How would you build it?

06UnlimitedDL

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Location
Winston Salem
Hey folks,

Since my LJ doesn't seem to want to leave, I may as well do stuff to it. Weekend warrior, maybe the occasional trip to URE. This things probably gonna be on pavement more often than not. I would like 35" tires. Pretty much all stock as it sits. How would you build it with say, a $4000 budget?

2006 LJ 4.0, Auto

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Does the $4000 have to cover the 35" tires and rims? If so, that's a tight budget....

4" lift.
Lots of Armor on the bottom
Rock Rails

Wheel...
 
35s are really needed on a LJ to make them look right IMO, but you are going to need to gear it for sure with it being an auto to not hate life. It is going to be hard for 4k to lift, 35s, and gear it.

Mac5005 said:
Ecgs 8.8 rear

4" lift

35s on wheels

Rocker protection, hd diff covers, and uhmw for the skid.
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It should have a D44 rear, no reason to do an 8.8
 
DSM Turbos said:
35s are really needed on a LJ to make them look right IMO, but you are going to need to gear it for sure with it being an auto to not hate life. It is going to be hard for 4k to lift, 35s, and gear it.
Click to expand...

I agree, they don't look right with anything smaller. And yes, a re-gear is a must.
 
Given your goals and budget, as long as you aren't in a hurry, keep an eye out for used parts, That's the only way I see this staying under 4k
 
DSM Turbos said:
35s are really needed on a LJ to make them look right IMO, but you are going to need to gear it for sure with it being an auto to not hate life. It is going to be hard for 4k to lift, 35s, and gear it.



It should have a D44 rear, no reason to do an 8.8
Click to expand...


Gotcha didn't know that, I thought they were all d35 unless rubicons.

Definitely regear then. The last 35s I bought were $200 ea, and wheels were $79 ea, or $200/set off forum.
 
For 35s with the auto you'll need 4.56s or 4.88s. While you're in the diffs anyway you should do lockers. Since you say it will be on pavement most of the time, do selectable lock...


Never mind, we're over budget ;)
 
Mac5005 said:
Gotcha didn't know that, I thought they were all d35 unless rubicons.

Definitely regear then. The last 35s I bought were $200 ea, and wheels were $79 ea, or $200/set off forum.
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All Unlimited had the D44 unless somebody swapped them. Some Normal TJ's had them also as they were options. It is fairly rare though.

LBarr2002 said:
For 35s with the auto you'll need 4.56s or 4.88s. While you're in the diffs anyway you should do lockers. Since you say it will be on pavement most of the time, do selectable lock...


Never mind, we're over budget ;)
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For 35s with the auto to keep the gearing what was original, you actually need ~5.13s, the OD in in 42RLE is so damn deep. I have 4.88s in mine though and it is fine. I wouldn't go any less than 4.88s though
 
Mines 4.88 too. You used to not be able to get 5.13 dana 30 gears, but I think there's a company making them now. They can't be very strong though, pinion is tiny.
 
2 inch budget boost( pucks, shocks). Flat belly skids with motor mount lift, upgrade steering to curie correct lync. Rocker protection. Diff covers, 33,s with wheel spacers. Have fun. Regear not nessecary.

3 inch lift with 35,s regear 4.88, trim fenders.
 
Jason W. said:
2 inch budget boost( pucks, shocks). Flat belly skids with motor mount lift, upgrade steering to curie correct lync. Rocker protection. Diff covers, 33,s with wheel spacers. Have fun. Regear not nessecary.
Click to expand...

Not necessary, but highly recommended. I went to 33x10.50 ats before regearing and it sucked. Got in the habit of turning of OD every time I got in it.

No need for the currie steering, just do v8 zj stuff. He said budget, remember.
 
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35s would be hard on a 4k budget but 33s are very doable.
Here's my take:
-33in tires on steel wheels $1200
-with the longer wheelbase and more hanging off the rear end i would look into a tummy tuck and gas tank skid (Savvy/UCF) $800
- SYE and new rear drive shaft $600
- good winch $500
- Thats $900 left for suspension. good 3-4" springs, good shocks, adjustable front track bar, and a set of upper rear control arms to set your pinion angle from the SYE instal.
 
Right, so why spend $500+ on steering when you could spend that on something else?
 
