What Do You Guys Think About This Setup?

[swbooking]

I just started jeepin and i dont have enough for a long arm kit so what about this?:

3.5 Full Traction Suspension Kit
Bilstein 5150 Shocks
Full Traction SYE
New Drive Shaft (Tom Woods? Heard it was the best...)

Sound good for just a newbie tryin to get a little more out of the jeep than the stock suspension would do?

oh... price for install and everything is $1500 and i have a 9.0 XJ 4.0 4WD 4DR 30X9.50X15 BFGATs

[Dukes69]

Sounds pretty decent. At 3.5 inches you dont really need an SYE. I ran 4 or so inches in my XJ w/ no sye. It is, however, a good mod to have. I'd say you are on a good track. I would also start thinking about armor.

[swbooking]

cool, yeah the SYE is a maybe if i have some pretty good vibration but ill eventually get along arm and ill need it for that. Wha kin of armor? as in brush guard, roll cage, and rockers?

[Black & Tan TJ]

Forget the brush guard, look at things that will contact the hard stuff. Skid plates, rocker guards, not sure of XJ's but most of us w/TJ's get steering box skids. That probably would be an "at least" list then maybe bumpers. You can go on and on, start w/the basic's.
Got any good trails in Arrowhead you'd like to share? Plan a run.

B&T TJ

[Dukes69]

There are alot of vulnerable areas on the XJ. I would look into rocker guards, enginetranny/t-case skid plates, gas tank skid. Mostly underbody stuff. After that, then I would think about bumpers, etc.

[swbooking]

Yeah i had been looking at skids... the one i want the most is a gas tank skid, im always scared to puncture the tank out there, especially since my chassi is so low right now i bottom out on some things and i dont want to ruin anything in the under carrige. I clicked on that rocket man link, do you guys do work on XJs as well? i just saw a bunch of wranglers on the page. let me know if you do and some prices...

As for trails, yeah there are A BUNCH! There Everywhere... I havent really planned any runs because its not like i can do mch more than a dirt road with some ruts in it but i will as soon as I get a lift and some other things. I used to live in El Segundo (on imperial Ave) but if you ever come up to the mountains you can drop me a line and i can show you some trails out there... ill try to atleast. hahah

[Dukes69]

Not many XJ things, but I can custom make some stuff. Unfortunatly it would be cheaper to buy something off the shelf. Some XJ's came with gas tank skids from the factory, same with the t-case skids. check out www.naxja.com. Its probably the best source for XJ tech, etc.

[swbooking]

yeah im registered there too... i definentley dont have stock tank and t-case skids... i wish. do you know any companies that could put some rockers etc... on for me cheap? maybe in temecula? i used to live in murr (off of winchester by French Valley) are there any good trails out that way? im fairly close i live in riverside during the week, i go to UCR. let me know thanks for the help man...

[swbooking]

Oh and can anyone tell me the difference in CBs? (like whats the best to get etc...) and what tool would i use to trim the fenders on my XJ? i thought an angle grider but thats not very precise... thanks again.

[Dukes69]

yeah im registered there too... i definentley dont have stock tank and t-case skids... i wish. do you know any companies that could put some rockers etc... on for me cheap? maybe in temecula? i used to live in murr (off of winchester by French Valley) are there any good trails out that way? im fairly close i live in riverside during the week, i go to UCR. let me know thanks for the help man...

Not sure if there are any companies around Temecula that do XJ rockers. Maybe all J products in Riverside? I think they're thinking about moving to Big Bear. http://www.boulderbars.com/xjboulderbars.htm, give them a shot. Quinn is a good guy and makes nice stuff.

[Dukes69]

Oh and can anyone tell me the difference in CBs? (like whats the best to get etc...) and what tool would i use to trim the fenders on my XJ? i thought an angle grider but thats not very precise... thanks again.

Uniden makes decent CB's and Firestick is a good antenna to get. I'm sure someone who is more into electronics could help you there. Try a sawsall for the fenders. You can trim the hell out of the fronts, but the rears can only be trimmed about 1-2 inches, IIRC.

[swbooking]

cool thanks chris, i e-mailed quinn and told him you sent me over, hope thats OK. Ill see about going over there or something soon.

and cool thanks for the tips, ill look into a sawsall

[JeepGal]

You dont need no freakin long arm

Just another thing to get hung up on...looks like youre gonna be fine with what youre planning anyway.

Tam

[swbooking]

haha thanks tam...

[jmbrowning]

Well, your off to a good start, I'd say. The Missus jacked up her 2000 XJ and it does plenty fine for Daily Driver use as well as some of the more ambitious trails.

With a 3.5" lift, tire size will be limited to under 33". If you want to go with big tires, go ahead and get the full 5.5" lift and be done with it. She chose the RE 5.5" kit with brackets and it handles quite nicely on the road. The drop brackets don't hang up on too much with the 33's. 34 or 35's might be doable but you'd need to remove a lot of sheetmetal. With 33's, tires touch/massage the fenders but no real rub.

I would recommend considering upgrading your rear axle in the not too far future if larger tires and lockers are to be considered. Consider asking your spouse for a Dana 44 with ARB for a birthday gift...who know's...you might get lucky.

Underside protection is a must. My wife spec'd the Super Rails from AJ's offroad armor (http://www.ajsoffroadarmor.com/RockRails/index.htm). Rocker protection is a must with the longer wheelbase. They have saved the Grocery Getter's bacon many times. They keep the doors opening and closing right and keep rocks away from the clearcoat and glass. She can pivot against rocks with them also.

While a pierced oilpan is mostly a PITA, you will not want to be dropping your XJ onto the tranny or TC. The Missus chose SkidRow skidplates for the oilpan/tranny, gastank, and TC. http://www.skidplates.com/products_84_01_XJ.htm

The bumpers are good to have as there aren't that many places to attach a tow hook to on the unibody. Custom 4x4 got the nod for the frontend. http://www.custom4x4fabrication.com/front_xj.html

Can't remember at this hour who made the rear bumper.

I'd suggest starting with the skidplates and bumpers first. Then go with the suspension. You can never outgrow skidplates (which is why you almost never see people putting their old ones up for sale) and the suspension, axles, gearing, tires, wheel, lockers business is something you will want to plan and execute only once (which is why you almost always see people selling their suspension mods/tires/wheels for a considerable loss when they upgrade to something bigger).