Okay before I Buy My Gear

[swbooking]

Like I said, spend money once. Do it right do it once. Save your pennies.

 

[silverslk]

Like I said, spend money once. Do it right do it once. Save your pennies.

X2!!! I say buy a good lift setup and get tires later if need be.

Also, we ALL like new things but if you can save 30-60% going used, I buy used. Its just gonna get scratched and dented anyway.

 

[1990JEEPXJ]

X2!!! I say buy a good lift setup and get tires later if need be.

Also, we ALL like new things but if you can save 30-60% going used, I buy used. Its just gonna get scratched and dented anyway.

x3. in the next few days i will be getting the RE4.5" SF will all the possible upgrades minus the long arms. i see it all as well worth it. most people lift and then keep upgrading until they finally get where they want. so why not skip the steps, and in the long run, save money

 

[swbooking]

x3. in the next few days i will be getting the RE4.5" SF will all the possible upgrades minus the long arms. i see it all as well worth it. most people lift and then keep upgrading until they finally get where they want. so why not skip the steps, and in the long run, save money

Why would you get the 4.5" SF and buy all the upgrades when you could just get the RE6200 5.5" and it comes with everything you need, no upgrades necessary? :dunno:

 

[Mr.G & Family]

Sorry but I think this is what I'm going to go with. no more money left in the bank.

RE6130 $818.00
Rubicon Mfg Twintubes $155.00
HD Trackbar and Bracket upgrade $60.00
Adjustable upper & Lower Control arms upgrade $70.00
Shipping $65.00
Grand Total = $1,168.00

Then All i need to get is wheels and tires 32 x 12.5 x 15 Or should I just go with 33 x 11.50 x 15
And some black Soft 8's

 

[Andy Steiner]

Sorry but I think this is what I'm going to go with. no more money left in the bank.

RE6130 $818.00
Rubicon Mfg Twintubes $155.00
HD Trackbar and Bracket upgrade $60.00
Adjustable upper & Lower Control arms upgrade $70.00
Shipping $65.00
Grand Total = $1,168.00

Then All i need to get is wheels and tires 32 x 12.5 x 15 Or should I just go with 33 x 11.50 x 15
And some black Soft 8's

Are going to regear at the same time? If not, prepare for the worst performing rig you've ever imaged.

At the low end of the price scale... lift, tires, armor, gears, LOCKERS... expect to pony up about five large. If you haven't got that kind of money, don't start lifting. Trust me.


BTW... the rules for 97+ are different than an older model. Older models are somewhat more forgiving. What year is your rig? Have you budgeted for new bumpstops? JKS Quicker Disconnects? Gas tank skid? Control arm skids? Transfer case skid? Diff guards? Fender trimming? Hi-lift jack, tow straps, recovery gear?


Once you start, it's a lot of money to finish. I don't want to scare you, but I do want you to be well informed on what all is needed just to put 33" tires on a Cherokee. The front coils and rear leaves are the easy part. It's everything else that you will need that most newbies don't think of or bother to factor in to their budget. Consider buying used parts to keep the costs down. Many people get their own case of inchitis and are selling their old lift parts. I've seen people piece together complete lifts and armor out of a pick-a-part junkyard. Get used tires and wheels until you get used to your rig or can afford to re-gear. Remember that unless you re-gear, bigger tires will cause your rig to drive like a dog.

BTW... why are you lifting your rig in the first place? Expedition exploring? Rock crawling? Camping & fishing? Different activities dictate what equipment you should have, how big your tires should be and that dictates how much lift you need.


When you start contemplating 33" tires, I truly believe you need to be prepared for an all or nothing process. Either do everything, or don't do anything.

I'm just saying.

 

[markw]

I'll second andy on this. You're upgrading the 4.5" kit with 5.5" parts. My 5.5" kit has Non adjustable arms and it's just fine. I'd bet you're within a hundred of so of the complete 5.5" kit. Without the drop brackets or long arms, your control arm angles suck and you will get a crappy ride. Ask anyone who's made the switch over to dropbrackets down the road, HUGE difference in both ride and articulation. Without the drop bracket, you're esentially 4.5" into droop, with the drop brackets you're 1.5" into droop and 1" higher on the lift with the 5.5 kit. With the drop brackets, the control arms are level, without they're at an angle.

Now even with the 4.5" kit, you may experience vibes, so plan on an SYE and drive shaft.

Also, what axles are under your jeep? If it's a D35 or 27 spline 8.25, it will be a trail incident waiting to happen with anything larger than a 31.

Plus you need to allow for regearing. Lifting these things is more than just buying a lift kit and tossing it on. Your better off waiting and doing it right and not wasting your money.

 

[crazyjim]

Are going to regear at the same time? If not, prepare for the worst performing rig you've ever imaged.

That's the worst advice I've ever heard. I'm on 33's with stock 3.55's and have absolutely no problem with wheeling OR driving normally...

