stocker jk build?

[Bennyhana]

I'm also staying with the "mostly" stock idea. I'm just running a Teraflex leveling kit with 285/70/17's. My Rubicon rear spring were very soft at 45,000 miles and would sag with just me(250lbs) crawling in the back. I replaced them with a set of Teraflex 1.5" in lift springs. I've also replaced the stock rubicon shocks with a set of Teraflex 9550 VSS shocks.

 

[BigAl]

lets say you have a stock two door rubicon. you can't change your tires, gearing, nor add a lift... how would you mod it?

For overland/DD? I wouldn't do anything to it. It should be ready for anything mild/moderate in stock form. For rock crawling, I'd sell it and by a TJ to beat on and a nissan sentra to DD.:sombrero:

 

[ottoride]

nice jeeps! thought about what was said here and ordered teraflex 1.5 performance leveling kit (comes with springs not spacers). for shocks will use bilstein 5100.

 

[coastie kyle]

Post pics and info when you are done with the Tera leveling kit. Thats the route I was thinking about going too.

 

[ottoride]

will do, a couple of other mods will be added to it to increase strength of the suspension

 

[bldeagle10]

ok no gearing tires or lift. since i have OCD and like to go over everything thoroughly, ill try to do this imaginary build pretty decent. and ill try and be short with it...

given the time and funding (we are going to say unlimited cause hey, its my fantasy)

remove tub from frame, strip it all down. to a bare frame, media blast, reinforce whole frame with 3/8" steel, powder coat and/or bed line the frame. keeping in mind i am not changing the vehicles height, i would upgrade the shocks to something along the lines of Old Man Emu. just for a more comfortable ride under the weight of the gear. i would find some way to run any and all wires that go down the frame inside something so they are water/weatherproofed. brake and fuel lines to be replaced with steel braided. fuel tank upgrade to a bigger tank with possible reserve.

do air lockers count as gearing? if not then ARB lockers. (with that comes on board compressor) possible motor swap for a cummins or a 5.9l magnum from a 97 ram 1500 (i have the magnum and am kind of fond of it.) upgrade all steering components, steering box, PS pump, steering stabilizer, etc. not sure if they come with them, but rear disc brakes as well. full underbody protection, skids covering everything i can.

ARB bumpers or AEV milspec bumpers, upgraded rear tire carrier, warn winch, warn rock sliders, vision x tantrum led rock lights, roof top cargo basket, cargo basket above spare tire, two jerry cans on either side, 1 water 1 fuel. simple storage system.

bed line underside of tub as well as interior of tub, replace carpet. cb radio, gps. laptop. dual batterys, inverter, arb fridge. hi lift, fireman's ax, shovel, awning on cargo basket, RTT? maybe... you can find alot of snazzy stuff on cheaperthandirt.com like trauma kits, ammo cans and such. sooo id order up a trauma kit, a survival kit, some ammo cans with the organizer trays for them. regular roadside emergency stuff. road flares, jumper cables, tow strap (even though i have a winch...still comes in handy)

exterior lighting, few hella 500s on roof rack. and two utility lights on rear to act as aditional reverse lighting/in camp lighting. spare fluids for the jeep. snorkel! police search light opposite snorkel. marine fuse box. waterproof as much of the vehicle as i can under the hood...since it may get intense, a set of very tasteful bucket seats with 5pt harness' hmm...tow points rated for air lift. just to brag. front hitch as well as rear...assortment of bike racks, cargo racks etc for hitches. fire extinguisher. surefire flashlights. e2l and g2.

i guess there are kits for on the trail accidents? like to clean up spilled oil and such. so gotta have one of those. not sure what the kit consists of i just know a local jeep club makes you have them to go on outings with them.

i think after most of that the jeep would be done up more than it needs to be. im sure theres alot i missed.

 

[bldeagle10]

I couldn't agree more! I think many times people dont add accessories that they really need. How many CB radios, winches, mud tires and highlift jacks have been installed on rigs that will probably never get used?

Once you get out there, wheel and get stuck you will find what your vehicle needs. Obviously one needs some basic recovery gear and a first aid kit but the key is getting out there and enjoy!

My last Jeep was over built with so much crap I didn't really need......n retrospect I wish I had kept it more stock and spent the money on actually getting out there rather than spending it all on parts and being too broke to enjoy it.

My $0.02

that really is true. im starting my first jeep build and there is a crazy extensive list of stuff i want. but i keep trying to slow myself down and think about what i'll need vs. wants. i know what i want to do with my jeep, so ill have to build it up for that.

but still, if i had an unlimited budget, id go crazy

 

[JPK]

Bldeagle10,

The minute you add weight to the JK you loose ride height because the springs will compress. That fact is imutable and remains the case no matter what springs you have on the Jeep.

If you were to add 1/4 the weight your writing about adding without changing spring height or rate you will be riding on the bump stops.

Just adding bumpers, a winch and a roof rack will eat fully 1/3 of your Jeep's rated payload - and that before you get in the Jeep! Throw in yourself and a modest load of gear, like a highlift, tow strap, shovel, ax, a couple of good clevis's, a cooler with ice and water and some provisions for a DAY TRIP and you are now at 2/3 maximum rated payload.

Armor is HEAVY, and even a modest amount of armor will bring you to the point where just another passenger tops out the payload.

If you want to use your Jeep for anything more than weekend camping trips you really need to upgrade the suspension just to ahndle the weight of gear.

So, for even weekend camping - stove, some light weight pots and pans, plates, cups, bowls, tent, sleeping bags, a change of clothes and a dop kit for each camper, more provisions, more water, ....

Then try to take the JK off road!

