Thinking about getting into JeepSpeed or something like it.

POSJ

POSJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Minot ND, Unfortunately
Need some advice, a couple buddies and I are brainstorming about starting a weekend racing team. Jeepspeed style or some sort of desert racing. How much coin does it cost not including the initial cost of vehicle to get it to the point of passing tech? Some of the rules for JS seem a little odd; 10" front wheel travel limit, not being able to modify the body(cut and fold rear fender comes to mind), .060 over limit but you can put a crate motor in...

Should I get into it or stick to rock crawling lol?
 
T&J's performance put together a kit to make a stock xj pass tech for $10k, i believe that price is not including shocks. you could probably put together something cheaper but I would think that would be the bare minimum you're looking at spending to be competitive.
 
Tyler are you wanting to jeepspeed or Ultra 4? im assuming they are close but would have to read the rule books to compare. I have a few dollars invested in my Xj and im going the ultra 4 route and W.E. Rock Dirt Riot events. Big things are safety devices such as cage. Then for me the next big purchase will be fuel cell with foam and bladder, then remove glass and add nets. I would then meet tech for the Ultra4 4600 class which is "stock". Now im addng stronger front axle, ram assit, bead locks and a few other things but in the end id say i would have easily 10 to 15K in my Xj but it was over time so it wasnt a hurt on my wallet and of course deployments helped too. It is fun and exspensive as you will find what the jeep will and will not do. and when it will not do something you find and upgrade or fix so it will. But it is a blast. best of luck man
 
There's a built and ready Jeepspeed for sale in SoCal chapter for $17k....
 
Ultra 4 is fast, and slow...its best of both worlds. Look at King of the Hammers for example. 120 miles of open desert at speeds up to 109mph and huge rock sections and climbs.

Both types of racing i think would be fun but i want both so ill stick to Ultra 4 stuff. Best of luck Tyler.
 
Matt I guarantee your turd can't hit 109, much less in the desert lol...

The way I look at it, rockcrawling is more of a family event with camping and good times with friends. Going fast is for the adrenalin rush.
 
POSJ said:
Matt I guarantee your turd can't hit 109, much less in the desert lol...

The way I look at it, rockcrawling is more of a family event with camping and good times with friends. Going fast is for the adrenalin rush.
Click to expand...

Tyler,

I didnt say my XJ can go that fast..I was saying that Ultra 4 cars can go that fast. For example the unlimited class guys. If you just want fast then yes jeepspeed i think is the way to go, if you want both i would say Ultra 4 then.

KOH trailer video
http://youtu.be/KztS7D25m-E

Not 109mph but here is Big Ugly Racing's crash at 96mph during the mint 400 race (ultra 4 car in a all go fast race)
http://youtu.be/z1gMWkWUDI4

You can get the speed adrenalin rush from both but one is a wider range of racing.

just my .02 either way i look forward to a build thread.
 
I'm thinking a 2Dr 2WD XJ, cheaper to gear one axle. Jeepspeed you don't need 4wd, so over-all the whole project should be cheaper.
 
POSJ said:
Jeepspeed you don't need 4wd, so over-all the whole project should be cheaper.
Click to expand...

this is not always the case, a nasty silt bed will stop you dead in your tracks without 4x4. the only reason the other classes get away with it is they are throwing way more horsepower at the ground than we are ;)

If I were you I would build a mild prerunner to go out and have fun with, and see what an XJ can really do in the desert FIRST... before you end up like the snow racing ladies :gag: going fast in the desert is a completely different type of vehicle setup, you don't want to jump in the deep end before you know how to swim.

unless of course you shit money and don't care about the cost involved, if so I envy you :D
 
crazyjim said:
Thinking that gearing one less axle will have an impact of how much a Jeepspeed will cost is indicative that you're not prepared to race this thing... If you're planning on building a pre-runner, go to town, but if you're trying to race, you're in for a world of surprise.
Click to expand...

Ain't this the truth...
 
I built for the KOH style Ultra4 stuff and have to say, it was eye opening.

To be capible, not even competitive, you will be surprised how much $$$ it will cost you.

Yes anyone can pull glass, install cage, throw nets and a cell in it and hope for the best. But you are going to loose respect from many on race day, and maybe even quit after the first race, due to motor blowing, rolling hard/bad, hurting yourself and co-dawg, etc. IF you dont take the time and funds needed to make a reliable, safe, and semi competitive rig.

IF I had to guess on the $ I have out of pocket on my rig I would say (Daym I hope the wife doesnt see this) I have about $12K in to my build. Then add that to the cost of the Freebie sponsored, 6 tires (2400$), 6 rims (1500$), Drivetrain items and front Currie RJD60 housing $9k atleast), Rock Krawler susp setup ($2k) Seats and harnesses (800$), etc, etc, etc...

As well as the 7 months of every available hour (within some reason) put in to the Jeep.

And we still lost a motor in the first 14miles lol.

I would Build a PreRunner to start, BUT Follow the rules from a class/sanction that you are interested in during the build on Anything hard mounted or big purchase. That way you can enjoy it to start and if at anytime you feel your tapped out on cash, you still have something to enjoy.

