Sup? I'm CrawlingForward.

Hey, I'm Geoff.

I've got a '95 YJ (Rio Grande Edition aka "how can we sell off the rest of the 4 cyls?")
My build is going for a pizza-cutter sleeper "wait...is that stock?" sort of deal.

Major mods include: Running 235/85/16s on Cherokee Icon 17" wheels with a 2" BDS lift with a 1" shackle lift, an AA SYE with a Tom Woods driveshaft, the 2.5L 4 cylinder paired at an AX-15 with the advanced adapters kit and RockHard4x4 rear swingout bumper and sport cage.

My wife and I live in Woburn, MA...oh yeah, and she has a 4-door JK Islander edition. We've taken it offroad a couple times, but I'm still anal about the paint, ha ha.

Sorry Geoff, I just moved this to your own thread.

Ha ha, thank you!

(I wish I was as cool as that emoticon)

Nice lookin' YJ! (I still have a soft spot for YJ's, even if they do have funny shaped headlights!)

Whip wrote:Nice lookin' YJ! (I still have a soft spot for YJ's, even if they do have funny shaped headlights!)

Why thank you! While I do talk plenty of smack about TJs, it's mostly out of flex-envy, ha ha.

CrawlingForward wrote:...it's mostly out of flex-envy, ha ha.

case in point....

I hear ya. I had a 94 and loved it! PLuses and minuses to both. I loved the power the old engine had, and the 5spd was way better/smoother than the new 6 spd. I love the look of the TJ, but loved the old school interior of the YJ. As for the suspension...there is NO comparison, though a spring convertion wouldn't really be any harder than installing a long arm kit. Then there is the 4:1 ratio that comes with the Rubi, along with 4:10's and air lockers, and no need for a SYE. But the YJ had the advantage in that I didn't mind destroying sheet metal on a 3000 dollar toy, compared to now I hate scratching paint on my 30,000 Rubi. In the end what sold me was the extra room of the LJ. (And yes, I am actively searching for a CJ8 as well!)

Whip wrote:I hear ya. I had a 94 and loved it! PLuses and minuses to both. I loved the power the old engine had, and the 5spd was way better/smoother than the new 6 spd. I love the look of the TJ, but loved the old school interior of the YJ. As for the suspension...there is NO comparison, though a spring convertion wouldn't really be any harder than installing a long arm kit. Then there is the 4:1 ratio that comes with the Rubi, along with 4:10's and air lockers, and no need for a SYE. But the YJ had the advantage in that I didn't mind destroying sheet metal on a 3000 dollar toy, compared to now I hate scratching paint on my 30,000 Rubi. In the end what sold me was the extra room of the LJ. (And yes, I am actively searching for a CJ8 as well!)

Yeah, although as nice as the flex is on coil spring, I absolutely love the simplicity and reliability of my leaf springs. It's probably my favorite difference between the two (even despite the flex disadvantage). I originally looked at doing a front-end conversion when I got it to get rid of the square headlights, but I absolutely love the look now. It just looks more rugged and "a big middle finger" to the rest of the Jeep community, as a YJ friend of mine put it.

I love the OBD1 and electronic simplicity of the YJ and the spartan interior and wouldn't trade it for anything, even if it means it takes a little more modification to get the larger tires and capability that come stock with the TJ suspension. (This icon appears to be smiling, but it's labeled "lol", and to me it just looks like Jim Carrey, ha ha)

Wow, I have totally been slacking and haven't posted in a while.

Updates since last I posted:

A couple of the guys on here helped me swap out my D35 for a Ford 8.8 regeared to 4.88 with an Aussie locker that I practically stole off a guy on Craigslist (also came with a locked/regeared/posilocked D30 that I have yet to install).




Aside from accidentally swapping the calipers, a rusty flare nut, and needing to shim the pinion angle *down*, all went pretty smoothly.

My wife's JK also got an upgrade when some idiot backed into her, so we installed a new Smittybilt SRC bumper with an XRC8 winch!


I also installed myself an ancient CB radio (finally, I needed it for a while)

With a sweet brandy-new Firestik


Still working on the D30, so that will be the next major project. Aside from that, I really need to stop spending money, so I'm going to try and junkyard a Buick airbox to make a cowl-air intake for deep water and install some new foglights into the JK's bumper (she wants them in the holes in the airdam, so I'm going to have to find a way to install them and make them adjustable, so I'll be looking for suggestions).

The more major ones still on their way are rock rails and a dropdown tailgate, which I'd like to do soon.

Other than that, my tranny is leaking and rattling, my engine is whirring and clicking, my exhaust is rattling and my hardtop is clunking. Gatta love a Jeep!

(These icons amuse the hell out of me)