OYELLRJEEP

Markymech

Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2018
Messages
73
Location
Milford, Oh
We bought our '02 TJ in 2012, my wife's dream vehicle. It looked like it had never left the garage! So TBH we didn't take it off road for 4 years - didn't want to scratch it up. That all changed after a trip to Bantam, PA where my wife transformed from 'timid driver off-road' to "hang on - Daisy Duke is at the wheel!" over the course of a weekend. She does most of the driving and some of the wrenching, I do most of the wrenching and some of the driving. Since then we've been to several off road parks, jeep jams, etc and are gradually veering further away from stock. So far just a 2" suspension lift and other minor mods but much more to come. I have all the workings of a good 4.6 stroker, just waiting for time to build it. Grew up building racing engines so really looking forward to it!

image.jpeg


image.jpeg


image.jpeg


image.jpeg


image.jpeg


image.jpeg


image.jpeg


image.jpeg


image.jpeg


image.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rob5589 and EJD
You'll love that stroker! I almost went that route but just decided to supercharge mine instead.

Looks like a very awesome Jeep you have there though. I look forward to following your progress.
 
You'll love that stroker! I almost went that route but just decided to supercharge mine instead.

Looks like a very awesome Jeep you have there though. I look forward to following your progress.

Thanks! I considered a Banks turbo kit but the stroker route just appeals to me. I'm using KB forged Pistons tho...just in case we decide to make a real axle breaking boosted beast. What supercharger setup do you have?
 
Thanks! I considered a Banks turbo kit but the stroker route just appeals to me. I'm using KB forged Pistons tho...just in case we decide to make a real axle breaking boosted beast. What supercharger setup do you have?

I'm going to be using the Sprintex supercharger setup. Only about 220hp at the wheels, but when you consider a 4.0 has 150hp at the wheels stock, that's actually a huge improvement! It's the torque though that's even more impressive.

Forged pistons is a great idea. That way you always have the option of boost if you want it!
 
I'm going to be using the Sprintex supercharger setup. Only about 220hp at the wheels, but when you consider a 4.0 has 150hp at the wheels stock, that's actually a huge improvement! It's the torque though that's even more impressive.

Forged pistons is a great idea. That way you always have the option of boost if you want it!

Awesome! That bad boy should pull stumps! These pistons are beautiful, they're 27cc dish which (with proper block deck etc) should give me 8.9 static/7.7 dynamic compression. Should run strong naturally aspirated but still allow mild boost if we go that route. We'll see...Now I just have to crap about $3K to get it built. But first - alloy axles. I've read about the Dana 35 issues so hopefully I can prevent a trip home on a rollback.

image.jpeg
 
Awesome! That bad boy should pull stumps! These pistons are beautiful, they're 27cc dish which (with proper block deck etc) should give me 8.9 static/7.7 dynamic compression. Should run strong naturally aspirated but still allow mild boost if we go that route. We'll see...Now I just have to crap about $3K to get it built. But first - alloy axles. I've read about the Dana 35 issues so hopefully I can prevent a trip home on a rollback.

Yeah, you'll want a Super 35 kit for sure. With that though, you're Dana 35 can handle 35s and all the off-road you can throw at it (as long as you don't have a heavy foot).

With that compression you have room for boost, no doubt. I was talking to Golen about a month ago and they have that 4.7 stroker with the supercharger running over 500hp at the wheels. Can you imagine that? He told me that in 5th gear on the highway up a hill you can break the rear tires loose. He told me that it's absolutely wild how fast it is.

I laughed... that's cool, but I don't think I need that much power in my TJ, haha. Sure it would be fun, but I don't want to kill myself.
 
Yeah, you'll want a Super 35 kit for sure. With that though, you're Dana 35 can handle 35s and all the off-road you can throw at it (as long as you don't have a heavy foot).

With that compression you have room for boost, no doubt. I was talking to Golen about a month ago and they have that 4.7 stroker with the supercharger running over 500hp at the wheels. Can you imagine that? He told me that in 5th gear on the highway up a hill you can break the rear tires loose. He told me that it's absolutely wild how fast it is.

I laughed... that's cool, but I don't think I need that much power in my TJ, haha. Sure it would be fun, but I don't want to kill myself.

