3" Zone kit

Spent last weekend installing my 3" zone suspension lift. Only got the front end down. Have been riding my fathers car around to work this week and will finish up the back saturday. Gonna get my mechanic to double check my work monday.

Nice, it'll look good once your done! Hope you have better luck with your rear shocks than I did. They were a PITA. I think I spent less time overall doing a BL/MML than I did getting those shocks out...

Any plans for bigger tires?

That's disappointing. I'd thought the back was gonna be easier. Next step will be 1" brown dog MML and 1.25" Savvy BL. After that I have a friend that has 35s waiting for me, but that opens up a whole other can of worms with regearing and steering upgrades. They're pretty bitchin tires though so I'm definitely considering it. I've got ten million other ideas too though that my budget won't allow so who knows when what will get done.

Not to mention brake upgrades. Going to 35s is an expensive endeavor.

Looking good!

I'm having trouble telling, how much tread is left on the ATs? Would it be worth waiting till they've worn out and the bank account has recovered a bit before throwing on the 35s?

Being undergeared is miserable, not to mention all the steering upgrades that are a good idea. Besides, this new set-up should handle itself pretty well, I'd wager.

RobSheaTJ wrote:After that I have a friend that has 35s waiting for me,

HUGE can of worms have fun, and ask questions if you have them

You may find you are better off getting a flat skid system. The extra clearance of 35s vs 33s isn't nearly as big of a deal around here as having a stock skid especially if you have a drop kit on top of it.

Brown Dog 1" MML
http://browndogindustries.com/C2883-1K4-Jeep-Wrangler-TJ-LJ-1-Inch-Motor-Mount-Lifts-Poly.aspx

Savvy 1.25" BL
http://shop.savvyoffroad.com/product.sc?productId=57&categoryId=-1

Rokmen TT
http://www.rokmen.com/rokmen-tj-lj-high-clearance-belly-pan.html#



Am I getting closer?

Check out Undercover Fabs ultra high clearance options. They have some nice aluminum options as well to save weight.

Check out Savvy's under armor. That's what I went with. I will be installing it as soon as the rest arrives.

After all of my research I was convinced this was the best "system" out there. Well worth the extra few $$$ when you factor everything in.

I'd go UCF if I had to pick/was going to do the tummy tuck, and planned on buying the skid plate. Matt (owner of UCF)'s ultra high clearance model for $270 in steel is worth it's weight in gold as far as clearance. Total height is just around an inch I believe vs. 4 or 5 of the stock skid. Check out other Matt (Angri)'s build on here, as well as Pat Murphys. Both run the UCF UHC versions.

I'd say pick your poison, all three companies are great! That said, when the time comes, I'll be going with UCF aluminum skids, so I don't have to worry about extra weight or rust... But also planning the Savvy GTS as I like their design better.

I'm also going with the full UCF set, skid, engine, and tranny. 3/16 steel. You could save the weight with aluminum, but it doesnt slide well on rocks due to its properties, kind of like 80 grit sand paper on a silk shirt.

go with aluminum skids

Racer38 wrote:I'm also going with the full UCF set, skid, engine, and tranny. 3/16 steel. You could save the weight with aluminum, but it doesnt slide well on rocks due to its properties, kind of like 80 grit sand paper on a silk shirt.

Its a good thing Blaine isn't on this site

i have ucf winch plate and it weighs 20pounds or so less than my warn winch plate. weight is not what you want.

I agree completely with this. Weight is important in all aspects of on/off road driving.

I ran 35's with a 2 inch spacer lift and a 3" body lift and 4:10's and wheeled it all last season. The previous owner ran it like that for 5 years. So don't get too worried about upgrading everything because you’re getting 35's. It just not needed unless you plan on wheeling and beating the shit out of it.

The biggest concern I'd have if I was you is the Dana turdy 5 if you don't have a d44. Upgrade the brakes and the rear axle at the same time. You can't beat a F8.8 with disks. I towed my 1/4 ton trailer 2 kids, wife and dog all last year on the stock brakes. Brakes are not a real concern just because you're running 35's IME.

