89 commanche

I just took my 89 cherokee up to paragon for my first real off roading trip. Needless to say I now have the bug and after putting a hole in the side of my dd the wife gave me permission to pick up an old off-road only veh. The guys at the park were great and one of them offered me a 89 commanche 5 spd 4.0 for a good price. The truck is completely stock and I'm wondering if the XJ parts are compatible with MJ. Items such as front bumpers, lift kits, under the hood items, etc... can I take these items for a 84-01 cherokee and stick them on the MJ. Any advice on how the MJ compares to the Xj would be appreciated.

also wondering does the MJ sit at the same height and have the same size tires? I've looked on other threads and it wasn't mentioned

Most of your front clip and underhood goodies for the MJ will be compatible with XJ stuff in the same bracket - either 1984-86 for the 86MJ, or 1987-1996 for the 87-92 MJ. Anything outside of those brackets will take a little work.

You'll probably want to start with taking the rear axle from SUA (Spring Under Axle - pretty standard for pickup trucks) to a SOA (Spring Over Axle - like under your XJ) and pick the front end up about 3" while you're about it. As I recall, that's just a matter of relocating the spring perches - check you pinion angle while you're about it, unless you're doing it as part of a total lift, then you'll probably want an SYE kit anyhow.

While I don't have an XJ and an MJ sitting side by side, I'm sure that the SUA for the MJ makes it sit a little lower than an XJ (anyone got an MJ they want to sell me - cheap? I tried to get John Cappa's J-20 from "Cut That Thing Up!" in the last Jp, but he wants $3k and I just ain't got it. He did like the idea that I wanted to flog it around as a work truck, and use it to haul engines and other dirty things - which is really what I want a pickup for, be it MJ or J-series.)

Tyres are probably the same size - or close - and, apart from the SUA/SOA bit, the axles are the same as well. You'll probably find a "load-sensing" valve in the rear brake line on the MJ - leave it there if you plan on hauling anything.

MJ and XJ lift kits might be a little different - and I think the rear leaves are a little longer on the MJ, even after the SOA conversion. I'm sure someone else here can answer that better than I can at the moment - most of my recent researches have been on swapping engine and drivetrain parts.

I'm pretty sure the wheelbase is a few inches longer as well - something else to think about when you consider handling.

I'm sure there are a few other things I should be saying right now, but they escape me.

5-90

The seat rails and tail lights are different. I would check what tranny is in that one. 89 was the year they switched from the BA-10/5 Peugeot to the AX-15. The AX-15 is good, the BA-10/5 is a bit weak of a tranny. On the lift kits its the rear springs that are different. You can do a SOA as suggested. It will be a 4.5-6 inch lift though. Maybe thats what you want. I'd check out Rubicon Express for a lift like that. Others have 3-3.5 inch lift kits.
Tom

SYEs on comanches are needed with a lot more lift, MJs have long driveshafts compared to the XJ

Everything from the steering wheel forward is the same. Seats are different, console is different...

Rearend is SUA a SPO is supposibly going to give you anywhere from 5 to 6 inches.

Tire size and wheels are the same.

Rear springs are much different, a lot more arch to MJ springs and a longer shackle.

The load sensing vavle on the rear end is taken "deactivated" by many, when you lift the truck it becomes useless, put it on the highest setting and leave it there, or get rid of it all together (like me)

summitlt said:

SYEs on comanches are needed with a lot more lift, MJs have long driveshafts compared to the XJ

Click to expand...

I disagree with this statement. I have an MJ with about 8"es of lift. The drive-shaft is much longer than the XJ, so your not as likely to need an SYE at all. I don't have one with 8"es of lift on the MJ, and my XJ needed one after 4.5"es of lift.

