[theksmith]

I have a 2003 WJ Limited 4.7 HO with 75,000 miles, bone stock right now (except de-badged)...



This is my daily driver and going to be more of an expedition rig than a rock crawler. I've got an XJ sitting at 4.5" right now that grew piece-by-piece and started as a budget boost... I wanted to do the WJ different and get good components right from day one.

I just ordered most everything for Phase 1 below. I'd like some feedback as to if I missed anything, and there are a couple questions at the end. Thanks!

------ Phase 1 ------
Clayton front & rear long-arms (bare bones kit) (from kolak)

Teraflex front & rear springs 4.5" springs (sit more like ~ 4.75" I'm told)(from kolak)
Teraflex front & rear bump-stop extensions (from kolak)

4 Rubicon Express Monotube shocks (from kolak)

JKS front adjustable trackbar (from kolak)

JKS heavy duty tierod (from kolak)
(plus 2 new ends from dealer to replace worn ones and allow old ones to become spares)

JKS front swaybar quick disconnects (from kolak)

Rear extended length sway-bar links (from IRO)

Tenneco Heavy Duty Steering Stabilizer (from IRO)

JKS SuperNerfs (from kolak)

Gas tank skid (came with 1/8th inch factory skid, good FOR NOW)

Have someone local custom make a transfercase skid / belly pan (probably http://www.hunteroffroad.com) I've got conficting reports as to whether the IRO works with clayton's kit without mod, and I'd rather have a nice full-belly skid similiar to what I have on my XJ...

Mopar front tow hook kit, black #82207552 (from dealer)

Rear towpoint - jeep came with towing package and I have one of these...

Exhaust (mainly from kolak, have someone local weld up everything):
Section of 3" mid pipe, Magnaflow high flow 3" converter, Flowmaster 50 Delta Flow muffler (3" center inlet/offset outlet), 3" turn-down tip

Wheels/Tires - to be decided this week. Will probably go with 33x11ish on 16's, or maybe keep the stock 17's and get spacers to save some money for right now.

Mine being and 03 has a double-cardan style front shaft already, so shouldn't need to change that right now.

------ Questions ------

1 - Do I need a drop pitman arm & what size drop? 1"?

2 - Does anyone make a over-the-knuckle kit like IRO's, BUT that uses TRE's? I feel like the heim's would increase the chance of death-wobble and/or loose steering feeling... am I right on that?

3 - Do I need longer brake lines?

4 - What am I forgetting?


------ Phase 2 (at least another year or more away) ------

Swap in a 242HD and new rear DS

New gearing & something with axles... if I can find an aussie for the rear I may keep it and just truss the axles and ox lock the front perhaps... or who knows... maybe new JK axles all around one day

Custom rack and bumpers / tire carrier

35's?


Also wanted to say that Nick and Kolak Performance (kolak@aol.com) gave me some great deals and I definately recomend him.




------------------- CURRENT --------------------

35's, 6", Aussie, ARB

[CMARJEEP]

thats a nice freaking setup!!! you are a lucky man. seems like more than "just and expedition rig" to me.

[TX-WJ]

ditch the tera bs extensions, not long enough for ur lift, go with IRO custom ones, 3.5" or 4". Great $etup.

[MSU.WJ]

Very nice "phase one"! That's about phase 1344560 for most of the people on here. I agree to send the teraflex extensions back, as they are worthless with anything more than a BB. No you don't need a drop pitman arm. You can put together your own over the knuckle steering: http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum//showthread.php?t=7615

Sounds like a really nice build. I'd suggest going with 15" or 16" steelies instead of keeping 17s and running spacers.

[ArloGuthroJeep]

0) I agree with TX-WJ - you need longer then 2" extensions, I would say 4" extensions for 33" tires at a minimum.
1) No, don't get a drop pitman arm.
2) There is a home made style you can do. Check it out here: http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7615
3) No you don't. Since on a WJ the brake lines follow the control arms and don't drop down, adding lift doesn't strech them out at all.
4) Looks pretty good otherwise.

[WJChris]

someone must have got a nice tax refund!

Great kit!

[StrokedWJ]

Looks like a good start! Ditch those teraflex pos bumpstop extensions and buy the 3.75" ones I'm selling from IRO
http://jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=521562

[theksmith]

I still haven't gotten any parts yet, but I did order more! Someone over on mall crawlin is wanting to go 37's with his dub, so I'm picking up his 2000 WJ axles - Front Dana 30 with ARB and 4.56 gears, and rear 44HD with Aussie and 4.56's, Powerslot rotors front and rear. Supposedly did master install kit when gears/lockers where done and that was only 10k miles ago. He's supposed to get them palleted and shipped by monday... I'm excited as I didn't expect to be getting gears, much less lockers, for quite a while.

[theksmith]

Still waiting on the Claytons kit, most everything else has come.

I picked up the axles from the trucking company warehouse this week, I never realized how freakin heavy they are...

and I also went and picked up my wheels and tires:


I love the way the way they look, can't wait to get the lift!!!

they are:
BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2 Tires - LT285/70R17
and Eagle Alloy Series 140 Black Wheels- 17"x8", 5 on 5, +2 mm offset, 4.517" BS, 29 lbs

[spife7980]

looks like it will be really nice. and thats a dog track not a cougar. cats have retractable claws. if you see claw marks its a dog (thought i should add something no one else is)

[theksmith]

Originally Posted by spife7980

looks like it will be really nice. and thats a dog track not a cougar. cats have retractable claws. if you see claw marks its a dog (thought i should add something no one else is)

LOL, thanks!

[spife7980]

no prob. thats what the forum is here for

[theksmith]

I'm going to be updating this thread with some old and new stuff over the next week or so, so bear with me... i just want to keep everything in one place for myself to reference.

[theksmith]

tire/speedo/gear calculations:

original tires:
235/65/17 = 29.02755905511811"
(circumference 91.1927663")

new tires:
285/70/17 = 32.70866141732284"
(circumference 102.75729")

original gears: 3.73
suggested new gears: 4.2030164112301644

speedometer discrepancy:
40 is really 45
50 is really 56
60 is really 68
70 is really 79
75 is really 85

never had really thought about the math on the speedo before to realize that the amount you are off by gets worse as you go faster!

all calcs came from: http://www.4lo.com/4LoCalc.htm

UPDATE after lift install 6-29-08:
the computer says i am now averaging 12.5mpg, which i calculate would really be 14.1mpg if the computer was adjusted for the new tires. before tires and lift, i averaged 16mpg, so it looks like just the change in weight and aerodynamics has lost me 2mpg!!

[theksmith]

clayton install:

So it's been forever, but the clayton kit is finally installed. I had backorder problems with Clayton, RE, and shipping issues with JKS... then since I missed my first install date, it took a while to get another.

I had Absolute Offroad here in Phoenix do the install (i can't weld for ****). They did a decent job... I'm sure most anyone would be very happy with them... me, however, being a perfectionist would have liked to seen a little more attention-to-detail on the cut-off of the old mounts, and a couple of the welds could be prettier... most are nice though. As always, Joe over there was very personable and gave me a price that I can't argue with... so I'm sure I'll continue to use them.

I had them do the Clayton kit, and the springs/shocks/trackbar too... seem to make sense to do all that at once. I still have trimming, bumpstops, exhaust, rock rails, t-case skid, etc., to do myself now.