xj-grin
NAXJA Member #1096
- Location
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
grasshopper showing wisdom!
Like the new ride, Dutch -- from a fellow traitor.
Like the new ride, Dutch -- from a fellow traitor.
-
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I really sold out this time
- Thread starter DutchVDub
- Start date
LOLZ
YELLAHEEP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Littleton, Colorado
Practical!?!? I don't own an SRT-8 because it's practical......They're the farthest thing from practical....:twak:
JK's:
-More expensive to own, modify, insure and repair.
-HEAVY pigs
-With typical mods (35's, gears, lockers, 4:1) they wheel NO better than a similiarly equipped XJ.
I'll keep my cheap XJ/MJ's. I won't be out $20k if I roll it. Now THAT's practical.
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Ya gotta wheel it to roll it ..!..Practical!?!?
JK's:
-More expensive to own, modify, insure an repair.
-HEAVY pigs
-With typical mods (35's, gears, lockers, 4:1) they wheel NO better than a similiarly equipped XJ.
I'll keep my cheap XJ/MJ's. I won't be out $20k if I roll it.
..!..
DutchVDub
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Milliken, CO
Actually Troy, minus the initial cost my JK isn't really costing much more to modify. You only need 2.5" of lift to fit 35's. I spent the extra money (about 600$) to get a kit with coil springs and shocks instead of just doing spacers, but I could have done it with spacers for like 200$. My axles are already equipped with selectable lockers, I already have a 4:1 t-case, my sway bar disconnects with the push of a button, and it already has a bunch of skid plating (although I did opt to spend a retty penny on the TNT Aluminum belly skid setup). I can carry my 35" spare on my tail gate using the 40$ bracket I got from Smitty Built, although that's the absolute limit on the stock tailgate. My front bumper from JCR wasn't any more expensive then it would have been for my XJ either, with the exception of the DIY version they make for the XJ and not the JK. My front truss kit from Artec is less than 300$ and with that I'm basically done. I'll be spending the extra cash on a rear bumper and tire carrier too, but those are expensive no matter what the platform.
Can you dump ridiculous amounts of money into a JK? Of course you can, but you can easily spend just as much on an XJ. The beauty of the Rubicon is all the stuff I don't have to upgrade. The stock skids would've been fine for now, it was just a matter of I had the money and wanted the bling of the aluminum system from TNT. My stock rocker guards are known for holding up great as well, so until they're bashed up real good I'm just going to hang on to them.
Adding a roll cage is easer with any Wrangler as it already has one and for the type of wheeling I do I can go with a simple reinforcement type setup. And I can remove my doors and roof w/o having to bust out the plasma cutter and then figure out how to keep the snow out later.
Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate the XJ platform a lot. Its relatively inexpensive to get into and basically just plain works. I went to the JK for a few key reasons, basically a little bit more room, removable top, split rear bench, and ease of modification to where I wanted it. Being a newer vehicle with lower miles was also a major factor. As well set up as I had my XJ, and it was damn near exactly where I wanted it, I still could not see loading up the family w/ camping gear) and comfortably driving it all the way down to Johnson Valley for KOH. I can see that in the JK.
I've also decided I'm not going the LS route any time soon. While I can afford it, I don't feel the cost/benefit ratio is there for me. I also don't feel like having to deal with taking my JK apart for an extended amount of time to do the swap either. I'll be going with a RIPP Stage 2 kit instead. That'll be further down the road though, I'm focusing on armor, gears (maybe), and axle reinforcement for now.
Can you dump ridiculous amounts of money into a JK? Of course you can, but you can easily spend just as much on an XJ. The beauty of the Rubicon is all the stuff I don't have to upgrade. The stock skids would've been fine for now, it was just a matter of I had the money and wanted the bling of the aluminum system from TNT. My stock rocker guards are known for holding up great as well, so until they're bashed up real good I'm just going to hang on to them.
Adding a roll cage is easer with any Wrangler as it already has one and for the type of wheeling I do I can go with a simple reinforcement type setup. And I can remove my doors and roof w/o having to bust out the plasma cutter and then figure out how to keep the snow out later.
Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate the XJ platform a lot. Its relatively inexpensive to get into and basically just plain works. I went to the JK for a few key reasons, basically a little bit more room, removable top, split rear bench, and ease of modification to where I wanted it. Being a newer vehicle with lower miles was also a major factor. As well set up as I had my XJ, and it was damn near exactly where I wanted it, I still could not see loading up the family w/ camping gear) and comfortably driving it all the way down to Johnson Valley for KOH. I can see that in the JK.
I've also decided I'm not going the LS route any time soon. While I can afford it, I don't feel the cost/benefit ratio is there for me. I also don't feel like having to deal with taking my JK apart for an extended amount of time to do the swap either. I'll be going with a RIPP Stage 2 kit instead. That'll be further down the road though, I'm focusing on armor, gears (maybe), and axle reinforcement for now.
