1988 Jeep comanche AKA the penny sniffer

[mudtoy67]

If you don't want to relocate the shock mounts, I would suggest boxing in the bottom side so the entire mount can't get tweaked.

Your brake lines are also in some danger. I rotated mine on the caliper so they go up instead of back...

Finishing up the rear axle

I made new brake lines. Replaced the driver's side explorer brake hose with a second passenger side brake hose. The driver hose on the explorer is a double hose combining the frame to axle hose with the axle to caliper hose. I picked up a hose from a 77 F150 for the new frame to axle hose.

I also rotated the hoses on the brake calipers. From the factory the explorer brake calipers have the hose facing backward. This made for an awkward bend in the hose to mount it where I wanted on the axle. I cut a groove the width of a sawzall blade in the tab on the caliper using the hose end as a guide. This was just the perfect amount to rotate the caliper hose upward and still be rotationally locked by the tab on the caliper.



cut


rotated


finished

Nice work on everything.

[zebvance]

If you don't want to relocate the shock mounts, I would suggest boxing in the bottom side so the entire mount can't get tweaked.

Your brake lines are also in some danger. I rotated mine on the caliper so they go up instead of back...




Nice work on everything.

I will plan on that cause I am also concered about the shock mount. Boxing them in is def worth doing. As for the brake lines I have been looking into how im going to relocate them.

[zebvance]

Ended up bending the tubes on my dana 30. Thought it was ball joints. Got it checked out and they told me the would have to get and install offset cambered ball joints to fix the negative camber. Then told me but that still won't put it back into the right camber specs, it will still be off by a degree or so. So that tells me it's deff bent. And all the measurements have told me that that the short tube it bent any way.

So I was looking for a waggy narrow trac d44. And can't find one. But I did find a unmolested low mileage tj Dana 30 for dirt cheap so I just picked it up to get it back on the road quicker. I know I know. I should hold out for a stronger axle but I don't have the time for that.

[zebvance]

We'll got the replacement dana 30 back from sand blasting. Makes it look 100 times better. Going to go ahead and order these things for it.

Xrf ball joints
Poly sway bar bushings
Moog hubs bearings
Us standard 4340 shafts.
Spicer u joints
Artec truss with Jonny joint uca mounts

Thinking about getting
C gussets and a stronger trac bar mount.

I already have a 4.10 center section that I'm going to swap in.
I also will be swapping over all the new parts I just put on the old bent d30. They have about 50 miles on them. Calipers, brake pads, cross drilled and slotted rotors, and ODC diff cover.



I know I'm spending a lot of money to build up a not very good axle. But after already swapping the 8.8 in I wanted to stay the stock width as the Dana 30 ( or very close to it atleast.) so my only solution to that is a narrow track waggy d44, which I have been looking for for the past 6 months and been unsecessfull for finding one at a reasonable price. Or a tj rubicon d44, which are going for 1000-1400 on craigslist. I'm not going to do that either. the last option being narrowing a axle, and that's something I don't want to bother with.


So the game plan is rock this and the 8.8 for a couple years (hopefully).
Then when I'm out of school I'll be able to drop some serious cash on tons and build those.


Here is the powder coated axle. Got it done locally at Texas truck rigging. These are the same guys that powdercoated my bumpers and I do not wish to do business with them ever again. Terrible customer service, and they are a bunch of dick holes. I thought they gave me a pretty decent price when I dropped it off with the sway bar to get done. $60.00 then took them 3 1/2 weeks to do what they told me was 45 mins worth of work and then they bitch at me saying that I ripped them off and they made no money off it because they quoted me to cheap?!?!?

Anyway. Rant over...

[Seth]

Run it! Though the rubi axle would be a nice upgrayyed.

Good to know about Truck riggins, I have always heard mixed reviews.

[zebvance]

Just put my order yesterday for the following:

Dana 30 27 spline 4340 us standard chromoly axle shafts with spicier u joints
Artect Dana 30 truss with Jonny jointed UCA Mounts
Artect C gussets
and some USA Alloy Upper and Lower Ball joints

Got about the best deal I could of on all of it. $790.00 Out the door shipped.


However. The wallet hurts and the GF will be PISSED when she sees the packages coming to the front door throughout the week....

[Sparling]

Mail stuff to work. Then she never sees it.

[zebvance]

Haha, that wouldn't work out. My office is my garage.... I started my own small woodworking business.

[zebvance]

Got a little work done today and also got the last of my parts in.

The USA standard 4340 chromoly shafts and alloy USA chromoly HD balljoints came in.

Also got the artec truss and c gussets in. Had to trim the truss a little bit. This is the upgraded truss with the artec jonny joint upper control arm mounts.

In the picture you can see the gussets and truss in place. The lower gussets are sitting on the buckets because they are not tacked on yet of course.

Went ahead and cut off the old upper control arm mount to mock the truss.

I'm also going to plate in the lower control arm mounts instead of buying some heavy duty ones for 100 bucks.

Also I have the 4.10 oem center section I'm going to switch the carrier to this axle sitting on the shelf behind the turdy 30....

[zebvance]

Got lift?

[zebvance]

well my ignition messed up and was stuck in the on position and wouldn't let go of the key. So, I just wired up push start. Cheap and easy fix.

[zebvance]

Switch on the left is the fuel and starter switch on the right is acc ( Radio,ect)

[Sparling]

Why spend money on that stuff instead of buying a new ignition switch?

[zebvance]

We'll it wasn't the ignition switch that went bad it was the key cylinder. I didn't replace it for a couple of reasons. One it cost the same amount to do the push start, two I didn't want to pull the steering column apart again, three the push start was easier to hook up, four I loose my keys all the time, and five it's kinda neat..

[jasonjuch]

what kind of anti-theft security do you have? Your key is always in the ignition now.