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DKA Motorsports Jeep Comanche Ultra4 4500 Build Thread

Something else I very highly recommend to anyone building a racecar or even a recreational wheeler - HAVE A SPREADSHEET. Seriously. Even if you don't have Excel (like me), you can go into your Gmail account, and there's free google excel sheets and as a plus, you can share the document with your buddy, your builder, etc and have a section for comments like we do where we can leave links, potential purchases, etc. That's what we've done with the 4659 Comanche for the past 2 years and it's been an excellent way to track costs, what we've bought, what we paid, what we still need to buy, etc. It can be VERY sobering but also keeps a build realistic and keep you from diving in way too deep and running out of money mid-build (which I've also done in the past).
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Next few months are going to be pretty action packed - we got started with checking fitment of the new motor mounts and headers. I knew the alt bracket and truck intake didn't have a chance of fitting, but that's alright. I've got a goatbilt front drive accessory kit waiting to go on. If anyone has a complete LS1 or LS6 intake with fuel rail and throttle body please message me. thanks

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We've also been debating the plan for the front coilover mounts, and I think i've got that pretty well figured out. Our original plan was to completely cut out the inner fender liners, but i dont think we'll do that as there's still some structural integrity afforded by the fender liners being intact. I'll just make a hole for the coilover body to pass through, and we'll be tying the engine cage into more places on the unibody as well as the internal cage. My plan is to start working on that next week while i'm waiting to find a intake manifold that'll work.
 
Nabbed an LS1 intake and goodies for a steal today, thanks to my buddy Jeff T. for seeing it on FB for me. Saved me a couple hundred bucks for sure.
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Definitely leaning towards mounting the intake backwards. Also got the goatbilt hydro mount hooked up, still gotta do the alternator mount too. I’m still missing a few bits and pieces (fuel rails, some sensors, etc) but I think next I’m going to dive into figuring out the best packaging for the front coilovers.
 
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Welp the goatbilt bracket won’t work either. Looks like I’ll have to order the ICT turnbuckle kit which will be about 3.5” lower than this one. Also started looking at what I want to do for the coilover mounts in the front. my main concern is the driver side which has the brake booster/master pretty much right where the coilover needs to go if I use the existing axle shock mounts.definitely going to be tight, I may end up having to reroute some hard brake lines.
 
tribal4krawler said:
my main concern is the driver side which has the brake booster/master pretty much right where the coilover needs to go if I use the existing axle shock mounts
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rebuild it all. do not try and make old mounts work, you are building a different wheel, it will be better all around and quicker in the long run.

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Miller motorsports / Big B used to have an alternator kit that put the alternator lower on the passenger side. No turn buckle, it had a tensioner.

LS Alternator & Belt Tensioner Mounting Kit

LS Alternator & Belt Tensioner Mounting Kit *Kit parts shown in black
millerrockracing.com millerrockracing.com
 
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it's been a long time since I checked, but Slawson's required F-body pulleys. The Miller version was similar, but for truck spacing.
 
The alternator sits too high, above the hood line.
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I’ll check out slawson and millers setups.
 
Cut the bracket under the alternator, swing the alt down from the mounting bolt on the right in the picture and then re-drill the second mounting hole.

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I actually thought about doing that but the problem is to put it low enough I’ll lose the tensioner. I guess I could try to relocate those holes as well.
 
I know a few people commented on the 4500 class and how it would be better if you built a chassis around hanging Comanche skins.

My advice will come at the end but I will say I feel the 4500 class is fucking bullshit.

The 4600 class is truly a stock class and I think it’s right. Personally I think it would be cool to allow them to run 37s but keep all other rules the same.

4500 class rules have been bent around to where you essentially have a tube chassis but a smaller tire and limited shock travel compared to the big boys. While there are differences, as far I see it, 4500 and 4800 are the same.

4500 should truly be MODIFIED rigs. I am seeing more and more of them, especially in 2021, Which I am happy about. This past year I saw a Toyota Sequoia, Suzuki Samuari (not the 4600 one) V8 TJs that still have frame rails, I know a guy gearing up to race a modified FJ80. First gen Toyota’s that are linked....I can go on. It’s cool to see more of them but seeing a tube chassis with a Comanche skin on it isn’t far off from what 4400 is doing with the bronco. It’s not a bronco....

The ones I listed above are the true stock mod class in my opinion. Guys that still have 70% of their factory frame, really modified it to make a bitchin trail rig and wanna race. So, my advice is, don’t go in expecting to do well, expect to do worse then 4600, but get to know the competition and compete against them. The type of rigs I listed above.

Sorry for my rant on why 4500 is dumb lol

EDIT: Badass build btw! I love the Comanche.
 
Well I wouldn’t do worse than 4600 considering that’s where I’ve been racing. That being said, I 100% agree, and the cool built rigs like the Sequoia, TJs, even the other Manche, are what I’m competing against. Not the 4400 cars with big budgets and motors that sandbag in the 4500 class to win a trophy. Honestly, if 4600 would lighten up their rules a little bit and allow 37s and a single 2.5” coilover per corner but still have the motor, trans and general body restrictions the 4600 class would be way more fun and competitive. It won’t happen in the near future so here I am in 4500. 🤷‍♂️
 
tribal4krawler said:
Well I wouldn’t do worse than 4600 considering that’s where I’ve been racing. That being said, I 100% agree, and the cool built rigs like the Sequoia, TJs, even the other Manche, are what I’m competing against. Not the 4400 cars with big budgets and motors that sandbag in the 4500 class to win a trophy. Honestly, if 4600 would lighten up their rules a little bit and allow 37s and a single 2.5” coilover per corner but still have the motor, trans and general body restrictions the 4600 class would be way more fun and competitive. It won’t happen in the near future so here I am in 4500. 🤷‍♂️
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Makes sense, I agree on 4600 class rules loosening up too. My buddy went down the same path you are going down. Cool car and I’ll be keeping an eye out for you at KOH.

Sub’d for updates :smokin:
 
100% agreed! Even just 37" tires in stock class would make it better. One of the many reason why were building another rig.
 
Nice rig :smokin:...and that's from a yota guy as well lol

What Donaldson airbox are you using and how big of foot print does it take up in the cab?
 
Not really unfortunately. Been super busy with work and life. I have come up with the plan on how to mount the front coilovers. The rears are going to be super tricky, I'm either going to french them into the unibody or just chop it off and do tube. I'm leaning towards frenching them just because of my desire to keep the truck full unibody.
 
tribal4krawler said:
Not really unfortunately. Been super busy with work and life. I have come up with the plan on how to mount the front coilovers. The rears are going to be super tricky, I'm either going to french them into the unibody or just chop it off and do tube. I'm leaning towards frenching them just because of my desire to keep the truck full unibody.
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Understandable there and at least you’ve got ideas kicking around.
 
Going to be racing the Manche or something else at KOH 23'?
 
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tribal4krawler said:
g but also keeps a build realistic and keep you from diving in way too deep and running out of money mid-build (which I've also done in the past).
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Dude, I have never known you to be so organized! I am amazed.... Why do I feel like its your wife managing the spread sheet :P
 
ridered3 said:
Going to be racing the Manche or something else at KOH 23'?
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I'll be codriving for Ruslan again next year at KOH and Desert Challenge for the last time. Plan is to be racing my new unlimited class stretched RZR for KOH24.

Talon2006 said:
Dude, I have never known you to be so organized! I am amazed.... Why do I feel like its your wife managing the spread sheet :P
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Nope, I put it together but Alex did suggest it
 
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