Hi All, Bought a 2008 JK 4 door red with power windows and 17inch rims and 6 speed manual and I love it. Only thing is I would like MORE POWER!! Not alot thought. Im looking for a good exhaust and intake and maby a chip. Please tell me what you got and how well it works and was it worth it. Lift im looking at black diamond right now and Pro Comp XMT 33/12.50R16s with some pro comp wheels. Here is my shopping list this far and it is all planned for the next year.

1. Hitch with hitch hauler (for the highway traveling)
2. Exhaust, Intake and maby a chip. (main goal is make the engine more efficient not really more poweful)
3. Rock sliders
4. Lift and tires
5. Regear to 4.10 and lockers front and rear.

Im hoping this will hold out. Please give me your input good or bad as I am new to jeeping.

 

You don't need a lift for 33's.



You can get TWO Rubicon D44's, for the front back, with lockerss and 4.10 gearing, for a reasonable price, especially considering re-gearing and locker installation costs to do your existing D30, and D44, etc.

If the new rims have around 4.5 -4.75" of Backspacing, you'll be OK with 12.5" section widths.

If you're doing a lift for the tires, you're done, you don't need one....if you need to raise your COG to get frame clearance for your terrain...how High do you need to go, you just said lift, no height...I'm guessing 3"?



The 4.10 gears give a BIG boost to acelleration compared to the stock 3.21's...you might not need a chip, etc.

Well, chew on the above, let us know what makes sense for you.

 

If your talking about the BD 2" lift then you'll be good to go. If your talking about the 3" then 33" will look small. The 3" lift clears 35" easy. I got about 4 1/8" lift out of it.

If your going to re-gear I would hold off on the engine upgrades until you drive it. The bolt on engine stuff isn't all it's cracked up to be. I had to try it out for myself, though.

 

This Black Diamond Lift

These Rock Sliders


As for the regear, where can I buy these from? How much for the front and rear and how hard is it to wire up the lockers? How much better is the D44 vs the D30?

After thinking(the reason for the thread) about it a bit Im going to move engine mods to the end except maby the exhaust. It almost to quiet right now. I am looking at the prices of the procomp 33's vs the 35s. If I go with a 15 inch wheel I can save about $70 per tire. What are the advatages of the 17 inch wheel vs the 15 inch wheel.

 

That is the lift I have and it's too much for 33" tires (In my opinion). If you do go 35 then I have to say that 4.10 gearing isn't enough, especially for towing. So welcome to the world of gearing decisions. I'm going with 4.88 but I don't plan on towing. ( I do have a 6 speed Manual) I have to believe some one here actually has the gears and will be more help than I.

Also, I know of people running 15" rims and say they are good to go. I have 17" but I only did it for looks. I have heard that 15 are better for airing down since you have more sidewall...in my experience, though, they air down and grab as well as anyone else on the trail, never been an issue for me. So, it's your personal pref and wallet unless anyone knows of something else.

Lockers and gears? Not this horse...I've done all my own work except the gearing, I'm paying for that. I just don't have the tools or experience.

 

These are the springs I am running and they will give you a full 4 inches of lift. Looks good, but my 33's are the minimum for looks. 35's will look better (much better), but I get tons of compliments on my set up.

If you don't have 4.10's now, this should be the minimum for 33's and go lower for 35's.

For power the absolute must is a Cold Air Intake. Exhaust next. I didn't notice as much with the chip, but it was the last thing I installed. The CAI woke this thing up.

 

First thing I did was install the Airaid intake and throttle body riser. I wanted / want to get the best gas mpg I can. (I HATE PAYING FOR GAS!!!!) It helped with that, and got a bit more power. And I love the sound when you step on it. I probably would have bought the K&N but it wasn't out yet and I wanted one NOW....!!! I put in Royal Purple synth oil and got another mile or so in the mpg department.
As long as I can get as good as, or as good, mpg with a chip I may do so. We'll see about that. In the old days headers were the way to go for some more power. I'd like to do that too, but don't know if it's worth it yet on the 3.8.
Before my "check engine" light came on.....(my O2 sensor is bad and on order) I was getting 21+ mpg on the highway......which is most my driving. Hope I still get it after the sensor gets replaced.
Verdict is still out also in the exhaust dept.......don't know if it's cost effective, unless you just want it to sound nice.
I guess what I'm saying is that I'd "like" to do al of them....the headers, chip, and exhaust. But really need to do the research to see if it's worth it.
Something to think about......

 

Imagine yourself in a corvette if you want more power without forced induction or a new engine.

 

Thanks all, Ill buy the K&N CAI and just buy the Black Diamond 2" for now and can add on to it later. I really want to regear it but thats gonna have to wait a while unless I come across a good deal. I have not really even looked into lockers yet. To those who have done the 4.10 swap, what can I expect for MPG? Stays the same or down/up? I know with my (cough cough) mustang (cough cough) it made it faster off the line and better MPG.