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suspension building recommendations

Cheath94

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Kentucky
I recently bought a 2000 model sport that is bone stock and starting to plan out the suspension. I will be driving this on the street so I'm not wanting something to crazy but if I want to get down and dirty on the weekend be able to go out and perform there too. I want to run a 33" tire and maybe down the road run a 35". Anyways money is not to big of a deal I just want reliability and performance. Here is what I have come up with so far. If you have any recommendations please let me know.

Front:
Rustys offroad comp 4-link
Rubicon Express 4.5" coils
JKS swaybar disconnects
(I will be upgrading steering and misc front end components as well, just havent decided if im going to keep the dana 30 and build it or find a HP 44)

Rear:
I have considered going with a 3.5" leaf maybe OME
Shackle relocation bracket
and jks shackles
(my only concern here is that with combo the rear will be slightly higher then the front)

For shocks i was leaning towards iron rock offroad bilstein 5125 4.5" kit

again I'm in the planning stages and kinda leaning towards a HP 44 front axle swap and a ford 9" or 8.8 swap for the rear. What do you guys think? i'm down for constructive criticism and recommendations.
 
I would just get a Clayton lift kit with their 3 link or radius arms comes with good coils, great leaves, can be ordered with bilstein shocks and comes with the tracbar and brake lines and all other small parts you'll need to lift and then buy a good steering kit
 
I recently bought a 2000 model sport that is bone stock and starting to plan out the suspension. I will be driving this on the street so I'm not wanting something to crazy but if I want to get down and dirty on the weekend be able to go out and perform there too. I want to run a 33" tire and maybe down the road run a 35". Anyways money is not to big of a deal I just want reliability and performance. Here is what I have come up with so far. If you have any recommendations please let me know.

Front:
Rustys offroad comp 4-link
Rubicon Express 4.5" coils
JKS swaybar disconnects
(I will be upgrading steering and misc front end components as well, just havent decided if im going to keep the dana 30 and build it or find a HP 44)

Rear:
I have considered going with a 3.5" leaf maybe OME
Shackle relocation bracket
and jks shackles
(my only concern here is that with combo the rear will be slightly higher then the front)

For shocks i was leaning towards iron rock offroad bilstein 5125 4.5" kit

again I'm in the planning stages and kinda leaning towards a HP 44 front axle swap and a ford 9" or 8.8 swap for the rear. What do you guys think? i'm down for constructive criticism and recommendations.

No to Rusty's anything. The kit from Serious is awesome along with Clayton. A few people like BDS but IMHO to expensive. Rear looks fine, I wouldn't worry about it possibly sitting to high, the springs will settle with time. FYI the IRO kit is their long arm kit with shocks so no need for that. Bilsteins are probably the best choice for shocks though. You'll also need a SYE and to re-gear. 35's are overkill for mall crawling. I have 33's and they work great. Axle wise you're on the right track. 8.8 is great for the rear and I would build a HP44 or at the very least get a D30HP.
 
Yeah im wanting to go with a 33x12.5. I'm still up in the air about hp d44 or hp d30. My jeep has a low pinion in it so I would have to source a HP. I would sleeve, truss, gusset, and alloy axles. But if I go with the d44 I don't know if I would want to go full width or cut it down, and of course do the supporting modifications to go with it. I do appreciate the guidance though, I'm not used to this xj stuff. Haha. I only have messed with old Willy's jeeps.
 
Yeah im wanting to go with a 33x12.5. I'm still up in the air about hp d44 or hp d30. My jeep has a low pinion in it so I would have to source a HP. I would sleeve, truss, gusset, and alloy axles. But if I go with the d44 I don't know if I would want to go full width or cut it down, and of course do the supporting modifications to go with it. I do appreciate the guidance though, I'm not used to this xj stuff. Haha. I only have messed with old Willy's jeeps.

Gotcha, really just depends on what you want it to do. My 93 has a decently built HP30. I have been going back and forth on what I want to do. As nice as the HP44 is, the HP30 works great for what I need and cost wise is cheaper mainly because I already had the parts. If you want to go rock hopping and bash it I say go with a 44, if you're like me and don't like rocks but like getting back to BFE without worries a decently built HP30 works fine. Some will argue for the price of having to build and source a HP30 vs HP44, the 44 is the better bet.
 
Yeah mostly in my area is just gravel/dirt roads, but I'm in northern Kentucky/southern Indiana so we have a lot of old strip mines that was a mixture with some rocks. But with that being said my buddy beats on his Dana 30 with no care and hasn't had any issues. So I might just sleeve and truss, etc the 30 and see where that leads me. I appreciate the feedback.
 
Yeah mostly in my area is just gravel/dirt roads, but I'm in northern Kentucky/southern Indiana so we have a lot of old strip mines that was a mixture with some rocks. But with that being said my buddy beats on his Dana 30 with no care and hasn't had any issues. So I might just sleeve and truss, etc the 30 and see where that leads me. I appreciate the feedback.

I think you'll be fine with a built 30. No worries, have fun....
 
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