Anyone else like stock TJs?
- Thread starter Fishtaco
- Start date
Aesthetics are just personal preference. I bought mine to do ranch work. My wife said it looked small, so I lifted it 2.5”. I went off-road. Found I liked that. Been going down the rabbit hole ever since. It’s a hobby and project. Peace!I beg to differ! I think TJs on 33,s look so wrong in a sort of "Just Wrong way" but really it comes down to personal preference I suppose? As it stands now I can buy a full set including spare of TJ or even JK rims with new boots for $100 au or $75us because everyone wants Bigger Better. I like stock rims and tires so I win in $ terms. See you in the sand
I've "built" 3 CJ's to absurd levels in the past and taken them places I probably shouldn't have. At this point my focus is on restoring my TJ Rubicon (on 33's) to showroom condition with a few modifications mostly to the interior.
.... I'm still searching for the "right" CJ7 to "build" again.
.... I'm still searching for the "right" CJ7 to "build" again.
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I drive most of my Jeeps stock until I get some cash (1-3 months). Someone once told me that it looks funny seeing me drive a tiny Jeep. I hate AVERAGE.
Then they just dont get it! Jeeps only got big because they are no longer jeeps
Exactly. There's no right or wrong, mines better , poo poo yours or anything in what I'm saying.
It's personal preference.
Stock has advantages. Lifted has advantages.
What I don't go for is stock and neglected, lifted and messed up, or 37 inch tires on a 4 cylinder and complaining it doesn't work right.
When I'm buying... I'll look for as stock as possible.
The wide wheels had only been on it a month or so, previous owner still had the receipt in the car. Still had the original steelies if I wanted them but I declined. Changed headlights you see here I changed almost as soon as I got it home. Even the KC windshield light brackets didn't have a scratch on them from any previous lights being fitted the guy just hadn't gotten round to it yet as he only had it 2 months. Prior to that it was completely stock.
Don't plan on keeping it that way though... 37's and beadlocks are in the plans. Photoshop of the wheels / tires / height intended:
I'd much rather build up something that's stock to start with, than figure out everythign someone else tampered with.
2020 has thrown a spanner in the works on those plans though, so I've been enjoying it mostly stock for now. Swapped fenders with someone else that wanted stock fenders so now I have up-travel, and mounted up my old Lightbar and been enjoying the heck out of it.
The thought of leaving it like this has crossed my mind... but.... I just can't leave things alone
The wide wheels had only been on it a month or so, previous owner still had the receipt in the car. Still had the original steelies if I wanted them but I declined. Changed headlights you see here I changed almost as soon as I got it home. Even the KC windshield light brackets didn't have a scratch on them from any previous lights being fitted the guy just hadn't gotten round to it yet as he only had it 2 months. Prior to that it was completely stock.
Don't plan on keeping it that way though... 37's and beadlocks are in the plans.
Photoshop of the wheels / tires / height intended:I'd much rather build up something that's stock to start with, than figure out everythign someone else tampered with.
2020 has thrown a spanner in the works on those plans though, so I've been enjoying it mostly stock for now. Swapped fenders with someone else that wanted stock fenders so now I have up-travel, and mounted up my old Lightbar and been enjoying the heck out of it.
The thought of leaving it like this has crossed my mind... but.... I just can't leave things alone
You are wise.When I'm buying... I'll look for as stock as possible.
The wide wheels had only been on it a month or so, previous owner still had the receipt in the car. Still had the original steelies if I wanted them but I declined. Changed headlights you see here I changed almost as soon as I got it home. Even the KC windshield light brackets didn't have a scratch on them from any previous lights being fitted the guy just hadn't gotten round to it yet as he only had it 2 months. Prior to that it was completely stock.
Don't plan on keeping it that way though... 37's and beadlocks are in the plans.
View attachment 203259
I'd much rather build up something that's stock to start with, than figure out everythign someone else tampered with.
2020 has thrown a spanner in the works on those plans though, so I've been enjoying it mostly stock for now. Swapped fenders with someone else that wanted stock fenders so now I have up-travel, and mounted up my old Lightbar and been enjoying the heck out of it.
View attachment 203260
The thought of leaving it like this has crossed my mind... but.... I just can't leave things alone
Also, do they have camels there? If they do , which is more common, the single humper or the two hump "LC" model.
I am in the almost stock camp. Both of mine wear 31s and have a front leveling spacer but that is all. Not big on really lifted vehicles of any kind but to each his own. So I guess I am not in the totally stock camp. Just not in the huge tire camp either.
