auceny

Ok so I just bought used 35" mud grapplers and 4.5" backspace wheels and want to make sure I haven't forgotten anything in my build plans. I have read Dirtman's sticky and really like Planman's scenario in post #36. I live in Chicago and will mostly wheel at the Badlands and this is my only vehicle. I plan on trimming my stock flares and rubi rails (possibly replace it with an Ace weld on rails) as well as beefing up the front d30 with Nitro sleeves and Teraflex C-guessets. It already has LOD front mid bumper with winch (steel cable) and rear bumper with tire carrier and hi-lift jack as well as a couple skid plates underneath.

Now on to the suspension. I think I will keep stock control arms as long as the caster is ok and use the RK 1.5" springs which they claim 2" front and 1" rear and will eventually buy bump stops and shocks to match the travel (probably 10"-11" travel). Will I need a front track bar and rear location bracket with that small of lift? Can I use front and rear brake line relocation brackets instead of extended brake lines? Will I need extended rear sway bar links?

One of the main things I've taken from my reading tons of posts like this is don't go big for no reason or throw extra components on that aren't needed. So here I am checking to make sure I do what is NEEDED and not what the suspension companies say you have to have in a kit. Thanks!

TheDirtman

At 2" of lift the only thing I would be really concerned about would be the sway bar links up front. Get some disco's or find someones rear take off's Track bars are kinda optional at that height unless you want to have everything dialed in perfect. Enjoy Badlands, I do miss that place.

auceny

Thanks. It is a fun park but also the only place I've taken my Jeep so far. Glad to see that I should be fine keeping this lift minimal while still utilizing the max capabilities of the stock arms.

auceny

Ok another random question. I'm keeping my stock control arms for now which may provide 10" of travel. Will the compressed shock length in this configuration be the same as if I had aftermarket control arms that allowed 11.5" of travel assuming I have shocks that could provide that amount of travel? Need to decide if I should go something like the Fox 2.0 which are 9.5-10" shock or the OME Sport which are closer to 11.5" and possibly upgrade ready.

TheDirtman

Arms would not be the limiting factor in travel, in reality you could get 45" of travel out of the factory arms if you had the clearance.

auceny

Ok thanks. I thought Planman had commented that because of the joints that was the usable travel without going aftermarket. I'll just flex it out when everything is intalled and see what it can do! Not hoping for 45" though.

TheDirtman

There will be a limit when you stuff one wheel and droop the other due to the angles of the mounts due to axle rotation. I am not sure where the limit is.

auceny

Thanks. When testing bump stock and shock length what is the best way? Just stuff each tire at a time? Stuff one on one side and the other on the other side (front left and back right)?

And general clearance checking.

TheDirtman

Do both drooping and stuffing both wheels as well as drooping and stuffing one side at a time. Leave a little extra clearance as things flex when pushing agains stuff and may cause a conflict on the trails that you won't have in a static test.

auceny

Thanks. Not sure exactly how I will do it but I'll figure it out.