ZJ on a budget

[IslandZJ]

Hey. Just joined and figured id just get right to it. So here goes.
Ive decide to do some work to my zj. Its been sitting for quite a few months. I bought a truck for my dd and figured i had better do something with the jeep befor lot rot sets in to far.
Only catch is im going to school for my first year electrical in may and dont wanna spend a whole bunch of money untill after that. So This is gonna be a budget build.

The plan is to fit 35's with only a 2 inch lift. So im trimming the fenders and throwing on wheel spacers.
The jeep allready has two inch coil spacers in it and thats probly the only lift itll be getting. Possibly an extra 1 inch spacer in the front if i need to but only as a last resort.
This is how it sits before i start
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300298.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300297.jpg
The tires are a set of 315/75R16 cooper discoverer AT's. Basically brand new. Came off my dodge when i bought it. They measure to about 33.5 inches so fairly close to most 35s. Im just throwing them on the stock jeep rims. Ill be putting 2 inch wheel spacers on as well so that the tires wont rub on the inner wheel wells and lower control arms at full lock. It just barely rubs now without spacers so with them i should be good.
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300407.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300406.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300405.jpg
I cut an inch and a quarter out of the front and rear fenders. I flexed it up a little bit today with the 35's on it and the tires had tons of clearence. That could change a bit tho once i have the wheel spacers on but i dont mind cutting a bit more to make it work. I also hammered flat all the seams and sharp edges inside the wheel wells so if there is any rubbing when i flex it should only be on flat metal. Nothing for them to get cut on now.
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300414.jpg
I took the rear sway bar out to help with more flex and ill probly be doing the same in the front. The front flex is terrible as it is. Axle only moves up and down a few inches. Only thing that would be stopping it tho would be the sway bar and i guess the shocks might be maxing out. Longer shocks are in the plans too tho. The sway bar should be out tomorrow so hopefully thatll improve it.
Axles are a 30 front and a 44a rear. Not the best but itll do for now. I plan to weld both and i'll just take spare shafts when i go out. I think i should be fine if i dont beat on them to badly.
Motor is a 5.2. i probly wont do anything to it right now except to remove the stock air box and make some type of home made cold air intake. Only doin that so that i can put a second battery where the air box is now.
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300420.jpg
Im also doing OBA while im at it. Gonna use the stock ac compressor to power it and an air tank in the back that i picked up last week. Ill post up more detailed info of the system when i plumb it all up. Probly this sunday.
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300410.jpg
Im also gonna do a gps system in it. I want to be able to plot maps of all the trails i find or make or whatever. Most people seem to just use handhelds with a vehicle mount but handheld have limited plotting and tiny screens. not really what i was hopping for. the better vehicle mounted gps's seem to be pretty expensive, like around 800 or so, and still have limited memory. So in searching for an alternative ive decided on somehtig a bit different. Im gonna use this laptop http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/pr...roduct=2515941 (http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Mobile_Internet&product=2515941) Wich is tiny. 2lbs and a 7 inch screen. And use this to mount it in the jeep http://cgi.ebay.ca/Car-Floor-Seat-Bo...QQcmdZViewItem (http://cgi.ebay.ca/Car-Floor-Seat-Bolt-Mount-Kit-for-ASUS-EEE-PC-2G-4G_W0QQitemZ150211424249QQihZ005QQcategoryZ116346Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) and use one of these antennas http://cgi.ebay.ca/Navibe-GM720-SiRF...QQcmdZViewItem (http://cgi.ebay.ca/Navibe-GM720-SiRF-III-USB-GPS-Receiver-for-PC-Laptop_W0QQitemZ180211827030QQihZ008QQcategoryZ466 8QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) and then run this program on it http://www.oziexplorer.com/ (http://www.oziexplorer.com/) with these maps installed http://www.backroadmapbooks.com/inde...roducts_id=229 (http://www.backroadmapbooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_book_info&cPath=70_87&products_id=229)
Way more memory then a gps and unlimited plotting. Plus all the local logging roads allready mapped out. Hopefully it works out the way i want it too.

[nierace]

Definitely a sweet low budget rig.

You should really keep a sway bar connected to help with off camber situations, or you're gonna be extra tippy. I'd keep the rear connected and get quick disconnects for the front.

I wouldn't weld the front axle, if anything spend the 250 bucks on a aussie locker, or leave it open. Do you have CV or u-joint shafts ?

I'd also look into getting coils + longer shocks to help your travel.

If I did it over again I would do a similar build as to what your doing...keeping the COG nice and low.

[SirFuego]

Have fun doing more cutting once you start to flex it out. Make sure you buy more sawzall blades and cutting discs.

My tires only stopped rubbing on the outer fender once I cut the fenders to where there was no flare left. I'm running 31x11.5 swampers on a 2" lift. The wheel spacers will only make rubbing on the outer fenders worse, so I'd imagine you are going to need to chop up the front fenders a lot more.

Oh get rid of the stock control arms, too if you plan on wheeling it hard. They only last so long. Ask me how I know...

