New guy with a new old Jeep

Gs4.0TJ

New Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2023
Messages
15
Location
Nevada City
Hello all!

Its truly been awhile since I posted on a forum, thought they were all dead. Cool to see this one is alive and well.

Anyway, new to the whole jeep thing. I have been drooling over all the very built rigs running around the Sierra foothills since I moved here a few years back. Finally pulled the trigger on a 2001 tj sport with a manual trans and the optional dana 44 in the rear. I figured this could scratch my itch after I throw some of the kids college fund at it.

Came here for some inspiration and to hopefully meet some people to run some local trails with. So, if you live in Northern California and feel like making a friend you will likely have to drag out of the rubicon, hit me up.

To the Jeep...It's got an awful rough country lift on it that adds some exciting bump steer to the driving experience. Looks like there is some sort of SYE kit on it, and the rest can be seen in the picture. Basically, it's all gotta go. haha

The purpose: Fun toy for the family and to plow our long narrow drive in the winter.

Goal: Run trails like the rubicon and fordyce this summer. (might be this fall with the winter we are having)

General Plan: Keep the stock axels under it, with gears and e-lockers. 35's with the lowest lift I can get away with. Not trying to link, or stretch it, looking to make it as capable as possible in its stock configuration.

If any of you have put together something like this, I would love to hear your thoughts. And if any of you mom or dads have car seat recommendations that actually fit in there, I'm all ears.

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Get us a picture of the SYE and control arms.

And welcome from Bama!!!!
Here you go...front stock uppers with non adjustable lowers, rear adjustable uppers with none adjustable lowers. Not looking to keep any of it to be honest. The adjustable currie arms seem to be popular.
[URL]https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/so-you-want-to-run-35-tires-on-your-tj.2428/[/URL]

Measure your springs. 12 and 8" are stock. For 35s you want 4" suspension and 1 - 1-1/4" body lift. We need pics of the steering and track bar in front to help with the bumpsteer

It measures to a 4" lift, front is about 15.5" rear is 12." I took a look at that thread from 2016, curious if anyone on here has packaged something with a lower lift height since then. 5" + of lift and 35's is something id like top avoid if possible. Id like to go down to a 2 inch spring, I don't have a problem with losing the stock fenders or trimming some things.


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You could do highline fenders of some kind.smaller suspension lifts limit travel. It really isn't a good way to build. Without uptravel you'll wind up tippy diagonally. Its very unsettling having one corner of your jeep drop suddenly.
 
You could do highline fenders of some kind.smaller suspension lifts limit travel. It really isn't a good way to build. Without uptravel you'll wind up tippy diagonally. Its very unsettling having one corner of your jeep drop suddenly.

I hear you on limiting up travel. Somewhere I saw a LJ with 37's running 2" springs and it seemed to be working well. What particular setup are you running?
 
I hear you on limiting up travel. Somewhere I saw a LJ with 37's running 2" springs and it seemed to be working well. What particular setup are you running?

3.75"" total lift on 33s. 2.5ish suspension.more than 4" uptravel This one is more daily driver more than rock crawler. It isn't very stable when flexing. Especially going up or downhill
 
Here you go...front stock uppers with non adjustable lowers, rear adjustable uppers with none adjustable lowers. Not looking to keep any of it to be honest. The adjustable currie arms seem to be popular.


It measures to a 4" lift, front is about 15.5" rear is 12." I took a look at that thread from 2016, curious if anyone on here has packaged something with a lower lift height since then. 5" + of lift and 35's is something id like top avoid if possible. Id like to go down to a 2 inch spring, I don't have a problem with losing the stock fenders or trimming some things.


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Congrats and welcome to the forum. LCOG Builds make a lot of compromises. I would recommend Just Empty Every Pocket
 
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solid advice, screw compromises and my kids education.

Is the jeep scary offroad now? Is it driving odd onroad? If it has bad manners we can help. Looks like stock pitman arm and factory mounts for the trackbar.it won't have bumpsteer like that.

Proper toe setting and 6* of caster or more will tame the wander.so long as the shocks are good and the joints/steering/steering box are tight. It doesn't take long for rough country junk to wear out.

No matter the lift you'll want currie currectlync and a big brake kit for 35s. Maybe just some black magic brake pads as a test.
 
Is the jeep scary offroad now? Is it driving odd onroad? If it has bad manners we can help. Looks like stock pitman arm and factory mounts for the trackbar.it won't have bumpsteer like that.

Proper toe setting and 6* of caster or more will tame the wander.so long as the shocks are good and the joints/steering/steering box are tight. It doesn't take long for rough country junk to wear out.

No matter the lift you'll want currie currectlync and a big brake kit for 35s. Maybe just some black magic brake pads as a test.

Just got it a week ago, never taken it off road. Its scary on road, wanders all over the place. In the rain its very hard to keep it on the road. Ball joint's, tie rods, (hopefully not) steering box, could all be bad I guess, it is over 20 years old and I have no idea how well the dip shits before me maintained it.

Like I said in the original post, every thing on there is gonna go and wear items will be replaced. I had planned to buy a stock jeep (impossible to find) and throw all the currie suspension and steering parts on it (which is still the plan). This post is more to talk to people about a low center of gravity build, 2" or 3" spring, which apparently no-one is keen on. I want to keep it low for my wife and kids use around town. Additionally, I am recovering from my second back surgery and its extremely hard on me to get those kids in their seats with a 4" lift and 31's. A 1" body lift plus the additional 2" for a tire size change is gonna make things harder.
 
Just got it a week ago, never taken it off road. Its scary on road, wanders all over the place. In the rain its very hard to keep it on the road. Ball joint's, tie rods, (hopefully not) steering box, could all be bad I guess, it is over 20 years old and I have no idea how well the dip shits before me maintained it.

Like I said in the original post, every thing on there is gonna go and wear items will be replaced. I had planned to buy a stock jeep (impossible to find) and throw all the currie suspension and steering parts on it (which is still the plan). This post is more to talk to people about a low center of gravity build, 2" or 3" spring, which apparently no-one is keen on. I want to keep it low for my wife and kids use around town. Additionally, I am recovering from my second back surgery and its extremely hard on me to get those kids in their seats with a 4" lift and 31's. A 1" body lift plus the additional 2" for a tire size change is gonna make things harder.

Currie is a good choice. Use the oe spicer ball joints.

In the end its your jeep. Do what works for you. My jeep had 35s when i got it. I went with 33s and stayed at that height and I'm happy.