Hello everyone. This has probably been asked many times so please forgive me. I have been talking to a couple of Jeep places in the area about regearing, lockers, axle shaft upgrades, and lift kits. As far as the lift kits go, which brand would you recommend. My TJ will be a daily driver but I would like to use it on some trails as much as I can when time allows it. Nothing super crazy, but I want a good lift kit (not too basic). I've been quoted for Metal Cloak, Rusty's and Rock Krawler but since I am a newbie, I'd like to get your opinions as far as the quality and reliability these companies. I've heard of Curries but that is a bit on the pricey side for me. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Lift kits
- Thread starter ronin777
- Start date
Good place to start is
forum.novajeepers.com
Next question. What is the goal of your build? There are lots of short arm systems out there. On a TJ I would look at a long arm system for better geometry. Clayton makes a solid bolt on system that has great reviews.
What is your budget?
For all of what you are talking about lift, lockers regear tires wheels you are going to be in the $12,000 range having some one install. Short arm be mindful of the amount of lift. TJ control arms are short. This messes with geometry.
A serious upgrade would be a coilover suspension great ride on and off road but dig deep they are $$$$$$$$$.
One way to control costs is have a wrenching party. If you don't have the space or tools people will open their garages to you. But be prepared to get hands on.
You can do the lift, axle shafts, ball joints and steering gear on a wrenching party. The gearing and lockers shop around for quotes. I will refrain from recommending a shop. They all have good and bad days.
Cheers
Some Thoughts on Modifications Part 2
I have revieved this thread in the new forum. My thought in starting this thread is to try to pool some information learned thru my build process. It is my intent to let others learn from my experience, research and application. I wrote this not to suggest one manufacture or brand over...
forum.novajeepers.com
Next question. What is the goal of your build? There are lots of short arm systems out there. On a TJ I would look at a long arm system for better geometry. Clayton makes a solid bolt on system that has great reviews.
What is your budget?
For all of what you are talking about lift, lockers regear tires wheels you are going to be in the $12,000 range having some one install. Short arm be mindful of the amount of lift. TJ control arms are short. This messes with geometry.
A serious upgrade would be a coilover suspension great ride on and off road but dig deep they are $$$$$$$$$.
One way to control costs is have a wrenching party. If you don't have the space or tools people will open their garages to you. But be prepared to get hands on.
You can do the lift, axle shafts, ball joints and steering gear on a wrenching party. The gearing and lockers shop around for quotes. I will refrain from recommending a shop. They all have good and bad days.
Cheers
Thanks R3. I'm trying to find a happy medium between daily driving and some trail riding on weekends. Realistically, I don't think I will do any rock crawling or any heavy off-roading. I just want to have fun with my TJ. As far as the lockers, re-gear, and super 35/super 30, rear drum-to-disc conversion upgrades, Off Road Inovations have the best quote so far but you are correct with your estimate of the cost. That is what I am expecting. I am open to a wrenching party if there is one, I don't mind getting my hands dirty and I do have tools. What I may do is skip the lift for now and get the regearing, lockers, super 35/super 30 done after I get the rust work done and try to do the lift myself or join a wrenching party to save some $. I will look into the Claytons, thanks for the recommendations. Have a great evening.Good place to start is
Some Thoughts on Modifications Part 2
I have revieved this thread in the new forum. My thought in starting this thread is to try to pool some information learned thru my build process. It is my intent to let others learn from my experience, research and application. I wrote this not to suggest one manufacture or brand over...
Next question. What is the goal of your build? There are lots of short arm systems out there. On a TJ I would look at a long arm system for better geometry. Clayton makes a solid bolt on system that has great reviews.
What is your budget?
For all of what you are talking about lift, lockers regear tires wheels you are going to be in the $12,000 range having some one install. Short arm be mindful of the amount of lift. TJ control arms are short. This messes with geometry.
A serious upgrade would be a coilover suspension great ride on and off road but dig deep they are $$$$$$$$$.
One way to control costs is have a wrenching party. If you don't have the space or tools people will open their garages to you. But be prepared to get hands on.
You can do the lift, axle shafts, ball joints and steering gear on a wrenching party. The gearing and lockers shop around for quotes. I will refrain from recommending a shop. They all have good and bad days.
Cheers
Just my own opinion after owning and wheeling modded Jeeps for the better part of 35 years... Clayton and Metalcloak are currently the two best options on the market, as far as price per value on a complete kit. Teraflex is a close second, but has some parts (such as high performance stabilizers) that are far superior.
Again just opinion, for a casual offroader, Metalcloak is more street friendly. Clayton has a tad better ofroad performance and durability.
As far as axles go, even with strengthening, a 30/35 combo is definitely going to limit your tire options. I wouldn't dream of going over a 35", even if you are a lightfooted driver. And a 35" puts you at the limit for reliability, possibly past it, depending on the wheel/tire combo.
Just my opinion if you are looking to save money and have a reliablebuild that allows for more wheel/tire options while getting you into better brakes, I would look for some JK, JL or JT Rubicon factory take-off axles. They will be much stronger, have the lockers and possibly the desired gears, all for a lot less than properly building up the 30/35 package and doing a brake conversion. A good shop will be able to get the spring and shock mounts welded up for a reasonable price, too.
Again just opinion, for a casual offroader, Metalcloak is more street friendly. Clayton has a tad better ofroad performance and durability.
As far as axles go, even with strengthening, a 30/35 combo is definitely going to limit your tire options. I wouldn't dream of going over a 35", even if you are a lightfooted driver. And a 35" puts you at the limit for reliability, possibly past it, depending on the wheel/tire combo.
