2014 Willys, The true cost to go 37" with trail/Rock use?
03-08-2016, 10:39 PM
#11
lose the 18" wheels and go with a 17" especially if you plan to wheel offroad. You'll save yourself $$ & headaches. Trust me. I've been there, done that. Your selection will be limited and you'll be paying a premium to run tires for an 18" wheel....
03-09-2016, 02:09 AM
#12
JK Super Freak
I went that route first too. Seems like you actually intend on wheeling it in difficult terrain, and seems from reading, that area has its share of rocks. Don't be surprised when locked up and fighting the rig that you have to put soo much effort into the steering wheel it feels like you are going to explode the pump and everything attached to, only to not be able to turn the wheels anyways. PSC hydro assist solved this. I went PSC after a situation where I was nose down, standing on the firewall, off camber, on a hairpin/switchback, and had to back up to get around or drive off a "cliff" (there was some slope to it, but for arguments sake lets just say it was a cliff). Need to cut the wheels to back up, but could not turn, switched the front locker off, but then did not have enough traction to move... After a bunch of locker-off-steer locker-on-inch-forward-inch-rearward Tom foolery I was free. Seriously though I might loose the rig... or worse... Anyways, large tires, locked front axle and heavy rock wheeling is too much for the stock pump system. Note that with the ram, you are definitely going to want sturdy trac bar, draglink and tie rod. Again, necessary for street mild/moderate trails, nope... but if you are going to be pushing things... start saving now.
03-09-2016, 02:30 AM
#13
JK Freak
Thread Starter
If you can weld you can do the ruff stuff tie rod kit for around $125. You will need to run some extra bump stop for the bigger tires and may look into running a longer body shock to gain more articulation since you have to run more bump.
Otherwise you have a pretty good list to run 37's, which really are huge tires to run but the JK crowd seems to throw them on like they are nothing and fix stuff as they break it.
Otherwise you have a pretty good list to run 37's, which really are huge tires to run but the JK crowd seems to throw them on like they are nothing and fix stuff as they break it.
Your list is a lot better than most who run 37"s, if the budget is super tight the one thing I would leave off (for now) are the shafts, buy a set of trail spares and if you break your stockers swap the spares in, drive home and call Eric back for some upgraded shafts. Keep in mind that even though they are much stronger, any axle shaft can be broken.
As for it being a jk crowd thing I think it definitely is fairly unique as far as how widespread it is. I don't even notice jks on 37s anymore they're so common around here. And look under quite a few and you'll see a fully stock d30.
As for it being a jk crowd thing I think it definitely is fairly unique as far as how widespread it is. I don't even notice jks on 37s anymore they're so common around here. And look under quite a few and you'll see a fully stock d30.
Synergy drag link
Synergy track bar
RK Lower arms for front
Master install kit
SuperChips F5 (Pre-Ordered)
Ten Factory rear shafts with bearings and tone rings installed (Easy)
Synergy sector shaft brace
Synergy track arm frame bracket brace
I want to do the Redneck Ram Assist, and I will, but I am $8,000 in for this spring with the $5100 axle and the tires included. I am dangerously close to the wife starting to get tight with me. The Redneck ram assist will come, but I need to lay low for a couple months.
Next spring I will do a D60 rear. That should complete the major expense part. Then I will look into lifting it a bit more. I like the idea of "as low as possible, as high as needed", and with the 2" advertised Mopar lift and 1.25" body lift, I am about 3.75" actual lift from wheel hub to fender flare. I may be able to do minimal rear pinch seam cutting and clear the 37" rubber in such a fashion that I don't actually want to go any higher? I can't answer that until I get the 37" rubber mounted and see what hits what.
I prefer to keep the factory tubs and flares, my personal taste is that I like the look of the factory flares and I like the tubs keeping debris out of the engine area and also from beating the paint from the body tub. Not sure with my conservative lift if I can find a way to keep the plastic tubs and flares. I may be forced to slice and dice. I'm emotionally preparing for that "what if", but I will look at it with the opinion that if I can not cut, I will not. Or I will minimalize the cutting if possible.
