Thoughts and advice on build plans for my Jeep

MrTeak

TJ Enthusiast
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Sep 19, 2020
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New Jersey
So I purchased my first TJ as it sits. These things are so much fun to drive. It has a 2in. spacer lift with 265/75/16 KO2s which is equivalent to little over 31.5in. I have taken it on 2 mild offroad trips and she was great. I want to stay with the 31s until I need tires and then go to 33s and that is the biggest I believe I will go. I am looking to do a tummy tuck with under amour and a suspension lift. Right now I am looking at OME 2.5 lift. I was thinking of doing a savvy body lift with more mml and full amour first. What are your thoughts on that? and next year add the OME lift. It will not be my daily driver but I want to build it for comfort and capable when I take her offroad. I'm new to building a jeep and my brain is fried from all the reading. Am I gonna need any additional items as in trackbar, adjustable control arms, etc. I want to build her right the first time. Let me know your thoughts and advice? I am looking forward to this build.

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Sounds like you have a great plan. Once you go to the tummy tuck you'll definitely need rear upper and lower control arms so you can put the pinion at the correct angle and an SSYE / DC DS to compensate for the extreme angle caused by the tummy tuck. Also, an adjustable rear track bar with an SYE angled bracket. @JMT had a JKS but once he did the tuck it no longer worked for him. I'd check out his build since he has a very similar build to what you're talking about.

I'd argue the 2.5" lift should come before the tummy tuck. A tuck is a can of worms and if you find that you're not high centering with the slightly larger tires and small amount of extra lift then it wouldn't be needed.

Good luck and I can't wait to see the progress.
 
So I purchased my first TJ as it sits. These things are so much fun to drive. It has a 2in. spacer lift with 265/75/16 KO2s which is equivalent to little over 31.5in. I have taken it on 2 mild offroad trips and she was great. I want to stay with the 31s until I need tires and then go to 33s and that is the biggest I believe I will go. I am looking to do a tummy tuck with under amour and a suspension lift. Right now I am looking at OME 2.5 lift. I was thinking of doing a savvy body lift with more MML (Motor Mount Lift) and full amour first. What are your thoughts on that? and next year add the OME lift. It will not be my daily driver but I want to build it for comfort and capable when I take her offroad. I'm new to building a jeep and my brain is fried from all the reading. Am I gonna need any additional items as in trackbar, adjustable control arms, etc. I want to build her right the first time. Let me know your thoughts and advice? I am looking forward to this build.

View attachment 203705
That’s a gorgeous Flame Red TJ similar time my own. Love the AEV Pintlers. My build is so similar to your ideas, you may want to see what I did and what order. Brain fry for sure as fast as you’re researching. It took me awhile to process.

you can see in my signature my basic build. Here is how she sits now with the Tummy Tuck. I let the Jeep tell me what she needs.

6500764D-F947-4C36-86C2-848DDF356D55.jpeg
 
That’s a gorgeous Flame Red TJ similar time my own. Love the AEV Pintlers. My build is so similar to your ideas, you may want to see what I did and what order. Brain fry for sure as fast as you’re researching. It took me awhile to process.

you can see in my signature my basic build. Here is how she sits now with the Tummy Tuck. I let the Jeep tell me what she needs.

View attachment 203725
That looks awesome, are those 31s? That definitely is the look I'm after as far as lift and tuck.
 
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If you never plan on going over 265s, my suggestion is to do a 1" spacer lift and stay with the stock coil springs due to them being the only true progressive rate spring out there.

Upgrade the shocks to some Rancho RS5000X shocks, and then add a Savvy 1.25" body lift.

This will yield 2.25" of total lift, allow you to run 265s with ease, be cheaper than all the other options, and be a very nice setup.
 
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If you never plan on going over 265s, my suggestion is to do a 1" spacer lift and stay with the stock coil springs due to them being the only true progressive rate spring out there.

Upgrade the shocks to some Rancho RS5000X shocks, and then add a Savvy 1.25" body lift.

This will yield 2.25" of total lift, allow you to run 265s with ease, be cheaper than all the other options, and be a very nice setup.
It currently has a 2in spacer lift. I definitely want to go to 33s but that will only happen when tires are in need of replacing.
 
That looks awesome, are those 31s? That definitely is the look I'm after as far as lift and tuck.
33’s, 1.25” BL + 3” OME (spacer on top), 456 gears, 6-speed, Savvy MUA, 1” gas tank skid lift, Upper and Lower Double Adjustable CA’s, Adams rear DC, JB Conversions SS SYE, et al.
 
It currently has a 2in spacer lift. I definitely want to go to 33s but that will only happen when tires are in need of replacing.

Are you planning to rock crawl it or just drive on forest service roads and lighter off-roading?
 
I do plan on doing some rock crawling maybe not extreme. First time I took it out I heard things get banged up down there that's why I want to get the under armor. I was really amazed at how capable these jeeps already are.
 
I do plan on doing some rock crawling maybe not extreme. First time I took it out I heard things get banged up down there that's why I want to get the under armor. I was really amazed at how capable these jeeps already are.
Wait til you put lockers in it. Imagine it being way more capable. Way more.
 
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Yeah, the ease of adjustability is great with double adjustables. I have them on all 8 arms!
I wished I did a while back changing my pinion angle. It was rough.
 
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So after 3 days of reading @JMT build thread which was a great read with great information, I'm about to order the suspension parts first. OME 933 and 942 springs, rancho 5000x shocks. I will need the OME trackbar relocation bracket. I read the OME kit comes with bumpstop extensions, which bumpstops are they or do you recommend. Gonna stick with the 31s for NOW. Is that a good start and work from there? Link for the Rancho shocks since they offered so many would be helpful.
 
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The OME bumpstops are 2” long cylinders, and a good starting place.

Rancho 5000X
55239
55241

To get 2.5” you need the OME 10mm spacers (0.39”) or a common 1/2” spacer (billet aluminum production poly are both fine). I prefer billet.

Thanks for the kind comments.
 
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The OME bumpstops are 2” long cylinders, and a good starting place.

Rancho 5000X
55239
55241

To get 2.5” you need the OME 10mm spacers (0.39”) or a common 1/2” spacer (billet aluminum production poly are both fine). I prefer billet.

Thanks for the kind comments.
This whole bumpstops is new to me are they needed front and rear? where can I find the billet 10mm spacers?
 
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Nice Jeep. I'm also running a similar set-up to what you intend. I've got a UCF tuck, Currie Control arms, 2" OME springs, 1.25" savvy BL, Bilstein shocks, anti-Rock, JKS trackbars front and back and 33" tires. It plain works. It is Johnson valley ready? no...but it will do more than I can as a driver...

Link to my build is in my sig...should take you to a table of contents

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