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3" lift and 31's fairly capable offroad?

Very capable if set up properly,
For example if you have proper gearing (4.11 or 4.56), front/rear Lockers with 31s (good off road tires to match your terrain) there is not alot that can stop you!
 
94xjstud said:
I think that telling someone to have one wheel off the ground and go for it is kinda of a dangerous thing. He could make his own for cheap, and grab some hockey pucks and glue them, pretty easy too. And if he also got an aussie it would be a win win.

http://www.4x4xplor.com/homediscos.html
Click to expand...

There are a couple of problems with those home-made discos, I would never recommend just sticking a clevis pin in there loosely and hoping it doesn't come loose, you need to make sure that the pin is in there tight. Also on the XJ the stock "Torx bolts" are press fit, you don't need a Torx bit to remove them, just a ball joint press.

The easiest home-made discos I've seen just involved replacing the nut on top of the stock endlinks with wingnuts.

Also I ran stock 3.55 gears when I was on 31s and never had any trouble. New gears would have been nice but I went straight to 4.56s for the 33s. Also I've never run any tires other than all-terrains, and other than mud they have performed flawlessly offroad.

Pic with the Aussie:
Flex2.jpg
 
I've been running 3.5" of lift and 31" BFG's for nearly two years and have found it to be extremely capable in all types of terrain, including the huge granite boulders common to the Sierra Nevadas. I'm not sure what you will encounter, but I've been impressed with my setup so far.

My JKS discos have probably been one of the best additions and I have noticed a huge improvement over a non-disconnected sway bar.
 
No thats not what I am saying. I get on three wheels plenty of time. What I am saying is that it is not the greatest advice and that trying to keep all four wheels on the ground is a better option. More wheels = more stability.
 
problem i found with keeping the sway bar attached with stock end links is thats its real easy to pop/snap the top of the link off when the front suspension droops. i made extensions(still uses a nut setup like stock) for my endlinks and there not hard to disconnect or reconnect.
 
slipslap said:
So your saying what I'm doing in this pic is dangerous and very irresponsible seeing how my kids were with me?
Click to expand...
We were talking about lifting tires in the front. While alot of times it isnt a big deal, I was just advising that people NEVER advise other people to push through with a tire in the air as a general rule. If I am spotting you and I feel it is safe, I will pull you through, but advising people to stay connected is a FLOP waiting to happen sooner or later.

Here is my old TJ toting the front even while disconnected. :D

2165.jpg


DSCF2377.jpg
 
Achmed said:
Yes, disconnecting is almost a must IMO. How you disconnect it is pointless.

How do you know? ;)

How do you know? ;)

PS, I sold him the Cherokee. :)
Click to expand...
I know this cause I took the time to read the thread. Go back and read it and you will know exactly what he has.:wave1:

And just cause you leave the sway bar hooked up doesn't mean a flop waiting to happen. this whole sport is a flop waiting to happen. Cause we all know if you keep wheeling long enough, it's not a matter of if your gonna flop, it's a matter of when.

And I've done my share of it trust me. I don't have any pics onmy laptop of it, they are on my home pc. But heres a pic showing what kind of flex I have. And my flex is very limited by my shocks currently. I have plenty left in springs and shackles, but shocks limit me.
frontrti.jpg
 
slipslap said:
Really?
So you prefer unbolting the sway And then bolting it back up each time he wheels? He doesn't have quick disconnects. He doesn't have extended bumpstops. He might not even have a longer sway bar or extended mounts for all I know. So I say spend $250 for an Aussie for the front and wheel it. Quick disconnects cost $100 or so. So I say get the locker first.

Cause I guaruntee you if we take his vehicle and I use a locker in the front and you just unhook the sway bar, I wheel outwheel you all day. Hands down.
Click to expand...

I used to do that before I had discos, I could get the stock links off faster than alot of guys could get their discos off and tied up. Not a big deal really & if you lift much above 3" you may not be able to connect them anyhow.
 
slipslap said:
I know this cause I took the time to read the thread. Go back and read it and you will know exactly what he has.:wave1:
Click to expand...
LOL! Like I said, I sold him the Jeep like it sits so................I kinda know what he has. :) FWIW, he IS bump-stopping it and he IS making quick discos. Again, unless you are running an ORO Swayloc or Currie Antirock, I highly suggest disco'ing the front swaybar......................specifically where we wheel. Maybe not where you do, but for sure where we do.
 
