Build-up questions (long story, short answers)

[PC-UT-XJ]

build up questions

I have a 2000, 4.5" RE, 32" MT/R's, bushwackers, wilderness rack, ARB bumper, Hellas. I am thinking about putting an ARB in the rear 35 with 44-strength axles (like those sold in the 35 upgrade kit). I don't want to buy a 44 bc I have ABS and so far with a couple hundred inches of snow in the first two months of winter, I need them. I also want a rear tire carrier, new leaves, install 5.5" coils, driveshaft, slip-yoke, etc - to get it perfect. Not to piss you guys off, but the XJ isn't exactly...strong. I've spent 3000 since June just fixing stock parts like seats and shock mounts. So I don't see it getting any better as the jeep gets older. I know you guys will hate this, but should I throw the towel in on this XJ, and switch over to a stronger, yes it is stronger and easier to build, TJ? Or should I take the money I would use to build up a TJ and dump into my XJ?

On the TJ, ABS doesn't matter; I'm going to school in CA next year...yeah I'm just a senior in high school.

What would you do?

 

[CheapXJ]

if you like wheelin on 3 wheels, then buy a TJ.

the only thing a TJ does better than an XJ is parallel park :roll:

 

[BrettM]

so why does the ABS matter on the XJ, but not on the TJ? you would bring either to CA right?

 

[small pederson]

only college girls drive tj's...

 

[Çrestfa||en]

Shit where do highschool kids get all this money. but anyway....

So you go to a TJ for one it's twice as much money for suspension parts because they have front and rear coils. You're still going to have to upgrade the dana35 if you want to run bigger tires. I dont know why the seats and shock mounts would get broken on the xj, I have beached my xj on everything from the CA mounts to the rear diff and it's never broken. I even slid off a stump I didn't know I was driving on and the frame dropped 6inches onto the roots of the stump. As for seats I got a friend who is a 250lb bodybuilder that jumps into my truck and they havent broken yet.

I think a better bet would be to put you're 2000 xj back to stock. Find a late 80s xj with a dana44 rear swap everything to it and sell the 2000 then have plenty of money left from that to do the rest of you're build up. ABS aint all it's cracked up to be too, I dissabled mine because it locks up the instant I hit any loose terrain it was horrible. I drive in the snow locked and no ABS and I've never ran the jeep off the road. Of course before my xj I drove a pre ABS car for 3years and learned how to handle it in the snow.

 

[CheapXJ]

Shit where do highschool kids get all this money. but anyway....

they don't have to pay bills!

 

[DrPepper]

I'm a 250lb bodybuilder (I eat and my body builds) I have 2 xj's and both of them are in good shape. I jump into that thing all the time. You must be doing something to mess it up. Stick with the xj. I have had both and the only thing that the TJ is better for is giving the illusion that you enjoy having congugal knowledge of other men and their no-no places

 

[bgcntry72]

I'm a 250lb bodybuilder (I eat and my body builds) I have 2 xj's and both of them are in good shape. I jump into that thing all the time. You must be doing something to mess it up. Stick with the xj. I have had both and the only thing that the TJ is better for is giving the illusion that you enjoy having congugal knowledge of other men and their no-no places

:laugh2:

 

[Ghost]

Here is a thought! Get a 8.25 if you want the ABS so bad!

 

[DrPepper]

Tests have been run with abs vs non abs in the snow and on gravel and in both occasions non-abs won the battle. Learn to drive. Plain and simple. If you are going to cry with no abs on your xj maybe you should get rid of and go to something that is more suitible to guys that like to cry a lot.

 

[XJEEPER]

build up questions

I have a 2000, 4.5" RE, 32" MT/R's, bushwackers, wilderness rack, ARB bumper, Hellas. I am thinking about putting an ARB in the rear 35 with 44-strength axles (like those sold in the 35 upgrade kit). I don't want to buy a 44 bc I have ABS and so far with a couple hundred inches of snow in the first two months of winter, I need them. I also want a rear tire carrier, new leaves, install 5.5" coils, driveshaft, slip-yoke, etc - to get it perfect. Not to piss you guys off, but the XJ isn't exactly...strong. I've spent 3000 since June just fixing stock parts like seats and shock mounts. So I don't see it getting any better as the jeep gets older. I know you guys will hate this, but should I throw the towel in on this XJ, and switch over to a stronger, yes it is stronger and easier to build, TJ? Or should I take the money I would use to build up a TJ and dump into my XJ?

On the TJ, ABS doesn't matter; I'm going to school in CA next year...yeah I'm just a senior in high school.

What would you do?

Hey there PC, how about some insight from a local? Let's start with more questions.
Where do you wheel and how often? Why do you need to go higher? $3000 on seats and shock mounts? How much more "built" do you need your XJ.....should be relative to the trails you run.

I realize that you have the potential to need 4wd daily in Park City in the winter, but an ARB isn't really the only option for enhanced traction, and way too expensive to throw in a rig that isn't wheeled offroad on a regular basis. As for the ABS, you'll never miss it after a few days behind the wheel without it....does more harm than good offroad. Your idea of perfect is 5.5" of lift and all the right goodies to make it work properly........so why not sell your exisiting RE stuff to a local to offset the costs? Plenty of XJers on the Wasatch Front are looking to add inches to their rigs.

On the TJ issue, just trying to get clarity here........you would rather loose all the cargo space and passenger space to gain a rig with a frame? What about the obvious advantage that the XJ has via longer wheelbase? (Ever see a TJ try and climb the Widowmaker, or Mickey's Hot Tub?) On the lift topic, having wheeled a TJ before and with TJ owner's in Moab on several occasions, the only lift I would run on a TJ is the RE 5.5 Long Arm kit......$2250.00 compared to $1270.00 for the RE 5.5 XJ lift. Both rigs work well onroad and offroad when set up properly, but there is give and take with both. If you spend more road time than trail time in your rig, haul cargo (skis, boards, coolers, tools) then which rig will be better suited for YOUR use? I've yet to not make an obstacle in my XJ that a similarly equipped TJ could, but I have strapped TJ's up stuff that my XJ crawled with no problem.
Hope this helps you make your decision, BTW, we're having a Imtn. Chapter meeting this weekend in Sandy, love to see you there. See the Chapter forum for details.

 

[small pederson]

I'm a 250lb bodybuilder (I eat and my body builds) I have 2 xj's and both of them are in good shape. I jump into that thing all the time. You must be doing something to mess it up. Stick with the xj. I have had both and the only thing that the TJ is better for is giving the illusion that you enjoy having congugal knowledge of other men and their no-no places

uke: :laugh:

 

[bburge]

I'm in CA, if you're going to be going to school in So Cal - the best thing about having a TJ, is that you'll be supplying all the local high schoolers with "slightly used" stereos.

My firend finally sold his 'cuause he was tired or replacing the stereo and the soft top! But come to think of it, he did get to come to work and start the conversation with "Hey! I got a new stereo for my car!" (though the TONE did change after the first one... :yap:

bburge

 

[xj92]

How about one of the Wrangler Unlimited's coming out? 103.4" wheelbase, similar cargo room to an xj, coils all around, real frame, large wheel wells to begin with

 

[Majo]

---I have a 2000, 4.5" RE, 32" MT/R's, bushwackers, wilderness rack, ARB bumper, Hellas.

Why go to college if you can afford stuff like this already?

--- I am thinking about putting an ARB in the rear 35 with 44-strength axles (like those sold in the 35 upgrade kit). I don't want to buy a 44 bc I have ABS and so far with a couple hundred inches of snow in the first two months of winter, I need them.

With all the expensive stuff you got so far, what would it cost to have a shop do the rear ZJ conversion if you supplied them with parts?

--- I also want a rear tire carrier, new leaves, install 5.5" coils, driveshaft, slip-yoke, etc - to get it perfect.

4.5 inch RE lift on a 2000 and no SYE already, that's unheard of let me know when u sell that XJ, I'd like to trade up in years!!!

---Not to piss you guys off, but the XJ isn't exactly...strong.

Stronger than a GM frame

---I've spent 3000 since June just fixing stock parts like seats and shock mounts.

Shoulda called me, I could have flown from NY to UT and done it for that much and bagged a $1000 for myself!

---So I don't see it getting any better as the jeep gets older.

Mine is 16 years old and I learned to repaint it and stuff. I did repaint it as a senior in high school, turned out great( I got pics if you want, I get comments alllllll the time). And mine still runs and I havent' dumped much money into it all. Besides a 2000, that's still very young for an XJ.

---I know you guys will hate this, but should I throw the towel in on this XJ, and switch over to a stronger, yes it is stronger and easier to build, TJ? Or should I take the money I would use to build up a TJ and dump into my XJ?

I do hate this !!! :doh:


nothing aggressive meant by the jeering but, keep what you got, it's the better vehicle IMHO and your already half way on track to getting the xj where you want it to be

 

[Kejtar]

I'm going to school in CA next year...

Where in CA??

Btw, the ABS is not going to save you in snow... the way you drive is . Btw, look for threads about ABS and D44 as I believe this topic was discussed before, and from what I remember, it appears that you can get the D44 converted so that it still retains ABS (I remember no deatils though as I don't have ABS )

 

[xjblue]

where do highschool kids get all this money. but anyway....

No rent + huge allowance = nice xj goodies! I'm not calling you a Park City brat or anything, don't get me wrong.

If I wanted (and I did) a 3 year old XJ (let alone parts for it) when I was 18 there would have been no way! You have a capable and very practical off road vehicle with alot of mods already, keep it and enjoy it for years, don't take it for granted. As far as what to do with the XJ if you keep it, Ditto XJEEPER. I would keep the XJ then build a rockcrawler sometime after college if it was me. Depends on your priorities.....

 

[PC-UT-XJ]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the input and advice. I think I will stick with the XJ and beef up the current suspension and make the necessary mods. I think that I will stick with the 35 for cost issues, and also because I notice a lot of TJ's rolling on 35's with the upgrade shafts having no problems. I think I will also do the rear bumper and rear locker. Hopefully, I will see you guys at EJS and a lot of you at the jeepsunlimited moab run! I know I'm only 18, but I can run with the best of em'.

I have a lot of friends with XJ's and 3" on 31s really eager to get into the sport. Hopefully all of us can run a few over EJS together...I'm dying to do Moab Rim and Pritchett.

On a little different note, to the Utah XJers, I ask you to SHUN mepco and the stupid napa performance accessories. These two shops have treated me like sh#t and taken my business for granted. And as you can see, I'm not exactly a small-time customer...Not to be cocky, but I spend a lot on this jeep, obviously.

Instead, give randy a call at advanced 4 wheel systems, and this man will give you the best prices on anything and make you feel great about putting the money into the jeep. From the second I met him, he has always been fair with me, and unlike the VIP mepco shop, he has shown me around his place numerous times and explained some of the things I don't quite understand about my rig.

Thanks again!

 

[sidriptide]

smart move.. you have a ton of time and $$ poured into the XJ... and as a previous TJ owner i don't intend to go back unless i somehow can affford TWO trail rigs....
mike

 

[Patriot]

Shit where do highschool kids get all this money. but anyway....

The kid is from park city. He's got daddy's money.