| Putting a new Box on the Comanche |
| Since I know the boxes of MJ's don't last long here in canada. and after a car accident where I side swiped a car it was time for a new box. The Price was good since a friend of mine had a box there for me off of a parts truck. The problem was it's a Ford Ranger box! "No problem we got torches and a welder, right!" Mike said.Well why not give it a go I thought. I couldn't find any other swaps for this truck so I figured I might be able to start something. All the measurements seemed really close and that was reason enough for Mike and I. First off the box had to come off the MJ so I oppted for the torch, if your bolts come off eazier go for it, my box was toast anyway. We had to lower the gas tank, and disconnect the exhust and E-brake cables too.Then we disconnected the wiring, just pull the lenses off and take the lights out and let the wiring harness fall on the ground you will use the blub sockets and all on the ford box. After that the box should come off. Save the fender flares as these will allow you to trim the fenders out where the ford box has deeper inner fenders this is a added bonus, plus clean up the rust around the fenders too! Flip both boxes upsidedown and compare. You will have to cut the support brackets for on the ford box that hold the side panels stiff and you'll have to cut slots in two of the rear cossmembers on the ford box so that it sits level on the frame. We heated up the spot welds on the Jeep box and took the front gas tank bracket off and tached it in place on the Ford box. For the rear you can cut a hole and "V" it down on the side of the exsiting bed support on the Ford box. Now that the box is off it's a good time to check your frame over. I had some spots to weld up, then I painted and undercoated the top on the frame. The only modifaction to the frame will be that you have to cut the front most "body mount". On the side of it there's a lip with two holes in it you will have to cut the front most one on each side so that the ford box will fit over it Once in place check to see that the gas tank will fit right, you will have too weld a 2" peice into the rear gas tank strap bolt but that's minor. Also check that the box is level. We had to use body mounts in the front to level it up. We welded them to the box and the bolt went through the mount bracket. If you do it right you can line up the bolt holes of the ford box and jeep frame pretty close on the rear, you'll need 8" long bolts to fit down and hold it in place. With the e-brake mount, tech screws are your friend. and a spacer so that it doesn't pivot. I just bolted the exhust up in one place on the box. It came close to where it bolted to the frame rail before so I drilled and put a blot in it again. The light sockets off the jeep will fit in the Ford lenses with a little playing, this is great cause you don't have to play around with splicing two wiring harnesses together. Just leave the blub that ISN'T your park light blub hanging behind the lense (but leave the bulb in it or your lights will go screwy). The only real pain was running the filler hose for the new box. The filler cap on the ford is closer to the cab than the Jeep's so you'll need to play around with lenght. We came aross some wire wrapped heater hose that worked good because it won't kink. The only problem is it's very stiff and hard to clamp with a hose clamp. for the vent we just ran a longer line, that was no problem. some other ideas for the filler neck are ABS piping, copper piping or maybe running the ford gas tank, but for us that didn't look like a good idea. If you go with the ABS or copper piping Idea don't run any 90 degree bends or gas will fly back at you at the pumps, I'd go with 45 dergee max. Here I used the Jeep metal peice and tech screwed it to the ford box. She looks good, kind of has the desert runner look to it. and it gives you more room in the fenders after trimming. I'm pleased with it and think it's worth the time if you can't find a good Comanche box around. I'd like to thank Mike for the idea and use of tools and help and Lloyd for his help and ideas also. Couldn't have done it or this write-up without you guys and some of your ideas! |