Got a new jeep mj [Archive]

89manche

12-13-2011, 04:23 PM

I recently got a 89 jeep comanche. Its the old hicks total performance shop truck. It is yellow with grew two-tone. It has a 12in lift with rusty long arm, dana 44 rear and dana 30 front, both with lockers, 4.11 gears and chromoly axles, and 35in boggers. The motor is a 94' 4.0 HO with a auto and slip yoke on the transfer case. The interior has racing seats with 5pt harness and a full cage. Custom bumpers, winch, lights.
I want to get yalls opinion about it and im trying to decide what upgrade i wana do next. Some ideas i have.. exo cage and rock sliders. (there are more pics in link)
http://www.hickstotalperformance.com/gallery/gallery2.php?ID=47

Gubni

12-13-2011, 06:33 PM

The first thing is to try to make it trail worthy. Start by trying to work out any small issues that may come up and hit the trails with it. Go to some of the bigger places like Harlan and experience a variety of trails. Then you will learn where the weakness is and what you want to do.

I would probably do sliders first, axles second, and an exo last.

99NCXJ

12-13-2011, 09:23 PM

I'd look into either skinnier tires or maybe some wheel spacers. Your turning radius is pretty bad with the tires rubbing the control arms like they were.

Sliders would be very high on my list, even though at your height you probably won't be hitting them much. Its sure better than crunching your rockers and not being able to open or close your doors.

89manche

12-13-2011, 09:46 PM

Yea I do plan on wheeling different trails. And I have a few small things I need to address first. How much can a built dana 30 withstand?? Justin, how much wheel spacing do you think I need? 1-2" and how much additional stress will that add with those 35s to my hubs? I been looking at rock sliders and your buildup and I think it would be better to fab some up.

99NCXJ

12-13-2011, 10:45 PM

A D30 with chromo shafts should be able to hold up to 36's with an easy driver. i actually made my stock D30 hold up with 36's but I drove like a grandma.

If you are dead set on keeping the wide boggers then spacers will help, but not sure how wide I would run. The D30 is a unit bearing type axle and already is under alot of stress from the larger tires. Sliders aren't real difficult to fab up if you have some basic equipment and some materials.

Gubni

12-13-2011, 10:49 PM

With 4.10 gears your axles would be much happier with 33" tires.

89manche

12-13-2011, 11:20 PM

On the spacers Ill turn the wheel until the tire hits the control arm then see if a inch would clear it. I'm going to stick with the boggers for now until I see a good set of tires on here, nc4x4 or craiglist. I would be happier with 33s or put in 4.88 gears but then axle swap would be better. On those rock sliders, I see where they can be welded to the unibdy but what keeps the sliders from being pushed up into the body? Are those welds really that strong?

Want2Wheel

12-14-2011, 06:24 AM

The sliders can and will flex with the frame inless you do cage (internal or Exo), and sometimes they do hit the body. They should have some sort of plate that was welded to the frame, and have a gussett on that.

89manche

12-14-2011, 07:57 AM

I do have a cage that i plan on connecting to the sliders. I guess that would limit the upward movement of the sliders

Hadfield4WD

12-14-2011, 08:36 AM

Boggers are very heavy and add to the stress on the shafts. Plus they don't have much lateral traction unless you cut them.

89manche

12-14-2011, 10:13 AM

what is a good tire to run? iroks, tsls?

99NCXJ

12-15-2011, 12:12 AM

I run iroks on mine and love them but if you plan on using it on the street at all I'd suggest something else.

Honestly, if it was mine (and it ironically almost was) I would lower it several inches and run 33 or 35" tires. something like a BFG mud or the Cooper STT's like I have on my '00 XJ. As far as the sliders go, I like bolting the sliders to the "frame" and also having a pinch seam bracket that runs the length of the whole underside that they bolt to as well. The sliders I have on my '99 don't have a pinch seam bracket but they are tied into the exo. The sliders on my '00 have the pinch seam bracket. Swing by the house sometime and take a look if you want to see how they are made.

The Tonka Toy

12-15-2011, 10:17 AM

If you are wondering about tires, my brother and I both have dunlop mud rovers and they do really good on and off road, and they dont ware too quick.

89manche

12-16-2011, 05:35 PM

iill stop by one day and check out your jeep. I'm gona start on the sliders once I round up some metal. I like the look of the coopers and the bfgs. I'm gona look into the mud rovers too. Thanks for all the input.

Camjeep3

12-23-2011, 08:00 PM

def. a nice truck to start with. These guys know what they are talkin about.
also I believe we have talked before?

89manche

12-25-2011, 10:58 AM

Thank ya. Yes we have talked before. And yes they have lots of knowledge.

Ray VanBuren

01-09-2012, 02:03 PM

Why does the link for pics take me to the Duke Energy site?

89manche

01-10-2012, 08:02 AM

Thats wierd..... i work there but i dont know how the link got messed up... try these

http://www.hickstotalperformance.com/gallery/gallery2.php?ID=47
http://www.hickstotalperformance.com/gallery/gallery2.php?ID=4

or got to hicks total performance.com and look in the gallery

Ray VanBuren

01-10-2012, 09:09 PM