Looking for expert advice
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Midland, Texas
Perhaps if you share what defined your needs we can give better advice. Is your Jeep a DD? You mention high end manufacturers and parts but did not say why you chose them instead of something else.
A jeep right out of the box is very capable. My stock Jeep would take me @75 mph to a trail head where it would cross water and mud that was door high then climb up, down and over rocks and at then at the end of the day take me back home at 75 mph(I've read where they can actually go faster). Take a close look at the videos. At Buckhorn the green jeep is very well built, capable and looks great. The white jeep appears to be close to stock and runs the same mud and rocks and water crossings. Sure the green Jeep is capable of doing more but the white jeep did plenty.
You mention doing it right the first time. I believe in this. However I would add, do it right over time. Take some time on and off road to get to know your jeep. See what needs to be changed to meet your needs from your own experience not from internet posts. Find fellow Jeepers near you and run your stock Jeep with them for a while. Ask to ride in their modded jeeps. See if someone will let you drive one. I have a buddy with a 2 door lifted 4 inches on 37's. It looks great. However it is scary when off camber and frankly it is difficult to get into. Find some open space at the mall and try to park with just the driver side wheels up on the concrete parking stops. This will "lift" your Jeep a few inches. Now try hopping in and out. If you have a family have your wife and kids try to hop in and out. I'm only at 2.5" and 33's and raising my hood to check the oil has become a stretch for me. The point I'm trying make is that personal experience is far more valuable than internet advice. Go out and get your hands dirty with your Jeep.
Many people say that a stock jeep is under powered. Well I found that a stock Jeep handles very well. A heavily modded Jeep becomes sluggish and you may not like how it handles with hundreds of pounds of bumpers, winch, rails, racks, wheels, tires.........
Some things not mentioned are drive shafts, belly armor, gears. and OBA.
A jeep right out of the box is very capable. My stock Jeep would take me @75 mph to a trail head where it would cross water and mud that was door high then climb up, down and over rocks and at then at the end of the day take me back home at 75 mph(I've read where they can actually go faster). Take a close look at the videos. At Buckhorn the green jeep is very well built, capable and looks great. The white jeep appears to be close to stock and runs the same mud and rocks and water crossings. Sure the green Jeep is capable of doing more but the white jeep did plenty.
You mention doing it right the first time. I believe in this. However I would add, do it right over time. Take some time on and off road to get to know your jeep. See what needs to be changed to meet your needs from your own experience not from internet posts. Find fellow Jeepers near you and run your stock Jeep with them for a while. Ask to ride in their modded jeeps. See if someone will let you drive one. I have a buddy with a 2 door lifted 4 inches on 37's. It looks great. However it is scary when off camber and frankly it is difficult to get into. Find some open space at the mall and try to park with just the driver side wheels up on the concrete parking stops. This will "lift" your Jeep a few inches. Now try hopping in and out. If you have a family have your wife and kids try to hop in and out. I'm only at 2.5" and 33's and raising my hood to check the oil has become a stretch for me. The point I'm trying make is that personal experience is far more valuable than internet advice. Go out and get your hands dirty with your Jeep.
Many people say that a stock jeep is under powered. Well I found that a stock Jeep handles very well. A heavily modded Jeep becomes sluggish and you may not like how it handles with hundreds of pounds of bumpers, winch, rails, racks, wheels, tires.........
Some things not mentioned are drive shafts, belly armor, gears. and OBA.
I have been involved in automotive hobbies all my life. I have drag raced (high 9s mustangs), road raced (mustangs and corvettes), rode and raced motorcycles, owned lifted and lowered trucks, and stock trucks from F-150s to F-350s, and now I'm looking to jeeps. I have done all my own work from suspensions to complete engine rebuilds/programming.
Jeep and needs/want to experience.
2013 4 door Rubicon
Not my Daily Driver, toy only.
Want to experience local jeep events. These include expeditions, rock crawling, sand dunes/hills, and basic take the top off and cruise the town with my little girl. So it needs to be versatile.
I like my vehicles to look nice. I will play hard with them and spend just as much energy polishing and caring for them. I don't mind spending money on powdercoating parts for looks and durability.
I have been trying to research various parts and suggestions out there. Like all forums and searches there is so many opinions. That's why I started this thread for a place to start. The items I have chosen were just from reading, don't mean they were to best for my needs. so I come to the experts....
JK Junkie
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,863
Likes: 1
From: Bossier City, LA
I do not want a mall crawler, I bought a jeep to do what it does best....but I do enjoy a fantastic looking vehicle. This jeep is not my daily driver, so I have room to store it in the garage when not in use. I have no problems with a 2.5 to 3.5 lift, just would like to be around the 3.5" without sag from equipment.
Last edited by DunnyBunny; Jul 15, 2014 at 08:29 AM.
JK Jedi
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,222
Likes: 376
From: Southwest Reno, NV
You bought a vehicle that was designed to run the rubicon trail off the factory floor. It will do everything you are describing without any modifications. Going out and driving it will, over time, tell you more of what you need then a bunch of people on the forums. Everyone has an opinion and unfortiantally there are very few that have experience with more then one lift kit or set up and most of them are driven by budget or looks not actual performance. Realisitilly for what you are describing 35" tires with a leveling kit and some flat fenders would make the most sense as the only thing you are lacking on the JKUR is a bit of belly clearance.
