Need help / advice on parts

[Goop]

Im starting this thread to get some input and advice from people who have done this longer than me.
I bought a stock 2001 wrangler SE earlier this year, and I got bit by the jeep bug pretty fast.
A friend of mine has a heavily modified 1998 Wrangler SE and after going on some trips with him I decided to do some work to mine. So far I've ordered grab handles, new floor mats, new front bumper with winch support, 31" tires and a 2" OME lift kit.

I have other plans for the little jeep but after surfing the web for parts I was overwhelmed by products and brands, after a little reading I got the impression that some of the parts and brands are basically crap and useless. This made me a little hesitant so I decided to start this thread to get some input and advice. For now the Jeep is my daily driver and only car, my plan is to buy another car in the future and use my Jeep mainly for off-road.

Here is a list of parts im looking to get for the jeep. If any of you have any experience with any of these parts and please chime in.

New 31" tires
The ones I have now are awfull AT tires and I want to change them to MT tires. Due to the laws in norway I can't choose freely what tires to run. At the moment these are the tires I can legally use on my Jeep, im unsure which of these tires to choose from; Discoverer STT PRO, BFGoodrich KM2, Federal Couragia M/T, Toyo Open Country M/T or General GRABBER MT. The Federal and General tires are legal to run all year in norway the rest are just legal to use during the summer. I have no problems having two sets of tires for summer and winther.

A winch
Im set on buying a Warn winch since my Jeep already has the necessary documentation from the Norwegian DMV to have a front mounted Warn winch (Yes it's only legal for me to run a winch from Warn!).

Currie Anti-Rock
Heard it's better then swaybar disconnects.

Adjustable track bar
Im not sure if I need this, I guess ill find out when I get my 2" lift on the car.

SYE kit
I've read that it's not necessary for me to have a SYE kit with only a 2" lift. I only want a SYE to be able to do a tummy tuck to get some more ground clearance and the option to do a higher lift in the future.
Im currently looking at Advance Adapters SYE kit.

Adjustable control arms
Im not sure if I need to change all of them but from what I've read I need adjustable lower control arms in the back to adjust the pinion angle on the rear axle if im using a SYE kit.

Upgrade my Dana 35 rear axle
I want to beef up my rear axle with a ARB locker and new axle shafts. Idealy I would use a Dana 44 or a ford 8.8, but those are almost impossible to get a hold of in Norway and the expence of shipping one from the US or Germany
are to high to justify.

More lighting
Since it's dark outside 24 hours a day for several months a year I need some more lighting, upgrading my headlights to HID or LED are out of the picture since there are no E-certified or TüV-certified healights available for the TJ. Im looking for a small LED bar or some 3" pods, in a ideal world these need to have either E or TüV certification but not a must.


I feel like I need to write a explenation about all the fuss of E-certification and Tüv-certification.
In norway you are not alowed to modify your vehicle unless the parts are TüV certified or in the case of lighting it need's to be E-certified. All modifications done to the vehicle need to be inspected by the Norwegian DMV and stamped in the vehicle's title. If I get pulled over by the police and they inspect my vehicle and they find any fault's I need to bring it in for a inspection. Also if I get in a accident all liability falls on the party that has the illegaly modified car even if you are parked and they drive into you from the back in a drug fueled haze!

If any of you can think of any other mods or parts that are usefull please mention them.

 

[StG58]

Hello again @Goop!
Here's what I come up with...

Go for the General Grabber MT tires. Good tires from a reputable company.

Currie antirock. Maybe, maybe not. It is better than disconnects.

On the subject of adjustable track bars, SYE, and control arms - not right now. You probably won't need them.

Lights - I have Hella H4 headlights, the European version, and really like them. You may check and see if they are appropriately certified. Mine have E4 in a circle on the lens. Made in Germany.

Hope this helps some.

 

[Rob5589]

Wow, some crazy laws there.
Tires: They all have a good reputation. The Federal is a name I haven't hear but they are likely named something else in the states.
Winch: Warn, it's legal for you and it's a Warn.
AntiRock: Don't have one yet but it is supposedly the bee's knees.
Trackbar: May be needed, may not. After your lift is on then decide. Currie, JKS, Metal Cloak seem to be the popular names thrown about.
SYE: Probably not needed at 2". If you do end up with drive line vibrations you can go that route, drop the t-case, or install a motor mount lift.
Adjustable control arms: Again, probably not needed unless going to a SYE, tummy tuck, or combo thereof.
Dana 35 upgrade: A Super 35 kit will work fine with 31's. I hate to say "overkill" but unless doing some hard core wheeling, it probably isn't an absolute but will certainly give peace of mind. Lockers whether ARB, Detroit, or other is a :emoji_thumbsup::emoji_thumbsup:
Lighting: Probably best to talk to some locals since the laws seem strict.

The one thing I would add is a possible gear swap. 31's aren't huge in size but neither is the 2.5 big on horsepower and torque. I certainly wouldn't go bigger than 31 if you have no plans on a gear swap.

