old_man
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Loveland, Colorado
Worst was building up the 2.5L. I had fun but spent a lot of time and $$$
Best was building the 4.7L stroker and long arms.
Best was building the 4.7L stroker and long arms.
Best and worst...
- Thread starter Kejtar
- Start date
- Location
- Billings MT/Rapid City SD
BrettM said:
I'm not sure if this can be done. The guys I talked to about it seemed to think there might be too little meat left for the bolt hols from the stock holes.
Best thing I have done on my Xj is the lift and rock rails. Off-road I have been very impressed as it transfers the weight to the diagonals very well. With 31's and no lockers this weekend I tail gunned a 4 trail for the Dakota Crusier Classic and was completing the same obstacle that Crusiers with 33's and lockers where doing.
I haven't really had a worst mod yet. I guess I've just waited to do it how I wanted instead of try to get it done quick.
As for the 33 vs. 35's, there is an XJ in Rapid City that is running 34's and has followed Jason Paule all over the Black Hills. He does very well, granted the XJ is trashed but the point is you don't need 35's ect to wheel the hard stuff.
fitting 265x75r16s with 3" coils, 2" spacers and a 3" aal that was 2" on one side and 1.5" on the other: lots of rubbing. trying to make a 90 xj something its never going to be. spending all my money for a year on a 90 xj that just got beat to shit and sold to the junker for $25
best regrets:
buying a 93 2 dr 5 speed for 900. new engine, all bolt ons, 4.10 axles, 5" lift, same size tires as the last. it rides like a dream. if you are going to do it, do it right.
best regrets:
buying a 93 2 dr 5 speed for 900. new engine, all bolt ons, 4.10 axles, 5" lift, same size tires as the last. it rides like a dream. if you are going to do it, do it right.
Big Red
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Roscoe, IL 61073
BrettM said:
Yeah, I know what you mean. I really enjoyed the Rubicon, but didn't feel extremely challenged in my rig either. I want to go toJohnson Valley too someday, but will most likely trailer my jeep there. You know that a 2 wd toy 8" has the 5 on 4-1/2" bolt pattern right? That is a nice swap in as well, but I think people really favor the ford 8.8 due to its great availability, nice discs, and 31 spline axle shafts. I have 1 in my 94' wrangler with 4.88 gears and love it. The axle tubes are over 3" diameter, I think 3-1/2. I'm looking to do long arms soon and sell off my short arms and re drop brackets. You have a nice rig with the leaf conv, don't underestimate it or be sorry you did it. I like coils, but they are very complex and finicky with the upper and lower control arms etc. I like how simple the leaf springs are, they locate the axle and provide the susp at the same time and you don't need control arms, even a trackbar etc. But coils do flex very nice if you do the long arm and allow them the room to flex.
Troy
- Location
- NJ, U.S.A.
What trail were you running that you did this to the OME springs?bgcntry72 said:
I've been giving thought to going OME to replace my aging stock springs, and have been hearing that it's good for DD+mild-moderate trails. (see "Saggy OME leafs" thread)
Rob
bgcntry72
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Queen Creek, Alcatraz
No particular trail, just all0over wheeling.Rob Mayercik said:
My setup has about as much flex as you will ever see in a 4.5" lifted Jeep. I use 1" bumpstops in the rear and 2" up front. I can compress my 31s all the way into the wheel well, and I do it often. The OME springs are a softer rate spring, even the ZJ springs, and constant compression seems to sag them a good amount.
I lost almost an inch in a year of occasional boat towing, wheeling, and camping.
If you are going to push the rig in rocky terrain, OME is not your thing. The shocks are awesome, and I will keep them until I go to Bilsteins, but the springs are little more than a good replacement for stock, which is exactly what they are advertised for.
BrettM said:
Interesting perspective. I put a True Trac in my front 44 for winter use, and it does keep things more challenging offroad. Colorado doesn't have a lot of trails where I'd need the front locker, and neither does Moab. Since I like to take my family along, meaning I'm not on the extreme trails, this setup works well and I daily drive it quite comfortably.
What's cool is that I have a 242 and a Detroit in the rear, and the thing is killer in the snow and I can run vibe free in full-time 4wd in the Colorado high country twisties. The Currie HP 9" rear axle is perfect for my type of usage.
At 8" of lift, it handles a lot better than it should. I run 34" trxus, which I think is a great size, and I wouldn't go back down to 33's but see no reason to go larger. More tire companies should make a 34x12.5 size, and I'd really like to see a 34x11.5 size, as this would be is a great size for Jeeps on 5" of lift. I have more lift than I need for tire clearance, although with long arms the extra clearance is nice and I've needed it at times.
I could drop down to 6" of lift, but in doing so I'd get rid of the long arms for clearance issues and set up a mid arm suspension. No real reason to do that for now...I'd rather spend that money on something else.
So I think my best mod overall is building an XJ that is truly dual purpose. It does road duty very well including occasional family hauling, handles bad weather very well, and can run everything but the extreme offroad trails. I've always thought that was the point of the XJ: a dual purpose and reliable rig.
My worst mods were throwing money at the stock axles. The D30 was never reliable for daily driving in terms of wear components, and the 8.25 was noisy and didn't handle excessive pinion angle very well. I'd never put a dime into either of those axles again unless I was staying at 31" tires or less and 3" of lift or less.
Another terrible mod was a heavy and clearance robbing C4x4 front winch bumper. I'll never run another bumper that isn't tube. The C4x4 weighed a ton, but still dented at the slightest contact. Tube is so much lighter and stronger (depending on design) and is easy to design for optimal clearance.
