What does my jeep need now......help please

[talljeepchick]

90 YJ pretty bare bones for the most part just the 33 A/T tires suspension lift and a t-case skid plate.
I have a budget of about 6k-7k for this project.
What I need are new tires, which are better A/T's or M/T's, this is my daily driver but would also like to take it out on the trials
I would like to beef up the steering , replace the shocks and replace the front seats.
Since it is a little 4-banger how much power would I lose if I installed an aftermarket A/C....?? Just curious.
I have already dumped a pile of money into it over the past 6 months replacing old and worn parts so now its time to complete it.
And since you guys are the pros I thought I would come here and get the best advice.
And thank you for your time

[NAILER341]

for 6-7 grand, there is a whole lot you can do to your jeep to make it more enjoyable on and off of the trail. here is where i'd start.
first... there are a few questions. you are running 33" tires, but what gears are you running? if it is the stock 4.10 gears.. here is where you should dump your first grand. see www.jcfabanddesign.com for pricing. he has great prices.
as for the tires, i love my goodyear mt/r's. they do well on road, and fantastic in rocks, and dirt.
as for the seats. i personally really like the mastercraft seats. they are not cheap, but your back will thank you.
as for the A/C.. i personally think it is a waste of time. you wont be able to adequately cool a jeep to make it worthwhile. IMHO
i have ac on my jeep, and it is no longer connected. i really dont miss it at all. besides, it will really kill the power from the 4 banger.
can you make a list of the things you do have on your jeep, so we dont suggest you to add them
for example, rock rails, swaybar disconnects, lift [type] etc....
i hope this helps

[talljeepchick]

I figured I would lose too much power with the AC it was just a thought.......
When I bought the jeep it had a 3 1/2 in. lift from superlift, nerf bars ( those need to go) and thats about it. I dont have any rock rails, sway bar diconnects or any other goodies except for the t-case skid plate. I will assume I am running 4.10 gears still and I do need to replace my rear diff spyder gears.
I figured I have dropped enough money into now that I dont want to sell it and get one with unknown issues and might as well spend the money to make it a good trail jeep as well as a decent daily driver.
Thanx for the input so far and look forward to hearing what everyone has to say.

[sarah]

To start, I'd say get some rockers and disco's (disconnects), they will make each trip more comfortable and less tense when you get close to any rocks. If you need new wheels, those 40/ea steel black rims are a great way to spend a little and get a lot. How about a CB, do you have one of those?

[talljeepchick]

gots the CB...... first aid kit, extinguisher etc.........need to get a full size tire carrier though..... thanx Sarah, I think the rims could be replaced as well........

[sarah]

Dukes69 is making tire carriers and bumpers, he can probably hook you up! If you have extra money too you can also think about OBA (on board air).

[jmbrowning]

Ultimate Jeep! How to Build It: YJ
Fool Everyone in a Weenie YJ
Link courtesy of JPMagazine.com

Highlights:

• 4.88 gears with lockers
• XJ hi-pinion Dana 30 w/o vacc disconnect (I like the idea of a cable disconnect or vacuum disconnect to enable 2WD Lo)
• HP Dana 44 rear axle (my favorite recommendation, though some might recommend the Ford 8.8)
• 4 to 1 TC kit (they recommend Atlas and even consider moving engine forward and getting a Klune underdrive in there)
• 3"-4" suspension lift with 1"-2" body lift and fender trimming to get 35" tires
• 15x8 alloy beadlocks

Good, Bad, and What It's For:
The advantage the YJ has over earlier Jeep models is that almost everything could be bolt-on. The four-banger is probably a joke if you live in mountainous areas and wanted to use it as a daily driver or if you like to blast over huge dunes. But with the right gearing the four would be perfect for high-revving short bursts and crawling trail duty.
--

Tito took his 4 Banger YJ to Moab and had a great time. He has the Klune and, man, that thing will idle over anything. He went with a SOA and was able to clear 35's easily.

'Course, you ought to get rocker guards, tow points, engine skid and gas tank skid first, no?