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,800
Likes: 374
From: Midwest City, OK
Mark,
The green jeep at the 28 second mark and the 58 second mark in the Explore your world video. That is the general "look" I would be going for, but unsure of the set-up. If that is a 2.5 set-up....I could go with the Metalcloak game changer 2.5 or AEV 2.5 with MC duroflex control arms. I have budgeted for drive shafts regardless of the lift I install and gears.
The green jeep at the 28 second mark and the 58 second mark in the Explore your world video. That is the general "look" I would be going for, but unsure of the set-up. If that is a 2.5 set-up....I could go with the Metalcloak game changer 2.5 or AEV 2.5 with MC duroflex control arms. I have budgeted for drive shafts regardless of the lift I install and gears.
As for the four door, the person does a lot of custom work. He made his own bumpers, has his rig supercharged, etc. He's on 35s, but knowing him he's probably taller than 2.5". I can double-check. He's not as active on the forums as the two door owner is, but I should be able to get you more specific answers in a few days.
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Midland, Texas
That is actually two different Jeeps--one a four door, the other a two door. Not sure of the four door, but the two door is running on 37s and probably has a 4" lift. I can contact him on FB--right now he's living in the Philippines, but we are in almost daily contact through a couple different forums if you want specifics.
As for the four door, the person does a lot of custom work. He made his own bumpers, has his rig supercharged, etc. He's on 35s, but knowing him he's probably taller than 2.5". I can double-check. He's not as active on the forums as the two door owner is, but I should be able to get you more specific answers in a few days.
As for the four door, the person does a lot of custom work. He made his own bumpers, has his rig supercharged, etc. He's on 35s, but knowing him he's probably taller than 2.5". I can double-check. He's not as active on the forums as the two door owner is, but I should be able to get you more specific answers in a few days.
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,800
Likes: 374
From: Midwest City, OK
But, you'll find that people--all manor of people--really respect a well-built Jeep. This trip from Oklahoma City through various locations in Tennessee to shoot photos, then to Cumming, Georgia to visit family, then back here had at least a dozen--and probably closer to two dozen--folks come over at rest stops, campgrounds, viewpoints, hiking trailheads, etc, and just start asking me about my Jeep, what I do with it, where I've been with it, etc. Some of these folks were Jeepers, but most weren't. I think there is something primal about seeing a nice Jeep. I actually had three different occasions where folks asked me to take a picture of my Jeep. And this is pretty normal for my travel experiences. You don't need the tallest or baddest rock crawler, if not being mistaken for a mall crawler is your goal.
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,800
Likes: 374
From: Midwest City, OK
Thanks, I didn't realize they were two different jeeps. I believe 4" is way to high for my needs. I have been looking over your profile while reading the huge Expedition thread for awhile now. Any reason you chose the TF over another kit? How has the maintenance been on the part you chose.
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Midland, Texas
When I was building my Jeep there weren't many options. The TF sags in the rear under heavy weight. So, actually I have the TF with OME HD rear springs. A friend of mine, also with the Shrockworks rear bumper/racks/etc, had the same problem, used the same solution. I like it; it works well for him and me. I have several friends whom I've helped install the AEV 2.5" lift and it's also very nice, though I think I prefer adjustable front LCAs to their geometry correction brackets. They do not have a sag problem, but are not running as heavy in the rear as my other friend and I are (but one tows a trailer). I think that AEV did a better job on their rear spring rate than TF did. I'm not a fan of the Bilstein shocks that AEV recommends because you can't properly grip the front passenger one to hold the stud while tightening its mounting nut without cutting some sheetmetal or pulling the battery and tray out. Poor maintenance design. Besides, the Rancho shocks received a ringing endorsement from Overland Journal, so I'm inclined to recommend those or the OME (value award winner in the mag).
The Rancho shock thread on the 9000XLs sparked my interest on them recently (I've been trolling these forums for quite awhile now). I will need to do more research as bilsteins have served me well in road racing applications.
Your Jeep is what sparked my interest in the Shrockworks bumpers. Through research people have reported that those set-up can sag the rear up to 3/4" fully loaded. I wanted to avoid that as much as possible so the MC progressive springs with the adjust ability of the Ranchos might just be the ticket. That's is why tI initially chose a 3.5" lift. I was figuring a loss of 1/2" to 3/4" due to weight. This would have be at a good lift of 2.5"-2.75". What I did not catch was the weighted height, so scaling back to a 2.5 is the route I will probably take.
Of course this is just me playing forum spec jockey, once I do take the jeep out to play in stock form, I'll get a better idea.
Appreciate everyone's input, it certainly helps and more is always better.
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Midland, Texas
But, you'll find that people--all manor of people--really respect a well-built Jeep. This trip from Oklahoma City through various locations in Tennessee to shoot photos, then to Cumming, Georgia to visit family, then back here had at least a dozen--and probably closer to two dozen--folks come over at rest stops, campgrounds, viewpoints, hiking trailheads, etc, and just start asking me about my Jeep, what I do with it, where I've been with it, etc. Some of these folks were Jeepers, but most weren't. I think there is something primal about seeing a nice Jeep. I actually had three different occasions where folks asked me to take a picture of my Jeep. And this is pretty normal for my travel experiences. You don't need the tallest or baddest rock crawler, if not being mistaken for a mall crawler is your goal.
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,800
Likes: 374
From: Midwest City, OK