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Starting and XJ build questions
- Thread starter dpnsta
- Start date
- Location
- ohio
I would wheel it as is, you will find obstacles you can't get past so make sure you have tow points. You will find the weak points in the rig and in the driver. Decide from there what you want or need.
You will find a lot of helpful people on the trails, whether you need help in getting past obstacles or what to fix next. Most importantly have fun, but be smart.
I have seen experienced drivers take a rig with 31 inch tires places a driver with a bought and paid for rig on 35 inch tires couldn't even find. No need to keep up with the Jones' as long as you are enjoying yourself.
Get to know your rig, fix it yourself, and have fun. Just my opinion.
^^^this for sure. That's what I'm going to do. And have been working on it by myself. Replacing the water pump, fan clutch, hoses, fluids, thermostat from mopar, put bpes on it, changed the diff fluid So decided to put solid brand diff covers on it, throttle body spacer, serp belt, some other things. Did it need any of this. Not really. But i figured why not and have trail spares and I wanted to do it for peace of mind. Love learning about it. Just ready to keep adding to it.
Once my DD gets legal this month I will buy parts. Would hate to have a bunch of parts and wreck it.
Buying as follows all at once. V8 zj tie rod and new drag link and tres, frame stiffeners, rock sliders, rear locker. Drive it like that for awhile until my tires lose some tread and then decide after I've taken it out if I just want to do 30s on my BB or 31s and do a 3in.
Buying as follows all at once. V8 zj tie rod and new drag link and tres, frame stiffeners, rock sliders, rear locker. Drive it like that for awhile until my tires lose some tread and then decide after I've taken it out if I just want to do 30s on my BB or 31s and do a 3in.
- Location
- ohio
This is mine:
I went on a run with naxja in November.
Did I overcome all the obstacles? Not a chance
Did I get laughed at? Maybe a little
Did I have fun? You can't imagine how much
Would I do it again? In a heartbeat
podm98c
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- napoleon,ohio
Hey not a problem, I went to a pick and pull and got my 8.8 I paid 90 for it maybe can't remember was very much. Me and my buddy built the spring perches. That was about 30 bucks. For the lift I'm running a Rubicon Express 4.5 in I pieced together off Amazon for 375 and I grabbed the 2in budget boost lift from them as well for 100. So I'm sitting on 5.5 half inches roughly. I have done other stuff sense but I think so far I have 1500 in my build and I was running Orange trails at badlands and keeping up just fine. Heck last year I ran the first day in 4 hi. Because I broke my linkage on the tcase. I was still keeping up got stuck twice but I can live that makesthe run fun. The 8.8 is a great way to get a stronger better geared axle and a limited slip for less then building a 8.25 would be. I always like to suggest it for new builders. Also welcome to the forum and the club it's self!
Looks good by me. And glad you went and had fun. Idk how to post pics lol
Sounds good. I'll do some research on it and might have to go that route. I saw IRO has some swap kits for it to make it easier.
Ether replace the rockers with toob if they are rusty or rock rails if they are not. Do it first Before you wheel it any. Trust me.
Go 3" and 31s if its going to be a DD/light wheeler. Learn on the 31s, enjoy the 31s, embrace the experience you will learn with the 31s. And the only reason the 8.8s are better than the 8.25s is you can find 8.8s with 4.10s and disks easly. I prefer the 8.25 over tbe 8.8 for basic the basic fact its already bolted to the jeep, zj disks bolt on and regears are mostly simple. Plus you'll want 4.56s for anything over 31s. I love my 5.38s and 4Ds in the xj buggy.
Go 3" and 31s if its going to be a DD/light wheeler. Learn on the 31s, enjoy the 31s, embrace the experience you will learn with the 31s. And the only reason the 8.8s are better than the 8.25s is you can find 8.8s with 4.10s and disks easly. I prefer the 8.25 over tbe 8.8 for basic the basic fact its already bolted to the jeep, zj disks bolt on and regears are mostly simple. Plus you'll want 4.56s for anything over 31s. I love my 5.38s and 4Ds in the xj buggy.
^^^I hear you on that that's why I am going to go that route. My jeep has zero rust on it anywhere. And want rocksliders but heard it's best to install stiffeners first. So that's the route I'm going. Im going to be trailing with titan swapped frontiers on 33s. With their ifs suspension I would think 31s and locked would keep up and they also have selectable rear lockers.
