in a dark place.. please help

ok hey everyone im Rick. im kinda new to , my brother has been on it a while and i have posted a few things here and there. basically i need some help and advice. i have a 98 xj 2dr 4.0l l6 4x4 with chrysler 8.25 rear, and dana 30 front. i have a 5.5" TNT long arm kit with slip yolk elem. i have recently ran into a "DEAD END" and im currently in a dark tunnel with no lighter. i want to put bigger tires on it, and right now it has only 25" tires on a 15" rim. yes it does look really funny. probebly seen me driving around san diego, oceanside, san clemente area. (Green jeep, small tires, tinted back windows, no front fender flares). anyways i was told i cant just put bigger tires on it because my braking system will slow up and take me longer to brake, my steering box will put all the pressure on my frame rail and it could break it, and that my tranny will blow up. when my brother and i installed the lift we did all the drilling and bolt on that was to do, however we have no welder and couldnt weld on the unibody stiffiners and the u bolt eleminators. he doesnt want me to take it offroading yet because he wants to be there for the trial run, and it is not completed yet. bottom line is i want to play with my toy. lol.

so far i have in order things i think it needs to get it ready for this summer, but would like opinions and advice on whats actually worth a shit or not. i have the 4bolt plate for the steering box i was going to put on soon. 1st i was going to get a currie inverted "P" correct link upgrade. then 2nd install a transmission cooler after the radiator and behind the header pannel. then 3rd i was going to buy some youkon gears for regearing my axels to 4.55, then 4th i was going to "try" to do the stearing/break knuckle conversion upgrade from a 2004 jeep grand cherokee, then lastly get some bigger tires for my jeep.

all of it sounds nice, but i only have so much experiance with working on vehicles that some of this shit just sounds impossible. i have no idea what to do or where to start. i need some help or advice on subjects such as where is a good place to get my welding done, or can someone weld for me, to what kind of gears i need to get for the regearing process, to what a transmission cooler is and how do i install it. whats products work best and what products are not worth shit. how do i put a 2004 grand cherokee steering knuckle, rotar, caliper, and caliper bracket on? what do i need to do to get that knuckle conversion installed correctly so that my tires will fit back on. alot of questions and not alot of time or help. my brother makes it sound easy when really it is not. he helps me alot when im home, but right now my work has me stationed in camp pendleton and he is in Tahoe. so if anybody can help me get on my feet, be an advisor, or a mentor to me so i can finally get out there and have some fun i would really appriciate any info or help i can get. if not than thank you for taking the time to read my post.

Respectfully submitted,
Rick

WickedOnE530 said:

.... i want to put bigger tires on it, and right now it has only 25" tires on a 15" rim. yes it does look really funny. .....

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I got to see this.. Post up pics.. :wierd:

anyways i was told i cant just put bigger tires on it because my braking system will slow up and take me longer to brake, my steering box will put all the pressure on my frame rail and it could break it, and that my tranny will blow up.....

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Whoever told you that was WRONG.. For the most part. 215's are Jeep's stock tire size. 25" is way smaller than 215's. You can go up 30's or 31's and be ok. You can even run 32's or 33's, but you'll start stressing your drivetrain and it'll be slugish.

If you want to run 32"+ tires, then I highly suggest regearing your axles. Then you can beef up your steering and other components.

...bottom line is i want to play with my toy. lol.

......
Respectfully submitted,
Rick

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Btw, this is a family site... lol



E

Hey Rick
First of all almost everyone here has been exactly at the point you are at now.
First decide what size tires you want I would recommend 32 or 33 I have 33's then you will choose a gear ratio 4.56 or 4.88 for those tires respectively. If you feel you want a locker now is the time to do it, if this is your DD then ARB's might be a good choice.

SO that short paragraph just spent $4500 of your money

tires around $1100
gears and lockers $3400
steering box brace etc.etc.etc. do as you go along.
there is a long list of other things that can be done and a lot of people that are willing to help. Try to make to a meet and greet and get to know a few of us.We go out on runs from time to time so chime in and come along on a few.
Good luck
Gary

I have a 89 with 33's on it..My brakes are crap from the dealer, they still work good..Just don't tail gate or race it like a honda...LOL...Like he said if you go to 33's think about doing gears, i have 373's in mine, but i will go to 456's soon

You guys are all wastin' your time.
With a name like 'Rick' he is beyond hope!!

Sweet, I am not alone in paradise! I have seen you around town, You do need tires. Bring it by, easy to figure out whatever you want to do.

