Ok I've got a decent budget and more importantly my wife is recently become very supportive of upgrades!

Budget is $6,000-$10,000

As is now...

2012 Jeep 2 door 19,000 miles
Evo skid plate package
Goodyear Duratrac's 285/70/17's
BDS 3" lift with Fox shock upgrade
Ace rock rails
Ace front mid-width bumper
Ace pro rear bumper/tire carrier
Warn vm-10000-s winch being installed next week...
Viair 450p air compressor

No lockers, no limited slip

Lousy gearing 3:21

Been looking for answers but I think o have been asking the wrong questions...

Matthew

 

Sounds like a pretty good start already. Maybe bump up to some 35's, Re-gear, Lock the front and rear and sleeve and gusset the front axle. With that kind of budget you'll be able to do tons more.

 

With a 3" lift you will need new drive shafts and 33" will look really small. Personally I would do a rock krawler 2.5" lift, the one with control arms with 33"s. It will give you all the flex and off road capabilities you need. Definitely gusset your axles and you will find out really quickly that a regear is a must. When your buget allows for it a rear locker would be a nice idea. Everything else you listed is going to make your jeep really nice.

 

Heck with that budget might as well get yourself a Manley ORV.

 

X2............

 

What if I really liked that recent thread about replacing your whole front Dana 30 with that Northridge special Dana 44 loaded with heavy duty everything including a locker for $4,950 including shipping...

And then regear rear to match front and replace front drive shaft and goto 35's?

Then when needed replace/rebuild rear factory Dana 44 and add rear locker? Or just add rear locker when regearing?

Matthew

 

I've already got the 3" lift, about 10k miles ago and front shaft is ok so far

Matthew

 

I am just going to cry over the supportive wife and that budget! I ,would say hug your wife again. Stash the cash and go out and wheel it, then go from there as to what you need!

 

The downside to not adding rear traction with the gears is just paying the labor twice. Nothing at all wrong with doing it that way if the budget at regear time doesn't allow for the extra thousand, (or whatever the price is for the traction device you choose). Just makes more sense to do it all at the same time if you can.

 

Are you doing the work yourself or are you paying for someone to install what you buy?