03-09-2016, 04:31 AM
#14
JK Super Freak
It's already bought and paid for, shipping as we speak. I ordered this Monday. The Ten Factory shafts were also ordered from Northridge, Monday I ordered the balance of my parts list from NorthRidge: Synergy drag link Synergy track bar RK Lower arms for front Master install kit SuperChips F5 (Pre-Ordered) Ten Factory rear shafts with bearings and tone rings installed (Easy) Synergy sector shaft brace Synergy track arm frame bracket brace I bought the wheels in 2014! They are still new in the box setting in the garages. I'm going with Cooper STT Pro tires, be it 35 or 37. I want to do the Redneck Ram Assist, and I will, but I am $8,000 in for this spring with the $5100 axle and the tires included. I am dangerously close to the wife starting to get tight with me. The Redneck ram assist will come, but I need to lay low for a couple months. Next spring I will do a D60 rear. That should complete the major expense part. Then I will look into lifting it a bit more. I like the idea of "as low as possible, as high as needed", and with the 2" advertised Mopar lift and 1.25" body lift, I am about 3.75" actual lift from wheel hub to fender flare. I may be able to do minimal rear pinch seam cutting and clear the 37" rubber in such a fashion that I don't actually want to go any higher? I can't answer that until I get the 37" rubber mounted and see what hits what. I prefer to keep the factory tubs and flares, my personal taste is that I like the look of the factory flares and I like the tubs keeping debris out of the engine area and also from beating the paint from the body tub. Not sure with my conservative lift if I can find a way to keep the plastic tubs and flares. I may be forced to slice and dice. I'm emotionally preparing for that "what if", but I will look at it with the opinion that if I can not cut, I will not. Or I will minimalize the cutting if possible.
03-09-2016, 04:41 AM
#15
So not to argue, but let me do it anyway. That may be the epitome of a "jk crowd" thing. I would listen to just about any advice Dirtman has to offer. He is arguably not only one of if not the most knowledgable sources on this forum, but I believe he has broken more parts on 37's then most of us have bought. He generally advises the right parts which are not always the most expensive parts.
03-09-2016, 06:47 AM
#16
JK Freak
Thread Starter
I drive my JK 6 hours to a hotel near Rausch Creek on a Thursday, spend Friday and Saturday playing at RC for 8 to 10 hours a day and then wake up Sunday morning to drive 6 hours home. The idea is to actually continue to do this without spending my weekend in a panic while trying to fix the JK on a trail or in a parking lot with a flashlight in my mouth!
Playing at RC with the Willys and stock Willys/Rubi tires, I have bent something almost each time and have to play Center The Steering Wheel before I drive it home. So based on that with factory tires (32"x10") I wanted to do the Ruff Stuff tie rod in an attempt to be in front of that. I have shoved a Ford F-250 tie rod up through the radiator before, it happens pretty quickly and you don't understand what is happening until it is far to late! I would rather not do that while hours from home!
03-09-2016, 07:37 AM
#17
JK Freak
I'm trying to get in front of the broken parts issue before adding the rubber.
I drive my JK 6 hours to a hotel near Rausch Creek on a Thursday, spend Friday and Saturday playing at RC for 8 to 10 hours a day and then wake up Sunday morning to drive 6 hours home. The idea is to actually continue to do this without spending my weekend in a panic while trying to fix the JK on a trail or in a parking lot with a flashlight in my mouth!
Playing at RC with the Willys and stock Willys/Rubi tires, I have bent something almost each time and have to play Center The Steering Wheel before I drive it home. So based on that with factory tires (32"x10") I wanted to do the Ruff Stuff tie rod in an attempt to be in front of that. I have shoved a Ford F-250 tie rod up through the radiator before, it happens pretty quickly and you don't understand what is happening until it is far to late! I would rather not do that while hours from home!
I drive my JK 6 hours to a hotel near Rausch Creek on a Thursday, spend Friday and Saturday playing at RC for 8 to 10 hours a day and then wake up Sunday morning to drive 6 hours home. The idea is to actually continue to do this without spending my weekend in a panic while trying to fix the JK on a trail or in a parking lot with a flashlight in my mouth!