HTH

edit: JeepJunkie has an extra XJ that he is thinking of parting out vs. selling outright. PM him and see if he is selling a HP D30 front axle.

[JeepGal]

Originally posted by talljeepchick
gots the CB...... first aid kit, extinguisher etc.........need to get a full size tire carrier though..... thanx Sarah, I think the rims could be replaced as well........

Chris (Dukes69) is making some real nice bumpers...front and rear with tire carriers. Hes giving real good deals to the folks on MJR...PM him here, or email him from his website
Rock-ItMan.com

The Gallery isnt working for me right now, Id be happy to email or IM you some pics

As far as the rest...Id highly suggest GoodYear MT/r's. Im not sure how big you wanna go. But regardless, theyll improve your wheeling experience tremendously.

Tam

[rick]

Tito took his 4 Banger YJ to Moab and had a great time. He has the Klune and, man, that thing will idle over anything. He went with a SOA and was able to clear 35's easily.

Absolutely the coolest thing I have seen done with a 4 banger YJ... Move your engine mounts forward (it looked like about 4" to me), stick a Klune in between the tranny and an Atlas II with 4:1 low, flat skid supporting the whole mess. His driveshaft is longer than mine...no pun intended. I think his crawl ratio is like 176:1 or so. There goes $4k...

If it's your daily driver, you might consider staying with the 33s unless you are planning on running the hardcore stuff. You can do most any trail in SoCal on 33s if the rest of your stuff is up to it. (It's also more fun on 33s...) Especially if you decide to clock your tcase, flat skid it, and shave a bit off that HP 44 you're puttin under there.

[NAILER341]

if you are going to ditch the nerf bars, get yourself some nice rock sliders. i have the warn, and really like them.
get some 8" aluminum wheels that can later be cut into beadlocks if you decide you need them.
a set of goodyear mt/r tires
so far about 1500 bucks
re gear the front to 4.88 gears. replace the rear axle with a ford 8.8, and have it geared to 4.88, and have a couple of arb lockers installed in there. that is about another 2 grand.
a couple of bumpers, and a tire carrier... with a winch? and some beefy tow points, and you are in business!
throw in a box of spare parts, and tools... you are ready for pretty much any trail out there

[aston]

blah, blah

When embarking on a project think about how your Jeep will be when it's finished. In reality this never happens but start with the end in mind.

For example, many folks install a 2" lift and 31s, then remove the lift and go for a 4" then remove the 31s and so on.

Spec out how you want your Jeep to be and only by parts that meet that goal.

Also, while I'm thinking about it...one modification improves one area but seems to mess up something else.
For example, big tires hurt your gearing, suspension lift hurts drive shaft angles, and so on...

Chris L.

[JeepJunkie]

Originally posted by jmbrowning
edit: JeepJunkie has an extra XJ that he is thinking of parting out vs. selling outright. PM him and see if he is selling a HP D30 front axle. [/B]

I do have another XJ with a HP D30. i would sell it too you but i would be taking the axleshafts for myself along with the gears...im assuming you would regear anyway. But if you want it, ill sell it. Only prob would be getting it to you but im sure something can be figured. PM me if you need it or anything else that may be useful from my cherokee.

[NAILER341]

personally, i dont see a need for that on her jeep. the yj already has a high pinion 30. i have had no issues with it.
i may be wrong, but i think there are many other ways she should spend the money.
nothing against the 30 you have on the table...

[blkTJ]

Build the ultimate YJ???

step one... sell YJ on ebay for whatever you can get.

step two... buy TJ.

hehe, J/K!!! :yay:

lots of good info in here. I think you need to come wheeling up in Big Bear this weekend. It'll help you decide which path is the right one for YOU.

Good luck and happy modding.

[NAILER341]

talljeepchick, this is true.. we dont know what type of wheeling you have in mind for your jeep. all of these are just suggestions, and you may not need all of the beefy crap we are suggesting. maybe a pair of rock sliders, and a vacation to hawaii?