At the low end of the price scale... lift, tires, armor, gears, LOCKERS... expect to pony up about five large. If you haven't got that kind of money, don't start lifting. Trust me.

Also, don't buy into this BS... you don't need 5 grand to go wheelin :doh:

You wheel what you've got and make it better along the way, that's like saying you shouldn't build a track car unless you're going to build an F1 car. The armor, gears, lockers, etc will come later... Armor should be the first step after the lift however.

BTW... the rules for 97+ are different than an older model. Older models are somewhat more forgiving. What year is your rig? Have you budgeted for new bumpstops? JKS Quicker Disconnects? Gas tank skid? Control arm skids? Transfer case skid? Diff guards? Fender trimming? Hi-lift jack, tow straps, recovery gear?

Dude... Are you trying to scare him away from this sport? You own an XJ, not the pinnacle of Jeep's FYI, most people here own them because they're capable for relatively cheap. He's not building a buggy, nor is he building something to attack KOH '09! He's building something to go wheelin' with his buddies with. Again, the armor can come later, just be careful, and know what you're getting into before you go bashing shit. Most importantly wheel with knowledable people and good spotters, you'll have a blast. I had a blast for the longest time on a 3" lift, 30's, and stock EVERYTHING else.

Once you start, it's a lot of money to finish. I don't want to scare you, but I do want you to be well informed on what all is needed just to put 33" tires on a Cherokee. The front coils and rear leaves are the easy part. It's everything else that you will need that most newbies don't think of or bother to factor in to their budget. Consider buying used parts to keep the costs down. Many people get their own case of inchitis and are selling their old lift parts. I've seen people piece together complete lifts and armor out of a pick-a-part junkyard. Get used tires and wheels until you get used to your rig or can afford to re-gear. Remember that unless you re-gear, bigger tires will cause your rig to drive like a dog.

BTW... why are you lifting your rig in the first place? Expedition exploring? Rock crawling? Camping & fishing? Different activities dictate what equipment you should have, how big your tires should be and that dictates how much lift you need.

When you start contemplating 33" tires, I truly believe you need to be prepared for an all or nothing process. Either do everything, or don't do anything.

I'm just saying.

Completely BS again... :lecture:

Let's see... my junk seems to be moving pretty well here for being such a dog...

http://www.teamvigilante.com/personal/jeep/suspension.wmv

 

[Mr.G & Family]

Thanks Jim, You are right on what I'm building. I'm wanting something for mild off-roading/adventure/camping. I'm not building a competition truck.
That said, is there a big difference in the 32" tire VS the 33" tire? As far as performance and ride and capability off road?

 

[1990JEEPXJ]

Why would you get the 4.5" SF and buy all the upgrades when you could just get the RE6200 5.5" and it comes with everything you need, no upgrades necessary? :dunno:

because i dont want to ever go higher than 4.5". 3.5" leafs + shackle will ride better than 4.5" leafs. and i get the SF ADJ CA's. so the only difference is ride height and the lack of drop brackets.

 

[crazyjim]

Thanks Jim, You are right on what I'm building. I'm wanting something for mild off-roading/adventure/camping. I'm not building a competition truck.
That said, is there a big difference in the 32" tire VS the 33" tire? As far as performance and ride and capability off road?

Well... I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but anything larger than a 31 and you can kiss that D35 you've got goodbye, if you've got an 8.25 you can squeeze by on 33's... so you need to check. Good deals on rear axles can be had on here relatively often however, so keep an eye out for either an 8.25 or a D44.

Just food for thought however, stuffing a 33" tire under the 4.5" lift is going to require quite a bit of bumping and trimming vs. going with the 5.5

 

[crazyjim]

because i dont want to ever go higher than 4.5". 3.5" leafs + shackle will ride better than 4.5" leafs. and i get the SF ADJ CA's. so the only difference is ride height and the lack of drop brackets.

Best reason I've heard so far, don't let anybody talk you into going higher than you want, if you want a 4.5 go with the 4.5 and run 31's, they wheel great. Elias wheeled that for a long time, I chose to go higher after riding with some of the other guys etc. However, you WILL want drop brackets eventually.

 

[Mr.G & Family]

So would a 4.5" lift on 32 x 10.5 give me better chances?

 

[crazyjim]

So would a 4.5" lift on 32 x 10.5 give me better chances?

If you want to go with a 4.5" for sure, then buy the 4.5... But I'd go with 31's for now. That's an amazing combination FYI.

Here's Elias rockin' it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4ilWZw2Rt4


Now, that would allot you enough time to hunt down a better rear axle and learn your rig. Later, 5.5 is only a shackle and spacer away to be quite honest...

 

[markw]

because i dont want to ever go higher than 4.5".

Bwahahaha. We've never heard that one before. My 5.5" RE6200 rides nicer than the 4.5 because the geometry of the front end isn't jacked up. I said I don't want to go more than 4.5", then I said I won't go bigger than 33's. Last run with MikeG I said 35's are starting to look good, but that's about $500 to regear to 4.56's or 4.88s since I'm on 4.10's right now. Probably 4.56's as I'm getting a free front r&p when I do a 4.88 install soon, so that is only 2 master kits and 1 rear r&P that I need to buy.