Just my opinion if you are looking to save money and have a reliablebuild that allows for more wheel/tire options while getting you into better brakes, I would look for some JK, JL or JT Rubicon factory take-off axles. They will be much stronger, have the lockers and possibly the desired gears, all for a lot less than properly building up the 30/35 package and doing a brake conversion. A good shop will be able to get the spring and shock mounts welded up for a reasonable price, too.
Options:
D30/35 are light duty axles. Adding lockers to them puts additional stress on light duty components. A thought is to look at axle swaps for a D44, yes much like finding hens teeth.
For the money you are looking at, a company like East Coast gear you could have a set of axles built with all the components you are looking for and be ahead of the game. The axles swap is a Day Job in a arage or drive way and I would be happy to volunteer my place to do so. I had this comnversation with on eof my close wheelign buddies on his TJ. he wanted to upgrade the D30/35s. After several broken axle shafts he moved up to a 8.8 rear... then decided to swap all out for new 489 axles from ECGS. He had the work done by a local shop that added to the cost as he had limited schedule to do the work.
You can build a D44 with, RCV front axles and 4340 rear axles, Disc brakes all around and either e-lockers or ARB lockers. Also you can spect upgraded ball joints ( dynatrac) or even King pins in place of the ball joint. Price wise you might be about the same but functionality an dlongevity you will be far ahead. you can add locking hubs as well to improve fuel mileage and reduce front end wear. I think Ford and CJ wheel will fit with locking hubs, check with ECGS on that.
Take a look I would recommend the 489 axles @spnkzyj did this swap and can chime in here.
Jeep TJ
Jeep TJ Please read our Jeep FAQ Page for all questions related to Jeep complete assemblies.
eastcoastgearsupply.com
Shoot me a pm with you email and I will introduce you to the sales man that I worked with.
Red Jeep Out.
My path will probably differ a little as I am very hands on, and tend to do things the hard way because I want to learn. Everyone says XYZ. Sometimes it makes sense, sometimes I want to try and see.
I originally built installed 4.56 gears and a Detroit Trutrac in the Dana 35. I feel like I wheeled it pretty hard and "got away with it" because I tend to be a technical driver with less of a right foot. However, I think I got away with it because I wasn't locked. Just limited slip. BTW, this is on 33" then 35" KM3s.
I sold it and had a 489 built by ECGS. My reason was my wheeling level called for it. I was starting to get into situations that I needed the rear locked. The slipping was preventing me from completing the obstacle. One of the best upgrades I did. 4.56, Ox Locker, disc brakes (I was drum), 35 spline axles. I'm sure at some point I'll put 37s on it, and that doesn't scare me.
The Dana 30, again, I built. 4.56, Detroit trutrac, chrome moly axles. I've been getting away with this because it's not locked I believe. When I go 37s I'm not 100% sure what I'm gonna do. I may go 489 from ECGS, or I may truss and throw some RCVs in the Dana 30. I like how compact the Dana 30 is. Along with the ground clearance. Right now, I like the limited slip vs the locker in the front. May sound counter intuitive, but limited slip and locker drive very differently. The whole rig was much more point and shoot with limited slip. Lockers "get in the way" a lot. I'm also thinking of stretching the front 4-6" and doing a coil over front, again something I want to do myself. That's when I have to decide which direction I'm going to go with the D30.
Again, my path may be different. I enjoy the build almost as much as the drive. I'm trying to learn as much as I can. It's costing me more out of pocket because I'm doing things "twice", but I'm getting more for my money then others might. Hopefully that makes sense.
If you want to do it once and never have to worry about it again, totally recommend the 489. However, I learned a lot just regearing and putting limited slip in and driving it for a couple years. That's easier to stomach when you are saving $1200 and axle by doing it your self. $1200 towards the 489 may be better spent.
I originally built installed 4.56 gears and a Detroit Trutrac in the Dana 35. I feel like I wheeled it pretty hard and "got away with it" because I tend to be a technical driver with less of a right foot. However, I think I got away with it because I wasn't locked. Just limited slip. BTW, this is on 33" then 35" KM3s.
I sold it and had a 489 built by ECGS. My reason was my wheeling level called for it. I was starting to get into situations that I needed the rear locked. The slipping was preventing me from completing the obstacle. One of the best upgrades I did. 4.56, Ox Locker, disc brakes (I was drum), 35 spline axles. I'm sure at some point I'll put 37s on it, and that doesn't scare me.
The Dana 30, again, I built. 4.56, Detroit trutrac, chrome moly axles. I've been getting away with this because it's not locked I believe. When I go 37s I'm not 100% sure what I'm gonna do. I may go 489 from ECGS, or I may truss and throw some RCVs in the Dana 30. I like how compact the Dana 30 is. Along with the ground clearance. Right now, I like the limited slip vs the locker in the front. May sound counter intuitive, but limited slip and locker drive very differently. The whole rig was much more point and shoot with limited slip. Lockers "get in the way" a lot. I'm also thinking of stretching the front 4-6" and doing a coil over front, again something I want to do myself. That's when I have to decide which direction I'm going to go with the D30.
Again, my path may be different. I enjoy the build almost as much as the drive. I'm trying to learn as much as I can. It's costing me more out of pocket because I'm doing things "twice", but I'm getting more for my money then others might. Hopefully that makes sense.
If you want to do it once and never have to worry about it again, totally recommend the 489. However, I learned a lot just regearing and putting limited slip in and driving it for a couple years. That's easier to stomach when you are saving $1200 and axle by doing it your self. $1200 towards the 489 may be better spent.