Jack of All Trades, Master of None: LJ Build

First, since you have plan upgrade your axles, then fix what you have for now. I am no mechanical engineer to be able to sit here and explain the heat treated compromise that has been placed on the metal in that area but I have over the years fixed stuff like that and it held up. I would grind the welds up, straighten the bracket, use scrap metal to make mini skids (that what I have now) to add support, then weld it all back up. and send it!
 
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tired of tire talk, but since you have em and use em, how do you like the stt pro's? I am gong to be buying some 35x12.5R15s in a couple of weeks and I am pretty set on the STT pro's.

BTW I like the stock fenders and flares back on it! I don't have as much lift as you but I like the stock look, I may have to trim mine up a bit when I move up to 35s
 
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Paparock1 said:
View attachment 485967

tired of tire talk, but since you have em and use em, how do you like the stt pro's? I am gong to be buying some 35x12.5R15s in a couple of weeks and I am pretty set on the STT pro's.

BTW I like the stock fenders and flares back on it! I don't have as much lift as you but I like the stock look, I may have to trim mine up a bit when I move up to 35s
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I’ve had so many different tires at this point (GY MT/R Kevlar, Cooper STT Pro’s, Maxxis Razr, BFG KM3), and I still love the Cooper STT Pro’s the best.
 
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JMT said:
I’ve had so many different tires at this point (GY MT/R Kevlar, Cooper STT Pro’s, Maxxis Razr, BFG KM3), and I still love the Cooper STT Pro’s the best.
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I've had the original MT/R's back before the Army used them on Hummers BTW & BFG M/T's but they were originals too but my favorite M/T that I drove everyday on the street and wheeled them on the weekends was the Toyo M/T's. I still had 15" rims and these were the load range "C" tires so they flexed pretty good and for here in the PNW they worked great. Since I've been out of the game for 10 years I can't offer any experience with the newer tires.
 
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PNW_LJ said:
@Blackjack will correct me, but I BELIEVE the XD9000 has the weaker motor but makes up for it with deeper gearing. Vicer versa for the M8000. But I could be wrong.
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Leaving out early generation 9s to avoid confusion the m8000 uses the "short" motor and 216:1 gear ratio. The xd9000/i uses a "long" motor and 156:1 gear ratio. Early short motors were 2.0 hp and long were 2.5 hp. With the introduction of the BIC motors the short was 4.8 hp and the long 4.6 hp, with the long being higher torque.

Since the m8000 was brought to market back when marketing was a lot less fluffy the winch in reality will pull 9000 pounds but the performance specs look better at 8000 pounds so that is what they called it. All you have to do is look at the 9.0rc winch and what you find is a short drum m8000.
 
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Blackjack said:
Leaving out early generation 9s to avoid confusion the m8000 uses the "short" motor and 216:1 gear ratio. The xd9000/i uses a "long" motor and 156:1 gear ratio. Early short motors were 2.0 hp and long were 2.5 hp. With the introduction of the BIC motors the short was 4.8 hp and the long 4.6 hp, with the long being higher torque.

Since the m8000 was brought to market back when marketing was a lot less fluffy the winch in reality will pull 9000 pounds but the performance specs look better at 8000 pounds so that is what they called it. All you have to do is look at the 9.0rc winch and what you find is a short drum m8000.
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My smittybilt winch has worked fine every time I've needed it but every time you post about winches pushes me closer to doing a Warn winch build just because.
 
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Paparock1 said:
View attachment 485967

tired of tire talk, but since you have em and use em, how do you like the stt pro's? I am gong to be buying some 35x12.5R15s in a couple of weeks and I am pretty set on the STT pro's.
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I think to get an honest review, you need to do an apples to apples comparison, keeping the tire model the only independent variable. I've tried/seen several different tires over the years, but they were on different rigs, and different trails than I do now.

That said, I've been very happy with the STT Pros in a 35x12.5r15. In our terrain, the traction is incredible, probably the best I've seen, save for a sticky or Interco. They are very soft (which has its pros and cons). I've yet to use them extensively in deep mud or snow so no input there.

The shop that mounted them, didn't do a great job at balancing them. I've lived with it for now, but I plan to get them rebalanced.

Paparock1 said:
BTW I like the stock fenders and flares back on it! I don't have as much lift as you but I like the stock look,
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Thank you. I think Jeep did a great job with the stock TJ fenders. I'll probably keep them for a while.. unless I hit my head too hard and go 37s.

Paparock1 said:
I may have to trim mine up a bit when I move up to 35s
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You could always do a body lift, if you haven't yet.
 
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freedom_in_4low said:
My smittybilt winch has worked fine every time I've needed it but every time you post about winches pushes me closer to doing a Warn winch build just because.
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I have a smitty bilt winch too that I have no good reason to replace...and I want to do a Warn as well. Not sure why...My smittybilt has done absolutely everything I've asked from it, and then some. The wireless feature is really nice, its IP68 rated, its relatively fast, etc.
 
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freedom_in_4low said:
My smittybilt winch has worked fine every time I've needed it but every time you post about winches pushes me closer to doing a Warn winch build just because.
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Mike_H said:
I have a smitty bilt winch too that I have no good reason to replace...and I want to do a Warn as well. Not sure why...My smittybilt has done absolutely everything I've asked from it, and then some. The wireless feature is really nice, its IP68 rated, its relatively fast, etc.
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I’m in love with the Gigglepins. I’ve absolutely no use for one, but I still want one.
 
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Mike_H said:
I have a smitty bilt winch too that I have no good reason to replace...and I want to do a Warn as well. Not sure why...My smittybilt has done absolutely everything I've asked from it, and then some. The wireless feature is really nice, its IP68 rated, its relatively fast, etc.
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I'm in the same boat as you guys. Rebuilding a marketplace 9.5xp is a sexy idea.
 
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@Rickyd, @Mike_H, I’m sure you guys will eventually find a Warn on Marketplace for a good deal. At that point it‘s an easy decision. 🙂
 
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PNW_LJ said:
I think to get an honest review, you need to do an apples to apples comparison, keeping the tire model the only independent variable. I've tried/seen several different tires over the years, but they were on different rigs, and different trails than I do now.

That said, I've been very happy with the STT Pros in a 35x12.5r15. In our terrain, the traction is incredible, probably the best I've seen, save for a sticky or Interco. They are very soft (which has its pros and cons). I've yet to use them extensively in deep mud or snow so no input there.
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My answer doesn’t give any reasons why I liked STT Pro’s the best. I was baiting, but no one took the bait.
 
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Great build.

Was just looking at the body mount post. Gen right "body lift" replacement mounts are 3/16" thick and only 1" lift. Seems like a solution would be 1.25" lift and 1/4" thick material. Thoughts?
 
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Fluxor said:
Great build.

Was just looking at the body mount post. Gen right "body lift" replacement mounts are 3/16" thick and only 1" lift. Seems like a solution would be 1.25" lift and 1/4" thick material. Thoughts?
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Genright replacement raised body mounts are 1.25" despite what the website says. Been that way for years for reasons unknown.
 
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