 2022 Author Share Posted May 1, 2022 2 hours ago, eaglescout526 said: Yes you can. Just edit your first post which lets you edit the title. Did not know that, much obliged! Got out and cleaned up the replacement tail light assemblies and installed them. Forgot to take pictures while it was still light out, naturally. The new XJ shackles I ordered arrived while I was out there so I went ahead and installed them to lower her about an inch in the back and level the ride. Driver side is sitting about an inch lower from the years so I'll be sourcing new springs. Can't wait to add more low! Also climbed under it to swap out the fuel hose at the filter, someone put 3/8" on the outlet and it was pretty swollen so a few inches of EFI rated 5/16" has it right. Lastly, I fired it up and added a little more than a can of 134 to the system and while not total ice cubes, the ac is working and is right on the lower edge of green on the gauge. Unfortunately the last of my cans so I'll need to stock back up, some of the other cars around the house are an ounce or two low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 1, 2022 Share Posted May 1, 2022 do pay attention any time it comes off a lift to make sure the shorter shackle doesn't invert. careful about new aftermarket springs, as they tend to be taller than factory for some reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted May 18, 2022 Author Share Posted May 18, 2022 Drove the Jeep around a bit on the 5th running errands with the AC on and was rewarded with a puddle of condensation in the passenger floor. Drain doesn't seem to be clogged but I only went as far as checking with a finger. Today I got after the wipers not working right when I got home. Verified all the wiring in both the switch and body-side wiring then found a diagram for the PCB and deduced that the original delay module has a blown transistor. So for now, I'm running no delay. After that I located and unplugged the headlight delay module, re-inserted the fuse for it, and measured the voltage drop across it at 0.3 mV which comes out to a ~120 mA draw and means that the draw is in the horn wiring circuit. I also inspected my washer fluid leak at the reservoir and found that the hose wasn't even hooked to the pump. Now I have no leak and working sprayers. Interestingly, it has what seems to be the hose and electrical connector for a second pump. Lastly, I locked my keys in it and had to rustle up a coat hangar and after trying to hook a lock rod, decided it would be easier to rip the gorilla tape helping hold the rear sliding glass closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 not the first, certainly won't be the last to have to get in via the rear window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted May 19, 2022 Author Share Posted May 19, 2022 Noticed this morning that the passenger sprayer wasn't working. Now I see why. I installed a cruise control actuator two weeks ago on lunch but I'm having trouble running vacuum lines because someone relocated the vacuum canister. Also, can anyone verify this hole being on their Jeep between the booster and throttle cable? It's about an inch in diameter. For now I covered it with duck tape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxyjeep Posted May 20, 2022 Share Posted May 20, 2022 On 5/18/2022 at 6:36 PM, Tactical Bacon said: Also, can anyone verify this hole being on their Jeep between the booster and throttle cable? It's about an inch in diameter. For now I covered it with duck tape. That hole is for the speedo cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted May 20, 2022 Author Share Posted May 20, 2022 7 hours ago, SoCalJeepComanche said: That hole is for the speedo cable. Is it supposed to be punched out like that on a 1992? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted May 24, 2022 Author Share Posted May 24, 2022 Relocated the vacuum ball back to its stock location over the weekend and hooked up the vacuum lines to the cruise control actuator. Also ordered a cheapo switch off ebay so I should have working cruise soon. Old tires on the Jeep are pretty well worn so I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet on wheels and tires since I plan to lower it. Found reproduction Terminator Cobra wheels, a set of 17*9 and ordered them Thursday, should be here Wednesday. Decided to wrap them in the factory Cobra size and ordered the cheapest tires I could through work, about $130 each before taxes. Wonder if it'll still do a burnout... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted May 25, 2022 Author Share Posted May 25, 2022 Clocked out a little early at work to mount my new tires, old ones in the front were bald as an old guy in a hentai. These reproduction wheels from LMR fit great! except the hub centering rings on the drums are like 2 or 3 mm too large and they won't slip over... Hopefully I can resolve that tonight, also stopping for new lug nuts on the way home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted May 27, 2022 Author Share Posted May 27, 2022 "He did not, in fact, resolve that problem the same night." Borrowed a carbide bit from my coworker today and after I got home, clearanced the other two wheels to fit on the rear. Only, I may not have removed enough material as they are currently quite stuck... But they're flush to the drum and torqued to spec so it's gtg on that front and looking good. I found a rabbeting bit online that can cut small enough to still have a snug but non-interference fit so I'll eventually order it and a router to modify the wheels on the front before I'm due for a rotate along with figuring out how to remove the rear wheels without damaging them so I can take a bit more off them. I also stretched out on my wet driveway to replace the tie rod ends and adjuster for setting total toe since the old ones were seized up stiff to each other. That means an alignment on my lunch break and eating fast but I don't want these new tires to wear too fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 rims look good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted May 29, 2022 Author Share Posted May 29, 2022 Drove the truck to work on Friday and corrected the toe on my lunch break. I thought I had a little toe out after installing the new parts but I actually had 3.5* of toe in! Took 10 minutes and the steering wheel was even straight after. Then yesterday UPS dropped off the 2" steel block kit with u-bolts that I ordered from Rusty's Offroad Products so it was off to the races to install them. I also put in the rear ZJ coils that came with the truck and it looks pretty good. Hopefully it rides well but if not, I can take a coil or two out of the springs that were in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tactical Bacon Posted June 4, 2022 Author Share Posted June 4, 2022 Wednesday had a busy afternoon after I got off work. Turns out the passenger side wasn't quite all the way down so the drum could still move back and forth on the studs independently of the axle and wheel. The fit for the passenger wheel was also so tight I had to manage to pop the center cap out and use a 3-jaw puller to remove the wheel from the hub. It didn't take much to knock down the high spots and now that wheel slips right off and on without too much difficulty. Driver side only took a few stern smacks from a deadblow hammer to remove it and got the same treatment. Right now the front fender flares are both about 27.75" off the ground, the passenger rear is 28.5", and the driver rear is 27.5" because of the sag in the leaf springs on that side. Cruise control stalk also got the wires routed down the steering column. The trick it turns out is to put mechanic's wire through the hole in the metal prongs of the plug once you have it inside the column and it'll pull it right down. Seafoamed the intake through the booster hose, replaced the brake fluid in the master cylinder, then today I replaced the coolant temp sender and got the gauge working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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