Building an Unlimited (Lj)

[maximumrob]

So after today it looks like Im going to go with a Tera Flex 3" lift and 255/85R16's (want to keep the stock wheels) Stock front bumper trimmed with a winch and storage. Now I just have to get the Tj up on E bay. How hard at Unlimited Rubicons to find? I have not seen many on E bay.

You just described my build. 255 BFG Muds, ProComp 2.5" lift with pucks up front, adjustable shocks, Teraflex belly-up, 1" body lift, Woody shaft, swaybar discos, and JKS arms all around. Left the wheels and bumpers stock to keep it light and added some 130-watt pencil beams on the front bumper. It really goes on the trail and still fits in the parking garage at work.

Don't forget to swap out the bulbs in the stock foglights for 100-watters and get rid of that thing in front of the bulb inside the housing. Also do the foglight mod so you can run high beams and fogs at the same time.

 

[SeaRubi]

I just can't bank roll a Jk Unlimited (school teacher). The Lj will be a better fit for me I believe. Plus having a Jk and a Tj right now I find myself liking the Tj a little better. I think the JK and the JK unlimited are great jeeps I just like the styling and abilities of the TJ/LJ's better.

Totally understand. I paid more my X actually than I did for my Rubi. The JK's were flying off the lot, and in image conscious Seattle they had no reason to ease up on the price.

 

[TexasTJ]

So I am months ahead of the game right now, but I want to have all the gear I'm going to use picked out when I finally get my LJ. Maybe even all in the garage. Im reading on tires right now and like the 255/85R16 that Beowulf has on his jeep, but can only find it in a mud tire. what other options are the in a close to 33/10'ish tire. Also dose anyone have the Gen Right Safari gas tank? I was wondering about the crossmember you have to cut out and what its there for? I really like the tank but I'm not to sure about cutting on the frame.

 

[SeaRubi]

with 15" rims you can get BFG All terrains in 33X10.5

price isn't bad, either, at $150/tire.

cheers
-ike

 

[TexasTJ]

I like the idea of the BFG at (first tires i had on my TJ), but I'm looking to travel in south america some and I've read allot about having 16 in wheels because the tires are more available out of the states. I have also looked at getting some stock steel 16" wheels form a Kj. I have always liked steel better for the trail because you can fix it with a hammer. I'm just not sure if I want the extra weight on this jeep. I will not be running "hardcore" trails so to speak and more than likely will not run in to the same problems with wheel you find in rockcrawling.

 

[SeaRubi]

I would not run an A/T tire then if you're looking into that kind of travel. The KM2 seems like an obvious choice in 255/85 - standard BFG M/T's aren't really bad, either, IMO.

i'm not in favor of steel wheels in general, unless for certain you can verify they are hub-centric wheels and not lug centric.

the factory alloys on my LJ Rubi were tough as hell. So are the 17's on my X, for that matter. I would hesitate to change them. Lots of people have this romanticized idea of themselves beating a rim back into the shape on the side of the road, but in reality it seems that the only wheel problems I ever hear about are people running steel rims.

my .02 :coffeedrink:

 

[deadbeat son]

...like the 255/85R16 that Beowulf has on his jeep, but can only find it in a mud tire...

You can get the Cooper Discoverer ST in a 255/85-16. It's an aggressive AT, but not a full-on MT.

 

[toyota_jon]

You can get the Cooper Discoverer ST in a 255/85-16. It's an aggressive AT, but not a full-on MT.

exactly, although i don't personally have them they look like a good cross, and havn't heard many complaints.

 

[Redline]

x2 for DPG. It's been a couple years but I used them/Dirk when I did my LJ. Liked them/their help and liked the ZJ/LJ OME set-up.

your talking about DPG, http://www.dpgoff-road.com/ . talk to Dirk, he's an OME Jeep expert and will get you set up right. I purchased my OME lift from him for my LJ rubi. running ZJ coils up front and LJ hd coils in rear.

 

[Redline]

Read in the General Mods section. There is a thread on this specific tire tread/size.

exactly, although i don't personally have them they look like a good cross, and havn't heard many complaints.

 

[TexasTJ]

Cool thanks guys I found that Toyo makes them open country MT in a 255/85R16 too so Now I have three to look at.

 

[TexasTJ]

anyone know if you need to run wheel spacers with the 255/85 on the stock Moab's?

 

[Redline]

No you don't. I ran 255/85 on my '05 Rubicon Unlimited on the stock wheels and about 3-inches of lift.

anyone know if you need to run wheel spacers with the 255/85 on the stock Moab's?

 

[maximumrob]

anyone know if you need to run wheel spacers with the 255/85 on the stock Moab's?

I run 255's and no spacers. Like the gentlemen wrote, you don't have to run spacers, but I get a good rub on the passenger side LCA when cranked all the way to the right. It doesn't seem to hurt anything and I'm never at full lock at speed, so the thump-thump-thump of the lugs don't bother me much...I just back off the wheel a little bit.

Other than that, no clearance issues at all.

 

[Metcalf]

You can install a bent lower link in front to allow full lock with 255s. I think Rusty's even makes a set now......