Before you consider doing the TT you'll need an SYE and rear shaft if you don't have it already. You will also need the MML you spoke of and a new front shaft. I just did mine and learned the hard way.
I installed the UFC 1/4" extreme TT skid plate after talking to a friend who has the 3/16 version. He loves the skid but told me he would buy the 1/4" plate if he did it over again. The 3/16 gets dented and distorted over time. You just can't beat the price and function of UFC! I would stay away from AL belly skid plates. AL is like glue when trying to drag yourself over rocks. Don't bring a knife to a gun fight. IMHO it's just not strong enough either. Not for a gas tank or transfer case skid plate. When you're teetering on the skid the last thing you want is sticky skid.

On another note. I'm running RC 4" lift, UFC Extreme TT with nonadjustable control arms... Saved me a ton of money during the build. When I had the F8.8 built by East Coast Gear Supply I told them I had 4" lift and an extreme TT skid plate. They welded the brackets to the proper angle so I do not need adjustable arms. I do wish I had front adjustable arms though.
I also just upgraded my steering box. It worked fine. The only reason I replaced it was due to leaking. I hit the pitman arm last fall and it started leaking. The steering box is NOT required just because you're running 35's but it is a sweet upgrade down the road.

angri wrote: The steering box is NOT required just because you're running 35's but it is a sweet upgrade down the road.

Matt you and I usually see eye to eye on this stuff, but I'm going to have to disagree with this one. YES you can make 35s work with the stock box, but at the age that most of our Wranglers are, it is NOT safe and NOT worth it. I was able to get 3 months out of my 35s on the stock box before it completely shit the bed and made driving horrifically unsafe. It took me another 6 months to finally do anything about it, but in that time I was extremely hesitant to drive anywhere that required highway or speeds over 45 mph.

With 35s, I think a new box should be a required upgrade sooner rather than later. The common options are the Durango box (which Angri, 2003x, etc run) a PSC box, which I have, or an AGR box.

The reason I feel that way is because mine ran for 6+ years with 35's and the stock box. That's the experience I have with it. I beat the crap out of it last year.

I just feel you're likely not going to need a box right out of the gate. It is inevitable that you WILL replace it but there are things you actually have to do to put 35's on.

If you have the money hell ya do it right away or if you're really going to wheel it hard. If not get the SYE/shaft, get armor, upgrade the turdy 5. That's the kind of stuff you really need from the get go.

Hey it just my opinion... No disrepect meant in anyway

angri wrote:Hey it just my opinion... No disrepect meant in anyway

None taken man! Discussion is what it's all about

My TJ had 98k on the clock and was 11 years old when I did the 35s. That combo did the box in. Every Jeep is different, and nothing will play out the same between anyone!

I dunno.

I feel like it's fits under the category of "every rig is different".

That being said, often times your rig decides it needs every upgrade under the sun to run correctly. (Right, Ryan? )

At the very least, anyone going to 35s should be aware of the various components that need to be reexamined once you make the upgrade.

CrawlingForward wrote:often times your rig decides it needs every upgrade under the sun to run correctly. (Right, Ryan? )

What?

Oh......


you must be talking about the steering issue that required new hubs, tie rod, drag link, rod ends, wheel balancing, 2 alignments, upper and lower front (currie) control arms, and finally a very fcuking expensive steering box?

Yeah, 2 grand - no worries there. THANKS JEEP.

Ryan M wrote:
you must be talking about the steering issue that required new hubs, tie rod, drag link, rod ends, wheel balancing, 2 alignments, upper and lower front (currie) control arms, and finally a very fcuking expensive steering box?

Yeah, 2 grand - no worries there. THANKS JEEP.

Don't forget a new pair of underwear after a couple of "eventful" highway drives, hahahahahahahaha

p.s. end of hijack, I promise....

Wow...
I didn't realize. I had NONE of those issues.

I thought you walked a little funny. Your ass must hurt lmao

janesy wrote:Nice, it'll look good once your done! Hope you have better luck with your rear shocks than I did. They were a PITA. I think I spent less time overall doing a BL/MML than I did getting those shocks out...

I literally spent all day yesterday working off the welded nuts in the rear upper shock mounts. Maybe 6 or 7 hours with a few trips to the store. I thought the back was gonna be easier but that was a huge roadblock that i never saw coming. All 4 bolts broke right off. What a pain in the ass. A dremel with about 15 grinding wheels took care of it though. Now to get some new hardware and finally finish this pain in the ass project and get back on the road. I'm going to NH for Memorial Day weekend and wanna test out the new lift on some trails up there.

Saw a topless, doorless YJ on the way to work and got wicked pissed that I've been driving my father's Liberty for a week now.