Ultimate Hunting Jeep Build! What do you think?

Joined
Dec 20, 2020
Messages
41
Location
Aurora, CO
I have a 1997 TJ Wrangler 4.0 with a Dana 30 up front and a Dana 35 in the rear. AX-15 Transmission and NP231 Transfer case. It has a small lift, like 2.5 inches or so, with 32x11.5R15 and aluminum wheels. I recently installed a 12k pound winch on the front bumper. I bought it a few years ago and fixed it up and have it running reliably. Their next step is to turn it into the ultimate Colorado Elk Hunting Jeep! This is my first Jeep but I'm a gear head and spend a ton of time working on cars. I need your help to figure out how far I need to go when choosing an axle setup.

What do I want to do? I have no interest in rock crawling, but I want to have confidence that my Jeep can get me in and out of the most remote hunting spots in Colorado. I want my jeep to be able to go anywhere that an ATV or UTV can go.... maybe even further. I should also mention that I hunt alone so I wouldn't have any help if I get stuck.

What I'm worried about.... I don't want to go and start putting lockers and better axles in my Dana 30 & 35 just to find out later that I should have upgraded to a Dana 44 or Dana 60 in the first place. How far do I need to go? I've got money to spend but I also don't want to go buy 2 Dana 60's that I don't really need. I know people are going to ask what size tires I may want to run in the future and I don't know. I guess I would ask how big of tires do I need to accomplish the goals I listed above. I don't know what that is. Any advice is greatly appreciated!!!
 
@Jerry Bransford can tell you how to beef up the axles, what lockers work and you might get a Garvin Expedition rack to haul gear and get the meat out.

It is all about spending the money wisely, and you have the right idea about everything-

I would for sure find out what critical spare parts to carry for that year TJ too.

This rack has remote controlled lights front and rear.

0EB05B8D-78A2-4D1A-9350-BED04E9AA2E7.jpeg


All the best
Andy
 
Well, I shot a 6x7 near Rifle, Colorado. In a YJ with no real lift at all. I used the winch and about 3 extensions to winch him up to the Jeep, other guys ran it and I kept the rack off the ground, ha.

32” and lift you have will get the job done.

I would start with getting Chromoly front shafts and keep the existing for emergency backups.

I’d get an Eaton E Locker up front.

I’d either get a Dana 44 rear or a Super 35 kit with Eaton Elocker rear and Chromoly either way.

Tires and lift woufl work, but personally I’d go 3-4” lift and 33’s, and SYE and CV Driveshaft with double adjustable control arms.
 
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@Jerry Bransford can tell you how to beef up the axles, what lockers work and you might get a Garvin Expedition rack to haul gear and get the meat out.

It is all about spending the money wisely, and you have the right idea about everything-

I would for sure find out what critical spare parts to carry for that year TJ too.

This rack has remote controlled lights front and rear.

View attachment 408442

All the best
Andy

Andy, can you provide more information about the lights and remote control? - make and model, where you got them, etc. thanks.
 
I have a 1997 TJ Wrangler 4.0 with a Dana 30 up front and a Dana 35 in the rear. AX-15 Transmission and NP231 Transfer case. It has a small lift, like 2.5 inches or so, with 32x11.5R15 and aluminum wheels. I recently installed a 12k pound winch on the front bumper. I bought it a few years ago and fixed it up and have it running reliably. Their next step is to turn it into the ultimate Colorado Elk Hunting Jeep! This is my first Jeep but I'm a gear head and spend a ton of time working on cars. I need your help to figure out how far I need to go when choosing an axle setup.

What do I want to do? I have no interest in rock crawling, but I want to have confidence that my Jeep can get me in and out of the most remote hunting spots in Colorado. I want my jeep to be able to go anywhere that an ATV or UTV can go.... maybe even further. I should also mention that I hunt alone so I wouldn't have any help if I get stuck.

What I'm worried about.... I don't want to go and start putting lockers and better axles in my Dana 30 & 35 just to find out later that I should have upgraded to a Dana 44 or Dana 60 in the first place. How far do I need to go? I've got money to spend but I also don't want to go buy 2 Dana 60's that I don't really need. I know people are going to ask what size tires I may want to run in the future and I don't know. I guess I would ask how big of tires do I need to accomplish the goals I listed above. I don't know what that is. Any advice is greatly appreciated!!!

Do you have a tire size in mind? Pick one and then it gets built around them.

Your current axles are good to 35" tires with the right parts.after 35's
you need d60s(because of ball joints of all things)Dana 44 front doesn't add much strength. 35's and larger are very expensive to build a reliable(and safe) rig around though so keep that in mind.

For your 32's I'd get 4cyl 4.10 axles and run arb or elockers with an s35 kit.they will be cheaper than regearing.

For hunting by myself way out there I'd want lockers,lots of synthetic not steel recovery gear.survival supplies for an extended stay,navigation gear both paper and gps,and coms that will reach out. Make sure you have the oem tire changing equipment.

How do you plan to bring the elk back? Inside?on top? I love a cordless sawzall with pruning blades for quartering large animals. Works great on bone. I've done a few cows easily with one. But i wouldn't pack one all over,lol!
 
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Went by Rifle this past season. All I saw was some dude named Keith and his cousin who was sniffing coke by their trailer that they parked right next to our camp after burying his dually up to the axle in mud.
We were on a private ranch next to the BLM, no Keith or his cousin. Got this ole boy there too, good eat’in

7F6BFA7B-EA82-423C-A5AC-1F8256062991.jpeg
 
I hunt out of my TJ here in Colorado. I either run a rear carrier rack or pull small lifted trailer to put the animals on depending on species I’m hunting. On 99% of the trails in CO you will be fine on good 33-35” tires. I’d suggest at least one locking diff, proper axle gearing, a winch and associated recovery gear and training to use it and a satellite communication device if hunting alone, don’t forget to keep an emergency kit in the Jeep in case you can’t make it back to camp also. And depending on what area and season you hunt a set or two of tire chains may come in handy. Hope this helps.
 
I use a cargo rack to pack out the animals we take on a hunt. That part of hunting in a TJ is slick. Carrying guns is not as easy. We make it work though.