[88manche]

Ok, I'm in the process of buying an 88 manche. I own a '04 TJ, but am still making payments so the manches gonna be my off road rig for awhile. Anywayz, I don't know much of the specs yet, I'm 95% its stock, it's a 4WD, and i dunno the engine size yet. I'm new too the project vehicle thing and I was hopeing some one can help me with recomendations on what i should to make it a compitent trail worthy rig. Oh, and I got a hook up with 35"x12" mudders(dunno the brand yet) and their waiting for my at a truck shop. Should I take em and work the manche around them, or wait and get some smaller ones. I really appreciate any useful help.....Thanks guys

[eclipse27]

35's...ur gonna hfata lift the jeep up pretty high. But congrats on the project !

[Country Jeep]

Congratulations on purchasing a Comanche! To answer you about the 35's, you'll probably need in-and-around 4-6" of lift. You'd probably want to go with 6" lift because you'd then be turning the rear axle leaf-springs from SUA (spring under axle) to SOA (spring over axle). That's about the easiest part of a Comanche 6" lift; just reversing the rear leaf springs (does require some kind of SOA kit) and getting long-travel shocks. The front is a whole different story...not to mention you would need to get a transfer-case drop, drop pitman arm...

Heck, the best deal I can find for a full 6" lift kit is all in one bundle at this website: http://www.rocky-road.com/comanche.html They got alot of good stuff

But if you can't stretch your budget for the lift kit to around $600 to $800, I might wait to get a set of 31's and a cheap 2" lift kit, in-and-around $20-$50 if you do it a certain way (would require a little on-your-own work to fab up some front spacers, some welding and pipe; but there are kits around $100 that comes with everything you need pre-made for a 2" lift).

[88manche]

Thanks for the input guys. I can spend around $800 or so too beef it up, so thats no big deal. Anywayz, I just got an e-mail back from the guy I'll be buying it from. He says its a V6 5speed. I dunno if thats gonna make a difference or not....But hope it'll give me some more options. Anything else I need to concider before jumpin in head first??

[eclipse27]

nice! well i def. say do the lift then. Thats gonna be nice . get some pics and stuff congrats on the manche!

[Pete M]

Originally Posted by Country Jeep

http://www.rocky-road.com/comanche.html

I would run far, far away from any kit over 3" that doesn't do anything about the control arms. That's just plain scary!

I'd recommend downsizing the tires. 35" tires are a lot of tire for the little front wheelwells (not to mention the stock Jeep drivetrain). Lots and lots of lift or lots and lots of cutting are required to make them fit. Plus, you don't seem to have any funds set aside for gearing. 3.07s are going to SUCK with 35" tires. Plus your front and rear (unless you got really lucky and there's a Dana 44 back there) axles aren't up for the task of 35"ers. If your budget is tight, I'd stick with a 3" lift and 31s. And yes, $800 can be considered a tight budget when you're dealing with a new-to-you truck. All sorts of gremlins are there just waiting to suck your wallet dry. Oh, and the manual trans in 88 was a piece of crap too (it's French and weak).
I don't mean to be the downer in this post, but you can only ignore reality for so long. If you want big tires, you need to address the front axle shafts, the rear axle, and don't go cheap on a lift kit. And start saving for an AX-15.

http://www.madxj.com/MADXJ/technical/technicalfiles/ARD30shafts297andSeals/D30shafts297andSeals.htm

http://www.jedi.com/obiwan/jeep/ford88.html

http://www.jeeptech.com/convtrans/ax15swap.html

Jeep on!
--Pete

[cj7xjmj]

To clear 35's takes some money like Pete said. If the tires are cheap/free, it might be worth trying to build up to them by collecting parts and then swapping everything in at 1 time. If it doesn't have the d44, go to a pick-a-part and get you an 8.8 with 4.10's. For upfront buy a set of 297 shafts or a set of chromo's. For lift Long arms are the only way to go if you want a decent ride at 6"s or you can go with RE drop brackets. SYE,drop pitman arm and t-case drops are not alwayd needed on a rig. Its all about how it is set-up.

[1986Comanche]

Originally Posted by 88manche

Thanks for the input guys. I can spend around $800 or so too beef it up, so thats no big deal. Anywayz, I just got an e-mail back from the guy I'll be buying it from. He says its a V6 5speed. I dunno if thats gonna make a difference or not....But hope it'll give me some more options. Anything else I need to concider before jumpin in head first??

If it actually has a V6 in it then it is a 2.8L V6 and it's not a 1988 it would be a 1986. They only used the V6 one year the first year of the Comanche and it wouldn't have 3.07 gears if it is a 1986 they never offered 3.07s with the 2.8L V6 and a 5 speed. It would either have 3.54 or 4.10 gears. The transmission wouldn't be the Peugeot BA-10/5 (5 speed) either. They didn't use it with the V6. It would be an AX-5 (5 speed) made by Aisin. I would suspect that it is actually a 1988 and has the 4.0L I-6 not a V6. Then it would have the Peugeot BA-10/5 transmission and 3.07 gears.

[Country Jeep]

At least now that I know all of this, I can correct the stock specs sheet...

But if it's the 4.0L I6 and has the Peugot tranny, I hear it's best to swap it out before it goes bad; either with the AX-15, or if you decided to go auto for some unusual reason, an AW-4 with muy-modifications. And if it's the V6 and you happen to have an '86 model (which would screw over your name, but I doubt the guy who's selling it has his figures wrong)...then I don't know what. I just hear too much wrong with the '86 models; peeps make all '86 model Jeep's out as a literal gremlin-on-wheels. But it's probably an '88 anyways, so I'll shut up

[Pete M]

86s are ok. It's just that most guys looking for an MJ want the 4.0L, short bed, overdrive if it's an auto, and a few other things that weren't offered in 86 and are a real pain to swap in. But in 86 the 2.5L was fuel injected just like later years and the carbed 2.8L can easily be swapped out for a Chevy 3.4L with an aftermarket carb or with the FI system from the Camaro/Firebird donor. It's not quite a 4.0L, but the ease of the swap more than makes up for a few missing HP. (plus there are plenty of racing goodies for the 3.4L that will surely test the limits of the AX-5 trans )
Jeep on!
--Pete

[88manche]

Alright gents, heres the update, finally got the manche in my possesion. It IS an 88, and yes it does have the I-6 and Dana35. So I do have a bit of work for me. Sadest part that I found about it is that it only has part time 4 wheel drive and not full. So now that i found all that out, any recomendations?? I'm not looking too make this thing completely street legal, so I can take some short cuts in the cosmetic department, but I have it, so I wanna work with it, so please...don't tell me I have too scrap it and try too find somethin better.
Thanks Guys,
-Jay

[Country Jeep]

It's an '88. It has the 4.0L I6. And a fairly-decent D35. Not to mention 4WD. Sounds like you got a good model to me, like a 4WD version of what I had last

I really don't have any recommendations. The last '88 I had gave me no troubles hardly at all, except for a bad vaccum line and old fuel injectors. There's nothing I can point out in particular wrong with the '88 year, especially with the 4.0L I6, and part-time 4WD. Good deal

[88manche]

Well, I'm glad you've had some expeience with the year of it. All I'm looking for in recomendations is what I should do about the part-time 4 wheel and getting it off road ready with what I should use for a suspension, and rear axle. Cuz my game plan is too work around the 35's I'm getting for free. So any ideas or recommendations on how I should go about it would be great.

[jackel18]

whats the problem with the part time 4wd?

[newbs]

um part time 4wd is fine, heck that is all your tj has unless youput in a fulltime transfer case.