It's called inchitis and we're just trying to save him from our mistakes. With a 96, he's probably got a 27 spline 8.25 or D35, so nothing bigger than a 31" until there's a different axle under there. I'd slap some rock rails, shackles and some spring spacers on it for now, possibly a front locker and wheel it on 30's give or take while collecting the parts for 33's.

He'd be $$$ ahead in the long run.

3.55's with 33's are a dog compared to 4.10's or 4.56's, yeah, it can get up to speed, but the acceleration sucks. Acceleration sucked with 31's and 3.55's, it can only be worse with 33's. Not saying it can't be done, but you put more stress on the transmission and transfercase without regearing for the tire, not to mention more load in the engine so you're mileage will decrease.

 

[crazyjim]

3.55's with 33's are a dog compared to 4.10's or 4.56's, yeah, it can get up to speed, but the acceleration sucks. Acceleration sucked with 31's and 3.55's, it can only be worse with 33's. Not saying it can't be done, but you put more stress on the transmission and transfercase without regearing for the tire, not to mention more load in the engine so you're mileage will decrease.

Wrong... Ironically, my mileage stayed about the same, if not slightly better with 33's over the 30's... I cruise at a happy 1700 rpm @ 70mph

As for acceleration, I can be doing 70~ mph at the top/bottom of any ramp... more than enough to merge with traffic. It's not a Ferrari. Don't get me wrong, I'll regear in the future, but telling the guy he shouldn't do jack shit because he's on 3.55's is stupid.

 

[Mr.G & Family]

How do i know what I got? Where do i look under the XJ

 

[silverslk]

If you have an auto and 6cyl. You pretty much have 3.55's.

Listen to Jim. He learned from me. I roll 33's on 3.55's and I would love to regear but ask anyone who wheels with me, my jeep is not a dog or undrivable. Look to gears when you can as you should gain MPG and better drivability but don't let these guys scare you from starting your build/lift.

I did listen when it came to the lift though. I put a budget boost on and went from that to the RE long arm 5.5" lift and am glad I did. I added the SYE later and used a YJ yoke to help with vibes until I did the SYE.

 

[Mudderoy]

Are going to regear at the same time? If not, prepare for the worst performing rig you've ever imaged.

At the low end of the price scale... lift, tires, armor, gears, LOCKERS... expect to pony up about five large. If you haven't got that kind of money, don't start lifting. Trust me.


BTW... the rules for 97+ are different than an older model. Older models are somewhat more forgiving. What year is your rig? Have you budgeted for new bumpstops? JKS Quicker Disconnects? Gas tank skid? Control arm skids? Transfer case skid? Diff guards? Fender trimming? Hi-lift jack, tow straps, recovery gear?


Once you start, it's a lot of money to finish. I don't want to scare you, but I do want you to be well informed on what all is needed just to put 33" tires on a Cherokee. The front coils and rear leaves are the easy part. It's everything else that you will need that most newbies don't think of or bother to factor in to their budget. Consider buying used parts to keep the costs down. Many people get their own case of inchitis and are selling their old lift parts. I've seen people piece together complete lifts and armor out of a pick-a-part junkyard. Get used tires and wheels until you get used to your rig or can afford to re-gear. Remember that unless you re-gear, bigger tires will cause your rig to drive like a dog.

BTW... why are you lifting your rig in the first place? Expedition exploring? Rock crawling? Camping & fishing? Different activities dictate what equipment you should have, how big your tires should be and that dictates how much lift you need.


When you start contemplating 33" tires, I truly believe you need to be prepared for an all or nothing process. Either do everything, or don't do anything.

I'm just saying.

Not to beat up on Andy, because he is correct, but let's balance this out a bit.

Really what do you need to go off road? He already has it! A functional XJ. Will it be the best rock, mud, mall rig? No, but it is very capable out of the box, so to speak.

What does he REALLY need? He needs a winch because everyone gets stuck, and he needs a locker. He needs to be able to mount the winch in front or in the back, just like they did on "Cheep Jeep".

So what would that cost? $600 winch, $200 for a front 2" receiver and back. A locker would be $450. So maybe $1300?

All that other stuff is neat and cool and gives you MORE capability, but like someone else asked... What are you planing on doing with your XJ?

Hey just my opinion, I'm still pretty new to all this so maybe I'm way off.

 

[Mr.G & Family]

Okay
well I think this is what I'm going to start out with.
I'm only looking to do minor off road/adventure/camping type stuff.
So this is my choice

RE6130 $818.00
Rubicon Mfg Twintubes $155.00
HD Trackbar and Bracket upgrade $60.00
Adjustable upper & Lower Control arms upgrade $70.00
Shipping $65.00
BFG MUD KM2 Tires 32 x 11.5 x 15
Cregar Soft 8's