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My first MJ build 2wd to eventually 4wd full widths and 37s

Drftem

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Sonora,ca
So my love for the comanche surpasses that of the cherokee. My first memory of a comanche would be in 1989 when my grandfather bought new an 89 black with red pin striping 2.5 2wd long bed. He shortly after had installed a white bed shell and a carpet kit. Growing up I was driven to school in it all the way untill highschool. It eventually made it's way into my cousins hands who attempted to convert it to 4x4 but failed and got rid of it.
Onto now..... I picked up this 89 4.0 puegoet 2wd d35 short bed with bed shell mainly for nostalgic purposes. For the next 5-6 years it will stay 2wd. The plan is to eventually build this to replace the cherokee which will be given to my step son.
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So current plans are to get it running better hopefully with a full tune up. Verry sluggish to rev compared to my 2.5 and idle drops to around 500 rpm after a rev and stumbles to catch itself. Then I'd like to switch to ho cooling system. I will be pulling the d35 from my cherokee to do an ota lift in the rear and gain gearing from whatever it is now(haven't cleaned off the tag to identify gearing) to 4.10 . I will then install my coil/spacer combo on the front and adjustable lower arms that I just pulled off my xj. Then I'll throw on some shocks a track bar and a set of 31s. My eventual plans will include hpd44/9" full width with 17x9 37s, ax15 np231, long arm setup and other bits and pieces.
 
spring over is going to be more than an easy swap of axles. Spring perches are spaced differently and will need new ones welded on.
 
Ya expect about ~6" or so of lift if you go spring over. I made low pro perches and gained about ~5.25 or so. Still want to put an XJ shackle on.

You can drill the shackle mount and put a modified Chevy Drop shackle for about 2" in the rear. If your rake is decent still some spacers up front should be plenty for 31s.. I had that setup w/ 33's and chopped fenders. It was stuffed but worked. And you probably already have 4.10s. Never seen a 4 banga that didn't.
 
Xj full length aal did almost nothing for me. Soa is the way to go.
 
4wd pack. With a AAL and a long shackle i got like 1-2". Waste of time. Spring over the rear and slap some 3-5" coils up front with some short arms.spring over was easy , cheap, and you dont have the leaves hangig down low.
 
Did a little suspension work today. I installed the 3" coils that came off my xj and adjustable lower arms on the mj. Next up is swapping out my re track bar on the xj onto the mj and get new front and rear shocks and a shackle to level it out. All tho I kinda like the bro lift stance with it being 2wd.

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So decided since the xj isn't going to be ready til later in the year I would get the mj camping capable. So I added a shackle lift along with some 2" coil spacers and pulled the wheel setup off the xj and installed the 35s onto my still 2wd mj.
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good look.
 
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