Xj ome

[mc2az]

I feel smarter already!
Furter thoughts...I work for the feds in an office now, but I've done alot of Construction over the years and think of a jeep like my tool belts. I don't give a hoot what the other guys on the job site think I look like, but every pound I carry on my hips and shoulders must be needed to get the job done. I'm not carrying a drywall hatchet and a 32oz Vaughn framing hammer at the same time. So like my belts which are modular and adaptable to the job. I hope to build my jeep with the 24-7 abilities of a Shop Smith table saw.
Does that change things up too much?

 

[mc2az]

I almost forgot, Since all you guy's came over to my "shop" these past few days to help me out....

To all you Dad's, Great Job...Happy Father's Day!
To our past, present & future service Men & Women.....Thank You!
As for me & mine....we support all our Troops!

 

[winkosmosis]

Do you work for the Dept of the Interior, or Forest service, or something like that? I know there's a lot of public land out there in AZ.


The 31" tire fits, but it pushes the seatback forward a little, so it's too vertical to use comfortably. If it's just you, the wife, and the dog, no problem. Also, you have to remove the little metal shelf that supports the donut spare

 

[mc2az]

Veterans Administration.....& your right Lots of cool places to explore here. We plan on spending the week leading into labor day on a shake down cruise with the new Jeep we decide on up in N. Arizona. Thinking White Mtn's and Sedona area. So I have about 2 more months to find the jeep I like, plan phase 1, purchase & install parts. On finding the right Jeep....
unmolested 98-2001 model, as mech sound as possible, cruise control, AZ?...Good AC a must, Under $5K....is it out there? I live on Craigslist and Autotrader. Mid July $$ available. Hurts when you see that right one but you can't take the plunge yet.

 

[winkosmosis]

I got my 1999 for $3500. The asking price was $4500, but the guy was leaving the country the next day for Gabon so he let me have it for what he would have sold it to Carmax for.

They aren't in high demand in Texas, because we have virtually no public land and therefore no trails, but I bet they are in the West where offroading is popular. So if you want to find one for cheap, you might want to expand your search to the East

 

[cnskate]

31's will put you a little closer to needing to regear than 30's, a dilima I'm having. Depends on where you drive, driving style, weight etc. whether you will feel the need to fork out $1500 or so for 4.10 gears.

I have the stock spare tire carrier that mounts to the bumper and I love it. Cost $50 at a bone yard.

I love the OME coils, the springs..... are cushy and flexi but after loading up the roof tent and supplies for a couple of weeks my 3" HD leafs went to 0" leafs quickly. Some say it's the switch to Malaysian steel. I added the OME AAL and it works pretty well now when it's loaded.

Quick disconnects do a lot to increase off-road ability, and help smooth out long bumpy roads.

DPG might be a bit of a holy-roller, but most people in Kansas are, and he won't prosyletize you on the phone, so I would do business with him again. The ARB techs are nice and knowledgeable, but they will charge you extra if you buy straight from them.

 

[ExpoMike]

Thanks for the comments. I had gotten our Jeep right after my divorce and was on a single income until Lisa and I got married a year and a half later. Because money was really tight, I pieced my lift together over the course of a year. I did a ton of research on what worked and what didn't. I knew exactly what my goals were, since I had a buddy that had his XJ setup about how I wanted. Riding around with him, he went places I never thought I would ever go.

With this approach, I was able to wait for deals on Ebay, Craigslist and through friends. This also did not mean I did not go out wheeling until after the lift. Nope, I drove trails that were compatible with a stock rig. Boy did I surprise a lot of people. Careful driving and picking the right lines was more important then total lift.

Since the lift, I have gone to places I would not have tired before and it made some places easier, though a stock XJ would have made it with a little work. A big thing that helped while I was stock was disconnecting the stock front swaybar while offroading. It was amazing the amount of flex even bone stock, without the front swaybar limiting travel. I just took a wrench and removed the top nut and swung the links forward, out of the way. When I was done for the day, I just hooked them back up for the trip home. Worked very well.

Here's the first trip we took with our XJ, bone stock but with the front swaybar disconnected, great flex.

Here's a pic with the ~3" lift on 245/75-16 tires.

During the Overland Journal trailer testing, mega flex. I do have extended bump stops which keeps the tires from tearing anything up when flexed upwards, a definet must.

Just plan things out, don't rush and do things right the first time so you are not redoing thing over again.

 

[troy]

I currently have the OME spings front and rear.

One thing to thing about, and was stated earlier, 31's put you on the edge of needing to re-gear. I'm running a 255-75/16 (approx 31") and a re-gear would be nice. When I ran 245/70/16 (approx. 30"), it was noticeably more fun to drive and got 1-2 mpg better. However, It is not bad enough for me to pony up the money to do it.

