Looking for cheap ideas on modding my Jeep

Trent Findley

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Joined
Mar 25, 2020
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Alabama
Hey guys I’m a high school senior right now looking for some relatively cheap ideas on modding my Jeep. Right now I have a 2 in lift and I’m running 31s. I’d like to get a 1.25 in body lift and run 33s when my 31s give out but I don’t really have the money to pay for regearing. Any suggestions on what I should do. Also I would like to see pics of y’all’s Jeeps running a similar set up. Thanks.
 
You may want to check out this thread for cheap mods:

Free, cheap, & low cost mods for your Jeep Wrangler TJ

If you want to run 31s on the cheap, get some Rancho RS5000X shocks (excellent shocks by the way) and some 2" OME or BDS springs. That combine with a transfer case drop will run 31s just fine, and you can re-gear when you're ready and have the money.
 
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The lift I have right now is a rough country spaced lift kit with shocks. I the only off roading I is just very simple power line trails and stuff like that. Do you recommend regearing for 33s? I have the automatic 4 speed transmission with the 4.0. If so what gears should I go to? Front and back?
 
You'll definitely want to regear for 33" tires with the overdrive auto. I think the suggestion for gear ratio will be close to 5.13 gears but look up the chart or better yet go to grimmjeeper.com and play with the gear ratio's yourself. Figure out what RPM you want to be at at a given highway RPM in overdrive and pick your gears that way. Others will have suggestions too but I'm not as familiar with your transmission.

If you do regear you're very likely to need new carriers or thick cut gears. Changing gear ratio's is not cheap, figure on spending upwards of $2500 at a shop to do the front and the rear. During a gear change is the best time to add lockers but that can add considerable expense to the project.

If I were in your shoes I'd look into sticking with the 31" tires and upgrading things that won't need to be redone later like bumpers, gas tank skid, body lift, etc. There is a lot that can be done to improve the function of a jeep but if it isn't thought out fully from the beginning it means doing a lot of things twice.
 
You may want to check out this thread for cheap mods:

Free, cheap, & low cost mods for your Jeep Wrangler TJ

If you want to run 31s on the cheap, get some Rancho RS5000X shocks (excellent shocks by the way) and some 2" OME or BDS springs. That combine with a transfer case drop will run 31s just fine, and you can re-gear when you're ready and have the money.
You guys. He is in high school and is broke!
We should help him get out of the hole!
 
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You guys. He is in high school and is broke!

Yup. And rather than simply telling him "no, don't do that" we should inform him of why he shouldn't or what it would cost to do so. Teach a man to fish so to speak. I've never done well when people simply tell me what to do, but telling me why I should do something is completely different.

What we really need to know is if he wants his jeep to look better to pick up chicks, or perform better to keep up with his buddies offroad, or a combo of both. Then we can help guide him along that path. Either way, 33" tires aren't likely in the cards right now but it's good to be able to see all the info on the table as to why it costs so much to do certain things.

Then we'll get the people that say you can run 33" tires right now, do it! And we'll have to try and show him why that's not optimal even on something that only see's the mall.
 
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I the only off roading I is just very simple power line trails and stuff like that.
Stay on 31s as long as you can. You can do pretty tough trails right now with 31s. I drove maybe 5 years and over 60,000 miles before I did my first real mod. Money spent on that stuff based on what you read on the internet is money down the drain. Get out there and have fun when you can. The Jeep will give you plenty of things to spend your money on all by itself. If you want to buy stuff look into basic recovery gear, things to air down your tires and safety equipment like a fire extinguisher. I know these things aren't as fun as 33" tires or a body lift but they are really what you should get first. Most of the people above giving you advice probably already have all this stuff and forget that sometimes the "new guy" doesn't have the basics.
 
What's your gearing now? You might be able to move up to 32's instead of 33's and keep the gearing you have now. They should run no problem with a 2" booster lift if you stay to basic 2 tracks and fire roads. A set of Rancho 5000x shocks are cheap at ~$50 each. And one of the best upgrade to do. Stay with the 0-2" size. Upgrade to a ZJ steering when you need steering parts. Just do all the basic maintenance stuff first. All new fluids,filters, and such. Then just run the Jeep for a good 6 months. Repair or upgrade the parts you need. After all that you should have a good idea of what you want out of the Jeep and what is needed to achieve that goal. A TJ with shiny new rims and tires is worthless if you have a broken brake line. So be sure all the maintenance and repairs are done first. And enjoy it. Top down weather is coming soon.
 
Since you already have a 2 inch lift, I'd stick with that and your 31's for now. Replace the RC shocks for Rancho 5000x shocks and your ride will improve. This time last year, Rancho had a rebate going on for their shocks. I got 4 and after getting the rebate refund, the shocks were $50 each. I don't know if they are doing it this spring or not. That setup will do what you need it to do until you can save money for a spring lift, re-gear, tires or whatever else you want.
 
Get through high school, possibly go to college. Get a good paying job. Pay off student loan debt. Save for a house, then buy a house. Save up money in a “emergency fund”. Then max out a 401k and a Roth IRA account every year. After you do all that then if u have any remaining money u can get larger tires a big lift and regear
 
This is my Jeep right now
B1EBF8B1-D80F-4679-8CEF-46ACA432DEF9.jpeg
 
If I've learned anything about owning a TJ, it's that you get what you pay for.

If it's cheap, it's cheap shit.
 
Hey guys I’m a high school senior right now looking for some relatively cheap ideas on modding my Jeep. Right now I have a 2 in lift and I’m running 31s. I’d like to get a 1.25 in body lift and run 33s when my 31s give out but I don’t really have the money to pay for regearing. Any suggestions on what I should do. Also I would like to see pics of y’all’s Jeeps running a similar set up. Thanks.
 
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Trent you won’t like 33s with that 42rle and 3.73 gears. I have 4.1 and I cut out the od anytime I drive it unless screaming down the interstate. I would stay with 31s and you will still want to cut out that o/d.
 
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Get through high school, possibly go to college. Get a good paying job. Pay off student loan debt. Save for a house, then buy a house. Save up money in a “emergency fund”. Then max out a 401k and a Roth IRA account every year. After you do all that then if u have any remaining money u can get larger tires a big lift and regear
Where TF was this advice when I bought my first jeep 🤦🏻‍♂️
 
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Get through high school, possibly go to college. Get a good paying job. Pay off student loan debt. Save for a house, then buy a house. Save up money in a “emergency fund”. Then max out a 401k and a Roth IRA account every year. After you do all that then if u have any remaining money u can get larger tires a big lift and regear
Who do I talk to to get your mods?
 
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