Playing at RC with the Willys and stock Willys/Rubi tires, I have bent something almost each time and have to play Center The Steering Wheel before I drive it home. So based on that with factory tires (32"x10") I wanted to do the Ruff Stuff tie rod in an attempt to be in front of that. I have shoved a Ford F-250 tie rod up through the radiator before, it happens pretty quickly and you don't understand what is happening until it is far to late! I would rather not do that while hours from home!
So from reading your list, I saw a couple things... and for reference, I've got a 2 door on 37s as well. Between your 2" lift and 1.25" body lift, have you considered a new front driveshaft? Also, are you planning to do your own regear to 4.88s? If a shop is doing it, then consider the cost of that as well. Or even if you do it yourself, some of the special tools you need will rack up some cost as well. Also forgive my ignorance, but what's the locker situation in the rear for a Willys? I see you are getting an e-locker for the front, but if you are regearing the rear, might as well throw a locker in there too while you are at it. Not required for what you are doing, but worth considering.
As you mentioned, definitely flex it out and see what your clearance is like with the fenders at full stuff. As for the rear pinch seam, I only have 2.5" of lift, but at full stuff, I was hard into the metal, even with it trimmed. Had to do quite a lot of trimming both in front of and behind the tire, but might be different for you with more lift. I also wanted my tire to be better centered in the wheel well, so I have rear adjustable control arms. Again, something to consider in the future for you, but won't stop you from wheeling at Rausch with what you have picked out so far.
Good on you for going ahead and getting beefier steering components. Somehow I've made it 2 years wheeling pretty hard at Rausch and have not damaged my stock tie rod or drag link. I don't have hydro assist, but I do have the sector shaft brace. As another person mentioned, I've been in that scary situation where my tires were bound up and I couldn't turn and was at risk for going ass over tea kettle. Luckily was able to put it in reverse and got unstuck before something worse happened.
Anyhow, hope that helps a little.
03-09-2016, 08:00 AM
#18
JK Newbie
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03-09-2016, 08:11 AM
#19
If you can weld you can do the ruff stuff tie rod kit for around $125. You will need to run some extra bump stop for the bigger tires and may look into running a longer body shock to gain more articulation since you have to run more bump.
Otherwise you have a pretty good list to run 37's, which really are huge tires to run but the JK crowd seems to throw them on like they are nothing and fix stuff as they break it.
Otherwise you have a pretty good list to run 37's, which really are huge tires to run but the JK crowd seems to throw them on like they are nothing and fix stuff as they break it.
So not to argue, but let me do it anyway. That may be the epitome of a "jk crowd" thing.
I would listen to just about any advice Dirtman has to offer. He is arguably not only one of if not the most knowledgable sources on this forum, but I believe he has broken more parts on 37's then most of us have bought. He generally advises the right parts which are not always the most expensive parts.
I would listen to just about any advice Dirtman has to offer. He is arguably not only one of if not the most knowledgable sources on this forum, but I believe he has broken more parts on 37's then most of us have bought. He generally advises the right parts which are not always the most expensive parts.
.
03-09-2016, 08:22 AM
#20
JK Freak
Thread Starter
I don't really know what sparked all of that, and I guess I really don't want to know. Apparently there are personalities that conflict with each other. It's all good. We all have our moments of assholeism. I shure have mine now and again.
Someone mentioned that the Synergy sector shaft and track bar brace are known to work with other track bars than the Synergy. I have a Synergy coming from NorthRidge, I also have the Rock Krawler bomb proof and I have the Mopar Performance forged adjustable. I don't know who actually makes the Mopar one. But is there any argument for not using the Synergy? I doubt it is as massive as the Rock Krawler, but if material type allows it to be equally as strong and it looks to have a significantly more pronounced clearance bend in it, maybe it is the hot ticket? Is there a reason to add more track bars to my stack on the floor?
Someone mentioned that the Synergy sector shaft and track bar brace are known to work with other track bars than the Synergy. I have a Synergy coming from NorthRidge, I also have the Rock Krawler bomb proof and I have the Mopar Performance forged adjustable. I don't know who actually makes the Mopar one. But is there any argument for not using the Synergy? I doubt it is as massive as the Rock Krawler, but if material type allows it to be equally as strong and it looks to have a significantly more pronounced clearance bend in it, maybe it is the hot ticket? Is there a reason to add more track bars to my stack on the floor?