I really suggest taking a look at a quality suspension kit. I'm an AEV fan, but Rock Krawler would be another good option. Since you don't want more height but yet you need spring rate and height increases to offset a decent load, look at the 2.5" offerring from each. I'm pretty sure that both AEV and RK offer progressive spring front and rear so your Jeep will ride well loaded or unloaded and be able to take the weight some touring and exploring entails. Unloaded you JK will most likely sit less than 2.5" higher if you add the bumpers, winch and roof rack, but even 2.5" is truly minimal and is just fine with the stock Rubicon 32" tires - I know because my wife's all but stock JKU Rubicon has a 2.5" lift. Loaded your Jeep will still have some suspension travel.

JPK

 

[mwigant]

WINCH-I put mine upside down under the stock bumper. DUAL BATTERIES - added reliability and powers the winch and the....FRIDGE-you'll never go back to coolers. SEAT COVERS and FLOOR MATS. LITTLE HYDRAULIC TAIL GATE HOLD-OPENER-I'm pretty sure that's the right name, and it will save you a few bruises. GRAB HANDLE-for the lady.

Mike

 

[bldeagle10]

Bldeagle10,

The minute you add weight to the JK you loose ride height because the springs will compress. That fact is imutable and remains the case no matter what springs you have on the Jeep.

If you were to add 1/4 the weight your writing about adding without changing spring height or rate you will be riding on the bump stops.

Just adding bumpers, a winch and a roof rack will eat fully 1/3 of your Jeep's rated payload - and that before you get in the Jeep! Throw in yourself and a modest load of gear, like a highlift, tow strap, shovel, ax, a couple of good clevis's, a cooler with ice and water and some provisions for a DAY TRIP and you are now at 2/3 maximum rated payload.

Armor is HEAVY, and even a modest amount of armor will bring you to the point where just another passenger tops out the payload.

If you want to use your Jeep for anything more than weekend camping trips you really need to upgrade the suspension just to ahndle the weight of gear.

So, for even weekend camping - stove, some light weight pots and pans, plates, cups, bowls, tent, sleeping bags, a change of clothes and a dop kit for each camper, more provisions, more water, ....

Then try to take the JK off road!

I really suggest taking a look at a quality suspension kit. I'm an AEV fan, but Rock Krawler would be another good option. Since you don't want more height but yet you need spring rate and height increases to offset a decent load, look at the 2.5" offerring from each. I'm pretty sure that both AEV and RK offer progressive spring front and rear so your Jeep will ride well loaded or unloaded and be able to take the weight some touring and exploring entails. Unloaded you JK will most likely sit less than 2.5" higher if you add the bumpers, winch and roof rack, but even 2.5" is truly minimal and is just fine with the stock Rubicon 32" tires - I know because my wife's all but stock JKU Rubicon has a 2.5" lift. Loaded your Jeep will still have some suspension travel.

JPK

i figured if you were to throw on OME heavy duty shocks and set up the suspension to be stiffer you could get away with a stock height suspension with less sag/droop than you would get with the factory shocks/coil springs etc. i may be wrong, im a motor guy not a suspension guy. but thanks for the info.

 

[JPK]

Shocks only dampen suspension (ie, spring) movement. Stiffer shock will only provide quicker more "heavy handed" dampening. They won't do a thing for the springs' weight carrying ability. They will not cure or prevent sag.

So, for example, if you take a stiff shock and put, say, 10lbs of constant pressure on it. It will bottom out over time. Take a softer shock and put 10lbs of pressure on it and it will also bottom out, but quicker. Take a stiffer yet shock and it will bottom out as well, but slower. (And shocks have two dampening directions, up and down, with maybe the same and maybe different valving - ie maybe the same stiffness up and down or maybe different.)

You don't nessecarily need stiffer spring, since while stiffer spring will add weight carrying capacity, stiffer springs will make unloaded ride harsher. You need taller progressive springs, which get stiffer as they compress. That gives you a good ride when lightly loaded and weight carrying ability too.

A cheap budget boost, which can be an economical and successful way to taller ride height to clear larger tires doesn't add weight carrying capacity either. If your load has you whacking bump stops or riding on them with the stock springs then you would be whacking or riding on the taller bump stops the pucks require to prevent spring damage from over compression.

From my previous post: "The minute you add weight to the JK you loose ride height because the springs will compress. That fact is imutable and remains the case no matter what springs you have on the Jeep."

To gain weight carying capacity there is no way around aftermarket springs, and the best route is taller but prograssive springs to both preserve light load ride and add payload capacity.

JPK

 

[JPzJK]

Evap relocation - it's good insurance

Differential protection - its good insurance

Eng/trans skid - its good insurance

First aid kit - its good insurance.




Then go enjoy , just my two cents

 

[bldeagle10]

thanks for the info jpk. i feel a little more enlightened. i think i should spend a few hours googling and reading up about anything and everything to do with suspension and steering...

 

[ottoride]

thought about all that was said here and got my bits and pieces together.
shop picked out for the install

stage one:

-posion spyder evap skid
-upper/lower front/rear track bar reinforcement brackets
-tmr c's reinforcement and internal axle reinforcement
-front/rear axle control arm mount reinforcement
-hd pp high mount steering damper
-jks upper/lower front/rear control arms
-pp front/rear adjustable trackbars
-bilstein 5100 shocks
-hd pp balljoints upper/lower
-teraflex 1.5 performance lift

stage 2:

-stockton wheels (getting one to test)
-bumpers (have to figure out)
-river raider skids

stage 3: ?

 

[bldeagle10]

stage 3: ?

stage 3: adventures

there ya go buddy, fixed it for ya :elkgrin: