Next needed upgrades?

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May 12, 2024
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Okay here is the update on the 4 banger I bought. Tub and frame is spotless. I’m highly mechanically inclined and this is my every night hobby building this jeep. (Started with the interior first because my wife said it was a pos.) only thing left is new harness and bars for the front. 2 kiddos are rigged with custom car seat brackets.
It’s a 4 cylinder that the previous owner just replaced about 3500 miles ago brand new and new transmission. (Paper work.)

I’m going to run the powertrain until I blow it apart or it just stops going.

Current lift 4” sky jacker and 3” body lift.
Serviced the rear to find a super 35 kit with a Detroit locker. Front is the standard 30. I replaced all universals, ball joints, and tie rods, wheel bearing etc. Running a 37” tire which I’m not set on more the body lift.

What would your upgrades be to do it right?
Rear end: Super 35 and replace locker with a e locker? Or go to a Dana 44, Ford 8.8, or Dana 60 (Dana I would buy from Currie.)

Front end: Dana 44?

I would redo suspension lift and body lift:
What’s your recommendation?

Motor:
Possibly thinking
TDI VW Swap
Ls swap
4bt Cummins swap
Or just a simple magnum.

I want to build in stages motor and trans last step. Want to build the axles correctly for potential power down the line.

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Unfortunately no, I plan on doing a carpet kit with mass backing and people said that was enough….however I feel they don’t know a chicken from a squirrel so I’ll probably try it then end up removing it and adding some in your similar locations you pictured.

Did you do just under rear wheels and front foot pans or the entire tub
 
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Unfortunately no, I plan on doing a carpet kit with mass backing and people said that was enough….however I feel they don’t know a chicken from a squirrel so I’ll probably try it then end up removing it and adding some in your similar locations you pictured.

Did you do just under rear wheels and front foot pans or the entire tub

It came out pretty well for just wire wheeling previous dye and pant, detail pads, soapy water, and the sems satin black plaint.
 
Current lift 4” sky jacker and 3” body lift.
Serviced the rear to find a super 35 kit with a Detroit locker. Front is the standard 30. I replaced all universals, ball joints, and tie rods, wheel bearing etc. Running a 37” tire which I’m not set on more the body lift.

I'd lose the 3" body lift and replace it with a 1". I'd also lose the 37s and replace with 33s since you have a 4 cylinder. You'll get a ton of usable power, braking and general drivability back by doing that. What gear ratio do you have? As to the Super35, I have an E-locker in mine and love it. It's a completely smooth, open dif until I tell it to lock. No jumping or bucking when turning unlocked.

Motor:
Possibly thinking
TDI VW Swap
Ls swap
4bt Cummins swap
Or just a simple magnum.

I want to build in stages motor and trans last step. Want to build the axles correctly for potential power down the line.

You need to decide what you want to accomplish with this build, what do you want to do with it, before firing a parts cannon at it and hoping things workout. A street driven Jeep on 33s with stock power will be very different from one with a 500hp LS swap on 40s built for the rocks, which would be different from one built for mud.

Did you do just under rear wheels and front foot pans or the entire tub

Covering the entire tub will be a waste, especially if you have a soft top, which is where the overwhelming majority of noise will come from.
 
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I'd lose the 3" body lift and replace it with a 1". I'd also lose the 37s and replace with 33s since you have a 4 cylinder. You'll get a ton of usable power, braking and general drivability back by doing that. What gear ratio do you have? As to the Super35, I have an E-locker in mine and love it. It's a completely smooth, open dif until I tell it to lock. No jumping or bucking when turning unlocked.



You need to decide what you want to accomplish with this build, what do you want to do with it, before firing a parts cannon at it and hoping things workout. A street driven Jeep on 33s with stock power will be very different from one with a 500hp LS swap on 40s built for the rocks, which would be different from one built for mud.



Covering the entire tub will be a waste, especially if you have a soft top, which is where the overwhelming majority of noise will come from.

Essentially I want it to be strictly off road it’s a weekend toy.
I'd lose the 3" body lift and replace it with a 1". I'd also lose the 37s and replace with 33s since you have a 4 cylinder. You'll get a ton of usable power, braking and general drivability back by doing that. What gear ratio do you have? As to the Super35, I have an E-locker in mine and love it. It's a completely smooth, open dif until I tell it to lock. No jumping or bucking when turning unlocked.



