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Need Advice Fellow Xj'ers, Please Help me Out

1

1sickxj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Dallas, GA
I need advice from you guys. I am 2 weeks old into the jeep world and love it so far. I bought a bone stock 1998 XJ Classic 2 weeks ago and have already installed a RE 4.5 super flex kit on. Heres some pics in the link http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=984704 I'm want to build a durable trail worthy xj. I need to know what i need to get to make this happen. I wanna do it right the first time so I don't need to repurchase the same part just a better one the next time "done this many times with other vehicles i have owned" I would really appreciate your input and knowledge. Thanks for the help guys.
 
Looks like your off to a great start by purchasing a quality lift kit! :worship: I cant tell by your pics what rear you have. I'm assuming you have an 8.25 by the one pic, if so, that's good also. Keep that rear and get some gears (4.56's) and throw in an aussie locker.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to take a few hours when you get the time and just read through threads here on NAXJA. There is a ton of knowledge to be had! Most people on here will tell you by first hand experiance and will not steer you wrong.
 
1st off get good recovery points, a class 3 hitch out back and tow hooks with proper brackets up frt is a great start. next would be gears, what size tires you running? and have you gotten a sye yet?
 
yeah it's the 8.25 rear end. this is one of my daily drivers so i need gears that would fit both on and off road use.
jerseyjeep01 said:
Looks like your off to a great start by purchasing a quality lift kit! :worship: I cant tell by your pics what rear you have. I'm assuming you have an 8.25 by the one pic, if so, that's good also. Keep that rear and get some gears (4.56's) and throw in an aussie locker.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to take a few hours when you get the time and just read through threads here on NAXJA. There is a ton of knowledge to be had! Most people on here will tell you by first hand experiance and will not steer you wrong.
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yeah, i want to get a nice front winch bumper and rear class 3 bumper. no sye yet and running 32.11.50's
ROBZ95Xj said:
1st off get good recovery points, a class 3 hitch out back and tow hooks with proper brackets up frt is a great start. next would be gears, what size tires you running? and have you gotten a sye yet?
Click to expand...
 
It may be a little high for 32's but it will do really good offroad!
 
1sickxj said:
would that be good for daily use?
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Kinda depends how you drive. I think for my style of freeway driving 4.56 and 32s might be a bit low. I was thinking of going only 4.10 with my 33s because right now my jeep runs fine on the freeway. I would just check some rpm/mph gear ratio calcs and start watching the tach while you drive. Just figure how far off your speedo is now and on the freeway look at your cruising rpm and then figure what it would be with each gear setup.
 
slcpunk74 said:
Kinda depends how you drive. I think for my style of freeway driving 4.56 and 32s might be a bit low. I was thinking of going only 4.10 with my 33s because right now my jeep runs fine on the freeway. I would just check some rpm/mph gear ratio calcs and start watching the tach while you drive. Just figure how far off your speedo is now and on the freeway look at your cruising rpm and then figure what it would be with each gear setup.
Click to expand...

if youre gonna regear just go lower, runnin 4.10's with 33's is silly when ya have the chance to do it right the first time with 4.56's, and it aint like your rpm are gonna be that bad
 
Get an sye wether it be hack n tap or tailshaft replacement. Bumpstop the front and rear so you keep you tires from damaging things and vica versa. Take the rear sway bar off all together and disco the front when you wheel.
 
In this order;

Recovery, search and you will find the best bang for the buck. A reciever hitch will get you by in the rear but find something that ties in all of the bolts in the frame rail in the front

Armor, protect the T-case and rockers first, tank/diffs second. If you smash the rockers your doors will not close anymore. If you crunch the T-case you are stuck on the trail.

Gears/lockers, go as low as you can, 4.88 and throw some Aussies in the front and rear.

Tweak it, shave the 8.25 diff, make some skids for the axle LCA mounts, adjustable bump stops in the rear, you get the picture!
 
ROBZ95Xj said:
if youre gonna regear just go lower, runnin 4.10's with 33's is silly when ya have the chance to do it right the first time with 4.56's, and it aint like your rpm are gonna be that bad
Click to expand...
Yes well 4.10 with 33s should take you back very close to stock and if you are like me and dont mind a higher gear ratio then its really your opinion. I just said I was thinking 4.10 but really I am not conserned with gearing right now because I really dont wheel much. I like going 80+ on the freeway and the 3.55s like it too.
 
slcpunk74 said:
Yes well 4.10 with 33s should take you back very close to stock and if you are like me and dont mind a higher gear ratio then its really your opinion. I just said I was thinking 4.10 but really I am not conserned with gearing right now because I really dont wheel much. I like going 80+ on the freeway and the 3.55s like it too.
Click to expand...

The cops like it to, that makes there quota for the month when they see big XJ's doing 80 down the highway. But don't forget that it takes alot more motor to get those 33's turning. I haven't changed mine yet, but I do know for a fact my gas mileage would be way better on the highway if I dropped down to 4:56. Less motor used to turn the wheels and you're not constantly downshifting when your truck approaches an incline. Mine does that so just saying, all that down shifting is fuel wasting, when lower gears would keep you at a constant pace.
 
What nobody has mentioned yet is getting some offroad driving skills should be the 1st thing you do.

It's been my experience that building a rig with numerous modifications BEFORE wheeling it can be counter productive. What happens is you have your modified jeep and no skills. You think you can take all the same obstacles as everyone else that has skill, and it can be very easy at that point to get yourself into deep trouble due to a lack of skill.

Wheel it now the way you have it a few times... learn how to drive it. Learn it's limitations. Then add another upgrade/modification and wheel with it like that. That way you'll grow with your rig and you'll be much more capable down the road.

My 2 Cents.
 
91XJRubicXD said:
The cops like it to, that makes there quota for the month when they see big XJ's doing 80 down the highway. But don't forget that it takes alot more motor to get those 33's turning. I haven't changed mine yet, but I do know for a fact my gas mileage would be way better on the highway if I dropped down to 4:56. Less motor used to turn the wheels and you're not constantly downshifting when your truck approaches an incline. Mine does that so just saying, all that down shifting is fuel wasting, when lower gears would keep you at a constant pace.
Click to expand...

True and true but I am just saying when an engine is rapped up it consumes more fuel then it needs. I am not saying Im right or wrong(Im mostly the later) Im just saying sometimes I go fast and I dont wanna worry about the higher rpms and plus I dont feel my 3.55s are that bad for now.
 
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