connorwfrench

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
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44
Location
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Hello all, I just got an 04 LJ with high miles, but one owner and it’s in very good condition with minimal rust. I’m a 20 year old kid who needs some help with upgrading. Im not gonna lie, I’m not going to take it off road nearly as much as I would like to, but I do not want a cheap setup that will wear out or rust. I want something that I could use off road if I need and i want to know it won’t fail. But like i said, most of what i want to do will mainly be for show as i drive in the highway a lot.

First ima start by saying that i don’t have death wobble, it goes 80 smooth. But every so often around 65, it will rumble for a second if i change pavement. I just had the ujoint fixed, so first thing would be to fix whatever is causing that. Next, I’m either going to get 33 or 35, looking at Falken AT3W because it will be mainly on road.

Now i need help. I’m between metal cloak because i hear it’s the best in the game, or terraflex. I’m looking to do a combo of 2-3 inch lift plus high line fenders either from metal cloak or poison spyder. Keep in mind, I will have roughly $4000 (could do a bit more) to invest. I don’t need bumpers yet, i just want to give it a little lift with a little clearance. My main priority is making the Jeep as smooth as possible with the bigger tires and lift.

Also any recommendation for shocks? Falcon shocks vs fox 2.0 i don’t really know anything about shocks, i just want a smooth bump free ride that will last a while.

Any advice would be awesome and would really help me out. Thanks!!
 
Welcome to the club! Congrats on the LJ! Post some pics when you can. I can comment on the Falkens AT3Ws. The work great for me, I have 32s, they have done great with the on road driving, I finally got them off road 2 weeks ago up in Michigan and they did great.

I have some Skyjacker shocks and a 2in lift the pervious owner installed. Its pretty mediocre but it gets the job done.
 
Since you're looking more for a good daily driver with a bit of off-road capability than an off-road beast highway pig, you need to keep it closer to factory spec than many of us wild-eyed maniacs would :)
1) Don't get great big tires. Large tires look good but, in order to work properly, especially for a daily driver (DD), require re-gearing the Jeep to keep the engine revs in the proper range at highway speeds. With the info in your profile, I'm thinking you probably do not have the gearing to properly handle anything above 31" tires. Though some have run 33" tires with factory 3.73 gears, you would be seriously compromising your highway drivability to do so. Regearing is not inexpensive, ranging from $1200 to $2500, depending on your local providers. Add that to the price of the tires, etc. and it can get gnarly pretty quickly. Just think it through first.
2) If you get a lift, get a mild one (2.5" or less...2" or less is even better) that will not require expensive modifications to your drivetrain in order to keep from having nasty vibrations.
3) I feel you're already on to this one but, don't buy cheep sh!t. It's almost always a bad idea to get the least expensive (or, in that range) of anything...you will end up with crapolla and will hate it.
4) The fenders are up to you as, in your case, it will be a completely subjective thing. If you like the way fenders X look, then they are probably the way to go. From a functional standpoint, highline fenders allow for greater clearance for your tires under extreme flex conditions which will, of course, only happen off road. Since you will mainly be building as a driver, it's more about the looks and it would be silly to get something that maniac rock crawlers are into if you don't like the way they look.
5) MetalCloak, and Terraflex are definitely two good names for off-road upgrades but are not the only ones. Again, since you are going more for the look (without loosing the off-road capability), you can certainly look at a lot of other options...some of which are arguably just as good for a particular application (lift, skid plate, etc.). Don't get too hung up on the brand. Look around and see what you like, then search here (or post questions) to see what experiences others may have had with the particular product.

For shocks, I think that I can safely say that the majority of those here would say to go for Ranchos. Rancho makes quality products that perform well without going overboard. You can get good on-road handling and ride and still be able to take it into the rocks with confidence. Fox's and the like are really geared toward the hard-core off-roader (or pretender :rolleyes:) and, unless you plan on going that way, are not, in my opinion, worth the cost or the tendency to be rather stiff/harsh for highway driving.

Welcome to the forum!
 
Last edited:
Welcome to the club! Congrats on the LJ! Post some pics when you can. I can comment on the Falkens AT3Ws. The work great for me, I have 32s, they have done great with the on road driving, I finally got them off road 2 weeks ago up in Michigan and they did great.

I have some Skyjacker shocks and a 2in lift the pervious owner installed. Its pretty mediocre but it gets the job done.
Thank you! Definitely looking forward to the tires now, can’t wait to get them!!
 
Since you're looking more for a good daily driver with a bit of off-road capability than an off-road beast highway pig, you need to keep it closer to factory spec than many of us wild-eyed maniacs would :)
1) Don't get great big tires. Large tires look good but, in order to work properly, especially for a daily driver (DD), require re-gearing the Jeep to keep the engine revs in the proper range at highway speeds. With the info in your profile, I'm thinking you probably do not have the gearing to properly handle anything above 31" tires. Though some have run 33" tires with factory 3.73 gears, you would be seriously compromising your highway drivability to do so. Regearing is not inexpensive, ranging from $1200 to $2500, depending on your local providers. Add that to the price of the tires, etc. and it can get gnarly pretty quickly. Just think it through first.
2) If you get a lift, get a mild one (2.5" or less...2" or less is even better) that will not require expensive modifications to your drivetrain in order to keep from having nasty vibrations.
3) I feel you're already on to this one but, don't buy cheep sh!t. It's almost always a bad idea to get the least expensive (or, in that range) of anything...you will end up with crapolla and will hate it.
4) The fenders are up to you as, in your case, it will be a completely subjective thing. If you like the way fenders X look, then they are probably the way to go. From a functional standpoint, highline fenders allow for greater clearance for your tires under extreme flex conditions which will, of course, only happen off road. Since you will mainly be building as a driver, it's more about the looks and it would be silly to get something that maniac rock crawlers are in to if you don't like the way they look.
5) MetalCloak, and Terraflex are definitely two good names for off-road upgrades but are not the only ones. Again, since you are going more for the look (without loosing the off-road capability), you can certainly look at a lot of other options...some of which are arguably just as good for as particular application (lift, skid plate, etc.). Don't get too hung up on the brand. Look around and see what you like, then search here (or post questions) to see what experiences others may have had with the particular product.

For shocks, I think that I can safely say that the majority of those here would say to go for Ranchos. Rancho makes quality products that perform well without going overboard. You can get good on-road handling and ride and still be able to take it into the rocks with confidence. Fox's and the like are really geared toward the hard-core off-roader (or pretender :rolleyes:) and, unless you plan on going that way, are not, in my opinion, worth the cost or the tendency to be rather stiff/harsh for highway driving.

Welcome to the forum!
Oh man this helped big time, alright thank you! Also the other day picked up a used 5 set of 2020 Jeep Moab black 17” wheels to replace the current stock ones once i get new tires. But thank you again much appreciated 👍👍
 
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Sure thing. (y)
15" or 17" wheels are generally the way to go, so cool deal. The options for the 16" rims are really limited but just about every option comes in 15" and 17".
You will, of course need adapter/spacers to allow you to mount the 5x5" rims on your 5x4.5" hubs. Don't get ones that make your wheels stick way the hell out because it will mess up your handling and be really hard on your wheel bearings. Search here for info...or ask. I'd give advice but I'm not familiar with the offset on the rims you got (others here will know). ;)
 
Sure thing. (y)
15" or 17" wheels are generally the way to go, so cool deal. The options for the 16" rims are really limited but just about every option comes in 15" and 17".
You will, of course need adapter/spacers to allow you to mount the 5x5" rims on your 5x4.5" hubs. Don't get ones that make your wheels stick way the hell out because it will mess up your handling and be really hard on your wheel bearings. Search here for info...or ask. I'd give advice but I'm not familiar with the offset on the rims you got (others here will know). ;)
Yes just getting into the forums world and it’s super cool, also found rugged ridge makes an adapter that’s got great reviews that doesn’t make it stick out too far like some others.
 