 

[StG58]

Wow, some crazy laws there.
Tires: They all have a good reputation. The Federal is a name I haven't hear but they are likely named something else in the states.
Winch: Warn, it's legal for you and it's a Warn.
AntiRock: Don't have one yet but it is supposedly the bee's knees.
Trackbar: May be needed, may not. After your lift is on then decide. Currie, JKS, Metal Cloak seem to be the popular names thrown about.
SYE: Probably not needed at 2". If you do end up with drive line vibrations you can go that route, drop the t-case, or install a motor mount lift.
Adjustable control arms: Again, probably not needed unless going to a SYE, tummy tuck, or combo thereof.
Dana 35 upgrade: A Super 35 kit will work fine with 31's. I hate to say "overkill" but unless doing some hard core wheeling, it probably isn't an absolute but will certainly give peace of mind. Lockers whether ARB, Detroit, or other is a :emoji_thumbsup::emoji_thumbsup:
Lighting: Probably best to talk to some locals since the laws seem strict.

The one thing I would add is a possible gear swap. 31's aren't huge in size but neither is the 2.5 big on horsepower and torque. I certainly wouldn't go bigger than 31 if you have no plans on a gear swap.

+1

 

[Goop]

Hello again @Goop!
Here's what I come up with...

Go for the General Grabber MT tires. Good tires from a reputable company.

Currie antirock. Maybe, maybe not. It is better than disconnects.

On the subject of adjustable track bars, SYE, and control arms - not right now. You probably won't need them.

Lights - I have Hella H4 headlights, the European version, and really like them. You may check and see if they are appropriately certified. Mine have E4 in a circle on the lens. Made in Germany.

Hope this helps some.

Thanks for the advice. Im visiting a local tire shop tomorrow, hopefully they have some of the tires in stock. The adjustable control arms and SYE is the last item on my list since I mainly want it for the tummy tuck. Im not looking to get any bigger tires and thats one of the reasons I want the extra ground clearance.
The E4 mark on your lights means it's E-certified.

Wow, some crazy laws there.
Tires: They all have a good reputation. The Federal is a name I haven't hear but they are likely named something else in the states.
Winch: Warn, it's legal for you and it's a Warn.
AntiRock: Don't have one yet but it is supposedly the bee's knees.
Trackbar: May be needed, may not. After your lift is on then decide. Currie, JKS, Metal Cloak seem to be the popular names thrown about.
SYE: Probably not needed at 2". If you do end up with drive line vibrations you can go that route, drop the t-case, or install a motor mount lift.
Adjustable control arms: Again, probably not needed unless going to a SYE, tummy tuck, or combo thereof.
Dana 35 upgrade: A Super 35 kit will work fine with 31's. I hate to say "overkill" but unless doing some hard core wheeling, it probably isn't an absolute but will certainly give peace of mind. Lockers whether ARB, Detroit, or other is a :emoji_thumbsup::emoji_thumbsup:
Lighting: Probably best to talk to some locals since the laws seem strict.

The one thing I would add is a possible gear swap. 31's aren't huge in size but neither is the 2.5 big on horsepower and torque. I certainly wouldn't go bigger than 31 if you have no plans on a gear swap.

I know some might think that upgrading a Dana 35 on 31" tires might seem like overkill, but like you mentioned it's mostly for the peace of mind. I have not yet felt i need to re gear and where i live there are some pretty steep road's, im sticking with 31" tires since it's a pain in the ass to get the TJ road legal in norway with anything bigger then 31".

And thanks for the advice.

 

[Chris]

I don't think upgrading a Dana 35 on 31" tires is overkill. If that was my rig, I would do the same thing. I would put Revolution chromoly shafts in it for sure, as well as a locker. That would be enough to keep it strong, but get you where you need to go. The chromoly axle shafts are much, much stronger than the stock axle shafts.

 

[Goop]

I don't think upgrading a Dana 35 on 31" tires is overkill. If that was my rig, I would do the same thing. I would put Revolution chromoly shafts in it for sure, as well as a locker. That would be enough to keep it strong, but get you where you need to go. The chromoly axle shafts are much, much stronger than the stock axle shafts.

Hopefully i will have the funds for a locker and the shafts this winter, buying a new house and a jeep within the same months have been a strain on my bank account.

 

[Chris]

Hopefully i will have the funds for a locker and the shafts this winter, buying a new house and a jeep within the same months have been a strain on my bank account.

I know how that goes!

 

[JMT]

Wow, some crazy laws there.
Tires: They all have a good reputation. The Federal is a name I haven't hear but they are likely named something else in the states.
Winch: Warn, it's legal for you and it's a Warn.
AntiRock: Don't have one yet but it is supposedly the bee's knees.
Trackbar: May be needed, may not. After your lift is on then decide. Currie, JKS, Metal Cloak seem to be the popular names thrown about.
SYE: Probably not needed at 2". If you do end up with drive line vibrations you can go that route, drop the t-case, or install a motor mount lift.
Adjustable control arms: Again, probably not needed unless going to a SYE, tummy tuck, or combo thereof.
Dana 35 upgrade: A Super 35 kit will work fine with 31's. I hate to say "overkill" but unless doing some hard core wheeling, it probably isn't an absolute but will certainly give peace of mind. Lockers whether ARB, Detroit, or other is a :emoji_thumbsup::emoji_thumbsup:
Lighting: Probably best to talk to some locals since the laws seem strict.

