I've decided to keep her. Major decisions...

[rocknxj]

I've been DDing that 5.5" RE short arm kit (w/ drop brackets) on 33x10.5's for a little over 8 years now and it has been a great combo for me. Does very well off-road and handles great on-road... You (and she) should be very happy with it.

Good to hear. Please do me a favor. Measure your distance from ground to driver's side door kick plate so I can mock up the Jeep for that height and see the net result of that combo.

Thanks, in advance.

 

[rocknxj]

Sounds like a good plan. Mine is going the same direction. Im going up another inch or two, with 33's, LA's and 4.56's.

Stoked!

Excellent. Maybe we'll finally get to do some wheeling together. I'm anticipating a trip to Moab in 2011 and several local trips this year.

 

[fyrfytr1717]

Good to hear. Please do me a favor. Measure your distance from ground to driver's side door kick plate so I can mock up the Jeep for that height and see the net result of that combo.

Thanks, in advance.

If by kick plate you mean the plastic piece screwed onto the threshold of the driver's doorway, it is right at 28" off the ground. Obviously there's other variables involved, but that will get you in the ballpark.

 

[REVROK]

Since you're trying to keep the lift amount just enough to run 33's (definitely go 33's, you're wife won't notice the difference) then look at the long arm kits crossmember height. You don't want to loose ground clearance. I think the Trek crossmember is higher clearance than the RE. If you'll keep to 4.5" of lift you can be fine with short arms. If you'll end up going taller later you'll probably like the LA, just watch the belly clearance.

I'm in the process of doing the same thing. I'm lifting my new to me XJ just enough to run 33's. I already have a complete RE 4.5" lift with short arms, but I'm going to work over the D30 with a truss and raise all of the control arm mounts. Then I'll have better arm angles and good ground clearance with the short arms.

Richard- I hope you post up the tech when you raise the control arms, especially on the D30 rework. I want to stay with my 3.5 and go 35's (currently at 33's). Your work is always innovative.

 

[rocknxj]

If by kick plate you mean the plastic piece screwed onto the threshold of the driver's doorway, it is right at 28" off the ground. Obviously there's other variables involved, but that will get you in the ballpark.

Cool, 28". I will now roll my tires on some blocks to that distance and have my wife climb in and out a few times. When I see she has a pissed off look on her face, I'll know it is the right height.

 

[Phil]

You'll be able to go anywhere in Northern California with the 5.5" drop bracket kit. That's probably what I would use if I built a full body car again.

And please note that you can also bend back aluminum wheels with a hammer. Anything that would keep an aluminum wheel from being fixable would probably destroy a steel wheel. And the aluminum looks classier.

 

[rocknxj]

And please note that you can also bend back aluminum wheels with a hammer. Anything that would keep an aluminum wheel from being fixable would probably destroy a steel wheel. And the aluminum looks classier.

I have been looking and think I will go with the Soft 8's for overall cost savings, unless you know where I can get some alums for 42.99 each because the BFG M/T KM2's will be costly.

 

[Phil]

Dude, you're dropping $1200 on a lift, $800 on tires, probably another $800-$1000 for gears and a locker or two, and you're going to quibble about $200 more on a set of wheels? You're not one of these broke-ass teenagers.

 

[american_zero]

Good to hear. Please do me a favor. Measure your distance from ground to driver's side door kick plate so I can mock up the Jeep for that height and see the net result of that combo.

Thanks, in advance.

Would you mind measuring Old Blue to the same place so that I can see how tall that would be? Every time I think about a OME lift, I keep coming back around to an RE 3.5.

Thanks!

 

[fyrfytr1717]

Cool, 28". I will now roll my tires on some blocks to that distance and have my wife climb in and out a few times. When I see she has a pissed off look on her face, I'll know it is the right height.

Now that's funny! Unless she's really short, she shouldn't have a problem so long as she uses the steering wheel as a grab handle to pull herself in. Now getting the mother-in-law into the back seat through the skinny little rear doors, that's a different story altogether...

 

[playwithit]

I have been looking and think I will go with the Soft 8's for overall cost savings, unless you know where I can get some alums for 42.99 each because the BFG M/T KM2's will be costly.

Shop around. These would be about the same price as the steel after shipping/tax and they are right down the road from you.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/pts/1544593007.html

 

[rocknxj]

Shop around. These would be about the same price as the steel after shipping/tax and they are right down the road from you.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/pts/1544593007.html

It figures the seller did not leave contact number. &^%$#!

 

[rocknxj]

Now that's funny! Unless she's really short, she shouldn't have a problem so long as she uses the steering wheel as a grab handle to pull herself in. Now getting the mother-in-law into the back seat through the skinny little rear doors, that's a different story altogether...

No problems at all. I mocked it up and had her get in and out a few times. She actually liked it. Man, I've got it good.

Ordering the lift and SYE this week from RE before she changes her mind.

 

[rocknxj]

Dude, you're dropping $1200 on a lift, $800 on tires, probably another $800-$1000 for gears and a locker or two, and you're going to quibble about $200 more on a set of wheels? You're not one of these broke-ass teenagers.

Absolutely true. I won't be broke until AFTER I order up all the parts ha ha ha.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

If it is going to be a DD why run a set of MT's? A set of decent to aggressive A/T's is what I would recommend.

 

[rocknxj]

If it is going to be a DD why run a set of MT's? A set of decent to aggressive A/T's is what I would recommend.

I've got the AT's on another rig (albeit 31's). I like them, but I am in the mood for some MT's. Keep in mind, my wife's DD includes no more than 3k per year. It will get more trail use than mall use.

 

[american_zero]

No problems at all. I mocked it up and had her get in and out a few times. She actually liked it. Man, I've got it good.

Ordering the lift and SYE this week from RE before she changes her mind.

Mind giving a measurement to the drivers side door sill on Old Blue? I'm gonna do the same thing for me to check out the RE 3.5 lift height before I make a decision on lift.

 

[rocknxj]

Mind giving a measurement to the drivers side door sill on Old Blue? I'm gonna do the same thing for me to check out the RE 3.5 lift height before I make a decision on lift.

Sure will. My kid gets back from Arizona tomorrow and I'll have him measure it as soon as he returns.

 

[rocknxj]

RE SYE 1811 and CV driveshaft = Ordered. Looks like I'll have some fun this weekend installing my SYE. ($600 minus 5% discount...)

Next stop, lift and tires.

 

[playwithit]

I thought about a aftermarket driveline, but I wanted to measure with the lift on the vehicle. The lift height seems to be constantly in flux.:dunno:

I'll stick with the modified front for now.

Congrats, Frog's transformation is on it's way.