Ok, I'm expecting a lot of stuff thrown my way on this question, but I can't figure out if this concept is fairly sound. As you can see, I have a fairly heavily modified 2017 JK 2 Door. (https://revkit.com/beach-bum ) Everything that I've heard and seen says that if I really want to play in Moab or Sand Hollow or Johnson Valley I need to extend my wheelbase to at least 106" From what I can tell, there's a few options:

1. Push the front axle up a few inches (and move the steering and mounts forward)
2. Chop the heck out of my rear body and wheel wells, get a new fuel tank, new 3 or 4 link suspension, (and possibly coilovers)
2(b) Do both of above
3. Actually stretch the frame mid way after the doors, re-weld with spacers and body work (Obviously buy new driveshafts etc.) - Is this one crazy??
4. Buy a JKU or JLU and start over

I've put a bunch of sweat and tears (and cash) into my current JK, and really don't want to part with it to buy a JKU or JLU (even if I strip the parts off my JK).

I'm leaving this one wide open and asking for your thoughts and input.

 

For what you are going to spend (and destroy) you might as well just buy a unlimited. You can wheel those places with what you have but you are not going to keep up with the unlimiteds becasue of wheel base. If you are not going tons I don't see the point of stretching. I would recommend coilovers. I would shoot for at least 110" on the wheel base and get the tires all the way front and rear of the bumpers. I would not call your rig heavily modified, pretty easy to put back to stock if you wanted to sell it and move the parts over to a JKU. I would not stretch that jeep either as it is worth too much and you really destroy the value when you stretch. #1 woudl be your best bet but you still are not going to keep up with JKU's. The other options are going to cost you $20-40k depending on the route you go. Are you going to do the work yourself and what is your budget? You could always look for a stretched jeep that is already done.

 

Thanks @TheDirtman! I wouldn't say my budget is unlimited, but it's not really restricted either (especially if I broke up the 20-40k over a few months). I can do some wrenching but am not a welder, so I'd have to get that part at least done outside. I'd probably have to ship the Jeep to the mainland for the modifications as there aren't many good options for this kind of work here on the islands.

I think what you're saying (short of selling it and moving parts to an unlimited) is that the best route would be to add tons and coilovers with chopped rear quarter panels and wheel wells (probably with Genright quarter panels out back? Probably their $18k suspension package too) and push the front out as much as I can. I'm guessing with tons, I'll probably need to start thinking about a bigger engine (V8 or Hemi) or at least a supercharger? Starts to get pretty expensive, but I definitely prefer a 2 door look over a 4 door...

 

I would just do a custom suspension vs the genright as you can do it quite a bit cheaper if you know what you are doing. Typically the genright set up ends up running around $60K having someone install it along with the tons and everything else. Component choices will change the price but that gives you a ballpark. These type of builds do not lend themselves to being piecemealed together over time and works out better and cheaper done all at once. Motor should be fine as you don't go overboard adding a lot of extra steel to the build. Aluminum is your friend in terms of things like tire carriers, fenders, bumpers. Synthetic line on the winch.

 

For my $$, I would buy a 4-door and start with that. But check out the build my brother did with a TJ. He extended the frame and I think he has a supercharged v8 in it. Has no problem lighting up the rear wheels on pavement.

 

I have a friend who did a 8" rear stretch on his 2 door. Every place we have wheeled together in the last 2 years he has struggled on obstacles that all of the 4 doors have walked over. He is so dissapointed in the money spent he is getting ready to sell and start over.

 

Thats becaue people see a stretch done right and the the way it handles on the trail and they say " I want that" without having any knowledge on how to set up and think any mount of stretch will do the trick. A few lift companies offer a stretch kit but they really do suck and there is one company that actually extends the frame and body, neither of these will produce the results you get from a properly done stretch that pushes both the front and rear axle to or past the bumpers to get the length and the approach and decline angles. Many people also run way too much shock and end up with fitment issues or rubbing. There is a group and FB for stretched jk's and kl's and they are a bunch of idiots that get all but hurt if you make any comment about what they are doing.