OK... What's next? $$$'s to spend

[Red Heep]

A little background... Bought the [COLOR="Red"]Red Heep[/COLOR] back in August for a song. It's a 98 4.0L, 5spd, 3.73's, D44 w/LSD, 3.5 RE, Rancho 9000's, quick discos & Crappy 33x12.50 AT's.

I have hit a few trails (Big Bear & Ocotillo) in the last few months and I'm hooked. So... The first thing the wifey said was "Get a Cage!" I'm installing a Rock Hard cage this weekend.

I'm also waiting on the big beautiful brown truck to arrive with my Rokmen Mercenary Sliders, Steering Skid, Riddler Diff Covers (both) and a CB radio setup.

I'm hoping to get all this junk on the Heep before Super Bowl weekend when a few of us are going to check out TruckHaven.

What's next? Real tires (Nitto Mud Grapplers 33x13.50) instead of these street tires? Or, upgrade to a front or rear locker with heavy duty axle? Tummy tuck Skids & SYE with driveshaft? All of these cost AROUND a grand and that's what I think I can talk the wifey into, but then I'm cutoff for about 6 months. [COLOR="red"]What would you do?[/COLOR]

[RAT]

Leave it like it is for now, put as much coin away as you can and go big later. Use the Jeep to it's full potential as is before you drop big coin on it so you can figure out the best mods for what you like to do. With skids and diff covers and the other stuff your doing now you should be able to keep up with the best of us. Drive it like it's sponsored...

[Red Heep]

With skids and diff covers and the other stuff your doing now you should be able to keep up with the best of us.

I wanted some protection first so I can really beat on it. Is this enough armor to tackle some of the more gnarly rock trails?

Drive it like it's sponsored...

It's a toy only... Bought it for pennies... She's gonna get hammered...

[dadasjp]

First, good advice from Rat; find your comfort level first, then IMHO: tires, locker, winch. On the trail you'll always use good tires, often engage a locker and rarely use a winch. BTW, with your gears, unless you want to spend some real big coin re-gearing and beefing up your axles, 33's are about as big as you'll want to go.

[Red Heep]

First, good advice from Rat; find your comfort level first, then IMHO: tires, locker, winch. On the trail you'll always use good tires, often engage a locker and rarely use a winch. BTW, with your gears, unless you want to spend some real big coin re-gearing and beefing up your axles, 33's are about as big as you'll want to go.

Yep, planning on sticking with 33's, just want to go wider (13.50).

[Mike]

I didn't see an oil pan skid plate on your list. Don't leave the pavement without it! A tiny hole can leave you stranded a LONG way from a repair. It's cheap insurance.

A gas tank skid should probably be next after that. The stock one is only for the mildest of hits.

[inVERt'D]

I agree with ratpatrol and the rest: it sounds like you've spent plenty for the time being, but here's my .03:

Look towards getting a front locker first: the best tires in the world don't matter if your one wheel with traction doesn't get torque. My front Aussie Locker cost me $253 shipped, and a few hours of my time to install. It works great--has to be the best bang-for-your-buck locker available. If your LSD is still working (mine is worn out), that combo can be phenomenal.

As far as the tires: wear those babies out! Need more traction--air down. With your current setup, wider tires will get in the way, hitting the fenders, your control arms, etc. Anyway, unless you're mud boggin or in deep snow or sand, flexibility and maneuverability are more important than floatation. Jeeps aren't that great in the sand, mud, or snow, anyway--wheelbase is too short; too easy to end up sideways or on your lid when you're hitting soft stuff fast. What they excel at is the tight and twisty stuff--the rocks, the ruts, the washed-out wastelands (Truckhaven, for instance).

Instead of a winch, get a 4-ton (or even 2-ton) come-along, some recovery gear, and a shovel. When you get a winch, you should still carry those things.

