Wife ok's a budget for my xj build

Ok my wife ok'd my $1000 request ( I actually had to do so in writing lol) and now I wana know if anyone has some better ideas for spending my budget. (keep in mind this thing will see less than 10% pavement time)

Install gears in d-30 (already have the gears) to match my d-44 I have waiting to go in
front lunch box locker & rear mini spool
shocks that fit the compression and droop
proper upper & lower control arms (still using stock)
winch if possible (used but working is fine)

what are good places to get these items and is anyone local to me able to set up gears? ( I have never done it and dont wanna do it solo my first time )

NEED MORE INFO ON WHAT YOU HAVE & where you'll use it.

info for what i have is in my signature and where Ill use it is basicly moderate trails (maybe holcome creek but most likely a rare trip) im close to jv, calico, big bear, and the desert so it needs to be more general purpose and not so much a rock crawler

Ok, sorry,
forget - the winch, the lunch box locker up font, & skid plate for now.

Do – Gears, having the gears put in by a shop that’s about ½ your money right there, Good set of shocks

Your border line on the control arms but adjustable ones will eat up your $ quick

Do you have Lower control arm, front & rear diff skids?, if not get them.

Tires what kind of tires?

one thing I've learned is to be REALLY patient and things will come to you really cheap by someone selling their stuff used. I'll be selling some lower control arms in a month for pretty cheap. Keep watchin the SoCal Karma thread and the classifieds.

Gear installs will suck up mucho dinero for labor. You could make it minimal by removing the axle completely so the labor for RnR on that would could be cut out.

What gears are in the 44? Doing the front to match is going to be a waste if the 44 isn't 4.56 or 4.88. Even 4.10's will be borderline suckage with 31's or 32's and a manual trans. If your gonna do both gear sets...shoot for 4.88's if you're gonna run 32's or bigger. Mini sppol the rear, lunchbox the front. Should run you 2-500 in parts depending on how much you already have. The guy that does my gears gets $200 to set them up...worth every penny to know its done right. PM me if you want a price on the stuff.

I would box the stock control arms to save money. A couple bucks of steel. The lowers should use 2 lengths of 1 inch square to stuff in between them. I did this on the wifes jeep and actually cut them and lengthened them about a quarter inch.

Shocks...5150's in front and cheapos in the rear...$250 total

If you're still running stock steering...get some heavy wall tube, split it down the middle, then weld it around the steering to "thicken it up".

I would also consider getting spare joints and axles if you're gonna run big tires.

That should pretty much eat up your funds

actually im keeping the 235's i have for the next year or till i wear the suckers out (already 35,000+ miles on them and still got 70% tread left) so im staying with 3.55 gears till i need to change tires and can justify the larger gears to match the 33's. (general LT/AT's in the load range C are some durable tires! concidering I beat the snot out of them)

Nice idea about the control arms ill do that(just got a welder lol but ill still have a friend do it).

really just need the front gears set up the rear has the gears already and trac loc so the mini spool idea is out for now. (ill rebuild the trac loc and buy a detroit or spool later)

shocks I found that the fronts I have are ok length (took them off a junk yard xj with lift) its the rears that are to short so I think Ill order the same size fronts and relocate the rear shock mounts on the 44 before i install so i can use stock rear shocks.

I havent driven my XJ in 7 months and now shes getting new toys lol
I dont wheel hard my body and bank acount cant handle the stress so Im trying to keep in mind I dont need all the bells and wistles but a few things to make trails easyer or not as harsh are definatly up for concideration.

Wanna trade wifes? :worship: lol

[The only difference between a wedding and a funeral is you get to smell your own flowers]

If you want to go up to 4.10's I have a set of used dana 30 Hp's up for grabs in a week... Since your going to regear anyways spend the extra dough and get it close...

LOL whats whipped cream go to do with jeeps? dont worry she got thanked