:looser:

i appriciate it all from everyone. i was going to go with 35's but i think i will stick with 33's for awhile. as far as lockers go i dont think i will. would be nice, but i do drive through the snow ALOT. and going on a few runs with all of ya would be nice, however last time i did that my brother was pulling me out by my axel. lol. i have hooks for the front just need to take n put em on really quick. as far as getting the gears for the regearing... where can i buy them and what do i need to ask for? also i need to get my unibody stiffiners welded on before i can take her out. anyone have a welder or know of any good places? and of any good places for the regearing aswell?

places like MIT in El Cajon 4wheel parts San Diego Axle and Gears in Santee can get it done for you in a day,
I been wheeling mine for a couple years no stiffeners no cracks stop worrying about it

Welcome to madness Rick!

Sounds like you already have a great start. I highly recommend running 33" tires and 4.88 gears. You can find wheels & tires on Craigslist or here to help save some $$$. As for gears and welding, there are several folks in this group that are not far from you that are very fair and do good work.

Post a few pics, don't worry about folks laughing, everyone gets laughed at....EVERYONE!

If you don't have rock rails or other armor and tow points, then invest in those before you go off-road.

As for lockers, many choices. Budget for this when you do you gears if you can. I recommend a minimum of a limited slip, like an Aussie on front and rear. If price is not too much of an issue, I recommend a Detroit in the rear and an Ected in the front.

Brakes & Steering - I am (was) running stock brakes with 33's for 4 years. no issues. You can always upgrade the booster and use different rotors and pads.

I tried a couple of different steering options. My favorite is the Currie set-up. For the money, it provided me the steering I wanted.

Get to know the fokls on here. Find otu what works for them and see what their rigs look like in person.

Then, as you accumulate parts and get ready, throw a wrench party and learn about your Jeep.

In a couple of weeks I will be having a tear-down party and then a rebuild party shortly after. I am not far from you and you can learn alot. Watch for the post!

Good luck!

alright yea i will do. ill throw up some pics soon. im not worried about getting laughed at, might look funny but it means buisness. lol. thanks for all the help.

WickedOnE530 said:

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all i see is a red x =/

bluejeepkid said:

all i see is a red x =/

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Nah, it's a blue question mark.

mikedashg said:

Nah, it's a blue question mark.

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Mac / Safari user...

Hey Rick,

these guys have good advice but i think they left something out: just go wheel the thing!!! Despite what you've been told you won't destroy your jeep if you go play with it now. personally, i think its best to learn how it drives in stock form then you will asolutely know what it does and doesn't need. most everyone on here (myself included) has been in your place and now we have crazy, capable rides because we got bitten by the jeep bug and kept learning. you will too! just get out there

<inspirational pep talk completed>

Dan

danny boy said:

Hey Rick,

these guys have good advice but i think they left something out: just go wheel the thing!!! Despite what you've been told you won't destroy your jeep if you go play with it now. personally, i think its best to learn how it drives in stock form then you will asolutely know what it does and doesn't need. most everyone on here (myself included) has been in your place and now we have crazy, capable rides because we got bitten by the jeep bug and kept learning. you will too! just get out there

<inspirational pep talk completed>

Dan

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But get adequate tow points first!!!

Yeah, all that stuff you want done is a good idea, but dont' be afraid to throw the tires on and use it as-is.

Build it, break it, build it bigger, break it, repeat

Hey everyone. Thanks for the insperational speeches. I'm trying to get some pics on here from my I phone but it's not working out so well. I will post them up soon. I am also going to install my tow hooks somtime this week so I can atleast take it out with somone and have some sort of recovery spot. But yea if you all decide to have a meet n greet somtime soon count me in. Ivwould deffinately like for you all to see what I'm rollin with. I did do alot of offroading with it when it was all stock. It did great, I'm just scared to go out alone with no recovery points on it, because I know it can do alot more now I'll probebly get myself way in over my head LOL. I approviate it all from everyone and thanks gain. Hope to be seeing you all out on the trail somtime. I'll post some pics as soon as I can figure it out.

Rick

Yeah, like some have said, just go use it. Someone has fed you a bunch of crap that you need all that stuff before you can take it offroad. You already have the lift, if you throw some 33's on there and wheel it a little it's not going to fold in half. Yes, eventually you want frame stiffeners, and reinforce the frame aound the steering bx, and you'll need gears with the bigger tires, but you can certainly use it before you put that stuff on it.

Also, it's crap that you can't drive in snow with lockers. Tons of people with locked 4x4's drive in snow. Search and read around here, and don't listen to whoever you've been talking to. It's sort of sacreligious to have a lifted rig with 33's and not at least one locker.