Build evaluation

[Hotchef181818]

Hey guys, new to the forum I believe. I don’t think I’ve had an account over here when I’ve owned past tj’s. I’m on my 4th Tj currently, having this one for 6 weeks now. I’m going to lay out where I’m at and what I have planned just to get it out of my head and make sure I’m not missing anything since it’s been a few years since I’ve built for 35’s. I live in Denver, and specs are 2002 4.0 manual, Dana 30 and 8.8, 148k.


Suspension
4” skyjacker coils
Rokmen arms
MetalCloak front TB
Jks Rear trackbar
Extended links up front, being replaced with AR soon
Extended links out back
Zj steering
Bumstops adjusted
Ranch 5000x
MML and JKS BL

Axles
Dana 30 with 4.56 and Aussie, shafts to be ordered soon
8.8 with 4.56 lsd

Tires
35x12.5x15 cooper stt pro

Brakes
Stock for the moment
Will be installing centric premium rotors and ebc green pads, need extended lines as well

Tcase
Teraflex SSSYE going in this week, then ordering shaft from Adams
Savvy cable shifter
37 tooth speedo gear

Armor
Stock bumper up front cut to frame
Rear with be a barnes4wd plate with recovery points
UCF tummy tuck, can’t remeber what I picked but it’s going on this week as well
Warn rockers
Not armor but, bestop high rock tire carrier(it’s worked for me in the past and I hate big bumpers on the back)

Recovery
Warn xd9000i, I rebuilt with 50’ 5/16” line and a 3” x20’ recovery strap that typically doubles as a tree strap

Lightning
Going to try the kc hi lites H4 conversion
1 pair of daylighters, not sure where these are going yet

New fluids are going in as I move through the projects as well. Cooling system looks good and will be redone in the spring if needed. Top just replaced as well.

What am I missing ?

 

[Chris]

Don't go with SkyJacker coils. Go with the Currie 4" coils. They have the longest free length of all the 4" coils (that I'm aware of at least), which can come in handy.

Not sure what the free length of the SkyJacker coils is, but I doubt it's anywhere near what the Currie's are.

Other than that, I see no issues.

Rokmen makes nice control arms, and they use Johnny Joints too.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

8.8 axles are more trouble than they're worth, they're no longer nearly as popular as they were. If you don't have the 8.8 yet I'd consider something else... used Dana 44 out of a TJ or going with Revolution Gear or Yukon's Super 35 kit which include 1541H alloy 30 spline axle shafts that are stronger than stock Dana 44 axle shafts.

 

[Hotchef181818]

The skyjacker coils are 16” rear, 20.5 front. Do you know he specs on curries by chance ?

 

[Hotchef181818]

8.8 axles are more trouble than they're worth, they're no longer nearly as popular as they were. If you don't have the 8.8 yet I'd consider something else... used Dana 44 out of a TJ or going with Revolution Gear or Yukon's Super 35 kit which include 1541H alloy 30 spline axle shafts that are stronger than stock Dana 44 axle shafts.

I have the 8.8 already. Given the option I’d probably run a S35 if I was starting from scratch. This one had the axles under it so I’m going to run the 8.8 for a while. I can sell it easily in this market and build a S35 but I don’t think there’s much logic in that route.

 

[jjvw]

The skyjacker coils are 16” rear, 20.5 front. Do you know he specs on curries by chance ?

Currie 4"
22.6" front
17.75" rear
18.25" LJ rear

The length only begins to matter if the shocks allow the springs to unseat or if you are moving the shock mounts in order to make use of the available spring travel.

 

[Hotchef181818]

Currie 4"
22.6" front
17.75" rear
18.25" LJ rear

That’s substantial. It came with the skyjackers so I’ll probably wait til spring to circle back on those. As you know I won’t be doing much wheeling for a while so I have time to fine tune some pieces. I do remember having issues with my rear springs coming unseated from time to time on my last build for 35’s so I definitely need to address it this time around.

 

[Hotchef181818]

8.8 axles are more trouble than they're worth, they're no longer nearly as popular as they were. If you don't have the 8.8 yet I'd consider something else... used Dana 44 out of a TJ or going with Revolution Gear or Yukon's Super 35 kit which include 1541H alloy 30 spline axle shafts that are stronger than stock Dana 44 axle shafts.

I’ll say this. If a S35/30 combo pops up this winter with a lunch box up front and Detroit or arb in the rear with 4.88-5.13’s I’d probably make the swap. There’s a 30 front available locally with shafts and 4.88 gears, broken spiders and upper arm mount that I’m tempted to grab and build a S35 to match. Just don’t know if it’s worth the time and effort.

Edit: it’s geared 4.56, that doesn’t help

 

[Hotchef181818]

A couple more quick ?’s.

1. Editing my profile, when I click on the link Chris sent I get a “oops, we’ve encountered a problem” page and can’t seem to get into that area any other way.

2. Steering damper- pretty sure I know this already but things may have changed since my last build. What’s the go to these days?

3. U-joints for chromoly shafts- they obviously come with 5-760x but is there a new joint people are using or does it still make the most sense to leave it as the weakest link? Dana 30/g2 4340 shafts/ Aussie locker/35’s

 

[Chris]

1. Editing my profile, when I click on the link Chris sent I get a “oops, we’ve encountered a problem” page and can’t seem to get into that area any other way.

Is this the link you're using?
https://wranglertjforum.com/account/account-details

2. Steering damper- pretty sure I know this already but things may have changed since my last build. What’s the go to these days?

Steering stabilizers do next to nothing. I always suggest this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C53XRK/?tag=wranglerorg-20

A fancier one (i.e. Fox) will literally do nothing more for you other than give you that bling look, that's it.

3. U-joints for chromoly shafts- they obviously come with 5-760x but is there a new joint people are using or does it still make the most sense to leave it as the weakest link? Dana 30/g2 4340 shafts/ Aussie locker/35’s

Nope, stick with the 5-760x u-joints.

 

[Hotchef181818]

Is this the link you're using?
https://wranglertjforum.com/account/account-details



Steering stabilizers do next to nothing. I always suggest this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C53XRK/?tag=wranglerorg-20

A fancier one (i.e. Fox) will literally do nothing more for you other than give you that bling look, that's it.



Nope, stick with the 5-760x u-joints.

Yep, that’s the link but it worked this time. I tried the one from your intro message again 10 min ago and it didn’t, odd

Figured as much OM the stabilizer, I have a new Monroe magnum waiting to go on. In my head it helps with the heavier tires on crappy sections of road, but I could be wrong. It’s a $30 part so no big deal.

Is there any reasoning behind sticking with the spicer joints ? I’ve noticed a few entries to the market since I went down this path last time and didn’t know if they were being used. Seems likes it would just cause damage in the diff rather than at the joint if something was going to give.

 

[Hotchef181818]

Here’s the error, just tried it again from your intro. There might be something going on there.

 

[Chris]

Yep, that’s the link but it worked this time. I tried the one from your intro message again 10 min ago and it didn’t, odd

Figured as much OM the stabilizer, I have a new Monroe magnum waiting to go on. In my head it helps with the heavier tires on crappy sections of road, but I could be wrong. It’s a $30 part so no big deal.

Is there any reasoning behind sticking with the spicer joints ? I’ve noticed a few entries to the market since I went down this path last time and didn’t know if they were being used. Seems likes it would just cause damage in the diff rather than at the joint if something was going to give.

Yeah, I've since updated the link in that intro email as it wasn't working, use the one I gave you for now.

The Spicer joints are tried and tested. It's the same thing with the ball joints. People come along assuming that because Synergy makes some supposedly "heavy duty" ball joints, that they must be better. This is in fact 100% wrong, as if you read around, you'll see that pretty much everyone with those "heavy duty" synergy ball joints has replaced them around 10k miles or less, whereas the stock Spicers will last 100k miles often times.

Stick with the Spicer u-joints, believe me. There's a reason that even the hardcore guys are running them, because they work.

 

[JMT]

@Hotchef181818, great plans, you obviously know the lay of the land. Didn’t see anything about a TCase shifter unless I just missed it. Savvy makes the best one.

 

[Hotchef181818]

@Hotchef181818, great plans, you obviously know the lay of the land. Didn’t see anything about a TCase shifter unless I just missed it. Savvy makes the best one.

Installed Savvy’s a month ago, just forgot to put it on the list. That damn top bolt on the tacked bracket gets me every time.