[Mitch]

Damon,

Smart move with the sliders, diff covers, and the cage. I like Kurt's advice. Also Mike hit two important ideas, get a gas tank skid (mine is Warn and it has saved my ass) and also get a oil pan skid. The idea of a wider tire (13.5") might not be the hot ticket. My Mickey Thompson MTZ tires give me good traction and show little wear for the 20,000 miles that I've put on. I don't know anyone who is running Nitto's. And when you start playing with axles, gears, and lockers you will blow away that $1000 three times over. Air down when you run in the dirt and buy a small compressor.

Mitch

[aw12345]

Damon, you got the basics, for tires bfg km2's, goodyear mtr's baja claws or MTZ's all do well
33x12.50 is plenty good and save you some coin over the nitto's but then its your money. Air down and wheel it fix or change what you hate or break, if you hang up at stuff underneath look at it change it or trim it. aGood oil pan skid and tank skidis weel worth the money also change the radiator hoses and such a busted hose is a real bummer out in the tulleys same goes for the belts, the cheap stuff can really ruin a good wheeling day. From thgere go wheel it and after 6 months or so when the current setup really limits you move on to the next mods.
I showed a guy how to run a bunch of stuff last weekend and he was amazed what his stock tj with a 2"bb and 31.s and open diffs would do. find its limits and move on from there

[Red Heep]

Good Advice from ALL!!!

Thanks for all the advice guys. I think I'll take it. I will hold off on tires, lockers, etc. until I have "tapped out" my current setup.

I have changed all the hoses and the belt when I bought it so I should be ok there. Full tune up. I picked up a cheap air compressor, tow strap, shovel, d-rings, hi-jack so I'm ok there. Everyone says a "good" oil pan skid and gas tank skid. Ok, I'll open that can of worms... Who has a "good" skid?

[brokenujoint]

fire extinguisher
military ammo containers for gear
spare ujoints, oil, hoses,fluids, etc
oba
always carry shelter and rations like a one man tint and some food/water
map
spare shafts
necessary tools
cash
warm clothes
your hi lift
NOT EXCITING THINGS TO BUY/HAVE BUT THEY WILL SAVE YOUR A55..

I enjoyed not having lockers in my tj for years and years.. taught me how to get out of some great situations. i am now fully locked with detroit rear & ARB front & when locked, its kinda boring because i know i'll get up stuff & if i dont, something will just break. getting stuck can be fun.

If i were in your shoes, I would get a tank skid.. Saved me MANY times. i wouldnt waste any money on the front 30 although i still run it and its fine. hindsight would just have me save for something larger. your 44 is great. i'd get something like a detroit or OX (but wait til your good w/what you have first)and some shafts.
I would do a SYE. have you ever wasted a shaft and stood there and watched your baby (jeep) bleed to death?

SO:

gas tank skid
SYE w/a better DS
A front disconnect or preferred antirock
rear detroit or OX

shop craigslist and ebay. you'd be pleasantly suprised.also shop pirate4x4 and JU's for sale posts as well as MJR's

[dadasjp]

I like my skidrow oil pan/tranny (auto) skid plate, ties nicely into the t-case skid plate and helps to keep the front of the t-case skid from acting like a shovel. Personally, I'd do this before the gas tank skid, but I've never really had any problems with my stock rubicon one and don't know how strong yours may be?? Also, I think someone on here was looking to get rid of a used warn 10k lb winch, keep an eye out and you'll see several of these items (used) come up for sale from people upgrading or parting-out.

[inVERt'D]

fire extinguisher
military ammo containers for gear
spare ujoints, oil, hoses,fluids, etc
oba
always carry shelter and rations like a one man tint and some food/water
map
spare shafts
necessary tools
cash
warm clothes
your hi lift

You forgot TP

[miguelitojeep97]

what Rat said....


you will be a better driver in the future if you can wheel with open diffs and 33s for now.

[scherf68]

Nitto Mud Grapplers are awesome tires for the trails but on the street they suck, extemely loud, poor gas mileage and they wander. If it's not a daily driver, no big deal.