And finally...I spent way too much money trying to keep things bolt-on. The best solutions for highly modified rigs are never entirely bolt-on. Find a good shop you can work with or learn fab skills yourself. Best thing you can do to save major $$$ in the long run.
Nay
BrianJr
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Blacksburg Virginia
Best Choice I've Made: Joining a good, active, local club. Only communities are great but nothing beats getting hooked up with other local people to wheel and wrench with. The guys in Southwest Virginia Four Wheelers have been a huge help to me.
Best Mod I've Made: I've Made: Bumpers and rock rails - they have saved me a lot more than they cost. I am so glad I listened to the advise of others and bought armor first and lifted later.
Worst Choice I've Made: Not learning to weld... I definately need to correct that mistake. If you are still in school and are serious about wheeling I recommend you sign up for some shop classes.
Worst Mod I've Made: Thankfully I don't regret any of them yet but I tend to do a 100 searches here and talk to the local guru's before I pull out my wallet.
-Brian
Best Mod I've Made: I've Made: Bumpers and rock rails - they have saved me a lot more than they cost. I am so glad I listened to the advise of others and bought armor first and lifted later.
Worst Choice I've Made: Not learning to weld... I definately need to correct that mistake. If you are still in school and are serious about wheeling I recommend you sign up for some shop classes.
Worst Mod I've Made: Thankfully I don't regret any of them yet but I tend to do a 100 searches here and talk to the local guru's before I pull out my wallet.
-Brian
Ludakris
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Frederick, Maryland
Best mods: Bought a house with a detached garage. Stopped wheeling the 02 dakota QC before anything broke. Bought an xj as a trail rig. Started coming to 
. oh, and I will be joining shortly, just let me get this 89' past inspection.....
Worst mod: not doing it sooner.
. oh, and I will be joining shortly, just let me get this 89' past inspection..... Worst mod: not doing it sooner.
supernatural
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Indian Hills
ChuckD said:Thanks,
ok. i guess i'm missing something here, anyone want to lead me in the direction to joining? thanks!
BrettM
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- michifornia
supernatural said:
I also often forget that there is more on the naxja site than the bulletin board :laugh3:
go out to the main page (www.naxja.org) and you'll find the links you need, or here it is: https://secure.naxja.org/html/naxjamemberapp.htm
BrettM
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- michifornia
Big Red said:
most the 2wd Toys are 5 on 4.5 but it's the crappy 7.5 diff, supposedly the 2wd V6 models have the 8" diff and 5 on 4.5 but it seems to be a hugely unconfirmed rumor.
I'd MUCH rather use an XJ D44 than an 8.8 ( hasta )
I'm VERY happy with my leaf conversion, but I wouldn't have done it if I was keeping the D30.
Ramsey
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Shreveport, LA
BrettM said:
why
BrettM
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- michifornia
why to which part?Ramsey said:
I am very happy with it because it was cheap, simple, and works great.
I wouldn't have done it on a D30 because I previously had a 5" coil-spring lift that I got a GREAT deal on, and the D30 is already setup with control arm mounts etc. It would have been a simple matter of adding drop brackets or making a typical radius arm/long arm setup.
Cujo
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Magnolia, Delaware
Worst Mod? Putting a 2" Budget Boost (spacers & shackles) on top of my 6.5" lift so I could fit 35's. Horrible steering, unstoppable death wobble, way too tipsy, (looked cool though). When what I should have done, (and finally did do) was forget the budget boost and just trim the fenders. Now I'm back down to 6.5, great steering, much better ride, no swaying, handles like a dream, and my trim job don't look half bad if I say so myself.
chucknewell
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- So. Cal.
I'm noticing that winches don't seem to make it to either the best or worst list. Are they considered unimportant?
Chuck
Chuck
Worst: fixed RE arms, heim jointed anything, Rancho Leaf springs, Teraflex shackle, to many CPS over the 7 years I have owned
Best: ARB, gears, OME shocks, ORGS shackle, KJP rock rails, new engine.
To many to really list. But the first lift I got was a Superlift with aal and Rancho control arms with ORGS shackle. Only thing left of that is the shackle from 1997. As things got better in the aftermarket for XJ's I followed suit. With some trail and error/a lot of t & e. Juice
Best: ARB, gears, OME shocks, ORGS shackle, KJP rock rails, new engine.
To many to really list. But the first lift I got was a Superlift with aal and Rancho control arms with ORGS shackle. Only thing left of that is the shackle from 1997. As things got better in the aftermarket for XJ's I followed suit. With some trail and error/a lot of t & e. Juice
Ramsey
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Shreveport, LA
chucknewell said:
a winch has to be my third favorite thing that i added to the jeep, first and second being lift and locker, i usually just go wheeling with a buddy in my own jeep since no one seems to have a decent truck or jeep. so when i get stuck i am very thankful for the winch. what would use to take hours of waiting and digging and hoping someone could come and get us out now only takes minutes. i love my winch.
- Location
- Billings MT/Rapid City SD
BrettM said:
I've only heard that all the 2wd's are the 7.5 and 5 on 4.5". The 4x4 are 8" on 6.
BrettM
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- michifornia
mostly true, also the Pre-runner 2wd is 6 lug. supposedly there are years that 2wd v6 is 5 on4.5 and the 8" diff, but this has been around and around on the Jeep and Toyota sections of the Pirate board and I've never seen someone confirm it for sure.Weasel said: