Which mod first??

[Silent]

I own a XJ with no mods. What is generally the first mod I should do, then maybe a list of others in a some what order like list. Anyone care to help with this?

Silent

 

[WB9YZU]

Front and rear Tow hooks or other tow points.
Rock Rails.

Reason: The tow hooks are requisite for recovery of your XJ and the Rock Rails will save your rockers from damage you will cause if you don't have them.

 

[JONNYD]

1.Recovery (get out of a jam)
2. Protection (Dont break stuff when you get into that jam)
3. Lift it! (Find more jams to get into and out of)
4. Intake setup. (you just killed your gas mileage with a lift and a bunch of steel, so this will save some $$ in the long run for a bigger lift, more protection, and more recovery (that winch!))

 

[Silent]

Why recovery, I have no mods nor am I 4wd. I am going for a pre-runner. Should I go engine parts first? Not sure...

 

[HodgePodge]

What if you are out pre-runnin and all of a sudden...

:explosion

Wouldn't it be easier to throw a strap on some hooks and get jerked back to camp?

 

[casm]

Why recovery, I have no mods nor am I 4wd. I am going for a pre-runner.

Based on your location and that you're building a prerunner, I'm going to assume that you'll be using your XJ in the desert.

Sand will bog you down just as badly as mud or snow, and you'll need a way to be extracted from it. Tow points of some sort (hooks, receiver, D-ring tabs) are a necessity as you really do not want to try to yank an XJ out by the stock bumpers alone. If you've seen the video of the truck trying to remove the Geo from the snowbank, you'll know why this would be a Bad Thing to do. Front & rear hitches are relatively inexpensive if you don't want to do a full bumper swap.

As for protection, there are rocks and other items you won't necessarily see that can still damage your vehicle. Rockers are particularly vulnerable - and remember, this is a unibody design. Damage the rockers, you're damaging (effectively) the integrity of the entire structure. And that's not even going into the exposed engine, drivetrain, and suspension components.

Should I go engine parts first? Not sure...

Build it to not be broken first, then worry about boosting performance. Ultimately it's your call on how you want to proceed, but if I were in your shoes I'd be more concerned about protecting my investment for the long-term than breaking things in the short.

 

[joecool]

1.Recovery (get out of a jam)
2. Protection (Dont break stuff when you get into that jam)
3. Lift it! (Find more jams to get into and out of)
4. Intake setup. (you just killed your gas mileage with a lift and a bunch of steel, so this will save some $$ in the long run for a bigger lift, more protection, and more recovery (that winch!))

x2

 

[Silent]

Well, after seeing that little vid. I guess I will look at strengthening and protecting my investment. LOL
Thanks for the info.

Where are some good places to look at bumpers? And, I was thinking about a tire swing, but I am not sure if I could get by with one?

 

[Beej]

Silent, we will have better and more specific advice for you if you provide us with more information about your needs, wants and dreams for your jeep. How do you plan to use it on a day to day basis? What are your ultimate goals for it? How much money do you have to spend on it? What are your mechanical and fabrication skills? What kind of access to tools and a shop do you have? Etcetera?
B.

 

[Silent]

Ok, I want to make a pre-runner, but still be a daily driver, and look (on the inside that is) like a normal jeep aside from roll cage. I do not want to look like a 4wd wanna be, because I have a 2wd. Hence the pre-runner. Daily use includes driving to work, and normal driving conditions, then I would like to go and be able to goof of on some dirt trails. My mech skills are so so, I have some work to it, from changing oil, serp belt, water pump, plugs, wires. I am sure I can do more just it has been a pretty good vehicle mechcanically. As far as fab skills, none. Ultimate goals are to lift, body work, interior work, stero, and engine upgrades for performance and fuel economy; as well as stated above. As far as money goes not much, just trying to do a little here and there, and save up for the big mods. I was just seeing which I could do. I mean I have some money, but not over 1k for the lifting. I do have access to some tools, no shop unless I can call my drive way a shop. I can do bolt ons myself, or with some assistance/help. Anyhow, that is what I want to do to it.

Silent

 

[Darky]

What about cargo space? There's lots of setups that mount a spare tire in the cargo area on a pre-runner pickup style mount. Kills cargo room, but if you don't carry much back there, it would be a good setup.

 

[Silent]

I was thinking about a tire swing. I do use the cargo area. Do pre-runners have tire swings?

Silent

 

[shimmy]

I was thinking about a tire swing. I do use the cargo area. Do pre-runners have tire swings?

Silent

no... you want to keep it fairly light weight and fast. forget aftermarket bumpers. just get some tow hooks. get some prerunner flares for the front. 5.5 RE DB kit and 33's 4.56/4.88 gears and a locker in the rear. are ya gonna compete in Jeepseed? keeping the original LCA mounts is required, thats why i suggested the RE DB kit

HTH
brandon
PS, or if ya don't want to lift it, i'd stroke the engine or put a supercharger on it and make it really fast since its a 2wd

 

[Silent]

No, not gonna compete. Just have fun on dirt trails, and still be a daily driver.

Silent

 

[shimmy]

No, not gonna compete. Just have fun on dirt trails, and still be a daily driver.

Silent

i'd go with a simple BB and some beefy 31's... then exhaust, headers, intake, etc

 

[BruteXJ]

x2

x3