Daily driver build questions

[04TJWV]

Hey guys, just picked up an 04 TJ with a Dana 30 and 44. Completely stock minus new wheels that came with it.

I’m looking into short arm lifts with max tire size of 35’s. 90 percent of driving will be on road with the other 10 percent being on dirt roads.

Is it worth it to spend 2500 on Currie or savvy? Along with upgraded axle shafts?

Granted the vehicle might see some mild off road elements but no rock crawling or serious mud pits.

 

[JMT]

Yes.

 

[voodooridr]

Hey guys, just picked up an 04 TJ with a Dana 30 and 44. Completely stock minus new wheels that came with it.

I’m looking into short arm lifts with max tire size of 35’s. 90 percent of driving will be on road with the other 10 percent being on dirt roads.

Is it worth it to spend 2500 on Currie or savvy? Along with upgraded axle shafts?

Granted the vehicle might see some mild off road elements but no rock crawling or serious mud pits.

Absofreakinlutley

 

[04TJWV]

Yes.

Anything else I should do?

 

[04TJWV]

Absofreakinlutley

Anything else to recommend?

 

[voodooridr]

How much lift are you planning?
Dead set on 35's ?

 

[Tob]

You don’t need a lift or bigger tires to drive dirt roads. Stock TJs are plenty capable.

 

[04TJWV]

How much lift are you planning?
Dead set on 35's ?

4 inch max. Not dead set on them

 

[JMT]

4 inch max. Not dead set on them

Which Savvy or Currie or RockJock lift kit are you looking at? To run 35’s you need 5.25” lift. These kits come with 4” springs and 1.25” body lift.

Also you want a 1” motor mount lift spacer and whatever else doesn’t come with the kit you choose. Of course, you can piece stuff together. .

 

[Nick21]

Best quality of life upgrades for a daily driver on 35's in my opinion are the swayloc and big brake kit

 

[AndyG]

Everything you need to know is on here. If its been done to a TJ, likely we have done it.

Big tires mean regearing. Budget for that.

Lifts mean changes- takes work and know how to keep it driving good.

There is so much and so many variations- all I can say is stay on here. These guys are exceptional.

 

[KennethS]

You don’t need a lift or bigger tires to drive dirt roads. Stock TJs are plenty capable.

Gotta agree with this. My TJ has an OME 2.5” lift and 32” tires and it has gone through many Arizona hardcore trails. Driving on forest service roads is easy - I have seen minivans on those so a Jeep doesn’t need 35” tires to go where minivans venture.

 

[limitz]

If you want to do 35s right, especially if you still want to daily drive it, you'll need more than a 4" $2500 Currie or Savvy lift. You did mention a new rear DC shaft, but you'll still need:

SYE, front/rear trackbars, new steering, bigger brakes, shifter cable, body lift, mml, and a regear.

Cutting corners to get to 35s will 100% sacrifice ride-quality and off-road capability.

A stock TJ is plenty capable. A modest lift and 33s unlocks crazy obstacles.

 

[kiwi]

I would do OME 2.5” and 31’s/32’s.
Rides as nice as my savvy with rancho shocks, and don’t need to bother getting control arms or track bars or anything

Stock gearing would also be fine, unlike 35’s where you’d have to add around 2k for a regear

IMO it’s better to spend 1k on a good 31’s build, then 5k+ on doing 4” and 35’s. And it doesn’t sound like u need 35’s.

 

[04TJWV]

I would do OME 2.5” and 31’s/32’s.
Rides as nice as my savvy with rancho shocks, and don’t need to bother getting control arms or track bars or anything

Stock gearing would also be fine, unlike 35’s where you’d have to add around 2k for a regear

IMO it’s better to spend 1k on a good 31’s build, then 5k+ on doing 4” and 35’s. And it doesn’t sound like u need 35’s.

I don’t need them by any means, but I like the look of them. I have no issue doing it the right way. I’ve had a “built” Jeep before, but it was cheaply built. It would do everything I needed/wanted it to do. But at the end of the day, I felt like there was more to be had with it.

My wife will be DD this one, so I’d like to do it the best way possible for her.

 

[04TJWV]

If you want to do 35s right, especially if you still want to daily drive it, you'll need more than a 4" $2500 Currie or Savvy lift. You did mention a new rear DC shaft, but you'll still need:

SYE, front/rear trackbars, new steering, bigger brakes, shifter cable, body lift, mml, and a regear.

Cutting corners to get to 35s will 100% sacrifice ride-quality and off-road capability.

A stock TJ is plenty capable. A modest lift and 33s unlocks crazy obstacles.

I just like the looks of the 35s. But please do give me ideas/suggestions on the modest lift.

I just want to do it the right way, not cut corners and enjoy a Jeep that my wife and kids also enjoy.

 

[L J]

My wife will be DD this one, so I’d like to do it the best way possible for her.

Is she good with jumping in and out of a 5.25" lifted TJ on 35s day in and day out?

 

[limitz]

I think incrementally building to 35s with a "finished" product at each increment is the most comfortable way to get there.

The stock suspension feels amazing without any modifications, enjoy it for a bit as so many Jeeps are modified now. I think any suspension lifts should prioritize preserving that original feel.

I 2nd @kiwi's post above. The 2.5" OME lift is really well made, and with softer Rancho RS5000x shocks, the ride quality is still amazing. Since you have a budget of $2500 or so, I'd check out DPG off-road's ultimate OME 2.5" lift + currie adjustable upper/lowers. That'll put you in a good spot if you ever wanted to change your lift height:

https://dpgoffroad.com/product/old-man-emu-ultimate-tj-lj-wrangler-kit/
Will be a good starting point while you figure how what else you want to do with it. BL/MML, bumpers/winch, control arms, lot of options after depending on what you want it to look like.

 

[chudlet]

This is an excelent discussion of the issues you are looking at and the best recomendations on how to achieve it.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/a-comparison-of-building-for-33s-and-35s.65713/

I have been slowly following this recipe for the last year or so. My pic is of my Jeep in the 4 inch lift sage on 33" tires. You can find everything I have done on my build page in my sig.

 

[CreepinDeth]

I would do OME 2.5” and 31’s/32’s.
Rides as nice as my savvy with rancho shocks, and don’t need to bother getting control arms or track bars or anything
IMO it’s better to spend 1k on a good 31’s build, then 5k+ on doing 4” and 35’s. And it doesn’t sound like u need 35’s.

This is what I am after right now ~2.5”

I just need help to properly ID what it is I need to buy
Gonna stay with 31-32” & comfort , nothing crazy
Gonna be for a 16 year old

I almost bought a teraflex kit. (Glad I didnt after reading)
However need some tips on what OME springs to choose and supporting elements. Suspension COMPLETE overhaul kinda project to NEW feeling

already bought the Crown steering upgrade
So I just need Ranchero RS5000s and not sure what else

The thing rides like a swaying dump truck right now
Coil spring spacers gotta go and I wanna make it NICE