Hello, new guy here, although I'm not new to wrenching at all, but this is actually my first jeep I'm building (for the wife), usually I stick to chevys and volvo's. I have done a bit of home work, but I have a couple questions left that the searches didn't really clear up.
1. which HD sye. Although this isn't a dd, the wife wouldn't take well to things falling off, and although the hnt is a bit cheaper I think its worth the extra bucks for the hd. The question I have is which hd sye, basically I can't find much comparison between the AA and JB, and I don't find much on any others, the super short isn't an option because she needs the speedo.
2. d44 axles. I'm aware these aren't the easiest thing to find, does anyone have any tips for locating a factory d44 rear beyond just search and prayer? I have had difficulty even finding what the "street value" for one of these would be, anyone have an idea what one would set me back to buy from someone who knows what they have. although sadly I have run across some other forums talking of paching them from under xj's to hack up into their own rigs.
3. The lift. She is set on a ~4" lift that will probably seem mainly sand and some trails, not really any rocks or too much mud. This has left me with a couple questions.
a. What are peoples opinions on shocks, I'm thinking bilstein, probably 5150s, as I have always had good experience with their road products, and I've heard nothing but bad about rebranded edlbrock shocks which seems to be most of the others, any other good options, this is one aspect of the suspension I am fairly intent on getting right to begin with?
b. For the rear leafs what are the opinions of the various full packs (not interested in blocks or adl or shackles)? The reason I ask is that most reviews are either bad in depth or just "yeah, mine work okay", so there was no clear indication for a choice.
c. For the coils, any clear favorites there, and does anyone have any descriptions of ride at the various spring rates, all I have run across is mention of 160 being on the softer side?
d. I'm aware keeping the stock control arms may give bad caster (and death wobble) with 4" lift, but the xj wouldn't be driven more than 5 miles on local roads at 35pmh to a local sand pit or beach, if my wife likes it enough to venture out farther I would be upgrading anyway, is there anyone that would like to offer their opinion on vehicles with stock arms and sye on a 4" lift that they own or have at least driven?
basically all the kits I have run across would either leave me with a t case drop I wouldn't be using, or control arms I would be ditching soon anyway, or other parts I didn't need/want, does someone know of a kit fitting the description I was looking for, or will I just have to piece it together from where ever I find it.
thanks
1. which HD sye. Although this isn't a dd, the wife wouldn't take well to things falling off, and although the hnt is a bit cheaper I think its worth the extra bucks for the hd. The question I have is which hd sye, basically I can't find much comparison between the AA and JB, and I don't find much on any others, the super short isn't an option because she needs the speedo.
2. d44 axles. I'm aware these aren't the easiest thing to find, does anyone have any tips for locating a factory d44 rear beyond just search and prayer? I have had difficulty even finding what the "street value" for one of these would be, anyone have an idea what one would set me back to buy from someone who knows what they have. although sadly I have run across some other forums talking of paching them from under xj's to hack up into their own rigs.
3. The lift. She is set on a ~4" lift that will probably seem mainly sand and some trails, not really any rocks or too much mud. This has left me with a couple questions.
a. What are peoples opinions on shocks, I'm thinking bilstein, probably 5150s, as I have always had good experience with their road products, and I've heard nothing but bad about rebranded edlbrock shocks which seems to be most of the others, any other good options, this is one aspect of the suspension I am fairly intent on getting right to begin with?
b. For the rear leafs what are the opinions of the various full packs (not interested in blocks or adl or shackles)? The reason I ask is that most reviews are either bad in depth or just "yeah, mine work okay", so there was no clear indication for a choice.
c. For the coils, any clear favorites there, and does anyone have any descriptions of ride at the various spring rates, all I have run across is mention of 160 being on the softer side?
d. I'm aware keeping the stock control arms may give bad caster (and death wobble) with 4" lift, but the xj wouldn't be driven more than 5 miles on local roads at 35pmh to a local sand pit or beach, if my wife likes it enough to venture out farther I would be upgrading anyway, is there anyone that would like to offer their opinion on vehicles with stock arms and sye on a 4" lift that they own or have at least driven?
basically all the kits I have run across would either leave me with a t case drop I wouldn't be using, or control arms I would be ditching soon anyway, or other parts I didn't need/want, does someone know of a kit fitting the description I was looking for, or will I just have to piece it together from where ever I find it.
thanks