How would you build the Jeep?

[jfrabat]

I am just curious as to what mods you guys would do to prepare a Jeep for what I will be using it for.

Starting point:

1994 YJ 2.5L with:
Electric fan (3 position control: AUTO, ON, OFF)
Pavement Ends Hardtop or Best Top Replace-a-top (which would you use?)
Rubicon Express Standard 4" lift (swaybar disconnects included; rear trackbar already removed, front still in place)
American Racing Outlaw II wheels
Bridgeston Dueler H/T 31" tires (still fairly new, so I would not change them yet)
Advanced Adapters SYE and Tom Woods CV Shaft
K&N filter in stock box (air restrictors removed)
TB Spacer (2.5L TB still in place because the 4.0L one would make the idle go up and would not come back down; might be a problem with the TB, though)
All aluminum radiator (single 1" row) with BRX radiator hoses
Teraflex passanger side Antenna mount, firestick firefly 4' antenna with firestick quick disconnect mount
1lb fire extinguisher
KC Daylighters (100W) on windshield mounts and KC Slimlites (100W) fog lights on the front bumper
Dropped Pitman Arm

If you were to building the rig to hit the trails on tropical rainforests, what would your next mods be? Trails are mostly muddy (these are dirt roads that get hit with a ton of rain for 9 months out of the year). Let's say that you had a $1,500 budget per year (give or take a little), and you had 4 years to build (starting with what you have listed above). So what would you do?

My plan would be:

Year 1:
OX Lockers front and rear
4.88 gears (front and rear)
New 30 spline axle shaft (Alloy USA or similar) for the rear

Year 2
New front bumper (I am thinking about this one: http://www.shrockworks.com/Jeep-Winch-Bumper-TJ-YJ-Front-Rock-Hammer-Std-pr-16138.html) including steering box skid
New rear bumper (I am thinking about the Highrock rear bumper)
New winch (probably a mile marker 8000lb one)
(OK, so I went a little over budget, but what the heck!)

Year 3
5 (including spare) 33" MT tires (possibly BFG MT)
New wheel for the spare (AR Outlaw II, 15")

Year 4
Hit the engine department; try to do some mods to get a little more HP out of the 2.5!
Snorke (sorry, no cold intake; I have to cross rivers, remember?)

What would you guys do? I want to see what you guys think, so that I may consider your ideas as well!

Felipe

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

I would recommend not polishing the turd D35 with any alloy shafts or other upgrades, start out with a D44 or Ford 8.8 with 4.88 gears, then regear the front to match. Save the alloy axleshafts for the front if you think they're needed (they often are not with 33" tires and the 2.5L).

 

[redrooster]

I think you will blow your budget for years 1 thru 3. Two words that don't belong in the same sentence are Jeep and Budget.
Have fun with the build. I would like to bring my Jeep down and hit the rainforest with you. Never been to Central America.

 

[yjdave]

Agree with bounty...$$ into d30...4.88 gears..lockers F/R. SWAMPERSSSSSS....(irocks) maybe start feeding the mouse under the hood some vitamins

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

He wants to build for mud, stay away from the Irok's and get good ole TSL's.

 

[jfrabat]

By the way, just to give you guys a better perspective of what's in my Jeeps future, I decided to link a couple of videos of a buddy of mine Jeeping down in Panama whi is using his rig more or less in the way I expect to use mine...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUCdjRoFt5E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQY1IQyTagw

This rig is also a 94 YJ, but his is a Sahara with the 4.0L and a lot more things already on than what I have on mine... Starting with the OX lockers front and back, which are really put to good use ont he mud!

Felipe

 

[currupt4130]

I don't like OX lockers. In fact, the only lockers I like are Detroits or spools. Detroit in the front and a spool out back (get rid of the 35). Build up the 30 some, possibly get the locking hub conversion (at this point you'll have sunk enough money to put a 44 up front so just do that too). Get some TSL's for the front and Boggers out back. After seeing that vid, get a snorkel too. And a winch of course, I like Warn, but then again I'm biased.

 

[jfrabat]

Yeah, snorkel is in the list... And so is the winch, although I am between the Warn and the Superwinch. I really liked the article about Winches in Hell by the Moab Jeepers, and the Superwinch really did a good job there...

Regarding the Detroit up-fron, my understanding is that the only bad thing about the Detroit Locker is the clacking noise when you are in a turn on the street. Is this the case?

By the way, I will be paying a visit in October to the U-Pick to try and find a nice Dana 44 for my rear axle from a Honda Passport or Izusu Rodeo (only 1/2 an inch of difference in size with the stock axle). I intend to regear it to 4.88 to be able to run on 33's. By the way, anyone know a good How-To article on how to rebuild axles? I am guessing that whatever I find will have been sitting around for a good couple of years and will need to be ovehauled... Also, any hints on how best to pick an axle are very welcome!

Regarding tires, I think I prefer all 4 of the same kind (actually, all 5) so that I can rotate them later on. I was leaning more toward TSL's or BFG Mud Terrains (because of cost). Still, tires are way down the line, so I got plenty of time to make up my mind about that. My next project involves the axles (D44, Lockers, etc.)

