Mods vs increase risk of failure
#11
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mods
I agree with you. I just don't want people who are newer breaking the bank or getting intimidated trying to start out.
#12
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Now that being said, there is plenty of advice here on this forum, and that is great. It is what I love about this. I simply get different advice from those who have WAY more experience than I, and use what I feel is necessary and what I can afford.
If you are careful offroad and aren't getting crazy, you shouldn't have any problems with a 2.5" lift and 35's. As I discovered after 8 months with just this, I added LCA's and it made a noticeable improvement in its drivability! Was it necessary? No, but I am glad I finally got it done.
My suggestion, lift your Jeep, 2.5 lift is a good starting point. If you decide to go higher, great. Put the tires you want. If the shops are trying sell you more than what you are comfortable with. then get a second opinion or come back here and there are plenty of us that will advice you!
#13
Here in Missouri we are required to have a state inspection. Its amazing the number of things that the mechanics find wrong if they think they are going to get to fix it. The great thing about a place like this is that you get real world experience for free from people that are only in it for the love of jeeps.
I've become a member of the low center of gravity crowd and building thing that are based on function over form. People talk about lifting a jeep to get bigger tires on it but I think more in terms of opening up the fender wells. I put flat fenders on mine and am running 35's. I have everything else stock. Rides pretty much like when I got it. I don't have to worry about all that other stuff.
I've become a member of the low center of gravity crowd and building thing that are based on function over form. People talk about lifting a jeep to get bigger tires on it but I think more in terms of opening up the fender wells. I put flat fenders on mine and am running 35's. I have everything else stock. Rides pretty much like when I got it. I don't have to worry about all that other stuff.
#14
35s and no lift? I have a busy doing that too but he's got no fenders. I'm running Bushwacker flat fenders. 17x8.5 w/ 4.7" back space. Think I can run 35s? What wheels are you rubbing to get 35s on?
#15
Lift it!
The only thing "extra" i had to do when lifting was an exhaust spacer ( 40 bucks) and I sprung for an adjustable front track bad (200 bucks) The track bar was not needed but I wanted the front end dead center, drove fine without it. This is my first jeep and I read post after post with horror stories about this lift and that tire and so on. I just said heck with it and called Teraflex and talked to their tech. 15 min on the phone with him and I felt much better. I went ahead and ordered a 2.5 coil lift, exhaust spacers and a track bar, slapped it in, mounted some 35's on 4.5 backspace wheels and away I went. Drives good and rides better than stock. Go for it, worst case you screw up your drive shaft 20k miles later and you have to spend a couple hundred on a new one......oh well.
#16
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Originally Posted by jkjacksonjack
Here in Missouri we are required to have a state inspection. Its amazing the number of things that the mechanics find wrong if they think they are going to get to fix it. The great thing about a place like this is that you get real world experience for free from people that are only in it for the love of jeeps.
I've become a member of the low center of gravity crowd and building thing that are based on function over form. People talk about lifting a jeep to get bigger tires on it but I think more in terms of opening up the fender wells. I put flat fenders on mine and am running 35's. I have everything else stock. Rides pretty much like when I got it. I don't have to worry about all that other stuff.
I've become a member of the low center of gravity crowd and building thing that are based on function over form. People talk about lifting a jeep to get bigger tires on it but I think more in terms of opening up the fender wells. I put flat fenders on mine and am running 35's. I have everything else stock. Rides pretty much like when I got it. I don't have to worry about all that other stuff.
On the flip side here in Florida there are no so you are surrounded by death traps with parts flying off them and belching black smoke. The nice thing is you can do whatever you want to your jeep and since the gun laws are practically non existent Im going to add a machine gun and a flamethrower for my commute to work.
#17
I'm from st. Louis and i remember what a pain those inspections were.
On the flip side here in Florida there are no so you are surrounded by death traps with parts flying off them and belching black smoke. The nice thing is you can do whatever you want to your jeep and since the gun laws are practically non existent Im going to add a machine gun and a flamethrower for my commute to work.
On the flip side here in Florida there are no so you are surrounded by death traps with parts flying off them and belching black smoke. The nice thing is you can do whatever you want to your jeep and since the gun laws are practically non existent Im going to add a machine gun and a flamethrower for my commute to work.
#18
Originally Posted by brc450
NH inspection is a pain in the butt! I have the dealership telling me I have to spend 9 hundred on a new set of flares to pass inspection! I'll find someone else to inspect it........ Tires stick out less than 2 inches and I like the way it looks!
#19
JK Freak
If your looking for a simple lift to get you to 4.5" you could check out Trailmaster Suspension. I have their 4.5" lift and I am running 35" tires now, but can go to 37" if I wanted too. I have had this lift on since '09 and have been running the stock control arms and driveshafts ever since....and no, this lift does not use cam bolts either and I have had no issues with steering. Works fine for me. Not sure about gearing...I think you can go 35's with your set-up no problem, but my Jeep has the stock Rubicon gearing. I hear that a lot on this forum too...."You need this, you need that, you should get this, blah, blah, blah...". It is all a matter of opinion and how hard you plan on wheeling your Jeep. If you want to wheel it really hard, then you will find out sooner or later what you really need or don't need. The lift that I have is more suited to moderate offroading, but it can always be upgraded later on as your needs change or if you want to get into some serious rock crawling. You'll get the same at a dealership or if you take it to a shop....need, need, need...$$$$$$$. Eventually I'll get a new front driveshaft, but for right now, I don't really "need" anything. This is all I have on my Jeep for a 4.5" lift and 35's, no extras...
http://www.trailmastersuspension.com...SSV&Title=JEEP
And this is how she looks...
Sorry, just had to post a pic.
http://www.trailmastersuspension.com...SSV&Title=JEEP
And this is how she looks...
Sorry, just had to post a pic.
Last edited by Runewolf1973; 01-03-2012 at 08:26 AM.
#20
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Not to kiss anyone off but is anyone here a.mechanic or work in a shop that customize jeep? Everything i am hearing is so random and opposite of everything the pro custom shops have told me. I have a 2 Dr 08 with 3.73 gears 4.5" procomp short arm lift, 35.12.5 mickey Thompson mtz tires and that's it. I had it installed professionally at a 4wheels parts hardware shop. All they do is lifts and customize.
that's what they did and i asked about the stuff you guys have been saying and they said sure you could.but its not necessary. I have 70,000 miles on this setup now and it has never failed me. I have no problems with driveshafts or boots or anything else. I am sure that doing what you guys are saying wouldn't hurt and of course it reinforce everything but its not.needed and.basically you are just making somebody who is new scared.of their jeep and its financially intimidating. The only was i could see a shop telling someone anything of this is because they are jerks and milking the customer for every dime they have.
by the way i asked about my mods at two other pro shops here in Miami and they both agreed that what 4wheels parts had done was correct and all that was needed.
that's what they did and i asked about the stuff you guys have been saying and they said sure you could.but its not necessary. I have 70,000 miles on this setup now and it has never failed me. I have no problems with driveshafts or boots or anything else. I am sure that doing what you guys are saying wouldn't hurt and of course it reinforce everything but its not.needed and.basically you are just making somebody who is new scared.of their jeep and its financially intimidating. The only was i could see a shop telling someone anything of this is because they are jerks and milking the customer for every dime they have.
by the way i asked about my mods at two other pro shops here in Miami and they both agreed that what 4wheels parts had done was correct and all that was needed.
So listen to your "pro-shop" if you want.. but they're the ones wanting the $3000 lift install/sell.. they could careless if you're offroading or cruising down in a jacked up jk... just my $0.02