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Project Motörcharge 2.0

19K views 154 replies 22 participants last post by  shooptube 
#1 ·
Drove 12 hours round trip down to Asheville, NC to pick this up last night.



I'll add more details and pictures later on today but here some basic info for now.

Paid $1500. Actually, I paid more for this thing than I did for my other 4 XJs combined. :laugh:

91 Comanche Eliminator 4WD Short Bed
4.0/AW4/NP231 with 158k on the clock
Dana 30/Dana 35

Came with a rear D44 out of an Isuzu Rodeo but I think I'm going to get rid of it for something else. Front 44s are crazy expensive and I've already got wheels and tires for this thing so I don't want to buy new ones to accommodate the 44 being 6 lug.

Only issues the PO says it has are torque converter shutter and a leaking rear main seal. Hoping the shutter is something simple and the rear main leak is no big deal. I figure worst case I can pull the trans out the XJ and swap it right over.

For now I don't plan on anything crazy. ~4.5 lift, swap my wheels/tires/bumpers over, clean it up, get the uniframe and body undercoated to keep it in the shape it's in, lockers, OTK steering, ect. Plan on keeping this one fit for DD duty. Not entirely sure what I'm gonna do with the XJ, probably parts donor for now, but I might keep it for a trail rig since it's paid for and not costing me anything sitting there.
 
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#2 ·
Found the owner's manuals are still there and the a/c actually works. Looks like the PO had just had the oil changed, new tstat, rad hoses, water pump, and a coolant flush done which is great because I hate messing with the cooling system. Found a big chunk of the power steering pulley is gone so that's on the list to replace ASAP. Drove it around the farm a bit and it feels fine, gonna have to slap my truck plates on it later and run it down the road to see what's up with the trans.













I think I'm gonna pull all my LEDs and the H4 headlights out of the XJ in a bit and throw them in the MJ too.
 
#3 ·
Need to order some stuff from Napa when I get to work tomorrow. I'd do it today but we get like 30% off through work.

Power steering pulley, idler pulley, spark plugs, wires, cap, cap rotor, wiper blades, air filter, ect.

Andddd THIS is why I HATE drop in bed liners.



Cleaner, but I'm gonna pull out the power washer in a bit and do the whole truck. Doesn't look like the outside has been cleaned in years.

 
#4 ·
Getting a good chunk of cash at the end of the month and need to find someone other than Rusty's that does full leaf packs for MJs. I think I'm gonna go ahead and order some Monstaliner for at least the bed and the rockers if not the inside of the cab floor too. I'll put the carpet back in over it but the rust protection can't hurt. I'm thinking Pyroclastic.
 
#9 ·
It's in pretty damn good shape. Got the interior and dash bulbs swapped as well as the headlights. Power washed it and spent a couple hours undoing a lot of previous owners afro-engineering.

The interior is in better shape than I expected. It would be perfect if a previous owners dog hadn't chewed all kinds of ****. Swapped my console lid out for that reason.

Anyone have any idea how to change the courtes light bulbs above the seatbelts?
 
#11 ·
PO. Threw like 3 away plus a couple unopened ones. I HATE the black ice air fresheners. Got a couple yankee candle fall ones in there now.

Waiting on a check for a few grand before I order but planning on IRO's trackbar and OTK steering kit. Also going to piece together a 4.5" lift kit. Anyone know what degree shims I'm going to need? Planning on new leafs, RE 4.5 coils, LCAs (not sure who yet*), swaybar links, and Bilsteins. Am I overlooking anything? Haven't thought about a lift that high in a good while lol. Intentionally didn't include a TC drop or SYE, gonna wait and see if I need em.

*The D44 I got still has the control arms from the Trooper on it. They look like they'll work but how long do the LCAs need to be at 4.5" to keep the axle centered? They seem awfully long but it could just be in my head.
 
#14 ·
I wouldn't buy shims until your lift is on, settled, and you can measure yourself. Through my experience, I've found that you can get close but not correct. When I first put my lift on, 4* shims were fine and there were no vibes. As it settled and now how it is with the weight on it, 4* isn't right, and I swapped out to 6*. If I were you, I'd measure before you buy.