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slipslap said:
And just cause you leave the sway bar hooked up doesn't mean a flop waiting to happen.
Click to expand...
But it increases your chances dramatically unless you run an offroad swaybar, and I have run both major offroad bars in the past.

slipslap said:
Cause we all know if you keep wheeling long enough, it's not a matter of if your gonna flop, it's a matter of when.
Click to expand...
Bold statement and not necessarily true. I have been wheeling for 19 years and not rolled under my own driving ability.
 
Achmed said:
LOL! Like I said, I sold him the Jeep like it sits so................I kinda know what he has. :) FWIW, he IS bump-stopping it and he IS making quick discos. Again, unless you are running an ORO Swayloc or Currie Antirock, I highly suggest disco'ing the front swaybar......................specifically where we wheel. Maybe not where you do, but for sure where we do.
Click to expand...
Then if you know it so well, why did you ask me how do I know he doesn't have quick discos or extended bumpstops? Cause he clearly stated in his 2nd or 3rd post.

Maybe your just taking what I said out of context. I am not making it a blanket statement about not disconnecting the sway bar. You obvioulsy see my CJ is disconnected. I was just saying that for his situation. I'm saying just leave it hooked up for now until he gets discos, extended bumpstops. And I suggested putting a locker in the front.

And I am just assuming, but if he doesn't have discos & bumptstops, he might not have xtended brake lines or relocating brackets. He undoes the sway bar and then droops to much, it's very difficult to stop a vehicle with a brake line disconnected. So wheel it like it is, learn good driving techniques, then make more mods and go from there.

And I :worship: for 19yrs w/o a flop or roll.
 
A 3" lift doesn't dictate extended brake lines while disconnected. :) At most, people will unbolt the hard/soft line support bracket from the unibody rail to let the line extend a small amount. I ran stock brake lines on 4.5" at lift.
 
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Yeah I just yank mine everytime I'm at the trail head. Heck with $125 for discos LOL...especially if you don't wheel every weekend.

I'll be up there in my XJ next weekend man. I assure you know one will leave you behind or get impatient if you try to get over an obstacle or sumthing. No worries there.

3" an 31s is really good for Aetna. Heck last weekend there was a stock 2wd 80 model Yota up there LOL...
 
His driving skill will dictate how capable his rig is too. I took my 2000 XJ with a 3" lift and 31" AT's and a limited slip in the 8.25 rear end over Behind the Rocks in Moab. This is one of the more difficult trails in Moab.
 
I am not familiar with Aetna but it does need some qualifications.

Yes, 31s will out perform stock and it will likely surprise you what it will do if you are new to the sport... You will run pretty well with 33s but will be the stuck dog slowing everybody down if you are running with group where everybody has 35s+ tires

For me the best trail rides are those were all the rigs are close to the same size.... I hate always being on the wrong end of a strap and feel like I am slowing everybody down... On the other hand I also hate always strapping a stocker through spots that I used 2wd on.

Somebody that is way under equipped can be a drag on a group and really slow them down. On the other hand somebody that is really over equipped might not have as much fun as they would with more equally matched rigs


stock to about 33s will be a good grouping
33-35 is a good grouping
35-39s is a good grouping
39+ the big dogs
 
That is the most valuable tool to have if you wheel IMO...you can take a guy who can't drive put him in a werock buggy and not get far at all...put a werock driver in an XJ with 31" ATs and he could run Moab, tellico, and a few other places in the more difficult trails...dependig on just how hard the trails are of course but you get the idea...

Be good to listen and learn. Trust your spotter and you'll survive another to drive home safetly and not broke LOL
 
I was very happy with the 3" lift and 31's...for a while. Just don't put tons of money into it it WILL end up higher in the end :) I would also suggest some amour especially rocksliders preferably replace the rockers with square tubing.
 
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