To lift or not to lift?

Irun said:
If you're asking the question in absence of a need, leave it alone and focus on maintenance.
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Need, ha. I would edit this to “absence of a want”. Ha.

I agree by the way, I think we should “discuss” the strangeness of the post ha.

Either way, no one here spends anyone’s money. Everyone chooses, there are just people here that suggest, mainly, do it right and cry about it once. I spent a lot of Half fixes, and came back to doing it right and spent more $ because of it.

But, if the want is there, go for it, I just never thought to ask anyone if I “should”, because my want is based on me, not what others suggest
 
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Szydd said:
This jeep will need a frame much sooner then later so for now its purpose will remain a tool for teaching my kids to wrench and drive a stick, and hopefully help convince the wife that I need another Jeep ... or two for me.
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Ouch, I’m lucky to be a Texan with a Texas TJ. That’s a bummer. But, seems sound, teaching on 2 fronts, but my boys didn’t get all the rusty broken bolts experience, ha. They leaned to drive the manual, and change the thermostat in the dorm parking lot at TTech, was a cool test (he didn’t think so, ha)
 
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Szydd said:
/adds a Rubicon to the list



Yes, wise words. I have always been a function over form type.. but this jeep has got me all amped up like a teenager lol. Thankfully my wife (I know strange to hear) is great at reigning in my enthusiasm. I'm ready to buy 50 acres in western mass just to wheel while this jeep is still on jackstands...

This jeep will need a frame much sooner then later so for now its purpose will remain a tool for teaching my kids to wrench and drive a stick, and hopefully help convince the wife that I need another Jeep ... or two for me.

@jxv1247 saying there no place to wheel in Mass was a bit of a generalization. I really meant there isn't a great place very near me, at least not like when i was young and we could mud on the local farms (always had a tractor to pull us out ) and trail off the high tensions and gas lines.. all of these places have either been replaced with housing and/or access has been blocked off. For reference I live right outside Worcester. Great pictures also, really love seeing that stuff.
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If you want to really teach your kids you could frame swap it with them. It's not really worth it financially if you value your time at any reasonable rate but it certainly was a learning experience for me. I was 17, had little money, and had to have a Wrangler.
 
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Shank said:
If you want to really teach your kids you could frame swap it with them. It's not really worth it financially if you value your time at any reasonable rate but it certainly was a learning experience for me. I was 17, had little money, and had to have a Wrangler.
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Seems like a perfect annual “shop” project at the HS.

Get a TJ with bad frame, spend the year frame swapping, then sell it for way more than it was before, and use the profits to get another frame rot TJ, ha.
 
cpwolf said:
Seems like a perfect annual “shop” project at the HS.

Get a TJ with bad frame, spend the year frame swapping, then sell it for way more than it was before, and use the profits to get another frame rot TJ, ha.
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It took me a month but yes basically :) - or more like I had to have a sports car....
 
Shank said:
If you want to really teach your kids you could frame swap it with them. It's not really worth it financially if you value your time at any reasonable rate but it certainly was a learning experience for me. I was 17, had little money, and had to have a Wrangler.
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Hey neighbor lol
 
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MutantNinjaTJ said:
We don't lift them for the mountains, we lift them for the Malls! ;)
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Mall Crawling at its finest. :cool:

mall crawler jeeps.jpg
 
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Szydd said:
/adds a Rubicon to the list



Yes, wise words. I have always been a function over form type.. but this jeep has got me all amped up like a teenager lol. Thankfully my wife (I know strange to hear) is great at reigning in my enthusiasm. I'm ready to buy 50 acres in western mass just to wheel while this jeep is still on jackstands...

This jeep will need a frame much sooner then later so for now its purpose will remain a tool for teaching my kids to wrench and drive a stick, and hopefully help convince the wife that I need another Jeep ... or two for me.

@jxv1247 saying there no place to wheel in Mass was a bit of a generalization. I really meant there isn't a great place very near me, at least not like when i was young and we could mud on the local farms (always had a tractor to pull us out ) and trail off the high tensions and gas lines.. all of these places have either been replaced with housing and/or access has been blocked off. For reference I live right outside Worcester. Great pictures also, really love seeing that stuff.
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I completely agree with your last paragraph, places to go are very limited to do anything in MA. Years ago you could go and have fun with no one bothering you.

Teach the kids how to drive it and work on it together, that is priceless in itself. As others have said a stock Jeep can due a lot as is.
 
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Keep in mind the trade-offs with lifting, like reduced fuel mileage and worse handling at speed.

My '98 Sahara, no lift, only mod was 31" tires on the stock rims. Overall fuel mileage was 19-20 mpg, and on trips where I was mostly on good dirt roads traveling ~ 45 mph it would return close to 25 mpg. It would easily go 97% of the places I needed to drive.

IMG_0022rtjforum5-9-24.jpg


Found a good deal on my current '06 Rubicon. 4" lift, 33" tires. Overall fuel mileage hand calculated since I bought it is 16.2 mpg. Best its ever gotten is 18 mpg; it struggles keeping up with traffic at 70+ mph and I have to be more careful at speed. But it doesn't drag its butt crossing washouts the way the Sahara did.

P1100099rjforum5-9-24.jpg


If I were in your situation (driving decent roads) I'd leave it stock...the way the Jeep engineers designed it. Save some money and problems.
 
deserteagle56 said:
Keep in mind the trade-offs with lifting, like reduced fuel mileage and worse handling at speed.

My '98 Sahara, no lift, only mod was 31" tires on the stock rims. Overall fuel mileage was 19-20 mpg, and on trips where I was mostly on good dirt roads traveling ~ 45 mph it would return close to 25 mpg. It would easily go 97% of the places I needed to drive.

View attachment 525495

Found a good deal on my current '06 Rubicon. 4" lift, 33" tires. Overall fuel mileage hand calculated since I bought it is 16.2 mpg. Best its ever gotten is 18 mpg; it struggles keeping up with traffic at 70+ mph and I have to be more careful at speed. But it doesn't drag its butt crossing washouts the way the Sahara did.

View attachment 525499

If I were in your situation (driving decent roads) I'd leave it stock...the way the Jeep engineers designed it. Save some money and problems.
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Rubicons also have the lower axle ratio. That doesn’t help.
 
Cooper Smith said:
Rubicons also have the lower axle ratio. That doesn’t help.
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It helps more than you think. Being under-geared is worse for MPGs. His Rubicon struggles keeping up with traffic at 70+ mph because he didn't regear it properly.
p.s. Anyone claiming to get 25 mpg with any TJ is simply full of shit. 🤫
 
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TheBoogieman said:
It helps more than you think. Being under-geared is worse for MPGs. His Rubicon struggles keeping up with traffic at 70+ mph because he didn't regear it properly.
p.s. Anyone claiming to get 25 mpg with any TJ is simply full of shit. 🤫
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I get that coasting downhill….maybe! Ha.

There are vehicles you worry about MPG, TJ’s (and my CJs over time) are not one of thise vehicles. I’m always amused when guys claim 25, ha.
 
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