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I can honestly say that I straddle the fence... My 2-in lifted Rubicon is easy to get in and out of and there's no drama driving... And I will drive it and I'm like wow why would you want to do anything else
Then I get my 3.5-4 inch lifted one I'm like.... I am such a man in my little 3800 lb lifted 6 cylinder boy toy.
Then sometimes I get in it and I'm like Lord this thing is a pain too get in and out of.
Then I get into my f250 Diesel and I'm like good Lord those things aren't even real vehicles
I really really love my tjs... I've been a Jeep guy all the way... Part of the reason I love them is they give me a hobby and something to do to get my mind off of the pressure of living.... And they are really versatile and a lot of fun.
They do, they even have camel shows in the UAE. Very expensive hobbies are common in the Arabian communities.
Cool. Can you imagine.. hey Hafiz, I think I'm going to enter the double humper class this weekend.
You know if you sit back and look at that area you would think boy there is not much to do over here.... But those people have proven that if you can make some money you can find all sorts of ways to entertain yourself.
Stockish TJ’s look best IMO. The Rubicon hits the nail on the head in the looks department.
Factory TJ Rubicon marketing photos straight from Jeep’s marketing archives.
Factory TJ Rubicon marketing photos straight from Jeep’s marketing archives.
Oh there is so much to do there. If you're a gear head, its the perfect place to be.
And if you're social, the amount of brunches, evening events, late night events, and places to eat or drink is insane as well.
Holly crap I spent THOUSANDS to make my jeep NOT look stock, you mean I wasted all that money. Don't you dare tell the wife
Mine has H&R springs and 31" BFGs on stock Canyon wheels. I like this look because it's slightly more aggressive looking than stock. I had an XJ set up like this too, stock wheels with 30" tires and a 2" lift. Looked like an offroad focused version of a stock one, and I got a lot of comments on how clean it was. I like the stock TJs just as much as the lifted ones, but I think it's because they were brand new right as I was becoming of driving age, so I always lusted after them. My favorites were the solar yellow sports with the 30" wheel package. Since they were so new back then, lifted ones weren't as common.
I like the stock TJ look. Mine is stock but with 31s. I don't plan on changing that unless I do a hemi conversion, which from research says I need at least a 1" body lift, tho I need understand more about why that is the case.
Don't get me wrong, I dig the 33s and 35s, but for me, its a utility thing. My TJ sees more road and light off road (read, fire roads and such) than heavy off roading, water crossings or rock crawling, so there's no need for major mods. Plus, I don't want to deal with any drivability issues I might introduce by lifting it and putting on larger wheels and tires when I just don't need them. Not to mention the cost of all of that, plus a re-gear, etc.
I guess my point is, for my application my TJ is perfect almost stock.
Don't get me wrong, I dig the 33s and 35s, but for me, its a utility thing. My TJ sees more road and light off road (read, fire roads and such) than heavy off roading, water crossings or rock crawling, so there's no need for major mods. Plus, I don't want to deal with any drivability issues I might introduce by lifting it and putting on larger wheels and tires when I just don't need them. Not to mention the cost of all of that, plus a re-gear, etc.
I guess my point is, for my application my TJ is perfect almost stock.
If it doesn't look as clean and as simple as post #33, yes, wasted you're money. Some might even argue that if one needs more than that, they're just not as good a driver as they might think.Holly crap I spent THOUSANDS to make my jeep NOT look stock, you mean I wasted all that money. Don't you dare tell the wife
Don't get me wrong-I really like the built TJs I see and most look extremely cool.
I am entirely with you-my Sahara is stock as a block. For my purposes it gets me to (and from!) all of my favorite camping and kayaking spots, handles well on and off road, and gets somewhat decent fuel mileage for my purposes. Quite capable from the factory in stock form, and has never let me down in any situation. Mind you, I spend time in the mountains of Virginia, and some places I camp do not have easy ingress.
Plus, in stock form it's very easy to work on when something breaks, and easy enough to find stock parts and to troubleshoot and even used NLA parts are somewhat plentiful. My opinion differs from yours in that I despise (loathe, abhor, detest....) the Goodyear Wranglers. Terrible tires for noise and wear, in my experience, not too bad off road, and yet even with a 2,500 mile rotation interval I could never get them to wear evenly. I do really like the Gambler rims and will restore mine soon, I think.
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