What’s your recipe for an all-around Jeep TJ?

[AdventurePig]

What’s your recipe for a Jeep that does all things reasonably well?

1. Daily drive 65mph on the road
2. Road trip a reasonable distance
3. Handle 6-8/10 or higher rated trail without breakage
4. Family hauler
5. Grocery getter
6. Etc…

What model/trim, what drivetrain, what year, and what mods are you choosing?

 

[L J]

What model/trim, what drivetrain, what year, and what mods are you choosing?

My '06 LJR but with a 42RLE auto, 35x12.5-17 MT tires, 17" beadlocks and a 17" Vanco/BMB big brake kit.

 

[TheBoogieman]

What’s your recipe for a Jeep that does all things reasonably well?

 

[Superjay5]

I’ve pretty much stalked Blaine for the past 10 years and just tried to copy him to the best of my ability.

It lacks in the family hauling only because I’ve pulled my rear seat and made a custom tire carrier. All your other boxes it checks off nicely.

If I were to do it over I would have started with an LJ because of the extra wheelbase.

 

[Old Jeepin Cowboy]

TJR, 3 in lift, 4:88s, 37s, and Bead Locks, supercharged engine or reworked straight six and up the CR to run on higher octane gas, Currie Rock Jock sway bars, build it to get you there, engineer it to get you back...

 

[Mike_H]

Read this thread about 4 times and then start asking questions with an open mind..

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...for-daily-driving-and-weekend-adventure.7068/

 

[AndyG]

I’ve pretty much stalked Blaine for the past 10 years and just tried to copy him to the best of my ability.

It lacks in the family hauling only because I’ve pulled my rear seat and made a custom tire carrier. All your other boxes it checks off nicely.

If I were to do it over I would have started with an LJ because of the extra wheelbase.

View attachment 567470

He has driven the wheels off of it.

 

[Superjay5]

He has driven the wheels off of it.

Hahahaha! I didn’t want to get harassed for running 42” Iroks on stock knuckles

I tease, tires just hide all the suspension awesomeness!

 

[TJosh02]

I really found that the Mid Arm kit (Savvy) was a game changer compared to the Curries short arm lift in terms of the kind of obstacles we get here which are large granite rock faces that rise up out of the dirt. Much more stable feeling without the want to hop. It drives very nice on the road as well (our trails are about 120 miles away from the city). I wished I had gotten the Swayloc instead of the Currie AR for less body roll when turning abruptly at speed.

Mine has 35" tires on beadlocks, MC armor (would have gone aluminum if were doing over), Savvy MA, 4" lift, 241 t-case swap, RCVs in front Dana 30, alloy in rear Dana 44, ARB lockers in front, Detroit in rear (requires acclimating to driving on road), TT. Outboarded rear shocks and AR front and rear.

Get an LJ if you can. The WB is really nice to have and extra room. A local guy here stretched his TJ on 35s 5" in the rear and I am a bit jealous, makes just the little bit of difference.

35s are a good size to build for. Those I know who built their TJs for 37+ and tons trailer everywhere or grumble that they don't like driving on the road.

 

[CMBD]

"My" recipe checks all of your boxes

Its basically a 98 Sport 4.0/ auto, 33s, 3.73s, with lockers front and rear. I pretty much only wheel Rubicon like trails and can do them pretty cleanly for being so small.

 

[GregBelleville]

"My" recipe checks all of your boxes

Its basically a 98 Sport 4.0/ auto, 33s, 3.73s, with lockers front and rear. I pretty much only wheel Rubicon like trails and can do them pretty cleanly for being so small.

Your setup is pretty much what I'm planning for mine, although I'm planning to swap in some axles with 410s once I can find a Dana 30 with that ratio.

 

[Tob]

It lacks in the family hauling only because I’ve pulled my rear seat and made a custom tire carrier. All your other boxes it checks off nicely.

Not to derail, but please do share a picture or link to a build post where I can see how you did the tire carrier.

 

[Superjay5]

Not to derail, but please do share a picture or link to a build post where I can see how you did the tire carrier.

I don’t have a build thread on it, but I’m already thinking of ways to improve it. I want to copy Blaine on the rear crossmember/bumper tuck, so that will also trigger reworking it.

Here are some pics to give you the gist of it.

 

[AndyG]

About all I know is keep it stock or do it very well.

Usually anything in between means you just aren’t there yet.

 

[jjvw]

The best recipe for an all around TJ build is one that behaves very well on the street and highway. Do that and it will do very well off road.

 

[mrblaine]

My '06 LJR but with a 42RLE auto, 35x12.5-17 MT tires, 17" beadlocks and a 17" Vanco/BMB big brake kit.

Too much brake. Super 16" at most.

 

[mrblaine]

TJR, 3 in lift, 4:88s, 37s, and Bead Locks, supercharged engine or reworked straight six and up the CR to run on higher octane gas, Currie Rock Jock sway bars, build it to get you there, engineer it to get you back...

Different steering gear is not a bad idea.

 

[JMT]

If I were to do it over I would have started with an LJ because of the extra wheelbase.

I think you can achieve as much or more with a TJ done right.

 

[Superjay5]

I think you can achieve as much or more with a TJ done right.

I don’t disagree, but with an LJ as a base I feel like it’s a lot less work to get some wheelbase. Thoughts of stretching my TJ are already bouncing around in my head.

 

[jjvw]

I think you can achieve as much or more with a TJ done right.

Depends on the end goal and tire size. If you can figure out a 103ish wheelbase on a TJ, then it becomes a nice platform for 37s. 37" and larger calls for an LJ.