Or as grimm says, unless you crap cash. In that case, have at it :-)

Oh or unless you own your home and can take a 2nd out on it. :-)
 
I've been thinking about racing, I decided to just start building my Jeep with the desert in mind. Try it out and see how I like it. I'm in my twenties, so I figure I have some time to go before I expect to just be able to afford offroad racing.
 
POSJ said:
I'm thinking a 2Dr 2WD XJ, cheaper to gear one axle. Jeepspeed you don't need 4wd, so over-all the whole project should be cheaper.
Click to expand...

POSJ..

I just listed my Jeepspeed racer for sale. Check out my link. http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1086745

When I first started building my racer it was 4x4. That quickly changed when I bent 2 housings. Now it is 2wd, front is lighter and opens you up for a variety of gears in the rear. Cheaper to build?? Not at all. The gearing and such are one of the cheaper things about building.

SILT SUCKS in 4x4 or 2x4. With 2x4 its all about driving, gears and rpms!!

The questions you want to ask yourself are this.

Am I building/buying this to just have fun?
Am I building/buying this to be compete for a title?

If it is for fun build it using cheap shocks, leafs, coils etc...

If its to compete, you will spend well over $35k before you see dirt.

My rig that is for sale, I can honestly tell you I have spent a stupid amount of money on it and will never see a financial return. I have spent tons of hours with Sonny at Downsouth Motorsports tuning my shocks so that I can compete. I built my jeep to compete and not lose, I hate losing and I hate being passed on the race course, even if it is a class 1 or TT!

Jeepspeed Class is unique. At every race there is at least 15 to 20 vehicles entered, side by side racing is at its finest here. We are the most affordable racing class.

My videos in my ad dont lie. In the youtube videos we started in 11th or 12th. You can see how many jeeps are passed. Out of all the jeepspeeds that race, mine is a true podium car with the bugs worked out. For the sales price, I promise you that you cant get to the top any cheaper..


If you are interested, let me know I can talk in more detail..
 
crazyjim said:
Thinking that gearing one less axle will have an impact of how much a Jeepspeed will cost is indicative that you're not prepared to race this thing... If you're planning on building a pre-runner, go to town, but if you're trying to race, you're in for a world of surprise.
Click to expand...

I'm looking at it from an over-all perspective I guess. The cost is going to be split between a few buddies and I.

I take the 2wd thing from the diesel drag racing world. Sure your launch isn't going to be as quick but there is less mechanical drag once up to speed so what I was thinking is that it is easier on the motor and transmission. Not just gearing the axle.

GrimmJeeper said:
this is not always the case, a nasty silt bed will stop you dead in your tracks without 4x4. the only reason the other classes get away with it is they are throwing way more horsepower at the ground than we are ;)

If I were you I would build a mild prerunner to go out and have fun with, and see what an XJ can really do in the desert FIRST... before you end up like the snow racing ladies :gag: going fast in the desert is a completely different type of vehicle setup, you don't want to jump in the deep end before you know how to swim.

unless of course you shit money and don't care about the cost involved, if so I envy you :D
Click to expand...

Grimm, I've got a buddy who has built three prerunner trucks and starting another right now. Two Taco's and a Ranger fulling prerunner built. He is pretty good with the prerunner stuff, so he is one of the guys that will be on this team. And no, I just shit...well shit. :)
 
RWKHausSupply said:
I built for the KOH style Ultra4 stuff and have to say, it was eye opening.

To be capible, not even competitive, you will be surprised how much $$$ it will cost you.

Yes anyone can pull glass, install cage, throw nets and a cell in it and hope for the best. But you are going to loose respect from many on race day, and maybe even quit after the first race, due to motor blowing, rolling hard/bad, hurting yourself and co-dawg, etc. IF you dont take the time and funds needed to make a reliable, safe, and semi competitive rig.

IF I had to guess on the $ I have out of pocket on my rig I would say (Daym I hope the wife doesnt see this) I have about $12K in to my build. Then add that to the cost of the Freebie sponsored, 6 tires (2400$), 6 rims (1500$), Drivetrain items and front Currie RJD60 housing $9k atleast), Rock Krawler susp setup ($2k) Seats and harnesses (800$), etc, etc, etc...

As well as the 7 months of every available hour (within some reason) put in to the Jeep.

And we still lost a motor in the first 14miles lol.

I would Build a PreRunner to start, BUT Follow the rules from a class/sanction that you are interested in during the build on Anything hard mounted or big purchase. That way you can enjoy it to start and if at anytime you feel your tapped out on cash, you still have something to enjoy.

Or as grimm says, unless you crap cash. In that case, have at it :-)

Oh or unless you own your home and can take a 2nd out on it. :-)
Click to expand...

We know that we aren't going to win, we are all active duty military so we don't make enough coin to really even be competitive. But we work hard so we like to play hard lol. But realistically we know we can't do the full out race crap for a long time. But if we start building and make it to Jeepspeed specs we can play around in tough truck challenges and things like that until we get the truck tuned right and built well enough to do it.
 
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