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Since you're looking more for a good daily driver with a bit of off-road capability than an off-road beast highway pig, you need to keep it closer to factory spec than many of us wild-eyed maniacs would :)
1) Don't get great big tires. Large tires look good but, in order to work properly, especially for a daily driver (DD), require re-gearing the Jeep to keep the engine revs in the proper range at highway speeds. With the info in your profile, I'm thinking you probably do not have the gearing to properly handle anything above 31" tires. Though some have run 33" tires with factory 3.73 gears, you would be seriously compromising your highway drivability to do so. Regearing is not inexpensive, ranging from $1200 to $2500, depending on your local providers. Add that to the price of the tires, etc. and it can get gnarly pretty quickly. Just think it through first.
2) If you get a lift, get a mild one (2.5" or less...2" or less is even better) that will not require expensive modifications to your drivetrain in order to keep from having nasty vibrations.
3) I feel you're already on to this one but, don't buy cheep sh!t. It's almost always a bad idea to get the least expensive (or, in that range) of anything...you will end up with crapolla and will hate it.
4) The fenders are up to you as, in your case, it will be a completely subjective thing. If you like the way fenders X look, then they are probably the way to go. From a functional standpoint, highline fenders allow for greater clearance for your tires under extreme flex conditions which will, of course, only happen off road. Since you will mainly be building as a driver, it's more about the looks and it would be silly to get something that maniac rock crawlers are into if you don't like the way they look.
5) MetalCloak, and Terraflex are definitely two good names for off-road upgrades but are not the only ones. Again, since you are going more for the look (without loosing the off-road capability), you can certainly look at a lot of other options...some of which are arguably just as good for a particular application (lift, skid plate, etc.). Don't get too hung up on the brand. Look around and see what you like, then search here (or post questions) to see what experiences others may have had with the particular product.

For shocks, I think that I can safely say that the majority of those here would say to go for Ranchos. Rancho makes quality products that perform well without going overboard. You can get good on-road handling and ride and still be able to take it into the rocks with confidence. Fox's and the like are really geared toward the hard-core off-roader (or pretender :rolleyes:) and, unless you plan on going that way, are not, in my opinion, worth the cost or the tendency to be rather stiff/harsh for highway driving.

Welcome to the forum!
This very well could be up for a Golden Post nomination this year at the Rubis (our version of the Emmys)
 
I got my LJ about a year ago. I did the poison spider fenders with the 3” flare. I haven’t done a suspension lift yet but was able to put 33” tire and still have a considerable amount of up travel in the suspension. I did add a 1.25” body lift and a 1” puck in the front to level it out. Very happy with the ride quality too with the Bilstein shocks. Attached a picture so you can get an idea of the how it sits! Let me know if you have questions!
DC4A6974-A6C9-4948-AC89-812387ACE12E.jpeg
 
I got my LJ about a year ago. I did the poison spider fenders with the 3” flare. I haven’t done a suspension lift yet but was able to put 33” tire and still have a considerable amount of up travel in the suspension. I did add a 1.25” body lift and a 1” puck in the front to level it out. Very happy with the ride quality too with the Bilstein shocks. Attached a picture so you can get an idea of the how it sits! Let me know if you have questions!View attachment 181464
I love that look, thanks for showing a picture, how much did those shocks run you?
 
Going to 35s takes a bigger wallet than you currently have. Most seem to put the cost at $10,000 to $12,000 all in.
There are a LOT of good companies making 2 1/2 or 2 inch lift springs. Do your research FIRST. Build your TJ on paper first. And try a bunch of different options.
Most importantly go through every component first. Change out all the fluids. Diff, trans, coolant, P/S, completely flush out the brakes.
Then drive. Alot. Find out exactly what you NEED to update/ upgrade. Factor that into your paper build. Drive your Jeep for a good 6 months or more before throwing the cash at it. And be saving up a cushion of $ for an emergency fund. At least a $grand.
You live in Pennsylvania, rust country. Do your best to keep the Jeep parked for the winter. This is a perfect time to finally build your Jeep for real. Rust will be your biggest concern. As soon as you see ANY rust, attack it immediately, before it goes out of control.
Again, do your research first. Drive and get to know your LJ first. Go through all systems and get them right first. Deal with rust first. Fluid Film the entire underside of the Jeep if it will see any winter driving. Every book and cranny. Inside the frame and the torque boxes. Inside the wheel wells. Behind the rear wheel well.
Then you are ready to build what YOU want in your Jeep. You can learn a ton by following this, or any forum. Ask a lot of questions first. Even 'dumb' ones. This is the best way I know to get the Jeep that YOU want to have.
 