With just the OME lift and a 31" tire it will rub. Not real bad but enough, that it can hit in everday situations. 30x9.5 in a might be a better fit. It will also fit behind the rear seat better, and you will have full turning radius with stock wheels.

Even with only 2", I had slight vibes so I shimmed the t-case skid. I agree SYE is a much better option, but I was on a budget. I used grade 8 washers and replaced with longer bolts. It took about 3/8" of washers. There is a write-up somewhere on the web, but it is really self-explainitory.

I would love a tire carrier, but I think my wife would hate having to open it each time we need to open the tailgate. I use the heck out of my XJ and a tire carrier would get the way for me. I change my mind on this weekly, but food for though. If I did buy one, it would be www.detourusa.com tailbone system.

I have over 100K on my OME set-up and have no regrets or need to go bigger. Good luck with the build.

Troy

 

[Root Moose]

Just to throw another budget idea out there...

If you want to re-gear to 4.10:1 you can always get some junk yard axles off a 4 cylinder XJ. They are rarer than hen's teeth up here but I understand there are a number around in the U.S.

The normal caveats of watch what you are buying when buying a JY axle apply though.

 

[ExpoMike]

Yep, I did 4.10's with the lift, actually replace the whole rear end with a 8.25 and regeared the front.

Don't forget, you can look at TJ/LJ for the front axle, even certain year ZJ's. All of these front suspensions are the same and will swap in. The rear end is specific due to the leaf spring mounts.

 

[Root Moose]

Don't forget, you can look at YJ/LJ for the front axle, even certain year ZJ's. All of these front suspensions are the same and will swap in. The rear end is specific due to the leaf spring mounts.

Well, yes and no, to be precise...

YJ is a leaf spring axle so not bolt on. I think you meant TJ above (typo).

TJ is a low pinion axle so weaker than a high pinion XJ axle. Note that mid 2000 ChryCo changed to low pinion on the XJ.

ZJ is low pinion as well.

WJ is low pinion, slightly different control arm mount locations, and too wide.

All the Quadra-Drive based axles will bolt up though.

Stick with high pinion XJ axles to keep your life simple.

 

[ExpoMike]

Well, yes and no, to be precise...

YJ is a leaf spring axle so not bolt on. I think you meant TJ above (typo).

TJ is a low pinion axle so weaker than a high pinion XJ axle. Note that mid 2000 ChryCo changed to low pinion on the XJ.

ZJ is low pinion as well.

WJ is low pinion, slightly different control arm mount locations, and too wide.

All the Quadra-Drive based axles will bolt up though.

Stick with high pinion XJ axles to keep your life simple.

Fixed the typo. TJ was what I was thinking. Thanks!

As for the low pinion, yes, 2000-2001 had them. This is what I have and on a mild lift with 31" tires, you will never have a problem. Higher lift and/or bigger tires, then the high pinion is the choice, if you stick with a D30. Don't count out the low pinions if you could get a good price and having the right ratio, at least not with the plans at hand.

 

[Root Moose]

I'm a fan of the high pinion axles for more than just strength.

It effectively gets your shaft up higher and closer to the floor of the Jeep. It also helps to reduce driveline angles when lifting (compared to low pinion). Additionally, if you run a full-time case it keeps the amount of vibration lower when running at highway speeds becuase of the reduced angles.

My Jeep is a 2001. When I re-geared my front axle I bought a JY axle for $100 and worked with that on the bench while driving the Jeep on the low pinion axle in the meantime.

If you planning on going much larger than 33" tires or are in "rock country" I figure the high pinion is worth pursuing. I put one on my Jeep just because I'm like that (overbuild everything I touch).

Low pinion would be perfectly fine for most people but if you are going to swap in a JY axle anyway why not add the "better" axle at the same time?

$0.02

 

[mc2az]

Wow! been at work all day and come home to find you guys still hangin out in my "shop".
Thanks guys, this has been a wealth of info and your right Mike I still have a LOT of research to do. I have developed some general ideas though, as stated before- Simple but quality. I keep finding myself leanin on the 2" OME post. 30's seem to fit my kind of EXPO style too.
Today was a hard one, coworker told me about a neighbor's 96 no kidding "old Lady" driven- never off road one owner for sale....... I said "WHERE" call right now!.... It sold yesterday for $2800. Oh well, wasn't meant to be, mines out there. I saw a kick but red XJ with about 6" and looked like 34's super clean with just the lift visible, on the freeway 3 lanes over. Man no matter how hard I tried I could not get over to him in drive home traffic. It was cool! But that's not my style anymore. Thanks for keeping me grounded.

 

[ExpoMike]

I know what you mean, I have had deals pass that I just missed. Oh well, like you said, it wasn't meant to be. When it's right, everything will fall into place.

Hey, if you update your profile and list where you live at, maybe someone on ExPo can pass on a good deal if they find one. Just a thought.

Good luck and hang in there. I know it took me a couple months to find the right one.