Yes - that would be a BLAST! And great on the highway, that's where we need it most I think. I'm a turbo fan (had an '85 Turbo Daytona back in the early 90's with a modified wastegate, 5th injector that came in under boost, and o ringed head, but I couldn't afford any more transmissions so I sold it), but for a Jeep I like the SC plan, because it seems like that turbo would hate water. Maybe not, I met a guy who loved his Gates Sidewinder, but my wife loves playing in the water so I decided on the stroker route. But now you got me wanting it boosted for sure!
 
Yes - that would be a BLAST! And great on the highway, that's where we need it most I think. I'm a turbo fan (had an '85 Turbo Daytona back in the early 90's with a modified wastegate, 5th injector that came in under boost, and o ringed head, but I couldn't afford any more transmissions so I sold it), but for a Jeep I like the SC plan, because it seems like that turbo would hate water. Maybe not, I met a guy who loved his Gates Sidewinder, but my wife loves playing in the water so I decided on the stroker route. But now you got me wanting it boosted for sure!

The turbo can make more power, no doubt. However, it's also more complicated to run, and I figure with the supercharger it's just bolt-on, gives you enough power, and pretty easy in terms of maintenance.

Now if we were talking performance sports cars, I'd want a turbo, but being as though this is a Jeep, I don't expect it to be fast like a sports car, I just want it to be a bit better on the highway for long trips, that's all. My previous TJ was supercharged and it was a beast, even with only 220hp. That thing passed no problem on the highway, even going up hills with 4 of us in the car!
 
The turbo can make more power, no doubt. However, it's also more complicated to run, and I figure with the supercharger it's just bolt-on, gives you enough power, and pretty easy in terms of maintenance.

Now if we were talking performance sports cars, I'd want a turbo, but being as though this is a Jeep, I don't expect it to be fast like a sports car, I just want it to be a bit better on the highway for long trips, that's all. My previous TJ was supercharged and it was a beast, even with only 220hp. That thing passed no problem on the highway, even going up hills with 4 of us in the car!

Agreed, the add'l power on the highway would be great! Just going to 31's really hurt our highway power, and we're about to go to 33's. Wife is from WVA and going over those hills require pedal on the floor to keep from getting run over. Stock gearing, so we'll see where we end up with the new tires. Might have to start taking back roads everywhere.
 
Agreed, the add'l power on the highway would be great! Just going to 31's really hurt our highway power, and we're about to go to 33's. Wife is from WVA and going over those hills require pedal on the floor to keep from getting run over. Stock gearing, so we'll see where we end up with the new tires. Might have to start taking back roads everywhere.

Gearing will make a huge difference. I went to 35s and it sucked with the stock 4.10 gears, but once I added the 5.38 gears it totally changed the way it drove both in-town and in the city. Pair the proper gearing with a stroker or supercharger and you've got all you need!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Markymech
Gearing will make a huge difference. I went to 35s and it sucked with the stock 4.10 gears, but once I added the 5.38 gears it totally changed the way it drove both in-town and in the city. Pair the proper gearing with a stroker or supercharger and you've got all you need!

I appreciate the input. We will probably have to do a regear at some point, I *think* our stock gearing is 3.07 but I haven't actually checked.
Jeeping has been a learning curve, and forums like this one are such an enormous help and source of info! One really cool thing is that EVERY Jeeper we have met online and in person have been super nice! Amazing community of guys and gals!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
Chris, I know this has been asked a gozillion times and I've read some of the old threads, but what are your thoughts on a regear? 4.0 32RH auto, going to be on 33's, most of our wheeling is mild to moderate treks thru the woods and hills. No trailering, we drive to and from all Jeepy trips so as Jerry mentioned in a previous thread I'm more concerned with highway gearing, low range will handle the off-road stuff. 4.56, 4.88...?
 
Chris, I know this has been asked a gozillion times and I've read some of the old threads, but what are your thoughts on a regear? 4.0 32RH auto, going to be on 33's, most of our wheeling is mild to moderate treks thru the woods and hills. No trailering, we drive to and from all Jeepy trips so as Jerry mentioned in a previous thread I'm more concerned with highway gearing, low range will handle the off-road stuff. 4.56, 4.88...?

Not just Chris, any input welcome. ;)