[IslandZJ]

Definitely a sweet low budget rig.

You should really keep a sway bar connected to help with off camber situations, or you're gonna be extra tippy. I'd keep the rear connected and get quick disconnects for the front.

I wouldn't weld the front axle, if anything spend the 250 bucks on a aussie locker, or leave it open. Do you have CV or u-joint shafts ?

I'd also look into getting coils + longer shocks to help your travel.

If I did it over again I would do a similar build as to what your doing...keeping the COG nice and low.

You think a sway bar is really needed or would firmer shock do the trick? I guess ill have to take it out and see how it feels without the sway bars and then decide what to do.

What would be the downside to welding the axle over a locker. If done right i dont see any reason it should break. Plus its free, and this is on a budget.

[IslandZJ]

Have fun doing more cutting once you start to flex it out. Make sure you buy more sawzall blades and cutting discs.

My tires only stopped rubbing on the outer fender once I cut the fenders to where there was no flare left. I'm running 31x11.5 swampers on a 2" lift. The wheel spacers will only make rubbing on the outer fenders worse, so I'd imagine you are going to need to chop up the front fenders a lot more.

Oh get rid of the stock control arms, too if you plan on wheeling it hard. They only last so long. Ask me how I know...

I took it out into my back yard and flexed it out on friday. No rubbing on the outer fender at all. Probly about at least an inch clearance between it and the tire. I dont think im gonna run the wheel spacers anymore tho. I dont think their needed. Ill check it out tho once they get here.

As far as the lower control arms, i totaly agree with you but i only plan on keeping this setup for maybe a year and then i'll be throwing in long arms and 60s so im not really interested in spending a bunch of money on that stuff.

[nierace]

You think a sway bar is really needed or would firmer shock do the trick? I guess ill have to take it out and see how it feels without the sway bars and then decide what to do.

What would be the downside to welding the axle over a locker. If done right i dont see any reason it should break. Plus its free, and this is on a budget.

You'll need a sway bar, shocks aren't going to help in that situation, they're made to handle quick impacts, not long gradual "lean"

When you weld it its always locked, with a locker, it will only lock up when theres slip and power is going to the pinion. You're definately pushing your luck though with 35's on the D30 and welded for shaft breakage, though the aussie will put just as much stress on the shafts when its locking up. Like I said you may be better off leaving it open until you get a beefier axle :dunno:

[Hurricane 4x4]

If you weld the front it will be terrible to drive on the street. Unless you are trailering it everywhere, I wouldn't weld the front. Like others said get an aussie lunchbox locker.. cheap and effective. You can get away with welding the rear and still have it streetable tho.

You will want to disconnect the front swaybar when you go offroad, but leave the rear connected. The rear swaybar isn't as heavy as the front and it won't limit your flex much (especially for you, with 2" of lift and stock control arms) but having the rear connected will keep the thing much more stable.


Also if you have a CV driveshaft (most with the 5.2 did) and CV front axle shafts.. and you are running 35's, you're asking for serious trouble. You can do a swap and get u-joints all around for cheap though with xj/zj parts.

[2jeepsforus]

Have fun doing more cutting once you start to flex it out. Make sure you buy more sawzall blades and cutting discs.

My tires only stopped rubbing on the outer fender once I cut the fenders to where there was no flare left. I'm running 31x11.5 swampers on a 2" lift. The wheel spacers will only make rubbing on the outer fenders worse, so I'd imagine you are going to need to chop up the front fenders a lot more.

Oh get rid of the stock control arms, too if you plan on wheeling it hard. They only last so long. Ask me how I know...


Whatever you do, don't let Jared cut your fenders LOL

[AgitatedPancake]

You'll need a sway bar, shocks aren't going to help in that situation, they're made to handle quick impacts, not long gradual "lean"

When you weld it its always locked, with a locker, it will only lock up when theres slip and power is going to the pinion. You're definately pushing your luck though with 35's on the D30 and welded for shaft breakage, though the aussie will put just as much stress on the shafts when its locking up. Like I said you may be better off leaving it open until you get a beefier axle :dunno:


at 2" I dont think he's going to be having any tippyness problems, personally I wouldn't worry about a swaybar at that height, but to each his own.

[SirFuego]

I disconnect my front sway bar when wheeling. I wheel my ZJ pretty hard with only a 2" lift and 31" tires and it doesn't feel tippy at all on the trails. I do still have my rear sway bar though. My 31s rub on the inner fender when flex out. I could probably fix that though by adding more bumpstop.

A word of warning though. You said your aren't rubbing right now when flexed out. Expect that to change pretty dramatically if you take off the front sway bar.

I hope I'm wrong about this, but the only way I decided I was going to fit 35s on 2" lift and still keep it wheelable was to relocate a bunch of stuff in the engine, cut out the inner fenders and replace it with tubing. Not that I'm against doing it -- I just don't have the tools or skills to do that. Although those tires look narrow, so that should help a lot.

