Craigslist: 1989 Jeep Comanche Dually

Kamil Kaluski

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Remember when small pickup trucks existed? The Jeep Comanche, somewhat based on the Jeep Cherokee, was one such pickup. There was no quad- or mega-cap option, only a regular cab, like pickup truck gods intended. But there was a choice of 4×2 or 4×4 driveline and a six- or a seven-foot bed. Over the years there were different engines but not much has changed over the seven years that the Comanche was made. 
Perhaps this is why people love to modify them. We’ve seen a quad-cab Comanche before and now we’re seeing a… heavy duty conversion! 


From the ad:

1989 Jeep Comanche Dually – $4500 (Mohave Valley) 

condition: good
cylinders: 6 cylinders
drive: rwd
fuel: gas
paint color: red
title status: clean
transmission: automatic
type: pickup

1989 Jeep Comanche Dually (BIG TON conversion) Very good cond. and runs well. Nice interior Good paint. A/C. Needs tires. Call Bernieshow contact info
No texts please
  
 
Hmm. So, we have a stock 4.0-liter engine. We have what looks like a stock wheelbase with the longer bed option. And then we have wheels with a very weird bolt pattern and something that isn’t a heavy duty axle. Installed over that are some decent looking DRW fenders. There are even running boards that are very period correct. Overall, this thing looks great in these pictures. 
 
  
 
What is that axle off of? I can’t figure out what that bolt pattern is from but it’s not heavy duty because there are only five lug-nuts. I am also guessing that this is a two-wheel-drive model. I have so many questions. The most important question is: $4500, buy or no buy?
 
UPDATE: An FCA representative (!) confirmed that this is a one-ton Dana 44 axle!
 
Source: Mohave Craigslist
 

About

Kamil Kaluski

Kamil Kaluski

East Coast Editor. Races crappy cars and has an unhealthy obsession with Eastern Bloc cars. Current fleet: 4Runner, Integra, Regal, Lada

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11 responses to “Craigslist: 1989 Jeep Comanche Dually”

  1. Sean Kennedy Avatar
    Sean Kennedy

    I didn’t know I needed this until now.

    Reply
  2. 0A5599 Avatar
    0A5599

    Hey, Longrooffan, I found Waldo junior. Or maybe senior.
    https://i2.wp.com/hooniverse.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/zeroratrods-002.jpg

    Reply
    1. Tank Avatar
      Tank

      what ever happened to him? I loved his posts

      Reply
  3. Zentropy Avatar
    Zentropy

    Awesome! I was just on Autotempest today looking for Comanches!

    Reply
  4. outback_ute Avatar
    outback_ute

    5 lug nuts but a very large PCD.
    I wonder if this has a use beyond looking cool? In other words, would the rest of the rig live up to the capability of the axle?
    Back in the 1970s some Holden One Tonners had dually axles swapped into them (not sure if from a C30 or a Bedford CF van), used as tow trucks for accessing multi-deck car parks where normal tow trucks could not go. This photo might not be one but gives the idea.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b50691c9cb0a7779e0177cde27718f0a96628cb570c94cfe9ffbedb360b61f9d.jpg

    Reply
  5. Scoutdude Avatar
    Scoutdude

    The bolt pattern seems to be the same as used by the Toyota Dualies. So someone appears to have made adapters to accept a set of the Toyota Wheels.
    It does note that it has the Big Ton option which gave it that garden variety semi-floating Dana 44 and the just barely 1 ton total capacity. So yeah might as well make it dually.
    Just because it only has 5 lugs doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy duty. My International Harvester 1510 has 5 lug front wheels as does the GMC 3500HD and the higher payload versions of the P30 that they borrowed the axles from.

    Reply
    1. Rover 1 Avatar
      Rover 1

      The larger the PCD, the more the clamping load is spread, so the stronger the wheel connection to the hub.

      Reply
    2. Zentropy Avatar
      Zentropy

      The 3/4-ton J-Series trucks of the period used an 8 on 6.5 pattern, and the Wagoneers a 6 on 5.5, so obviously this truck didn’t borrow from them. From the pictures the PCD looks much larger than the regular 4.5″. AMC did have a 5-on-5.5 that they put on pre-’74 3/4-ton J trucks, but I doubt they’d dip that far back into the parts bin for this application.

      Reply
      1. Scoutdude Avatar
        Scoutdude

        I’m certain if you pull the center cap on that front wheel and look down in that you’ll find the 5 x 4.5″ bolt pattern holding an adapter to the uncommonly large 5 bolt pattern of the wheels. It is definitely bigger than the 5 x 5.5″ used on Ford, Dodge and IH 1/2 ton trucks and Jeep CJ’s. The Jeep 1/2 tons used the 6 on 5.5″ that Chevy used on their 1/2 ton 4x4s. All used the 8 x 6.5″ for their 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks, at least between the time Ford and IH dropped the 6 x 7.25″ and Ford went metric with the Super Duty.

        Reply
        1. outback_ute Avatar
          outback_ute

          Maybe the visible lug nuts are fake. Can’t see anything through the wheel rim openings.

          Reply
  6. Victor Avatar
    Victor

    Place called Arrowcraft sells the kits for this conversion. Adapters-fenders- wheels all of it.

    Reply