Looking to build my first Jeep

DeepLugDoug

DeepLugDoug

New Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2022
Messages
17
Location
Houston, BC Canada
Lots of great info here! I was planning to do a budget boost combined with a small body lift but I think I'll save a bit more and do a small spring lift instead. My goal is a 32" mud tire. My rig will see light wheeling with the wife and daughter. I'll use my quad for the nastier stuff. I have the 2.5 with a 5 speed and a 4.10 gear. I'm trying for now to keep the costs as low as possible. My goals: I would like to keep a decent ride off-road & retain decent handling on the highway, I would like to avoid the expense of an SYE and control arms etc. but after a few hours reading here I think to do a lift properly I will need all that stuff. :) So there goes my dream of keeping it cheap, lol. Super impressed with this site so far and the way all the info is laid out. Very easy to navigate.

Jeep.jpg
 
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You got a good-looking jeep! It'll be a fun project for you and your family!

You can find some pretty affordable lift kits that will come with all the springs, shocks, control arms, and extras you will need. The slip yolk eliminator is only necessary once you start reaching above the 2.5" lift range. If you keep it under that, you should be able to avoid the SYE entirely.

I ran a 2.5" Rough Country lift on 31" tires with stock fenders for a while and never had any driveline vibration or issues that would require the SYE. If you are looking at kits, I would recommend spending the extra money on a kit that comes with adjustable control arms. Having this flexibility when aligning the Jeep is very nice.

Keep us updated on how the build goes!
 
Pro Comp 2" springs with Rancho RS5000X shocks. I'd stay with 31s for a 4 cylinder. You don't need anything else for your needs, unless you like to throw away money needlessly.
Jeep 31s (2).jpg
 
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Congratulations on your Jeep and the best of luck to you on your build. I would recommend to give a good thought on what you want to achieve with the build before shelling out a bunch of money.
I have many friends that have spend a lot of money on their build and they did not improve the performance of the vehicle.
For example: if you are looking for more flex so you don't loose traction on your open diffs I would suggest getting first off all a set of Sway Bar disconnects, on you Tj you should be getting close to 20" flex and with the Sway Bar off you should get about 27.5", this measurement is lifting one front tire off the ground until the back tire and the other front is just about to lift from the ground, I use a forklift to take this measurement. Keep in mind that if you go to a taller or wider tire than a 31-32"x10.5 the tire will wont fit under the fender and you will have to modify them.
So, if you go to a suspension lift kit for example, always go back to your original performance to check if there was an actual improvement, most often than not, you get a kit installed and you actually loose some flex. Try and keep a record of what you get with stock equipment and always measure the advantages you obtained with the modification. If flex is not what you want to improve that this wont be an issue.
A stock Jeep with just minor mods is a very capable vehicle, there will always be Pros and Cons to any mod, if you go bigger tires you might have to change gears on your diffs to keep the torque up, and you'll need a lift, with the lift your drive lines might need to be mod as well, and you might need stronger half shafts and the roller coaster starts. ..lol

Good luck with the build, Tjs are so much fun to drive and there are so many things you can do to them.

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WITH SW 2.jpg


WITH SW.jpg
 
Definitely stick with 31's. Going to 32's will be a negligible difference in the Jeeps ability and will just cost you money. A 1" body lift would be a good option just to make sure you keep the tires out of the flares.
 
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Well, I had a great summer of 4 wheeling in the Jeep. Left it bone stock and will mod it over the winter. It did very well, took it through a Rocky pass called the Telkwa Pass , some water past the bumpers, got stuck once in a mud hole that was too much for the stock P235/75/16 A/T tires. The short wheelbase makes it very nimble, my buddy and his wife bought one too so we go out together.
 
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Getting stuck is always part of the fun...lol, I would try adding a winch (8K lb ) they are cheap and a great tool to have if you or your buddies get stuck, Harbor Freight have some very economical ones and they work great.
Also look into getting a locker, you'll add a bunch of performance with out affecting ride comfort. I went to an ARB air locker on the rear and it works magic when you run out of flex and it also performs really good under slippery conditions. This mod is a little more expensive (about $2,500) this will make your TJ go through some very rough trails with less stress on the drivelines and half shafts. There are also some other less expensive options when it comes to locking your diff, I went with the ARB air so I can control when it engages but I've seen "lunchbox lockers" that work very well and they are very economical.
I would recommend and try keeping ride height and wheel size about where you are. Big tires will open a pandora box of mods that include the drivelines and the half shafts, diff gears etc. But of course it all depends where you want to go with the mods.

Good luck
 
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