hello, curious about whats going to break first

[Ronbo]

Hell yeah, get the nitrous. Ask the naysayers for their experience......probably zero. Power is power, if you don't need it, you wouldn't understand, The only Jeep I've dealt with that had with nitrous was my brothers 4.7 Grand(Kenne Bell blown too), and it was a hoot.

 

[collkid]

I say, do the NOS, Tell us how long it lasts!


It'll be a good test...

 

[metalman]

I suppose I can hold off the decision on the alloys for a bit either way, but since it shouldn't be getting pushed too hard, I'll probably go for them since I doubt she'll break the RP. I'll put together a build report of sorts as I'm going, I haven't ever done that before, and the wife wanted to take pictures of it as we went to prove to people I wasn't doing all the work by myself. If she ends up going for the nitrous, I'll let everyone know how it works with the stroker. Honestly even if she does it will be a small shot, probably around 50hp. I think it gets the grenade rep from people getting greedy on factory pistons, and honestly its such an instant kick, I don't think people who haven't driven a vehicle with it really understand how fun it is, and really thats what a hobby like this is about.

 

[Darky]

Truss the 30 and that'll help the gears to survive. A good truss and a good solid diff cover will stiff the axle up and help a lot.

 

[srmitchell]

Go 4.56!

Gearz is good!

 

[1990heepxj]

3.73 is as close to stock performance as you'll get on 33s with an ax15. anything beyond 3.73s is just starting to get over geared which is ok depending on your preferrence but by the sound of it 3.73 will be perfect for what your looking for

 

[warwagon98xj]

HOOD LOUVERS

 

[tbburg]

3.73s are also above the carrier break for the D-30. if you swap to 3.73, you need a new front carrier, which you can also use for any lower gears later.
The Cry. 8.25 doesn't have a carrier break in the gear range Jeeps use.(it's 2.- something, stupid high, I've never seen gears that high in anything.)

edit:

HOOD LOUVERS

What? The OP asked what would break on an XJ. Quit drinking the bong water silly! :laugh:

 

[Darky]

3.73 is as close to stock performance as you'll get on 33s with an ax15. anything beyond 3.73s is just starting to get over geared which is ok depending on your preferrence but by the sound of it 3.73 will be perfect for what your looking for

I've seen lots who say a 4.10 is where you want to be on a stick with 33s. Besides, with doing a stroker and looking at a 50-75 shot of nitrous, I don't think he's looking to get back to stock performance.

 

[kastein]

I've seen lots who say a 4.10 is where you want to be on a stick with 33s. Besides, with doing a stroker and looking at a 50-75 shot of nitrous, I don't think he's looking to get back to stock performance.

Depends on the tranny (like you said.)

3.07s and 28s (stock) to 3.55s and 33s results in a *little* undergearing, "factory" for 33s and an AX15/4.0 would be 3.62 not counting rotational mass, rolling resistance, etc. A 3.62 ratio doesn't even exist for the axles we use, it's just what the numbers work out to. I would do 4.10, you can pick up a ford 8.8 with an LSD and 4.10s at the junkyard with a little searching for less than the gearsets will cost and it's good and strong and gets you rear disc brakes at the same time. Then you just have to find a d30 with 4.10s in it or regear that one axle.

The number of people who will recommend a gear ratio for a mild build without knowing what tranny is in use is kinda appalling, since the AX15 and AW4 have fairly different gearing. Once you get to 35s and above the recommendation is easy though, you know they're gonna want bigger tires eventually so just go for 4.88s (or if you don't trust 4.88 gearsets, 4.56s...) and forget about it.

 

[Darky]

For my AW4 and 33s, I'm running 4.88s and have no regrets. 75 at 2700rpm and the engine seems to like it just fine. I see no point to going faster than that. 85-90 just means when I get pulled over, they're gonna take my Jeep and let me sit in jail for a night.

 

[metalman]

Honestly, the lower axle ratio is more about gas mileage, and a little bit of caution about axle strength/stress, than it is about top speed.

All things considered, I think I'm going to stick with the plan to get 3.55 geared axles initially, and if she gets more into wheeling it, then 4.10s with lockers.

Honestly, instead of hood louvers, I was planning on just cutting the hood away between the bracing in the front, and putting some flat black mesh behind it, with an e fan it should help cooling a bit. Sounds kind of ricer, but I think it would look good with the grabber green paint.

Since this has been getting such good feedback, can anyone point me towards some advice for a short driver. I'm 6'3", and I had to bend the brake pedal to the left and inch to fit my foot on the gas, but it fits me fine. The problem is my 5'0" wife, she has to move the seat all the way forward, roll up two towels to put behind her back, and then lean the seat back a bit so that the steering wheel isn't in her face. I know I could redrill the floor and move the whole seat, but then its going to get awfully tight for me (I'll bite the bullet if I have too) but I definitely have to do something for the wife, and I have been surprised that I haven't been able to find much besides moving the seat bracket forward.

 

[Darky]

Get her some good suspension seats and build that positioning into the brackets.

 

[kastein]

3.55s is a decent plan, at least they are cheap and easy to find!

As for the seat, does it not have a tilt steering column? Swap one in, it's not that hard to do fortunately.

 

[dick.breakey]

i still dont get the nitrous....if you still plan to do it