'02 TJ with i4 -- Mid Life Crisis

[jaysenodell]

Mrs has suggested that I should start planning Mid Life Crisis' path to Rausch reds and Big Dawg's in Va. The goal is a capable vehicle to use as a DD but still give Wingman a competitor for "wheeling open". Right now the only real work that has been done is a 3" lift (previous owner). And a radio. I'm wheeling with 33s (15" solid aluminum or D hole steel (cragars I think) wheels). Everything else is pretty much stock.

My thought is that I should start with gears and lockers. But then again, some decent skid plates would be a good idea. There's also the tie rod (planning move to stock ZJ). I don't think any more lift is needed. I figure axles and U to CV are later. There's always body work but I figured I'd replace pieces as they fall off. Things I know nothing about, especially priority, are bumpers, winches, lights.

So where to start? 

[luvmyxj]

aussie lockers,solid diff covers, m4 rock rails + skid plates, go wheeling

[dubt]

What luvmyxj said

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 4

[Wingman]

Sell it and buy a 4.0 six cylinder...    The 2.5 is just woefully inadequate.

... or buy someone else's built wheeler.  There are some deals to be had!

If that doesn't sound feasible, then...

aussie lockers,solid diff covers, m4 rock rails + skid plates, go wheeling

... is a solid start.  But gears should also be a priority with the 4 cyl.

I always say "develop a build plan and stick to it".  I think the most important part is not to get in too deep that you can't wheel often because you're in the middle of working on it.  You'll get side-tracked and do silly things...

[mr.mindless]

4 banger is gonna be painful.

4.56 is as deep as you'll want to go in stock axles. The 30 will strip 4.88s.

Rear is a 44, right? 35 is no good.

4:1 case is an option for off-road.


Tapatalking in traffic

[jaysenodell]

Should be a 44 (starting to rain so not crawling under it right now.


MLC (lets not start calling it version 1 yet) needs to be primarily a DD. I figure if I really want to go "all in" I will buy something that needs trailered. I did find a few 4.0 that needed bodies but then I'd be in the same place I am now. For now I need to make it work with the 2.5. That said, I'm not sure where the 2.5 would fail at Rausch outside of things like the Moon. I'm not sure I'd even think about that for a while.


No one mentioned the ZJ tie rod swap. Should the wait till later?


Also wondering if I should do gears and lockers at the same time. Since the diff will be out already (and I won't be doing the gears) is would seem to me that the logic move would be to do them together. I like the idea of Aussie, especially on the front for DD, but what about in the rear? If manual locker (I would think electronic), can you mix Aussie and manuals?

[rejeep]

A zj tie rod is prob the last thing I would be worried about...

Wing is right..
Sell and buy a 6 cyl

[mr.mindless]

Lack of torque doesn't let you be as smooth. You really have to gear the wee out of a low HP motor to crawl smoothly.


Tapatalking in traffic

[wnyjpgy]

An old timer once told me.....

Every mod you do to your jeep will help you get into deeper trouble (harder trails, places you shouldn't be, etc....).

A winch is one of the only things you can add to help you get out of these situations.

[etk300ex]

A zj tie rod is prob the last thing I would be worried about...

I disagree, someone bends one every time we wheel, and its a lengthy trail fix, do it!


Gears gears gears, riding your clutch and stalling out is no fun


Suspension seats and harnesses.  may sound like jumping the gun but it is so much more comfortable not being tossed around like a rag doll.  especially if you have back problems.  its made my weekend twice as enjoyable

[Wingman]

Start here... 

or

something like this... 

[cracker]

this one is not that bad either...  and alot cheaper
http://www.rc4x4.org/rcforum/index.php?topic=20152.0

[rejeep]

A zj tie rod is prob the last thing I would be worried about...

I disagree, someone bends one every time we wheel, and its a lengthy trail fix, do it!

for what it takes to do a ZJ TRE swap you might as well go bigger and bidder..
I have been nothing but thrilled with my JCR OTK steering..  was damn cheap, and have great road manners..
FWIW the ZJ TRE deal is lipstick on a pig..

the biggest thing I have learned building trucks that stay in STOCK form is the most bang for your buck is buying the correct platform..
any FI I6 Jeep is a great start...
that start from the ground up..  Axles are the number 1 thing to address.. you get those figured out right and you will never be disappointed..
took me 2 jeeps, 1 D35's and a broken D30 stock shaft to figure this all out..
this is all at a time when I was building on a budget and these jeeps were my DD..

[etk300ex]

i'm not a jeep guy idk jeep parts, but do something with that tie rod

[Harrison]

Is selling this Jeep and ponying up the extra cash for a 4.0L TJ possible given financial considerations? A year or so ago, they were going for a solid $2k more than similarly equipped 2.5L Jeep.

How much time and money do you want to invest in this, long term? (sort of a rhetorical question.)

If selling this Jeep to spend more money on another isn't an option and you're looking for minimal investment to get out into some harder terrain, I think luvmyxj's advice is spot on. You will want gears too. ZJ steering is cheap and easy, and prevents an annoying trail fix. Stock gas tank skid is useless, get a real one.

If you have a D35 rear (which I'm pretty sure 2.5Ls universally came with)... that sucks. Mike Wolf, Gari, and others make them work, but I personally won't advise spending a dime on that axle. Ford 8.8 is a great swap, but relatively expensive on a Jeep with a 4 link rear.

If you can swing the extra cash to upgrade to a 4.0L TJ, that is a decision you will unlikely regret. It will also be a much better platform for a long term and more involved "project build."