My Project

Hey, so over the last couple of weeks i have talked to numerous people about my jeep so heres the low down, 88 XJ, 2WD, 240K, Dana 35, looks great and clean in and out, when i baught it the guy said its complete stock but at a M & G i had a guy check it out and they said it was 2-3" i got rancho 5000, red coils (thinking rancho to) and a add a leaf in the rear. Now the thing that is running threw my head is where to go from here. I want to go bigger :clap: but should i do a Pre-runner setup and keep it 2wd or should i do a 4wd conversion and join the rest of you. the thing i hear the most when i mention 4wd conversion is why not just buy a 4wd, well that in my case can not be an option. I baught the car for 1800, but my parents went 1/2 for my insurance so right now being a current highschool student i am pretty straped for cash, and 90% of my work money goes to my jeep. so long story short wont fly with the parents, but i can do almost anything with my current jeep. as soon as i got the money my first big purchase was my tires/rims, got the eccos from a guy for 125, and the BFG A/Ts 31"

Before

After



I think it looks alot better. So back to the topic, i am really leaning toward the pre-runner cause for some reason it apeals more to me maybe because i like the going fast over sand or the air time, but wheeling like mudding, and trails is also what i want to do so i am kind of split. One other key to my project is budget if i didnt live with my mom i would be living off roman noodles, i make probably 100-175 every week, just to let you know how i stand financialy. So where should i go from here?

Enjoy it for what it is. I had a hell of a lot of fun when I had a 2wd VW Baja Bug. Learn how to drive it in 2wd and you'll be amazed what you can do when you finally get a 4wd. Make sure you have solid front and rear tow points. THere's a lot of territory that can be covered in 2wd with smart driving. Save up and get a Dana 44 for the rear, get it geared and locked. Going fast costs a lot of money probably more than rockcrawling.

Join us at our next M&G and see what some of our junk looks like and you can decide what direction you want to go.......SANTA

haha damn that beetle is close to you (or vice versa)

I'd say keep it a 2WD and do the pre-runner thing, there are those guys on here, so you don't need 4WD to play. But I hear pre-runner ain't cheap either! Well, that is if you're REALLY gonna race.

Sorry you got to pay to play. I was a high school student when I first got into it. I didn't have the best equipment when I first started out. I had the bare minimum stuff. I wheeled it stock at first. But over the years I've built it up. Just have patience. You won't be a broke high school student forever. Stay in school, so you won't be a broke adult, haha.

You can still have fun, save your pennies. I delivered pizza's while I was in high school in my Jeep when it was stock for a long time. Friday's were awesome tip days, I saved up my tip money and bought my lift.

Hey John,

Keep it 2wd until you dont have any more fun with it. Then when you ride bitch with someone on a hard trail, you might be influenced to go 4wd. Since you are a student, keeping it 2wd will be your best bet. Patience grasshopper.

Don't listen to these goons. Lets pull the engine and put some big block in it. Get some Pro Rock axels and run some 44's!
Patience my ass, lets KILL something!

I guess I will be the one who argues differently.

I say keep your eyes open for good deals and slowly save up the parts to go 4wd. The suspension is the same its just front axle, transmission and TC basically (a few tidbits here and there but those are big items). You will see them on here or craigslist from time to time. There are a bunch of us on here that would help you with the swap once you get the stuff. Go out to PAP on 50% off weekends stuff like that. I like the go fast stuff but wouldn't want my 4wd to be 2wd ever. Whatever you decide.....good luck.

Keep the 2wd for now.
Add a rear locker and front recovery points.

Blazair said:

Keep the 2wd for now.
Add a rear locker and front recovery points.

Click to expand...

That's what I've done, and I'm happy with what it does and where it goes. Because of your budget you might get an Ausie locker on the Dana 35 (I know . . . ) and learn as much as you can.
"Flying" is FUN (I also started with a Baja Bug before you were born), it's the landing that breaks things.
The junkyard is your friend. I've added front and rear factory skids and hitch to our 2 wheel drive, 4 cyl, 5 speed.
Change out all your fluids, grease all the fittings and have fun.

Mike

I know you say that getting a 4WD is not an option given your cicumstances; but, having been there as a youngster like you, and having spent a ton of money on a 2WD truck, trying to make it off-road capable, I would suggest finding a way to re-negotiate with your parents and just get 4WD XJ. I believe you'll be ahead of the game in the long run.

Just my 2

My two cents. I have owned both, If you want a pre-runner, don't waste your money on a XJ. Go buy a Ranger, Why? because for half the money you will smoke any XJ! On the other hand, I have had way more fun wheeling with the guy's, way more trails for 4x4 than pre-running, after awhile unless you do a lot of Mex it gets old. The best thing I ever did was sell my 5 seater, even though it had 22" travel and hauled ass! The XJ wheeling is a blast! and there always going somewhere.

As has been said, you can get a lot of places in a 2wd with a locker. However, air time is very expensive. Our XJs weren't meant for air time with out spending a lot in upgrades before or in repairs afterwards. Build it as is have fun on trails, run around the desert, and eventually add in a t-case and front axle and have even more fun.

Jump This said:

Don't listen to these goons. Lets pull the engine and put some big block in it. Get some Pro Rock axels and run some 44's!
Patience my ass, lets KILL something!

Click to expand...

Finess Rick, we dont wanna scare the young lad away. You know that a build will cost thousands...

On a serious note. XtimmaX is a highschool student and he built his rig with his own pennies. He worked at the local ski resort in the winter and tossed burgers at "ding fries are done" in the summer.

See so it can be done on a budget and with some patience. I am pretty sure that you started on the same run as he was on. You were not on the entire run, but he has a very capable rig.

Just holler if you have questions or need opinions.

Leep

I agree with many of the comments here.....for now, lock the rear and gear up....suspension is good too.....if you plan on going fast, add unibody stiffening if you want the XJ to last...then, as Andy said....save your money and hit the junkyards on half price day and do the swap to 4wd. Many of the parts (suspension and unibody stiffening) will work once you have swapped..plus, there are many people here who have done the swap that can help out...

Oh, and by the way, many of us like going fast here too...

ask for an aw4 trans and a atlas II for x-mas

But seriously look for these, http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=950392 or trades...etc. pack you lunch everyday.... look in the naxja classifieds and search the boneyards. go 4wd you wouldnt think twice about prerunner after that.