Felipe

 

[currupt4130]

A good ol bias ply TSL willbe cheaper than a BFG any day of the week, I'd definitely go with the TSL's. Having a permanent locker up front can cause that popping, but the YJ has a vacuum actuated mechanism in the axle that unlocks it. With that up front it won't pop. Best thing to do with that is either eliminate it or make it manual by making it cable actuated. Also, just FYI, a spool will increase tire wear.

 

[jfrabat]

CoI kind of prefer to stick with radials, and maintain good street driveability (no spool) because to get to this places, you do need to ride on the street for some a couple of hours (a bias ply will probably develop a flat side from sitting in the driveway, and that will really be bumpy when hitting the hiway). So it needs to be street and trail friendly...

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

The flat-spots work out in the first few minutes of driving. I use dynabeads to balance my TSL's internally and it works pretty well, up to about 70mph. I run the Q78's which are 35.5"x10.5" and tread almost 1" deep.

Corrupt, you stated your bias against OX but didn't elaborate, what's up?

 

[currupt4130]

Actually, I like the OX better than some because of how simple it is, but externally actuated lockers are not my thing. I've seen tons of people have problems with the cables and keeping them adjusted correctly. I've also seen people having trouble actuating them because of stretch or flex in the cables.

I've seen countless ARB's loose airlines or solenoids in bad spots. Also seen em get leaky seals and not want to stay engaged.

Auburn has one that I think is rather ingenious, the ECTED. It uses an electromagnet on the inside to actuate and only requires a couple wires running to the dif rather than cables or airlines and fittings. That one I would run.

For now, I'll stick to a spool and a regular locker. They're very dependable, the spool especially.

For running through the jungle like he's gonna be doin I don't think I'd want anything external on my dif that controlled my lockers. Getting that ripped off/out could mean you get stuck or get dirt and water in the dif and potentially ruin bearings or gears depending on where you're at and if you notice it or not.

The Q78 is a great tire BTW, and flat spots work out in about 5 minutes.

 

[jfrabat]

Just to be sure, a Detroit Locker up front will not click when driving in 2H? If that is the case, then the DL would be the first choice for front for me... one less thing to worry about in the trail (turning on and off the locker), and I know I got the most dependable locker out there. I would probably add a new diff cover, though, as it is hard to see wxactly what's in your path when crossing a river...

Bounty, do you use the TSL's on a daily basis? I ask because although I intend to get the tires in a few years (once I wear out my current ones), I will probably drive them on a daily basis while I am still here in Miami, which is why I was thinking about radials...

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

I run them on a semi-daily basis, I have a set of radials I swap out to if I know I'm not gonna be wheelin for a while. The bias TSL's are on there now, went wheelin over Labor Day, and haven't changed them out yet. Been driving with 'em with no problems.

You may want to consider the TSL Radial, 36" would be good for your intended use if you increase tire clearance and gear low enough.

 

[Utah_jeepster]

Mud and the 2.5L don't mix....pushing any tire over a 31 with that motor and you couldn't generate enough wheel speed to clean them out playing in the mud puddles at your local walmart.
Ditch the motor and axles. Dana 35's are never worth your time or money. With forethought of deep mud...your taking a risk even building the Dana 30.
A stroked 4.7L with a advantage super charger feeding it and a set of 44's will give you that punch needed for mud and still give you that tamed leopard feeling when your on the paved road. Even bumping up to a 4.2L V6 will give you better torque than your 2.5L.

Mudding requires power and torque, your axles are gaged to the power plant and tire size. But for the deep mud of the rain forests nothing beats a V8 and Dana 60's.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Mud isn't that hard on axles, why decrease ground clearance and increase unsprung weight with D60's.

But then again, with a blown Stroker with v8 power you may need more than D44's

 

[Utah_jeepster]

A stroked 4.0 to a 4.7 or smaller with the slight boost the advange super charger gives allows you to to hit the higher rpm's to clear the mud, the Dana 44's will handle with no problem, only going to a V8 will the 44's have issue, then 60's are needed. the object is not being able to drive it in...but being able to drive it out!

 

[jfrabat]

I was thinking about D44 front and rear... I plan to get to the U-Pick in October (wife will be on vacation then!! HEHEHE!!!) and see if I can find a Honda Passport or Izusu Rodeo to take the rear one out. I already know where to get the front one from, but may do that one later due to budgeting issues!

Regarding the engine, I kind of want to avoid an engine swap if possible. I was thinking about gearing at 4.88 and putting on 33"s (the Jeep that you saw on the video has 33"s and only got stuck once because it broke the joints in the front axle). If absolutly necesary, I would consider swaping engines, but that is VEEEEERY expensive, and I cannot afford that at this time. Maybe an Avenger Supercharger for the old 4 banger, or a compression increase... I have heard you can get almost as much power from a tuned 4 banger as you can from a stock 4.0L if you tune it and increase the compression.

Felipe