On an 08 2 dr JK X automatic driven 50 miles a day, with no real hard core trails, with a desire for performance and economy:

Buy a pair of take off Rubi 44s that have already been regeared, gusseted, and sleeved or trussed with 5.13s or 5.38s for about $3500. Then, sell your stock axles for about $1000 to offset the cost.

Do a 2.5" Rock Krawler or Teraflex lift with Bushwacker flat flares, 2" front and 3" rear extended bumpstops. You don't need a long arm, and at 2.5", you can run stock driveshafts. You will only need front lower adjustable control arms. You will want to trim with a flap wheel a little off the automatic transmission pan edge to reduce the likelihood it will catch the stock front driveshaft rubber boot when the suspension is fully articulated.

Lighter front and rear bumpers--i.e. Poison Spyder BFH.

Warn m8000 or similar winch with synthetic rope.

Poison Spyder Rocker Brawlers or EVO tub armor with EVO weld-on rock sliders.

RIPP Stage 2 supercharger.

Rubicrawler--only if you plan to do technical rock crawling.

37" tires that are lighter, and with a less aggressive tread design.

17" aluminum wheels.

Synergy/Poly Performance weld-in cage.

Mastercraft RS seats.

10" Rigid light mounted on front bumper push bar.

OR Fab rear tire carrier.

Portable air compressor, the ARB twin tank compressor, or a Vair.

Bestop rear instatrunk--if you will run a soft top and need lockable storage.

CB.

Window tinting--if they weren't tinted stock.

PSC street and trail hydro assist steering, with your stock steering box given to them as a core.

Poly Performance/Synergy tie rod and drag link.

With a lighter, 2 dr automatic, stock D44 Rubi axle shafts will hold up fine unless you get crazy with it or run a Rubicrawler on the lowest gear and get tied up in the rocks.

I haven't taken the time to add this up, but it may be pretty close to your budget.

 

I already have he modified D30 and D44 with 5.13s, lockers, 30 spline front RCV and 35 spline rear chromoly and the 4" teraflex long arm and drive shafts front and rear. I'll be selling my 2.5 teraflex BB, 1.25 body lift and my 35" duratracs w about 2k miles on them when I get back. I will eventually get into more technical wheeling when I find the time and I really only wanna build it once. Im wondering if I should skip the bumpers and stuff for now and just finish off with the Ripp Stage 2 because I will be busy for a while when I get back. And I will have a long drive from Washington to Texas and that supercharger would really help out a lot through the multiple mountain passes im going through.

 

You'll need a tire carrier that's capable of a 37. If it's for looks you could just cut your front bumper into a stubby and/or use the rough country end caps.

The RIPP 2 Is really nice to have, especially with an automatic and 5.13 gears. If you didn't do as much highway driving, I'd say go ahead and do the bumpers. However, you're not going to be disappointed with the supercharger instead. Since you're not going to do technical off routing at this time, I would be less concerned about a steering brace or hydro assist. A 4" lift on a two door is fairly tall--especially with 37s. I do everything I could to keep the weight down in order to keep a lot of stability offroad.

 

I was looking on rough countrys site and they were advertisizing a Bestop Tire carrier that would carry a 37. Any one familiar with this? and I cut mine into a stubby bumper and it even has a hidden winch that no one knoes it there. but ther eis also that hybrid stubby bumper from rough country for like $190.

 

how much of a difference is the intercooler and non intercooled and long tube Ripp headers or shorty (flow daddy. Rugged Ridge) headers?

 

The intercooler is the only way to go, in my opinion.

I'm running with a stock manifold. If you run short tube headers, you'll want to install longer spark plug wires because you lose the stock heat shield. The long tube headers make a big difference, but I haven't researched what modifications I'd need to do to my engine skid to run them.

 

sounds good... so should I get the high altitude version I go through mountains a lot but I live and drive at sea level the majority of the time

 

Ask RIPP. They would likely tell you to run gauges in order to keep an eye on things.


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I already planned on a air/fuel and a boost gauge... where do those tie into? on my duramax it tied into my intercooler tube for the boost

 

I haven't installed gauges yet. I plan to just call RIPP and ask what they suggest. I've read of people upgrading from the Predator to the Trinity for the relative gauge and feedback features.


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