I'm definitely interested in what you come up with :D

[DanKNesS]

yep its all whole new world of FLEX without the sway bars. i used to disconnect my front only when wheeling but now i just said to hell with it and got rid of the front sway bar. i ditched the rear a while back. so now its kinda like a battle ship on the road.- at high tide

word of warning. I have RE 3.5 coils which are underrated so closer to 4" lift in the front and with out the sway bar i was rubbing my 31's with minor trimming. now i have 33's but my fenders are chopped SEVERLY. barely anything left. and the 33's are rubbing a lil bit at full flex. im gonna add 2 inch spacer and new lower CA's.

i think it is impossible to run 35's PROPERLY with just a 2inch lift. just my 2cents tho.

good luck... i also dont advise running larger then 33's on your stock axles.. and even more 35's SHOULD be on a long arm setup.
good luck bro

[DanKNesS]

LOL i just looked at your pics and you can totally see where it was rubbing on the driver side just from turning passenger.

see the marks on the sway bar and the skid plate? as well as in the wheel well from turning driver

BTW you are a F'n NUT!!! good job bro never have i seen 35's on 2" lift. u deserve an award

[IslandZJ]

I flexed it out quick today at lunch to take a pic an show you guys where im at right now. This is with the sway bars and three shocks out. I havent had a chance to take out the rear passenger one yet.
It only rubs on a few small spots. The worst spot is the rear of the front inner wheel wells. Im gonna take the sledge to that tho and see what i can do with it. The other spot that may be a problem is the lower control arms when i reversve at full lock it rubs on the sharp edge.

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300427.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300428.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300429.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300430.jpg
:D

[MUDDTRACKS]

35's and 2" of lift makes for a stable ride. looks good man

[grandmaster]

Were you running 33's before with just the 2"BB and no trimming?? Or was it a suspension lift. When I bought my grand (stock) the rear sway bar was broken so a ditched it right off the bat. Now im running a 4 inch and it doesn't seem to unstable. The front has disconnects on it for when i go offroad but all in all I would say you dont need a rear sway bar with a 2" lift. I actually dont know many people that run them.

By the way the GPS idea is good. I have a Gramin Nuvi 350. I love that thing, and i couldnt be happier. Anyway just one guys opinion

[IslandZJ]

Were you running 33's before with just the 2"BB and no trimming?? Or was it a suspension lift.

The tires on it before measured out to about a 32. And ya just the bb and no trimming. Rubbed a little on the rockers at full droop and on the front inner wheel wells at full lock but nothing major.

[MyNameIsJerry]

Low lift and big tires, I like it.

[IslandZJ]

So ive got some goodies here to keep me busy.
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300436.jpg

2" wheel spacers, 24" brake lines from crown performance, Pressure switch for my OBA, u joint dana 30 shafts for spares, and a HP dana 30. The dana 30 may get swapped into the jeep at some point in the future but for now i'm just gonna take the shafts and swap them into my LP 30 thats in there right now. Ill be getting new u-joints for all the shafts on sunday. I still need to find a couple spare 44a shafts.
I got the wheel spacers on. Installed the extra 1" coil spacers i had in the front. Started trimming back the front bumper. ripped out the charcoal box. And took out the factory air box.
Ill take some pics tomorrow in the light of how its looking now.

[IslandZJ]

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300443.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300447.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300440.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300449.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300450.jpg

Ok this is how its looking now. Got more flex outta it after i put in the wheel spacers and the front 1" blocks. Only spot its rubbing now is the very rear of the front wheel wells. Imma take the sledge to it tho and that should be fixed.
Im still not that happy with the front flex. What do you guys think? What could be limiting it. Down travel seems to be ok but its not compressing up very far it seems. Is it just the way itll be with short arms?

[SirFuego]

Looks like your front sway bar is still connected. That's probably what is limiting front flex. You'll get a ton more flex if you disconnect it, but like I said before -- expect a ton more rubbing if you disconnect it.

[IslandZJ]

Looks like your front sway bar is still connected. That's probably what is limiting front flex. You'll get a ton more flex if you disconnect it, but like I said before -- expect a ton more rubbing if you disconnect it.

Both sway bars are disconnected

[IslandZJ]

Ok so stupid me I didnt think about it before but I guess where its rubbing on the lower rear part of the front wheel well is probly whats limiting the flex. Tires hitting the wheel well and just lifting the body. We'll see what happens tomorrow after i use the BFH on it.

[IslandZJ]

Havent had a chance to do much to the jeep lately. Been super busy with work.but i was able to install the adjustable control arms that i ordered up. Fixed all my rubbing problems. My cv drive shaft is all messed up now tho. I was switching it to u joint style anyways tho so not a big deal.
I've almost finished the on board air too. I'll be workin on the jeep lots this week so i should have more pics soon.

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum/http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300452.jpg
http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum/http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300455.jpg

[canadian_driver]

i think u ment to do



http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300452.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/97zj/S6300455.jpg

[IslandZJ]

thanks

[Grouper]

Why dont you get some fucking work done Yuppie!!:D

[bshows73]

I like the roof rack. One of the better knock offs I have seen so far LOL.

[Grouper]

Still no update......:(