question on best setup for xj to wheel with big toyotas.

Ok I have been looking on this site for 4 hours now and haven't seen what im looking for. I have a 1988 XJ 2dr pioneer. It has a 4.5 in lift and 33's all else is mostly stock. My jeep went everywhere untill the last wheeling trip when my buddy got stuck on a huge incline. upon useing a 2 truck pulling method to get him out the other truck died, all that force got put on my jeep it riped the bumper bolts through the frame tweeked the body and busted the shock on the pass side. now it makes a bad metal on metal noise when running unless in drive, over heats bad, and wont shift into any gear unless the tranny comp is unpluged. im working on those but my question is my buddies are going to 39.5's and they have 8" lifts on there toys also welding the rear diffs. and maybe locking up the front. Now im poor and would liek to keep up on the trails with them what should i do to be able to stay with them. i plan on welding the rear diff. and also what size tires can i run to get where they are going to go? I dont mind cutting and trimming already done that. any help would be great thanks in advance.

James

well youve probly got a d35 in the back so 33s is pushin it already. i would say since you are broke maybe 31s with the welded rear, but still expect to break shafts. youve got to pay to play, theres really no cheap way around it, trust me ive learned that much.

Dude - if your rig overheats, grinds while running and needs shocks then I'd say you need to work on that stuff.

After you get all that stuff done then stick some 60s under your Jeep, ARBs front and rear, 5:13 gears, 39.5" creepys, full hydro steering, disc brakes, full 4links front and rear, lots of skids, a front and rear bumper, M8000, etc. Then the Yota guys will be on the yota forum asking how to make their Yotas go where their buddies jeep goes.

Or you could just take different lines and still follow them everywhere. I have no problems following my friends on 44s with my 33s.

If you can't afford it then ride with the yota guys...

with there yotas and 70 hp you should do just fine.
and if its a d35 do not weld your rear end big no no

where are they wheeling at goat mountain?
i saw a couple yotas this weekend at larch on 38's and being they were underbuilt it was pretty much a joke.

If this is your DD you won't want to try to keep up with guys that have 39.5's and 8" lift!
I am a budget minded wheeler also and always try to look for quality used parts for cheap. Learn how to weld, or find a friend who does and it will save alot of dough. 33's with stock gears is not really smart 'cause it kills your power. I would say a good winch on a properly built bumper is more important than larger tires and bigger lift. (Budget minded, of course). Proper winching technique and you wouldn't have damaged your vehicle in the 1st place. I know, you gotta do what you can when the situation arrises and help a buddy out.
By the way, my wife's truck is a lifted 84 LB Toy and the people I wheel with have a mix of TJ, XJ, Toy, and Samurai. I don't try to keep up with them, if I can't do something a more capable rig can, do I don't.
I am explaining this as a budget wheeler myself, in other words, don't try to keep up with the Joneses but have fun with what you can afford!
It really sounds like you tweaked the hell out of your rig.
It might be cheaper to buy a new one 'cause if you damage a unibody real bad, it might be cheaper using the good parts off the old one and start over.
Good luck!

At this point the jeep doesent make te noise anymore. and of course i will fix all that before doing more. also as far as being broke, I'll still put money in my jeep no prob jsut dont have 3 grand laying around lol. good to kwno about the gears. At this point there only runnign 35's and i had no problem at all and went where one of them couldn't go. but when they upgrade i would like to keep up. i know 35's are no prob to make fit but not sure what axles to run. im on the hunt for a d44 out of a jeep and almost have my buddys mom ready to sell it to me. thanks for your answers i love information.

also there trucks are down right now. one is doing a strait axle swap and the other is having runnign and charging issues.

myfyn69 said:

also there trucks are down right now. one is doing a strait axle swap and the other is having runnign and charging issues.

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Thats good to know! ...

Craigslist for D44 ford front and 9" rear. You will have to mod them but at least they are cheap to start with, search on here for upgrade options.
5.5 rims for this combo are cheap too.
Realistically with a 4.5" lift and 33's you should go about anywhere they do. I hope everything is well with the problems you had.

lowrange2 said:

Thats good to know! ...

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haha, my thoughts exactly

oo7ravisXJ said:

haha, my thoughts exactly

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What? The Toy's are not invincible?:tears:

88xjlover said:

What? The Toy's are not invincible?:tears:

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i follow toyotas and im only on 33 with a 3 inch and lots of trimming, stock gears(welded rear) and a 2.8, the toyota's have 35,welded diffs, straight axled,and geared down, and i go every where they go, just got to know which line to take, and know when to stop trying to get over stupid impossible obstacles (rock face on the expressway at walker) my buddy tries it every time in his toyota and usually breaks stuff! hahahahahaha

For about the same lift,gears,lockers, and tires,my sons 86 4Runner(after a SAS on his), is just about the same in articulation but he suffers from rear overhang angles much worse!
But He's been keeping up with me!!

well if the yota guys dont upgrade their axles to run those tires you will drive right by them when they break the Birfield joints. So you dont even need to upgrade

I just wana say thanks for all the responses. It makes it a lot eaiser to talk to people that don't say just get rid of the pos jeep and get a toy. I'm going to flush it out and burp the system tonight and hope it helps the overheating part then by god hope to get to drive it again lol. thanks again for your time its much appreacited!!!!!!