Another thing, if you want my old shims, PM me. I can get them to you for the cost of shipping and the cost of gas for me to drive them to the post office. They're of no use to me anyway.
 
#15 ·
MJ is the only thing I'd replace my XJ with. (That's a lie - an '06 LJ Rubicon would also tighten the pants)

How does the 1500 pull the trailer and MJ combo? I suspect fairly well minus the fuel economy

I'm closing a deal this week on a 2010 4dr 1500 w. Hemi and about to pick up a 16' hauler as part of plans for Moab next spring. Fairly certain I'll toss in a tuner to help w. power and towing.
 
#16 ·
I didn't have a problem at all with it and if I hadn't used the cruise control I never would have gone over 3k RPM even in the mountains. The only time it was doing that, and it does it when I'm not towing anything too, is when I was going up small, short hills. Granted I was only doing 65-70 tops and stayed around 55 through the mountains. It's a great truck and the only reason I'm getting rid of it is the gas mileage and I don't trust the motor to last much longer being that it has 230k on it and burns a good bit of oil. That and it's 2wd.

I'm not a fan of the 2006+ though. They have that newer terrible, bulky, plastic interior all newer Chrysler vehicles have. 06-08 is tolerable but I think the interior on the 09+ Rams is awful.
 
#19 ·
Alright I'm getting a pretty decent bit of cash in about a week or so so I'm trying to finalize what I want to do with the suspension and steering. That's my only goal with the money I'm allotting for this thing right now. I want that settled so I can get my MT/Rs on it before winter gets here.

Here's about where I'm at right now including shipping:

4.5 RE coils - $75
IRO double sheer trackbar and OTK steering - $585
Hell Creek Suspension 4.5" leaf springs - $236
Bilstein 5100s - $344
Total: $1240

I know I didn't include the smaller stuff like bushings, brake lines, u bolts, ect but I don't feel like listing all that out. What I'm torn on is control arms.

I don't know if I want to just spend a couple hundred on some adjustable lowers and call it a day or go long arms. I'd love to go long arms, but I don't want to spend $1k+ on them and I don't know if I'm just overthinking the need for them. At this point I think I'm leaning more towards just getting some adjustable lowers and spending the saved cash on an 8.8 swap to get rid of the ****ty 35 and a regear for the front.

After typing this I don't think I'm gonna bother with long arms unless someone can point out a way to do them a lot cheaper than most companies want for them. I don't really have the time to have the front end torn apart while I figure a setup out for myself right now and I think by the time I buy steel, tubing, joints, ect the price difference isn't going to be all that big.
 
#20 ·
Looks like a good list.

I personally wouldnt worry about the longarms at all. At 4.5" height control angles arent terrible with shortarms, and a custom mid arm 3 link > any bolt on longarm setup anyway all around. Id definitely put the money toward an 8.8, longarms might help your mall cred but they wont fix a snapped 35 shaft. :laugh: You know that as well as I do, though.
 
#21 ·
It's not an either or type deal, just means the rear would be getting replaced sooner. That's not gonna happen for a while either way. Don't have the time for it right now more than anything. Odds are I'll leave the 35 til I have problems with it or a rear locker becomes necessary.

I was more worried about spending the money on adjustable and wishing I'd just gone with long arms from the start, though the more I look at them the less that's looking like it's going to be the case.
 
#22 ·
It's not an either or type deal, just means the rear would be getting replaced sooner. That's not gonna happen for a while either way. Don't have the time for it right now more than anything. Odds are I'll leave the 35 til I have problems with it or a rear locker becomes necessary.

I was more worried about spending the money on adjustable and wishing I'd just gone with long arms from the start, though the more I look at them the less that's looking like it's going to be the case.
Kinda depends on usage I guess but I cant say I regret spending money on shortarms, and my Currie uppers were nearly $270 bucks. As far as offroad capability goes Id MUCH rather be locked on shortarms than open on longarms.
 
#31 ·
Kinda hard to get a decent picture inside the cab of this thing, but I put in a new head unit today and swapped my steering wheels around between the XJ and MJ. The one that was in the MJ was literally held together with an aftermarket cover. I'm going to put an aftermarket wheel in the MJ soonish, but I wanted something decent for now.

Still need to get an LED in the HVAC control, forgot about that until the light burned out in it the other night.

 
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