Alright so the DD is legal and ready to spend some money. And figure I would ask you experinced gentlemen. If you had 2000-2500 to spend what would your build be? Not including tires in the price I'll worry about that after it's done. I'm talking everything from lift to steering, gears, armor, and all inbetween. Brands would be nice. And yes I will steal your suggestions. Prices would be nice to know if you roughly know them. If not I'll look it up. Thanks and I'm ready to hit that buy button. it will be driven to and from the trails.
dan1977p
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Virginia Beach, VA
Tire size, at least, should be considered when planning the build and not be an after thought. Seems to be the determining factor here on which axles get run, whether or not you regear, change control arms, new wheels with proper backspacing and the list goes on. Detail out exactly what your plans are for this rig, whether or not you want bolt on or some fab work.
The only constant I can see is shackle relocation boxes since on that budget, you won't be linking the rear.
I spent about $2200 Oct2015 on a Rough Country 4.5" long arm kit with new leaves, a SYE and new rear driveshaft. Going that high opened up a bunch more stuff that needed to be done and some that still needs to be done to be really finished that I wouldn't have needed to do if I'd stayed 3.5 or below. That was before another $1200 on new 33x12.50" tires. If I was more patient and hadn't trusted a local 'builder', I would have spent less than half and still had a similarly capable rig and spent more time playing and less time working.
The only constant I can see is shackle relocation boxes since on that budget, you won't be linking the rear.
I spent about $2200 Oct2015 on a Rough Country 4.5" long arm kit with new leaves, a SYE and new rear driveshaft. Going that high opened up a bunch more stuff that needed to be done and some that still needs to be done to be really finished that I wouldn't have needed to do if I'd stayed 3.5 or below. That was before another $1200 on new 33x12.50" tires. If I was more patient and hadn't trusted a local 'builder', I would have spent less than half and still had a similarly capable rig and spent more time playing and less time working.
Well tire size would either be 31-33. Depending on what I can get away with with the budget I have right now. It can increase but I really don't want to go much higher. I can get 80% tread 31s mounted and balanced and on the jeep for $250 here and $300 for 33s. I saw that RC kit on eBay for a grand. Long arms would be nice but I don't want to blow the whole budget on it. What 3.5 kit were you running? It's crazy how 2500 isn't really that much. Thanks
dan1977p
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Virginia Beach, VA
I never ran any 3.5" kit. I bought it with stock suspension and 31's. I just wish I would have done that from the start since that extra inch didn't do anything for me in Utah but it forced my hand on upgrading a lot of things I could have kept stock until it wore out.
VAhasnoWAVES
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Lake City, Mi
- keep the lift reasonably low
- stick to a 31" tire
- trim/bump stop as needed
- armor up the belly
- put tow points front and rear
- put lunchbox lockers in it
youll go farther like this than most people out there realize. big lift and tires really doesnt make up for a lack of traction from open diffs.
Thanks. I've been leaning more this route. But didn't really know how far 2500 will get you. Not very far lol. I was happy that my new $10 grill came in yesterday. PO cut out the slots to make it look like a wrangler I guess. Not my style and want that somewhat protection in front of my rad
podm98c
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- napoleon,ohio
2500 will get you pretty far. One of the best parts of wheeling i as building your rig the way you want to. Advice is help full but at the same time we will all give you different ideas. The forum has pages of builds and ideas poeple have done. I mean look at me for example I built my rig for less the 2500. Yeah I bought some used parts from poeple but they work. Even if you just don't a lift and tires you will be amazed at what you can actually do with the Jeep. I highly recommend coming out to winterfest this year. This will give you a good look at what everyones rigs can do. Plus a great way to see others withild builds and what they did. Even if you don't have rig built a little by then you can always do a ride along some will have a free seat.
This is true. I'm going out to moonlight next weekend and seeing what I want to do with the build for the most part. If anyone is around Sullivan Missouri feel free to come. We are going on Sunday. If you don't know what moonlight is look it up on YouTube. Last few times my buddy has went it was free and one time it was $10. And winter fest would be a great learning place. Where and when and how much? I do know I'm just going to order my frame stiffeners and rock sliders today. Anyone have experience with ajs off-road armor rock sliders?
