1997 SE 2.5: Looking for upgrade advice

[SSwrangler]

Might want to start with diagnosing the issue behind the check engine light.

And taking photos of your dash while driving 55mph...makes you an idiot. There is no excise. You could seriously injure yourself or someone else. Put the damn cell phone down.

Is this a common thing for the drivers in the PNW to drive like this?

Picture wasn’t taken by me. Thank you for your advice. No need to comment on more of my threads. Thank you

 

[Wildman]

And taking photos of your dash while driving 55mph...makes you an idiot. There is no excuse. You could seriously injure yourself or someone else. Put the damn cell phone down.

Is this a common thing for the drivers in the PNW to drive like this?

While I am a big safety guy also I have taken pictures and video of my dash when trying to figure out an issue before so it must be a PNW thing. And I don't talk on my phone while driving nor do I text while driving or try to read them.
But I also only did that when I was alone on the road with no one around me.

But I doubt this issue is ONLY related to the PNW. While I will agree the Seattle drivers might be the worst I've seen I've seen some pretty stupid ones in many other states. People rolling a rig on the flat roads of I-95 in MD or the total lack of knowledge of how to use a turn signal by many on the east coast. Just to name a few.

 

[SSwrangler]

While I am a big safety guy also I have taken pictures and video of my dash when trying to figure out an issue before so it must be a PNW thing. And I don't talk on my phone while driving nor do I text while driving or try to read them.
But I also only did that when I was alone on the road with no one around me.

But I doubt this issue is ONLY related to the PNW. While I will agree the Seattle drivers might be the worst I've seen I've seen some pretty stupid ones in many other states. People rolling a rig on the flat roads of I-95 in MD or the total lack of knowledge of how to use a turn signal by many on the east coast. Just to name a few.

My buddy drove the Jeep home. He took the picture to inform me the light came on, I didn’t check it as iPhone have the driving feature. I was in my Challenger, lol. I agree this was dump of him. I just don’t find it helpful to call others idiots. I have done a lot of idiot things behind the wheel. Just not this one. I have never owned a 4x4 anything. So I am more aware of the vehicles lack of ability.

 

[Wildman]

My buddy drove the Jeep home. He took the picture to inform me the light came on, I didn’t check it as iPhone have the driving feature. I was in my Challenger, lol. I agree this was dump of him. I just don’t find it helpful to call others idiots. I have done a lot of idiot things behind the wheel. Just not this one. I have never owned a 4x4 anything. So I am more aware of the vehicles lack of ability.

Well WELCOME to the 4x4 world and even more to the JEEP world . Make sure you do a search for info about the Jeep Wave. Kind of like the motorcycle wave.
There is a great group of folks here and they are more than willing to offer advice and opinions when trying to figure out a issue or trying to decide which set of mirror dice to get.
Part of deciding on what to do with your TJ is sitting down and deciding on what you end game plan is. It might change along the way but it is always better to have a goal. So like others have suggested, drive it for a while before you do any major mods to it. Enjoy the open top and since it is your first 4x4 think about joining a club. PNW4WDA is a good place to start. They have a map that shows each region and then a list of clubs in your region. Being in Vancouver you are close to Tillamook State forest which has some easy to hard trails in it. There are other areas close to you to do some wheeling also.

 

[pcoplin]

Just gear it as low as you can, there's a are 5.38s avail. With those and 35s you'll be back to "stock" gearing. Won't be great on the highway, but certainly drivable.

Don't bother with any engine upgrades, except an engine swap down the road, if that's your plan.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Wildman]

Just gear it as low as you can, there's a are 5.38s avail. With those and 35s you'll be back to "stock" gearing. Won't be great on the highway, but certainly drivable.

Don't bother with any engine upgrades, except an engine swap down the road, if that's your plan.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

There are 5.38 gears for the Dana 35 now? Since I haven't had one in a long time I haven't looked.

 

[SSwrangler]

Well WELCOME to the 4x4 world and even more to the JEEP world . Make sure you do a search for info about the Jeep Wave. Kind of like the motorcycle wave.
There is a great group of folks here and they are more than willing to offer advice and opinions when trying to figure out a issue or trying to decide which set of mirror dice to get.
Part of deciding on what to do with your TJ is sitting down and deciding on what you end game plan is. It might change along the way but it is always better to have a goal. So like others have suggested, drive it for a while before you do any major mods to it. Enjoy the open top and since it is your first 4x4 think about joining a club. PNW4WDA is a good place to start. They have a map that shows each region and then a list of clubs in your region. Being in Vancouver you are close to Tillamook State forest which has some easy to hard trails in it. There are other areas close to you to do some wheeling also.

So I got this for taking the kids up to the mountains for hiking and for fun in the great out doors. My wife and I would love to start wheeling. I want it to be street legal still as my challenger can’t pull it, lol. It the wave you mention the same as death wobble? I read about that. Thank you for the group, I will look into it.

 

[billiebob]

Definitely do not add weight. And 31s are about perfect on an SE. Even with a regear, bigger than 31s adds a lot of weight, mass to rotate.

 

[TJDaveX]

A few guys in our club have 4 bangers. Their lightness makes them little tractors. PNW4WDA Region 4 on the dry side. Welcome. Jeeps (usually) wave to each other when they cross paths. Just like motorcycles, corvettes, etc.

 

[Wildman]

No the Jeep wave is just that, Waving at other Jeeps. Mostly open top Jeeps as most people in Grand Cherokees and other hardtops won't wave back.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/is-the-jeep-wave-almost-extinct.19833/
Most people in a CJ, YJ or TJ will wave back. Newer JK or JL owners are a hit and miss.

Yep keep it street legal as you'll enjoy the getting there and back part as much as the trail. I miss driving my TJ all the time sometimes but my TJ isn't stock anymore.

Two days after I bought my TJ. It had a 4" lift and 33" TSL Boggers on it when I bought it. And I was commuting from Yakima to Camp Murry at the time so those tires had to be replace. It had never been off-road when I bought it.

I kept the Boggers for wheeling trips.

I put my first dent in my TJ before I even mailed off the first payment.

What my TJ looks like now.

I added a simple winch bumper to mine and a rear bumper with tire carrier.

 

[Chris]

Just gear it as low as you can, there's a are 5.38s avail. With those and 35s you'll be back to "stock" gearing. Won't be great on the highway, but certainly drivable.

Don't bother with any engine upgrades, except an engine swap down the road, if that's your plan.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

They make 5.38s for the Dana 30 and Dana 35?

 

[Wildman]

They make 5.38s for the Dana 30 and Dana 35?

I think 5.13 is it for the Dana 35. Back when I was doing mine 4.88's were as low as you could go. With the 4cyl and 5.13 gears I think 35's would be livable and 33's would be AWESOME.

I don't agree with all the DON'T use steel on the 4cyl comments. My front and rear and rocker protection were all steel. Yes regearing it was one of the BEST things I did. I know about all the reasons not to add a electric fan but on the 4cyl it does help the power. I did the Taurus fan swap in it. But I also rev'd the crap out of that little 4 banger.

If you decide to keep the 4 cyl here is a few places to get performance parts for it.
https://www.shop.505performance.com/category.sc?categoryId=40
http://www.hesco.us/
https://www.cliffordperformance.net/

 

[pcoplin]

Whoops, I meant 5.13s. but I also forgot about the Dana 35. Haha

I had 4.88s and small 35s (BFG mud terrain) and it drove fine. Ish....

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[SSwrangler]

I think 5.13 is it for the Dana 35. Back when I was doing mine 4.88's were as low as you could go. With the 4cyl and 5.13 gears I think 35's would be livable and 33's would be AWESOME.

I don't agree with all the DON'T use steel on the 4cyl comments. My front and rear and rocker protection were all steel. Yes regearing it was one of the BEST things I did. I know about all the reasons not to add a electric fan but on the 4cyl it does help the power. I did the Taurus fan swap in it. But I also rev'd the crap out of that little 4 banger.

If you decide to keep the 4 cyl here is a few places to get performance parts for it.
https://www.shop.505performance.com/category.sc?categoryId=40
http://www.hesco.us/
https://www.cliffordperformance.net/

Thank you so much. First thing I would like to do is a 2 inch lift. Pro comp makes a spring/shock lift. For what we want I think that is fine. Then a little larger tire.

 

[Wildman]

Thank you so much. First thing I would like to do is a 2 inch lift. Pro comp makes a spring/shock lift. For what we want I think that is fine. Then a little larger tire.

I wouldn't recommend the ProComp lift. Read thru some of lift threads on here and see what everyone is recommending. ProComp and Rough Country are more at the bottom of suspension companies.
ProComp shocks SUCK bad.

OME is one option: https://dpgoffroad.com/product/old-man-emu-tjlj-wrangler/

What size tires are you wanting to run? That determines how much lift and how you achive it.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Thank you so much. First thing I would like to do is a 2 inch lift. Pro comp makes a spring/shock lift. For what we want I think that is fine. Then a little larger tire.

Make sure to regear it at the same time. And while your regearing its cheaper to get your lockers installed. But if you are installing a locker in the Dana 35, its usually the best time to install upgraded axles. The Dana super 35 kits are around $1500 for the upgraded locker of your choice with bigger spline count and it includes the upgraded axle shafts.

 

[SSwrangler]

I wouldn't recommend the ProComp lift. Read thru some of lift threads on here and see what everyone is recommending. ProComp and Rough Country are more at the bottom of suspension companies.
ProComp shocks SUCK bad.

OME is one option: https://dpgoffroad.com/product/old-man-emu-tjlj-wrangler/

What size tires are you wanting to run? That determines how much lift and how you achive it.

I was just going to do 31 or 32 something to fill the e

I wouldn't recommend the ProComp lift. Read thru some of lift threads on here and see what everyone is recommending. ProComp and Rough Country are more at the bottom of suspension companies.
ProComp shocks SUCK bad.

OME is one option: https://dpgoffroad.com/product/old-man-emu-tjlj-wrangler/

What size tires are you wanting to run? That determines how much lift and how you achive it.

Good to know. That was the lift kit that the local shop told me. Haha. I was thinking of 31’s. Nothing major.

 

[Wildman]

You can run 31's with no lift but a small one is still a better idea. I installed 31" tires on my daughters 2002 TJ last fall.

Find a different shop if they are trying to sell you ProComp stuff.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0736ZNPQC/?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[Fouledplugs]

You prob have 4.10’s under it from factory which will compliment the 31s nicely. Anything bigger and I would regear just to give me a little more “push” out there on the roads/interstates with the long drawn out hills.

 

[Wildman]

You prob have 4.10’s under it from factory which will compliment the 31s nicely. Anything bigger and I would regear just to give me a little more “push” out there on the roads/interstates with the long drawn out hills.

Yes the stock 1997 SE came with 4.10 gears with the manual transmission. It is a great way for people with 3.07 gears to just swap axles if they want lower gears.

Here is one thread on lifting your TJ.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...-your-jeep-wrangler-tj.733/page-6#post-273291