You need to decide what you want to accomplish with this build, what do you want to do with it, before firing a parts cannon at it and hoping things workout. A street driven Jeep on 33s with stock power will be very different from one with a 500hp LS swap on 40s built for the rocks, which would be different from one built for mud.



Covering the entire tub will be a waste, especially if you have a soft top, which is where the overwhelming majority of noise will come from.

Essentially I want it to be strictly off road with some on road use. Build time is probably about a year and want to do it in phases so I can still enjoy it for maybe 2 weeks out of the build time LOL. Would like to stick with 35s or 37s I plan on removing BL since I want to be lower. Center of gravity is awful in this thing
 
Essentially I want it to be strictly off road with some on road use. Build time is probably about a year and want to do it in phases so I can still enjoy it for maybe 2 weeks out of the build time LOL. Would like to stick with 35s or 37s I plan on removing BL since I want to be lower. Center of gravity is awful in this thing

You should start with deciding on a budget, then go from there.
 
Essentially I want it to be strictly off road it’s a weekend toy.


Essentially I want it to be strictly off road with some on road use. Build time is probably about a year and want to do it in phases so I can still enjoy it for maybe 2 weeks out of the build time LOL. Would like to stick with 35s or 37s I plan on removing BL since I want to be lower. Center of gravity is awful in this thing

I’d lose the 3” body lift for now and swap in a 1.25”.

I like Hemi’s and LS’s.
Atlas Tcase
Bigger axles for 37”+ tires
 
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Okay here is the update on the 4 banger I bought. Tub and frame is spotless. I’m highly mechanically inclined and this is my every night hobby building this jeep. (Started with the interior first because my wife said it was a pos.) only thing left is new harness and bars for the front. 2 kiddos are rigged with custom car seat brackets.
It’s a 4 cylinder that the previous owner just replaced about 3500 miles ago brand new and new transmission. (Paper work.)

I’m going to run the powertrain until I blow it apart or it just stops going.

Current lift 4” sky jacker and 3” body lift.
Serviced the rear to find a super 35 kit with a Detroit locker. Front is the standard 30. I replaced all universals, ball joints, and tie rods, wheel bearing etc. Running a 37” tire which I’m not set on more the body lift.

What would your upgrades be to do it right?
Rear end: Super 35 and replace locker with a e locker? Or go to a Dana 44, Ford 8.8, or Dana 60 (Dana I would buy from Currie.)

Front end: Dana 44?

I would redo suspension lift and body lift:
What’s your recommendation?

Motor:
Possibly thinking
TDI VW Swap
Ls swap
4bt Cummins swap
Or just a simple magnum.

I want to build in stages motor and trans last step. Want to build the axles correctly for potential power down the line.

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That interior looks fantastic. What seats are those?
 
My exhaust dumps after the muffle. The droning is driving me crazy. Do you think the DEI Boom Mat will help?

No. But adding a "race bullet" into the system can. They tend to act like a noise reducing resonator. That or get a bigger muffler.

Edit; let me clarify, adding sound deadening material might help some, but I wouldn't expect anything drastic, and honestly I doubt it would be noticeable. Nothing like a bigger or extra muffler. Also, if you can, getting that tail pipe out from under the vehicle will help with noise and gasses.
 
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No. But adding a "race bullet" into the system can. They tend to act like a noise reducing resonator. That or get a bigger muffler.

Edit; let me clarify, adding sound deadening material might help some, but I wouldn't expect anything drastic, and honestly I doubt it would be noticeable. Nothing like a bigger or extra muffler. Also, if you can, getting that tail pipe out from under the vehicle will help with noise and gasses.

I desperately want to get the tail pipe out from under and go out the back, but I am thinking about a midarm and then I'll just have to do it all again and I've already had three shops do exhaust work on this rig. Last time I was so frustrated with it I said, "I want a shorter muffler (14" rather than 19"), and cut off the tube that comes out." That helped the exhaust not be dumping right on my axle and causing rust inside the axle tube. Before that it didn't really matter where I put it out the back. I always careened it on a rock. One time I was going backward 🙄and it slammed into my shock.

I want to look into this "race bullet" at least until I get my suspension where I want it with the midarm and then I can fix it once for all (🤞🏻).

Do you have any suggestions for a race bullet? I found these. I have already cut into my exhaust after it crosses from the driver side to the passenger and turns toward the back. I have a Walker clamp there. I did this just for ease of dropping the exhaust. I could cut out a section and put a resonator there.

https://a.co/d/04KUAxMX

This one is a little $$$, but might work better and quieting things down.

https://a.co/d/056FRY0E
 
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