I think for a trail beater, you can't go wrong with a spring over in the rear, and a leaf spring conversion in the front. I bought some Dana 44's from a Grand Wagoneer for 140 bucks (for both axles in a junk yard), threw some 5:13's, Front carrier (don't need one for the rear with a spool), Full Spool in the rear (long wheel base, hardly notice on the road), and a lock rite in the front. I bought some Warn lock-out hubs for $70, and 15 min later they were installed. I spent $1000 dollars on the XJ D-30 Warn hub conversion, and a couple of hours to install it. I have Rancho 9000 shocks, going high-steer (you'll want that ($500 bucks, and worth every penny), some 15x10's and 38.5x14.50 TSL SX's. With purchase price and all I have about $3500 bucks in it. That includes Cobra CB, JVC CD, and speakers. The bed was shortened about a foot, the wheel base is a long one, but I like it. With 38's, it's still low center of gravity, and fits in my 7 foot garage door bay. get the 4.0, later years are of course better. I have the auto, and love them. I even have working A/C, tilt wheel, and clean interior. I enjoy this truck alot more than the XJ, that had close to $25,000 into it. I have rattle can Rustoleum Tan paint and TJ flares.

Here's a pic to get the ideas going, it was not quite finished in this pic.

XJ and MJ lifts differ in the rear leafs only, the rest is interchangable, all motor and tranny mods are same also.

Remmeber the MJ is spring under and a spring over in the rear will net you around 5.5" of lift.

ask brentM about sye's....hell he still aint runnin one!



this is spring over MJ, stock HD springs and shackles

summitlt said:

The load sensing vavle on the rear end is taken "deactivated" by many, when you lift the truck it becomes useless, put it on the highest setting and leave it there, or get rid of it all together (like me)

Click to expand...

Be careful when doing this. You have to replace the MJ combination valve (in front, under the master cylinder) with an XJ combo valve. If you just plug one of the two rear outlets on the MJ combo valve, you will get (depending on which one you plug) either:

(a) No rear brakes under normal driving, but rear brakes if you blow the fronts, or

(b) Rear brakes under normal conditions but NO brakes if you blow the fronts.

On the brake thing, I just hooked both lines together under the bed with a "T" block, then ran the flex line like normal. My brakes work well all the time now, but as has been stated, you can go ahead and change the prop. valve to minimize how brake lines are running to the rear.
Also, the frame is different in the rear, so bumpers will not interchange without some brackets being made, and the frame is ALOT better built in the rear also ( looks like something that should be under a "heavy duty" when you see the big "X" under the bed).

ren said:

On the brake thing, I just hooked both lines together under the bed with a "T" block, then ran the flex line like normal. My brakes work well all the time now, but as has been stated, you can go ahead and change the prop. valve to minimize how brake lines are running to the rear.
Also, the frame is different in the rear, so bumpers will not interchange without some brackets being made, and the frame is ALOT better built in the rear also ( looks like something that should be under a "heavy duty" when you see the big "X" under the bed).

Click to expand...

I did the same as above.

I meant the SYE isnt needed untill you get really up there, I guess my wording was a bit off.

Sorry, Summit. Misunderstood ya.

We have a good group of MJ people here:

http://comancheclub.com/forums/index.php

...BOB

Longbed, or shortbed?

Big difference if you're gonna wheel it.

The SB's 113" WB is nice for wheeling with 33-35's & 5"+ lift
LB's 120" WB & long rear overhang gets dragged around alot, even with 35's.

You can shorten the WB on a LB, but the gas tank gets in the way at some point.

if you want a quick SOA couldint you just swap a d35, d44 or 8.25 from the rear of a cherokee in?

Spring widths are different.

The overhang on the MJ is noticeable. I have a shortbed and I regularly hit mine with 2" of lift on stock tires.

The other differences are.. the MJ uses different holes in the Xmember to mount it. The body/cab has added reinforcement. Most Lift kits in the front will work with it, but just like everything else... there is lil or no tech support if you try and make a kit work. The frame widens after the x-member meaning lots of t-case skids will not work with a stcok MJ.

As for how they wheel... I love mine.. Mine is fairly well built... has over 6" of lift, and I can go just about anywhere I want with my Current set-up as long as I pick my Lines carefully. Here is a link to MY webshots, and you can see the way my rig looked when I started.. to now.

http://community.webshots.com/user/cj7xjmj

Patrick

summitlt said:

Spring widths are different.

The overhang on the MJ is noticeable. I have a shortbed and I regularly hit mine with 2" of lift on stock tires.

Click to expand...

Sorry, I also forgot I have a reciever hitch, so theres an extra 2.5" that is lower on mine.

what everhang?