Says the guy who wants out within three years....
Hell ya. you will have to post pics, Ive only messed with the one on the 14b but it was awesome. Curious what ya think of the fronts since ill be ordering one for the 30 here in a week or two
xj-grin
NAXJA Member #1096
- Location
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
Ditto - I'm putting a rubi 44 under the wj this winter and that artec kit looks like a winner on many levels.
YELLAHEEP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Littleton, Colorado
WTF is your problem? I want out to pursue other interests non-jeep related. I owe it to myself and my grandfather to fix and enjoy the Olds he left me. I'm not bailing because I hate the XJ/MJ and jumping ship. I'll likely have one for quite a while in some form or another.
A YJ is much cheaper platform to build than an XJ or JK...I do see some very hardcore JK owners on the trail who don't care one bit about damage , but I see way more JK owners who obviously can not just carelessly dent up their 40k Wrangler they are still paying for and is a DD ...lol...nothing mo' funny really than a guy running a hard trail in a rig he is afraid to scratch up and when it happens looks like he/she ate a shit sandwhich the rest of the day ...lol...even seen arguments follow said body damage that was just short of a full on fist fight between spotter and driver of dented rig .
DutchVDub
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Milliken, CO
I built a YJ into something way bigger than I had a use for, problem there is they don't make them in a 4dr. I was looking to go with a CJ8 but those are typically way over priced in they're in good shape, or they're cheaper (but still over priced) for something I'd have to donate to WyoTech's body shop dept in order to be able to afford all the body work it will need. Neither option was something I desired. I also looked into the FSJ's but they run into the same issues.
There is a reason I was looking specifically for 2007-2008 JK's. Thats the oldest/cheapest they get. I wanted something completely stock (because I don't trust other people's work), lower mileage (because its replacing my S4 daily and my XJ), and as clean as possible. I found this one and talked the guy down to a very reasonable price. I'm not going to go out and beat the hell out of it, but I'm not worried about a few dents and scrapes either.
There is a reason I was looking specifically for 2007-2008 JK's. Thats the oldest/cheapest they get. I wanted something completely stock (because I don't trust other people's work), lower mileage (because its replacing my S4 daily and my XJ), and as clean as possible. I found this one and talked the guy down to a very reasonable price. I'm not going to go out and beat the hell out of it, but I'm not worried about a few dents and scrapes either.
Gotlift01
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Loveland, Colorado
I love the 4-door JK's. Perfect Jeep in my opinion for a family, and the aftermarket support for them is beyond nuts! I've been talking myself out of one for a few years now, but eventually I'll have one in my garage....it's only a matter of time.
notamos
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Fort Collins, CO
Wish you would have bought this just a TAD sooner. I had a brand new LY5 sitting in my garage in a crate (factory over-run). It was complete except for the accessory brackets!
DutchVDub
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Milliken, CO
Got the 2.5" spring lift installed today. I also got the rings repainted on my bead locks and installed them with the 35's using SpiderTrax adapters. The Smitty Built spare tire relocation bracket is just temporary, a good thing too as I hate it already. It puts the spare tire way to far back from the tail gate. Again, it temporary. I'm much happier with the way it looks now. I also reprogrammed it using the SuperChips Flash-Paq. I'm not going to say its a race car, but I do think it drives better with the 35's and 91 Octane tune than it did stock. I still want a super charger though. I also had to chop the ends of the front bumper off as it was rubbing pretty bad just pulling it out of my drive way. Nothing pretty there as I have a front bumper already on order for it.
xj-grin
NAXJA Member #1096
- Location
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
linky FAILURE!!!
DutchVDub
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Milliken, CO
Shows up fine on my end
djlarroc
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Denver, CO
looks good! 15" wheels?
I keep talking myself out of one too. How much bigger does it feel than the xj, especially on the trail?
I keep talking myself out of one too. How much bigger does it feel than the xj, especially on the trail?
xj-grin
NAXJA Member #1096
- Location
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
I think you pulled a fancy fixy... Looks good low cog - did you have to bump stop much to limit the up travel?
DutchVDub
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Milliken, CO
The spare is a 15" Wheel, the Trail Ready Beadlocks are 16" Aluminum. They're the ones off of my XJ, so I'm running adapters to go down to the 5x4.5" bolt pattern.
The RE Lift came with extended bump stops, but I'm thinking I'll be going to a flat flare sooner than initially expected. It also looks like some modification to the factory rocker guards will be in order.
The RE Lift came with extended bump stops, but I'm thinking I'll be going to a flat flare sooner than initially expected. It also looks like some modification to the factory rocker guards will be in order.
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