Jeep XJ Overland.......Where do the modifications stop? What to do next?

[guywithgirlname]

This is my 5th Jeep cherokee over the course of my life. Ive had an 89, 95, 96, 99, and now a 2000. All the parts have accumulated over time and now I am wondering which way to go. I love the expedition aspect..... Camping, go anywhere sights, nature. But I want a bit more. My jeep is already equipped with 4.56s, aussie locker rear, trutrac front, and a dana30/8.25 setup. It has 32 mtr kevlars and an old man emu lift +1.5 inches (about 3.5). Inline 6, 242, and I was thinking about throwing down on a long arm kit (not for just flex) for a better ride quality. I want to run 35s, which is what the 4.56s were setup for (got them in a trade). The longarm lift will clear the tires thanks to the our roomy fender wells (not). I was thinking 6 inches and using the clayton 3 link kit. that might be a bit of overkill (and expensive), but it will raise the diffs, as well as the frame to a more manageable trail vehicle. My question for yall....... should I stay with what I have or throw 6000 dollars at it. I can do alot of other mods to make it a better low vehicle..... and then have money left over. Ive always had expo jeeps which keep em low and more maintainable, but now I want a little more clearance which costs sooooo much more. Lift and tires? or camping trailer/other car/different mods?

 

[88Xj]

33x10.5s and trim it up. I run short arm & drop brackets, locked at either end. Being locked has gotten me far further than more lift. My setup consists of a 4" tj currie progressive rate coil that we lobbed 1 rung off, sits at 3.25" over stock. Rear is custom deavers, HD no lift relocator brackets and a 6.5" long shackle. Shackle sits at 47*.

Rides awesome slow or fast thanks to the bilstein 7100s as well as the picked and choose parts type lift. I got the best of what I liked and it rides great. RE drop brackets with adjustable upper & lowers. 4.56 gears with a ax15 gives me 2350rpm at 65mpg. AWSOME. Offroad! I also swapped to a 242 as I felt it was more of a useable case for me. Stock drive shaft front and rear!

If you haven't plated your frame I'd suggest that next? HD offroad for 330 shipped gets you front to rear and I love it. So much more stiff while flexin it out. I can now open and shut my fiberglass hatch with ease will flexing before I had no chance. I also added t&j tube chassis connectors...and then did 2x6 rocker replacement and braced them into the t&j stiffener. The 2x6 rocker replacement was so I lost no more clearence than stock..adding a slider under the rocker looses you clearence. I'm about 1" higher than oem rocker height what do you have for rocker protection?

Geared and locked axles would be my next step, and then look into 33x10.5 km2. Also chromo shas and such are cool, but I've got a locked 8.8 trussed, tubes welded, geared & locked. Stock shafts. Upfront is a trussed d30 detriot and 4.56s oem 760x shafts with full circle clips. With chromos. I see us ruining lockers or pinion gears, with stock shafts with big u joints you'll snap the shaft before the r&p. much easier & quicker to swap a shaft on a trail than a r&p.

I would then look into armor. Tcase, maybe a full crossmember setup? Gas tank skid? How's your steering? Track bar? Lockers? Do you have a first aid kit? A very well maintained vehicle that'll take the beating on a trail? Why do you need to be bigger, such as 6" and 35s?
My wife's new jeep 4 days old just did a local trail alled John Bull. Its got a 50 dollar 2" lift, 5 speed, 3.07s and 235/75s. All its got it tow hooks and a tcase skid that showed up today. We wanted to go beat on it. Did what I do on 33s & a 3.5" lift. And its as extreme as it'll get. So do you need to be bigger or just focus on the correct areas? Amour, maybe fuel capacity, battery setup sufficient, sleeping, storing/carrying, recovery, medical, and most overall a very very well maintained vehicles with tools and known common spares.

 

[jscusmcvet]

I have had 2 xj's in my "jeep life"... and I agree with 88xj. 33x10.50 is a sweet spot for these rigs. You can get there with a little trimming from your current lift set up. As you mentioned for 35's you would have to trim anyway because of the small wheel wells. When I ran 33x10.50's I kept stock wheels which kept the tires tucked in nicely and helped with flexing on the trail... rubbed at full turn on control arms, but that was no big deal. Personally I have never bought into the long arm concept and never noticed a difference between well set up short arm and well set up long arm rigs performed on the trail or the street. That changes at higher lifts, but for up to ~4" or so you are good, IMO. Your gearing is great for 33's. You are already locked.... add some skids (rocker panel, gas tank, xfer case, engine) and reinforce the "frame" at appropriate areas, and you have a great do anything, go 95% of anywhere rig.

Rig looks great as it sits by the way. Go for that trailer to ease up the packing detail and you are good to go.

John

 

[88Xj]

I have had 2 xj's in my "jeep life"... and I agree with 88xj. 33x10.50 is a sweet spot for these rigs. You can get there with a little trimming from your current lift set up. As you mentioned for 35's you would have to trim anyway because of the small wheel wells. When I ran 33x10.50's I kept stock wheels which kept the tires tucked in nicely and helped with flexing on the trail... rubbed at full turn on control arms, but that was no big deal. Personally I have never bought into the long arm concept and never noticed a difference between well set up short arm and well set up long arm rigs performed on the trail or the street. That changes at higher lifts, but for up to ~4" or so you are good, IMO. Your gearing is great for 33's. You are already locked.... add some skids (rocker panel, gas tank, xfer case, engine) and reinforce the "frame" at appropriate areas, and you have a great do anything, go 95% of anywhere rig.

Rig looks great as it sits by the way. Go for that trailer to ease up the packing detail and you are good to go.

John

To add 33x10.5s are also very manageable on stock axles, especially with gears and locker. Your locker setup is actually identical to mine, trutrac in the d30 and a Aussie in my 8.8. But stock shaft axles will hold up fine. 12.5s would be a bit harsher but still fine. With 35s I'd look into trussing & gusset ing the d30 and shafts would be a worry, although I'm always against chromos in the d30 for the reason I stated previously. The rear I'd get chromos for deffinetely.