Don't skimp on the things that matter the most which is dependability . I have seen this played out a hundred times. Reliability Trump's tire size every time. Don't skimp on skids, rockers , steering. They are first priority .
 
Swing by @Jody Treadway regear. Go LSD front and rear for less than 1k. Slap on some good condition 35s (from someone who is upgrading or downgrading). Get some steelies that you can buff and repaint. 4inch lift with SYE. Worry less about tummy tucks and MMLs and BLs and just spend the rest on underbody armor. if you got left overs then i would upgrade steering. No heim, but you can beef up with stronger tre's and tie rod. If you can do the work yourself you can premptivley buy quality BJ's to upgrade to when your's are shot after awhile of trails.

For a pavement queen that hits up a trail a couple times a year, I would spend the money that would make the most sense for how it is going to be majority used. Lunchboxes are loud and steal from the quality of a pavement ride, imho. but thats just me.

just my two cents so i can join in the convo haha. not a offroad guru but maybe a few of these knuckleheads will agree with me... or not. lmao

(edit: alot of that assumed you doing everything yourself. with only 4k and you having shops do the work, you wont be able to acheive much.)
 
Jason W. said:
Don't skimp on the things that matter the most which is dependability . I have seen this played out a hundred times. Reliability Trump's tire size every time. Don't skimp on skids, rockers , steering. They are first priority .
Click to expand...
Agreed. All I'm saying is that for ~$100 you can do zj steering that is plenty strong, especially without a front locker, and put $400 elsewhere. I also like the fact that if you do break something with ZJ parts, you can go to pretty much any parts store in the country and get replacements.
 
ckruzer said:
Swing by @Jody Treadway regear. Go LSD front and rear for less than 1k. Slap on some good condition 35s (from someone who is upgrading or downgrading). Get some steelies that you can buff and repaint. 4inch lift with SYE. Worry less about tummy tucks and MMLs and BLs and just spend the rest on underbody armor. if you got left overs then i would upgrade steering. No heim, but you can beef up with stronger tre's and tie rod. If you can do the work yourself you can premptivley buy quality BJ's to upgrade to when your's are shot after awhile of trails.

For a pavement queen that hits up a trail a couple times a year, I would spend the money that would make the most sense for how it is going to be majority used. Lunchboxes are loud and steal from the quality of a pavement ride, imho. but thats just me.

just my two cents so i can join in the convo haha. not a offroad guru but maybe a few of these knuckleheads will agree with me... or not. lmao

(edit: alot of that assumed you doing everything yourself. with only 4k and you having shops do the work, you wont be able to acheive much.)
Click to expand...

Rear is already LSD, just need to see what shape the clutches are in. Again for 35s, you need to regear and $1000 ain't gonna cut it, especially with a front carrier change.

LJs and late tjs, the factory skid is a shovel and it needs to go. You do not need to do an SYE as long as you keep the lift reasonable and you can do MML and UCF lo pro trans mount to handle the angles.
 
$4000 would cover paying for a regear to 4.88, installing yourself a 2.5" Rough Country lift, a 1.25" body lift, a winch and winch mount, a simple steering upgrade and a set of 35s.
You'll have about $300 left over for a front lunch box locker or a few recovery items.
 
LBarr2002 said:
Rear is already LSD, just need to see what shape the clutches are in. Again for 35s, you need to regear and $1000 ain't gonna cut it, especially with a front carrier change.

LJs and late tjs, the factory skid is a shovel and it needs to go. You do not need to do an SYE as long as you keep the lift reasonable and you can do MML and UCF lo pro trans mount to handle the angles.
Click to expand...

LJs come with 3.73 so no need for a front carrier. You can get thick gears for the rear 44, so again no carrier needed there. That $1k budget for a regear is pretty darn close without adding any traction devices.
Not splitting hairs with ya. :beer:
 
Jody Treadway said:
$4000 would cover paying for a regear to 4.88, installing yourself a 2.5" Rough Country lift, a 1.25" body lift, a winch and winch mount, a simple steering upgrade and a set of 35s.
You'll have about $300 left over for a front lunch box locker or a few recovery items.
Click to expand...

So far, your idea sounds like what I was going for. What would you recommend for a steering upgrade? And as far as the suspension, I had looked into the Zone combo lift to start with. Either that or the 2.5 RC and Metalcloak Overlines.
 
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