Quick pre-look at my '99 Frog with 33" BFG KM2's

[rocknxj]

Ah gotcha. When's it gonna be ready? You know we're all dyin here....

Gears and locker ready tomorrow. Super rails installed as soon as the rain stops so I can slap on a coat of paint. Lift to be installed as soon as the mono-tube shocks arrive...mid Feb?

You think you are dying? Every time I walk into the garage I get a wiff of new rubber from the stacked BFG KM2's and the pungent smell of cardboard and light packing oil from all the boxed RE lift parts.

It's getting close. I can feel it.

 

[rocknxj]

Its gonna look really good! I like Rubicon Stuff but I am not crazy about the Company I think they really need to work on their customer service and overall price on some things.

I had a great time with them over the past couple of weeks. I had a nice chat with them when I picked up the SYE and driveshaft a couple of weeks ago. We shot the sh*t and looked at some of their XJs that the employees drive. In fact, I flung them a couple of coffee mugs from my work site because I thought they were so helpful.

I also had a good time last weekend when I picked up the lift parts. They even threw me a couple of free RE t-shirts. Gotta love free trailing shirts.

 

[rocknxj]

I got geared and locked today. Yukon 4.56 gears all around and a Spartan locker up front. Strange sensation, that front locker. The other strange sensation was the $1872 that fled my wallet.

 

[srmitchell]

Awesome. How does the gearing feel?

 

[rocknxj]

Awesome. How does the gearing feel?

4.56 gearing feels good with the 30" tires. Sluggish, but totally doable for daily use until I get the lift installed (sooooon). I have not got it up to freeway speed but up to 50 mph and it seems fine.

The spartan locker clangs a bit in tight turns but that beast feels unstoppable when engaged. I may swap to a selectable locker once I pay for this other crap, but for now I am in heaven. Where's the freaking trail?

I have a sickness. I just ordered one of AJ's front non-winch bumpers with d-rings, 2" receiver, side protection, and a low profile loop and light brackets.

I also bought my mono-tube shocks from RE today. They will be shipped tomorrow and will be here in a couple of days.

I will prime, paint, and install my super rail rock sliders this weekend.

The Frog is calling...

 

[srmitchell]

Awesome.

What do you mean by sluggish? Speed? Or acceleration?

Im going to 4.56 on 31's soon, so it's good to know.

 

[rocknxj]

Awesome.

What do you mean by sluggish? Speed? Or acceleration?

Im going to 4.56 on 31's soon, so it's good to know.

Slower than usual acceleration to desired speed. It really is not that bad from the miles I've driven over the past couple of days, but again, I have not gotten up past 45 in the 'burbs.

If you are planning to be in the Rocklin area in the next week, give me a call and I'll let you test it out.

Why 4.56 on 31's? That does not seem like a worthy investment unless it is temporary. I'm running 3.55 with 31's on Old Blue and it is good with the exception of towing uphill.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

i would expect 4.56s and 30's to be fast....i had 4.88s with 31's for a short time before the 33's meant a lot of acceleration and top speed of 75 was pushing it...
anyway i like the build so far.
itll be a fun rig to take out for sure

 

[rocknxj]

You know, Jon, I thought the same thing. I have not had this thing up past 45 mph yet and only a few miles at that, but I figured it would be quicker off the line than it is. I do have an exhaust problem and will be changing to a performance exhaust system one day, which may be causing a loss of power. Then again, maybe I am too old to drive faster than 45.

 

[Alex E]

FYI I run 4.56s on 32's with a 5 speed manual. They work great, 65 or 70 on the freeway is about 2600 rpms, throttle position is ok and engine load is easy. Gas mileage isn't to shabby around town and on the freeway. I average about 15 or 16, maybe 17-19 on the freeway with the Jeep loaded down doing 70-75. I don't drive the Jeep super hard, almost always below 3 grand getting up to speed but I know for sure my driving doesn't help because I do cruise a little fast.

 

[srmitchell]

Slower than usual acceleration to desired speed. It really is not that bad from the miles I've driven over the past couple of days, but again, I have not gotten up past 45 in the 'burbs.

If you are planning to be in the Rocklin area in the next week, give me a call and I'll let you test it out.

Why 4.56 on 31's? That does not seem like a worthy investment unless it is temporary. I'm running 3.55 with 31's on Old Blue and it is good with the exception of towing uphill.

Really? I thought it would be night and day, as far as low speed acceleration.

My rig has a rear tire carrier, sliders, stiffeners, a front bumper, and 31's. It's heavy, and it needs deeper gears. I'm going to 33's this summer, so it should be perfect.

Any updates?

 

[rocknxj]

I am taking next Thursday and Friday off for the lift installation. Shocks should be here tomorrow.

I'll post pics as I go (that's half the fun, right?). For now, here's a comparison of the RE track bar and drop bracket and a stock track bar I had lying around.

 

[100K XJ]

Hey all,
Just signed up for but I had to say I am getting jealous of the Frog. Im rocknxj's kid, the lucky owner of 'Old Blue' that is his avatar pic. That'll change
This will soon be one sweet machine though, the best part being I won't be in the passengers seat struck with fear that we won't make it through Rubicon Springs next Jamboree. This thing will crawl through just fine, but if something does happen, its not my Jeep haha.

 

[rocknxj]

Hey all,
Just signed up for but I had to say I am getting jealous of the Frog. Im rocknxj's kid, the lucky owner of 'Old Blue' that is his avatar pic. That'll change
This will soon be one sweet machine though, the best part being I won't be in the passengers seat struck with fear that we won't make it through Rubicon Springs next Jamboree. This thing will crawl through just fine, but if something does happen, its not my Jeep haha.

Hey, Kid! Glad to have you on finally. We'll need to get your name in red as soon as possible.

We had a blast building and wheeling Old Blue together over the past few years, and it is an excellent vehicle. From the first trip cruising the historic gold mining country, to nearly rolling it on the Rubicon's Little Sluice, we've seen a lot. Although it was hard to let go of the keys last June, it made perfect sense and I'm thrilled to see you with it and know you will take good care of it. If you do, you might be able to had it off to your kid one day.

The best way I could figure to get over losing Old Blue was to build the Frog bigger and better than we did with your XJ. Gears. locker, and armor is already installed, and by next weekend it will be sitting on 33" KM2s and a 5.5" RE lift, with the sole intent of making you cry. Yeah, baby.

As for the avatar, I will change that out as soon as the new and improved Frog is unveiled. Welcome to the board, 100K XJ.

 

[srmitchell]

Awesome to see your kid on here! haha

Im still trying to get my dad on here, (I think you met him when he got the hp dana 30) he finally got a wj, and we already lifted it and got sliders!

Hope to see you two on the trail someday.

 

[rocknxj]

Awesome to see your kid on here! haha

Im still trying to get my dad on here, (I think you met him when he got the hp dana 30) he finally got a wj, and we already lifted it and got sliders!

Hope to see you two on the trail someday.

I remember your dad. I could not believe he wanted to stuff the D30 axle in the back of his car. I still have a scar on my left wrist from that ordeal!

Oh yeah, sliders. I need to prime, paint, and install them Saturday.

 

[srmitchell]

Oh. I'm sorry. That's crappy.

Yeah, when we lifted it out of the trunk the car lifted 3 inches. LOL

 

[rocknxj]

I don't have a problem with battle wounds. Those axles are heavy beasts fo sho.

 

[rocknxj]

Spent most of Sunday cleaning, priming, painting, and installing my Super Rails. Came out looking great.

 

[rocknxj]

Looking forward to installing my RE adjustable track bar. Nearly double the size of the OE bar.