The one thing I would add is a possible gear swap. 31's aren't huge in size but neither is the 2.5 big on horsepower and torque. I certainly wouldn't go bigger than 31 if you have no plans on a gear swap.

Good plan!

 

[Goop]

Steering skid plate and OME lift just arrived, guess im having a fun weekend

 

[Chris]

You'll be happy with that OME lift, I promise. I really loved the way mine rode with it.

 

[bobthetj03]

The General Grabbers are a tough tire, but a bit on the heavy side compared to your other choices. KM2's are wearing well on my rig. For the SYE you can get away with just rear upper adjustable arms, but do yourself a favor and get double adjustables. So much easier to adjust your pinion angle without having to remove one end. If you want to lengthen your wheelbase to center your wheels in the wheel well, then you'll need adjustable lowers. At 2" of lift it won't be too bad. The Hella H4 conversion headlights are a noticeable ubgrade and seems to be the legal choice in your parts. If you can, upgrade the bulbs to something better than the Hellas that come with the housings. I got Phillips Vision Plus +100 H4 bulbs. They give even more improvement. If you're putting a locker out back, upgrading the Dana 35 is smart.
Your front axle is going to shift a little, but it may not effect much. I'd wait till your factory track bar wears out(and it will) then upgrade to an adjustable one. Your OME kit should come with a rear trackbar relocation bracket to help center the rear axle. Install it while you have the rear springs out. You'll need to drill a hole and you'll want the room.

 

[Goop]

The General Grabbers are a tough tire, but a bit on the heavy side compared to your other choices. KM2's are wearing well on my rig. For the SYE you can get away with just rear upper adjustable arms, but do yourself a favor and get double adjustables. So much easier to adjust your pinion angle without having to remove one end. If you want to lengthen your wheelbase to center your wheels in the wheel well, then you'll need adjustable lowers. At 2" of lift it won't be too bad. The Hella H4 conversion headlights are a noticeable ubgrade and seems to be the legal choice in your parts. If you can, upgrade the bulbs to something better than the Hellas that come with the housings. I got Phillips Vision Plus +100 H4 bulbs. They give even more improvement. If you're putting a locker out back, upgrading the Dana 35 is smart.
Your front axle is going to shift a little, but it may not effect much. I'd wait till your factory track bar wears out(and it will) then upgrade to an adjustable one. Your OME kit should come with a rear trackbar relocation bracket to help center the rear axle. Install it while you have the rear springs out. You'll need to drill a hole and you'll want the room.

Thank you for mentioning the relocation bracket. I had a suspicion thats what the bracket was for but i was not sure, now i dont have to read up on all the parts and battle for space with the springs inn. I have 4 more weeks until i have to go back out to sea, im hoping i have sorted out the tires by then. If i decide to go with the all year tires i need to buy them before autumn, they hike up the prices significantly due to the demand for new tires before the winther

Again i want to thank all you for the advice, there is a lot to read up on. This is my first 4x4, it's very different from the bmw's and vw's ive had before.

 

[Chris]

Again i want to thank all you for the advice, there is a lot to read up on. This is my first 4x4, it's very different from the bmw's and vw's ive had before.

You and me both! I used to own a BMW E46 M3, a BMW E39 M5, and a VW Corrado VR6. So you're right, very, very different!

 

[JMT]

Your OME kit should come with a rear trackbar relocation bracket to help center the rear axle. Install it while you have the rear springs out. You'll need to drill a hole and you'll want the room.

This X2. Very smart

 

[Goop]

You and me both! I used to own a BMW E46 M3, a BMW E39 M5, and a VW Corrado VR6. So you're right, very, very different!

The E34 M5 is my all time dream car, i have owned several E38's, a E53, E46, E60, MK1 golf gti and a MK5 GT

 

[Chris]

The E34 M5 is my all time dream car, i have owned several E38's, a E53, E46, E60, MK1 golf gti and a MK5 GT

E34 M5s are very rare over here in the US. I really like the way they look though!

My dream has always been a 2003 BMW M Coupe.

 

[Goop]

E34 M5s are very rare over here in the US. I really like the way they look though!

My dream has always been a 2003 BMW M Coupe.

Thats a nice car. The E34 M5 is not that rare in Europe, still one of the most expensive older M5's.

 

[Chris]

Thats a nice car. The E34 M5 is not that rare in Europe, still one of the most expensive older M5's.

How about the E30 M3s? Are those things crazy expensive over there, like they are here in the United States?

 

[Goop]

How about the E30 M3s? Are those things crazy expensive over there, like they are here in the United States?

Yes they are, i think they are priced pretty average around the globe due to the popularity