I'm a rookie to Jeeps and this is my first post on any Jeep forum. I could use some good and legitimate insight to help me make the best decision possible. I would appreciate some good insight and experience from other Jeep dudes so I can make the best informed decisions as I try to personalize my own Jeep.
I just bought a 2002 TJ, manual 4 cyl., stock 4:11 gearing, with 98,000 miles. Got it mostly because I've always wanted a Jeep. I have no desire to drive something that makes me look like I'm someone that I'm not. I won't pretend that I crawl over house-sized boulders when I don't, because I have absolutely zero desire to drive up Amasa Back and other such seemingly fun ballz-of-steel desert trails. I already mountain bike that kind of desert terrain, so no need to push my luck more than I already have. Therefore, I don't really want to spend a lot of money on equipment I will never use in the way that serious Jeep owners do.
My goals are to just have fun when I drop the top, take my boys to the desert to allow my 2A tools get some exercise, enjoy being in the desert trails over average to moderate terrain, and use it as a tool to bond with my sons as fathers and sons should. But I definitely do not want a pavement princess that only sees the hardball and never gets used for its intended purpose.
Currently it's got Rough Country shocks and springs, apparently only 4.5" lift (feels like 10" lift). Just dumped the 10 year old semi dry rotting 35" tires that needed to be replaced. No spare. Just got new 33" tires and the engine seemed to be appreciative of the reduced weight from 35s. However, I don't like the high CG, so I was thinking of reducing from the 4.5" to 2.5-3.5" lift. A local Jeep shop wants to put me in 3.5", using Bilstein 5100 shocks ($492), Rock Krawler front/rear springs ($540), and Rock Krawler front track bar ($340), with total labor cost of $475 to install it. Although I don't want to pay for super expensive equipment that I'll likely never use that expensive equipment for , I do understand the value if Bilstein 5100 shocks has the best warranty and off-road ride, then that might be worth it to me. Seems like a lot of money to drop only 1". Wondering if I really need top of the line, but I also don't want junk that has a crappy warranty.
My research found others who have mixed impressions of RC shocks / springs. Some people seem to love it. Others say RC is for pavement only with a rough ride and not designed for off-road use other than maybe relatively flat trails. But Fox or Bilstein seems to be for serious dudes who look for giant boulders to drive over. Apparently KYB and BPS are apparently good mid-tier with good warranties. I guess I just don't want to buy expensive stuff merely because a Jeep specialist shop or enthusiasts are more serious about their own Jeeps than I am. So I'd appreciate thoughts on how to get the right equipment at a fair price and to have fun without looking like a poser on the trails. And I don't want to get talked into equipment merely because the shop wants to sell one brand over another. Again, genuine insight, thoughts, opinions from experienced Jeep owners in the forum would be helpful.
Cheers!
I just bought a 2002 TJ, manual 4 cyl., stock 4:11 gearing, with 98,000 miles. Got it mostly because I've always wanted a Jeep. I have no desire to drive something that makes me look like I'm someone that I'm not. I won't pretend that I crawl over house-sized boulders when I don't, because I have absolutely zero desire to drive up Amasa Back and other such seemingly fun ballz-of-steel desert trails. I already mountain bike that kind of desert terrain, so no need to push my luck more than I already have. Therefore, I don't really want to spend a lot of money on equipment I will never use in the way that serious Jeep owners do.
My goals are to just have fun when I drop the top, take my boys to the desert to allow my 2A tools get some exercise, enjoy being in the desert trails over average to moderate terrain, and use it as a tool to bond with my sons as fathers and sons should. But I definitely do not want a pavement princess that only sees the hardball and never gets used for its intended purpose.
Currently it's got Rough Country shocks and springs, apparently only 4.5" lift (feels like 10" lift). Just dumped the 10 year old semi dry rotting 35" tires that needed to be replaced. No spare. Just got new 33" tires and the engine seemed to be appreciative of the reduced weight from 35s. However, I don't like the high CG, so I was thinking of reducing from the 4.5" to 2.5-3.5" lift. A local Jeep shop wants to put me in 3.5", using Bilstein 5100 shocks ($492), Rock Krawler front/rear springs ($540), and Rock Krawler front track bar ($340), with total labor cost of $475 to install it. Although I don't want to pay for super expensive equipment that I'll likely never use that expensive equipment for , I do understand the value if Bilstein 5100 shocks has the best warranty and off-road ride, then that might be worth it to me. Seems like a lot of money to drop only 1". Wondering if I really need top of the line, but I also don't want junk that has a crappy warranty.
My research found others who have mixed impressions of RC shocks / springs. Some people seem to love it. Others say RC is for pavement only with a rough ride and not designed for off-road use other than maybe relatively flat trails. But Fox or Bilstein seems to be for serious dudes who look for giant boulders to drive over. Apparently KYB and BPS are apparently good mid-tier with good warranties. I guess I just don't want to buy expensive stuff merely because a Jeep specialist shop or enthusiasts are more serious about their own Jeeps than I am. So I'd appreciate thoughts on how to get the right equipment at a fair price and to have fun without looking like a poser on the trails. And I don't want to get talked into equipment merely because the shop wants to sell one brand over another. Again, genuine insight, thoughts, opinions from experienced Jeep owners in the forum would be helpful.
Cheers!
