OKRCON
New member
Metcalf said:adrenaline,
I'm not going to be able to do it all at once. I will have to do it in big stages. I have a pretty good plan on the order of things.....
Stage one- Diesel re-power. The jeep should be able to function just like stock with the new engine ( and transmission ). The stock 3.73 non-rubicon gearing should also work pretty well with the stock 30"ish tires. I would like to prove that a diesel engine can be swapped in that will function just like stock.
Stage two- Atlas and Tummy Tucker. This is the next logical step for me. I think the cross member design is one of the tragic flaws of the jeep TJ/LJ platform. There is a lot of room for improvement. The 4spd atlas is suppose to fit 'better' than the stock 2 speed atlas because the position of the front output portion of the case is in a more factory like position. This puts the output between the two inner front seat mounting bolts. I would really like to have a cross member that had as much clearance as possible. I am entertaining the idea of redoing a bit of the transmission tunnel to make a little more room. Even a stock AEV/Nth Tummy Tucker with an Atlas 4 speed would be a HUGE improvement over stock. The 4-speed 10:1 atlas transfer case will provide all the gearing options I need with regular middle ranges as well.
Stage Three- Suspension and axles. I am a bit of a mechanical designer and engineer. I plan on redoing much of the suspension to make the most of the stock style short arm suspension. This may include some relocation and reinforcement of mounting points of the suspension. I don't think I will need anything more than a 3-3.5" lift to run the 37s with the AEV Highline. I really want a suspension that can do everything...including some higher speed desert stuff without having to worry ( hence the bumps and fox shocks ) I will have to include some axle modifications at this stage to help dial in pinion angles and such. Depending on how the gearing works out with the diesel I may be able to try an interim tire size to help me determine the final gearing needed ( right now with the diesel I am leaning towards 4.56s )
Stage Four- AEV higline kit, tires, and wheels.
I am going to try and work in the bumpers, rockers, and winch before the suspension to get a better idea of final sprung weight.
I'm not planning on doing this to a new off the showroom floor vehicle. There are lots of 04-05 Jeep Unlimiteds in the 15-17K range right now. I have been keeping an eye out for one with a blown motorIt is a lot on money no matter how you look at it though....but hopefully a project like this would last a long long time.
This sounds like a great project. It is similar to the way I went with mine. I have a few suggetions for you though speaking from my experience.
I would consider either getting a Rubicon or plan on uprgrading the front axle of the Unlimited as the 37's will be a bit much for the Dana 30. The Atlas is a bit of overkill for the intended use you described IMO. The 4:1 TC in the Rubicon (if you go that route) is a really solid unit and I can think of few if any situations where it would limit you compared to the Atlas but if you've got the cash don't let that stop you. I would love to have the spare coin to drop one in. You will also want to plan on buying lockers if you don't go the Rubi route. Of all of the mods you can do, lockers are number 1 in the off-road capability department.
If I were doing all of the mods that you plan on doing, I think I would reverse the order or at least do the AEV highline and the lift at the same time. This is because you will need to have the highline kit in place before you can dial in the lift, tires and wheels that you ultimately want to run. You are on target with the 3.5 lift to run 37's with the highline IF you run a body lift. That is what I have and it works well.
I would also combine the TT with the lift/BL as it is best to do in conjunction with a body lift and this mod does help the off-road capability a lot due to the clearance issue.
You really shouldn't need to do much to the axles to dial in the pinion angles that adjustable control arms can't take care of.
My last suggestion would be to save the engine for last as it is the only thing that you don't really need to use the Jeep to the limits of what the other mods provide. I like diesels too but in reality the diesel is not going to make the rig any more capable. The 4.0 is an awesome power plant for off-road and very dependable. Any fuel economy difference will be dwarfed by the cost of buying and installing the diesel. Also, if you save this mod for last you should be able to do all of the other performance enhancing mods at the same time cost wise.
Oh and don't forget the winch for when the ability of your other mods to overcome your driving ability fail