Okay this helped, what would be your best bet at tackling some frame surface rust? There isn’t much rust on the frame honestly, just some on the surface here and there, but you’re right and i would honestly prefer a solid base before i start pouring money into it.
 
Okay this helped, what would be your best bet at tackling some frame surface rust? There isn’t much rust on the frame honestly, just some on the surface here and there, but you’re right and i would honestly prefer a solid base before i start pouring money into it.
I would also strongly suggest doing a thorough cleaning out of the inside of the frame followed by an application of the Eastwood internal frame coating. I used an orange grouting sponge soaked in soapy water and tied to a cord to pull it back and forth through the frame...rinsed, then let dry for several days before doing the Eastwood. https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-tj-today.1784/post-590037
The TJ frames love to rust from the inside out and if you are fortunate enough to have one with very little rust now, doing this to help insure it stays that way is well worth it.
 
I'd caution against the Eastwood stuff. Totally agree with cleaning the inside frame, but then lay a heavy coat of Fluid Film inside there with a wand extension. Any bit of rust inside can continue to grow underneath the Eastwood coating (I know) unchecked while the coating surface appears fine. Then 1 day you hit a bump and the frame cracks. Using F.F. or one of several versions of cosmoline now available to coat the inside surfaces can totally stop rust, creep into tiny crevices and displace water. And can be top coated every year if necessary without having to remove the earlier coatings. I had some pretty decent surface rust under my TJ last year when I bought it. In the fall I sprayed every book and cranny underneath and this spring somehow almost all the rust is gone. Don't know how. F.F. makes no claim to that, but it's gone. Also tape up the drain holes in the doors and tailgate, then spray the F.F. into the lower door cavity to get it soaked into the pinch seams there too. Let it soak (you can still drive) for a couple days, then remove the tape to let any excess drain out. To be honest I've never heard of this stuff until Utube and this forum. Why everyone in the salt belt doesn't use this stuff is a mystery. Its amazing!
[I don't get paid for this testimonial]
 
I would also strongly suggest doing a thorough cleaning out of the inside of the frame followed by an application of the Eastwood internal frame coating. I used an orange grouting sponge soaked in soapy water and tied to a cord to pull it back and forth through the frame...rinsed, then let dry for several days before doing the Eastwood. https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-tj-today.1784/post-590037
The TJ frames love to rust from the inside out and if you are fortunate enough to have one with very little rust now, doing this to help insure it stays that way is well worth it.
Thank you, yes i do plan on taking a few days, cleaning the whole undercarriage, i appreciate the response!
 
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I'd caution against the Eastwood stuff. Totally agree with cleaning the inside frame, but then lay a heavy coat of Fluid Film inside there with a wand extension. Any bit of rust inside can continue to grow underneath the Eastwood coating (I know) unchecked while the coating surface appears fine. Then 1 day you hit a bump and the frame cracks. Using F.F. or one of several versions of cosmoline now available to coat the inside surfaces can totally stop rust, creep into tiny crevices and displace water. And can be top coated every year if necessary without having to remove the earlier coatings. I had some pretty decent surface rust under my TJ last year when I bought it. In the fall I sprayed every book and cranny underneath and this spring somehow almost all the rust is gone. Don't know how. F.F. makes no claim to that, but it's gone. Also tape up the drain holes in the doors and tailgate, then spray the F.F. into the lower door cavity to get it soaked into the pinch seams there too. Let it soak (you can still drive) for a couple days, then remove the tape to let any excess drain out. To be honest I've never heard of this stuff until Utube and this forum. Why everyone in the salt belt doesn't use this stuff is a mystery. Its amazing!
[I don't get paid for this testimonial]
Really appreciate this reply, been watching a ton of YouTube vids in fluid film and thank you for sharing a positive result with it. Very helpful!!
 
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