Taking my XJ to the next level. Possible mods. Questions...

2000 XJ, 8.25 rear end D30 on the front, currently on 32's with RE 4.5 lift. Rock sliders, and exhaust. Everything else stock.
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I called a local 4x4 shop today to ask about some bushwhackers. I ended up on a long tangent on other possibilities that I am excited about. I would have to sell some stuff to finance most of it. What he talked about seemed like pretty good bang for the buck.

Here is the details we discussed with ball park installed prices. Being newer to the Jeep and 4x4 world, I would appreciate input on what you folks think. Pros & cons etc....

-Long Arm upgrade (Rock Krawler Brand) $350.00
-2 inch shackels and spacers $150
(I asked about bump stops he suggested going with a Rock Crawler Shock that had built in bumpstop???? $160 for 4
-Regear to 4.56 $700
-Lock Right Lockers front and rear $400.00
-SYE and new drive shaft $500.00 (he suggested not doing this and having the current drive shaft extended to save $. I haven't seen this mentioned around here???)
-Bushwackers and fender trim $400.00

Am I overlooking anything else that would need to be done?

forgot to mention.....
The whole thing would be finished off with 35's

Is this going to be a Mall-crawler,otherwise ditch the Bushwacker(Treewacker/Rockwacker) idea!

I will be doing some more serious trails in it. A couple of trips to Moab each year.
But.... It still has to remain my daily driver so I wanted to remain legal as to not get hasseled by the cops. Otherwise I would just trim and go.

Then you need to look at TJ/YJ flares.Bushwackers usually last about 1 good trail.

those 35s are gonna kill your 8.25 if you have all kinda money I would throw a dana 44 or if possible 60 under it go dumpster diving and you might come out lucky plus then you can regear to 4.88 becuase you are going to be dissapointed with the performance with 4.56s if your used to 4.10s and 32s... just something to ponder on... but yea what kinda rubbers are you gonna be rolling?

sounds like a nice setup...

Zice said:

those 35s are gonna kill your 8.25

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What? Lots of people run 35s on a 29 spline 8.25.

12 Volt Man said:

I will be doing some more serious trails in it. A couple of trips to Moab each year.
But.... It still has to remain my daily driver so I wanted to remain legal as to not get hasseled by the cops. Otherwise I would just trim and go.

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The flares depend on your taste man. Quite a few of us around here run Bushwackers with sucess.

The 4.56's aren't horrible w/35's but if you had an option to go deeper....

I think you should do the regear and lock to front with a selectable.(I wish I had one) Stick with the 32's for a while. I loved 32's and 4.56's. You'd be surprised what you can do on 32's.

Save the rest of the money to see what you want later. When you do 35's They'll work.

FWIW......nothing

Take that money and build a stroker. Chicks dig torque

Mambeu said:

What? Lots of people run 35s on a 29 spline 8.25.

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this is true I was talking more toward the gears... I guess it was worded wrong... and I agree with passxj I would either stick with the thirty duce's or go 33x12.5 becuase just about every tire comes in a 33 and I really do you you will be more happy with 33s compared to 35s mainly just becuase of the power...

and if you have all kinds of money the stroker would be another good option!

I agree with the previous poster, you need to at least upgrade axle shafts and hope the stock carrier can hanle the strain of a locker and 35's.

Zice said:

those 35s are gonna kill your 8.25 if you have all kinda money I would throw a dana 44 or if possible 60 under it

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a 44 isn't enough of an upgrade from a 8.25 to be worth the time or $$. if you're gonna upgrade go with a 8.8 or even a 60.

Long Arm upgrade (Rock Krawler Brand) $350.00

*Sounds good, sell your old RE arms, get 1/3 your money back

-2 inch shackels and spacers $150

* Don't need these. Waste of $150. RE 4.5" is plenty of lift for 35's

(I asked about bump stops he suggested going with a Rock Crawler Shock that had built in bumpstop???? $160 for 4

*Don't know

-Regear to 4.56 $700
-Lock Right Lockers front and rear $400.00

*4:56 aren't that bad for 35's. 4:88's would be better, but 4:56 with lockers on a D30/29 8.25 isn't a bad combo

-SYE and new drive shaft $500.00 (he suggested not doing this and having the current drive shaft extended to save $. I haven't seen this mentioned around here???)

*that guy is smoking crack. I would seriously worry about having anything installed by this guy.

-Bushwackers and fender trim $400.00

*If you really want them, then get them. I've had them, and 33's were too small, and 35's were getting too big, but 34's fit nice. Once they are on, if you take them off, you're XJ will look like carp. Unless it is a legal issue or personal preference to have them, just trim and leave them. Here is my tech article on plain old fender trimming: http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/fender_trimming.htm

Am I overlooking anything else that would need to be done?

*Don't forget to bumpstop properly:
http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/Adjusting_Bumpstops.htm

All that should save you about $700.

balloo93 said:

I agree with the previous poster, you need to at least upgrade axle shafts and hope the stock carrier can hanle the strain of a locker and 35's.

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Who do you agree with? I didn't read that.

Your axles are strong enough. It's the skinny pedal that's your enemy.

12Volt. If you pick your mods so that they work when you go bigger, You won't have to redo stuff as much as some of us. There are a couple guys locally that run almost all the hard trails on 31 or 32" tires. Of course 35's do look nice!



Had to post a pic. I love this one right now.

Get Chris and let's go wheel.

sounds like a plan. stay at 4.5 lose the whackers and sub with tj if you must, 4 rear flares actually look pretty decent, get the sye its a good investment. just keep your shocks you ahve if they are long enough and just make some bumpstops. hockeypucks up front, and some box tube in the back to drop down the stockers.

Zice said:

those 35s are gonna kill your 8.25..

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That's what I meant, sorry took some liberties with that one. Yes, you could wheel it gently and make it work, but if he ever needed to wheel it hard there woiuld be the looming threat of a snapped shaft. Combine this with a Cclipped axle and that's a recipe for some trail repair.

IMO you can run 35's, but don't nickle and dime it with meats that big. It's like that commercial of that soda with the guy and his kid playing football, if you want him to throw 50yrds....give him 50yrds.........

the 8.25 will be sufficient for 35s, i wouldnt go any bigger, but 35s should be fine. i would carry a spare(one can be used for both as they are equal length) just to have it though. Working fine for me on 34s, albeit i am gentle, but after watching okie terry, i'm more than comfortable with it.

I agree with a lot of the responses here so I'll make it short:

4.56 in the 8.25 is okay for 35's but thats the limit, and run alloys
I'm not fond of lockrights (have ARBs, but did have a front lockright)
Yes you need an SYE and CV driveshaft
Bushwackers: alright if you need to have them
What about your steering?

wow! those are some extremely cheap prices for the RK stuff!
is that local shop creasy's offroad?
you absolutely need an SYE!!!
before you let this guy talk you into doing what he wants you to do, I would continue doing what your doing and ask around, even call other shops and ask them for their opinion, I've always got to know who's full of it and who's not by asking them to explain their answer to a questions, I hate when 4x4 shop salesman say this product is better and then can't back it up with some educated answer as to why they believe that
but back to your questions, work those prices and get quotes from other shops as well

What about your steering?

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Yeah, what about steering??? Probably something else I should factor in.