[mhcblues119]

Alright so i have a problem with making impulse buys. So I'm trying to control myself by making a wish list of stuff i need for my jeep in the order that i believe it should be bought.

As the jeep sits now: (Pics at bottom with 31's until 35's come in)
Engine: Inline 4
Trans: NV231/Sye and adams cv shaft
Axles: Dana 30/ Rubicon Dana 44 with factory locker and 4:10 gears
Suspension: 3in BDS/ Rear upper RC adjustables
Steering: ZJ tie rod
Armor: Smittybilt stinger
Tires: 35x12.5x15 MTR-k on 15 MT sidebiter (should be coming in the mail next week)
Accessories: ARB Snorkel/ Fog lights

And here is what i would like my jeep to look like in the years to come. (probably multiple years since I'm still trying to pay my way through college)

JEEP WISH LIST
(In order to buy)
1. Poison Spider Rear Stinger tire carrier-$745 (reason this is first is because i need a way to carrier my 35in spare)
2. JKS Body lift-$135/Brown Dog Motor mount lift-$90
3. UCF Deep-Cover skid system ¼steel Ultra high clearance-$550
4. Currie JJ Adjustable Control Arm set-$1000
5. Rokmen Gas Tank Skid Plate-$230
6. HP Dana 30-$200ish
7. 4:88 Regear-$1000
8. Super 44 Rear Axle Kit-$345
9. Super 30 Front Axle Kit-$600
10. Aussie Lunchbox locker for Dana 30 $250

Tube Fenders, Rock rails, corner guards, winch. The last things to come

Approximately $5,150 till I’m happy with the way my TJ is built

Is there anything i missed? Or anything i should look at instead of what i picked out? Or do you suggest i get something else earlier then later. Im still learning about my jeep and from what iv read on here this list would make one hell of a rig. This is kinda a rant/try to get opinions on how i want my build to go. I would like to do most of the installation myself besides probably the regear.

ladies and gents!

[andy02]

What is the chain for?

[mhcblues119]

No real purpose. Came home from college and my younger brother had put it there so I left it.

[wwch99tj]

I've got a set of the Brown Dog mml Super-flex rubber and I didn't like the amount of engine vibrations that you can feel.
The 4cyl supposedly vibrates more than the 4.0

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL

[mhcblues119]

Really? Have never heard of anyone having that problem. I'm not getting the super flex. I'll be getting the poly ones.

[merkchop]

Sounds like a good plan, but I have a few to add.
If you wheel much alone I would throw a winch on early on in the build, it will come in handy at some point.
The 2 skids I would recommend doing early on (if you are wheeling it on rocks, especially) is a power steering box skid and do the gas tank skid soon.
The power steering box is sitting right there in the opening, begging to be hit and broken on a rock. The factory gas tank skid on the 97's are very thin and don't give much protection when dropping onto a rock, one good dent at the wrong spot and you may be dead on the trail.

The one thing that I did to my Jeep that made it go more places off road than anything else was installing a lunchbox locker in the front. I was amazed at what a difference it made. Obstacles that I had problems with before, I could just walk right over, so I would do that early on too if you do a lot of crawling.

[wwch99tj]

Originally Posted by mhcblues119

Really? Have never heard of anyone having that problem. I'm not getting the super flex. I'll be getting the poly ones.

Had the poly first and they vibrated worse than the rubber.

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL

[jeepinhokie]

I would look at drivetrain items before tire carriers etc. sure they look cool. but provide nothing to the drivability of the Jeep.
regear your axles and just lock the front for now

what about track bars? shock mounts?

all the little details will add up quickly.

[wolfcreek]

I have the poly brown dog motor mounts along with a poly transmission mount and there is certainly more high-frequency vibration transmitted.

It is a tradeoff, though. With my OEM rubber mounts the whole drivetrain would rotate side to side on rough roads when the right frequency of bumps was encountered... I found this much more objectionable than the high frequency "buzz" that is transmitted (especially at certain rpm range).

At least my shift lever isn't flopping side to side the way it did with OEM rubber mounts (and no, they were not worn out).

[mhcblues119]

As for the winch. I rarely ever wheel alone. My brother now has an XJ that he is in the process of lifting so ill have him. And I am involved in a group of other wheelers around my area.

And recently i have gotten much more into rocks. Mud is what got me into the world of off roading. And hell yeah its fun. But its just kills the frame and everything on my jeep. And i kinda like the adrenaline rush i get from doing a tough climb where i need to try a time or 2 rather then just ripping it through some mud.

The reason I put the tire carrier at the top of the list is i have no way of carrying my 35in spare. I didn't think about the power steering skid! maybe ill fab up my own skid for the steering box! Seen lots of people do it. Didn't think about track bars. What exactly would adjustable tracks do for me? I know a track bar centers the axle underneath the jeep correct? Iv my axles are sitting straight is there a need to upgrade them? Or do they do something else also.

And yeah the lunchbox in the front is something i definitely want and have heard nothing but great about them. But i would like to swap in an HP 30 before i go a spend $250 on a locker. Also would like to get the Super axle shafts so i don't break and shafts. (as easily that is) Id rather protect my jeep from breaking or taking damage before i help it go further. Im from new jersey. I don't see much that i can't already do. Until i start going to Upstate ny and RC more often

[mhcblues119]

One question i do have. Will a hand throttle for climbing help me with working the clutch while crawling? I have a tendency to struggle with obstacles that require me to really crawl and go slow. Ill either stall and have to restart or burn the hell outa my clutch.

[jeepinhokie]

Originally Posted by mhcblues119

The reason I put the tire carrier at the top of the list is i have no way of carrying my 35in spare. I didn't think about the power steering skid! maybe ill fab up my own skid for the steering box! Seen lots of people do it. Didn't think about track bars. What exactly would adjustable tracks do for me? I know a track bar centers the axle underneath the jeep correct? Iv my axles are sitting straight is there a need to upgrade them? Or do they do something else also.

And yeah the lunchbox in the front is something i definitely want and have heard nothing but great about them. But i would like to swap in an HP 30 before i go a spend $250 on a locker. Also would like to get the Super axle shafts so i don't break and shafts. (as easily that is) Id rather protect my jeep from breaking or taking damage before i help it go further. Im from new jersey. I don't see much that i can't already do. Until i start going to Upstate ny and RC more often

when you put your ultra high clearance skid on you will need to rotate your pinion angle up more. which may cause issues with your rear track bar. not saying you NEED them, but you might. just another cost to consider.

also, with an open diff in your current d30, i dont see you blowing a stock axle shaft, even on the 35s. in my opinion, its not until you lock the axle that you will have a need to upgrade the shafts. Run with your stock d30 for now (easily), and set up the HP30 axle with gears, aussie and new shafts before you put it in. no sence in putting in and and pulling it out multiple times. once the front is in, have the rear regeared.

[mhcblues119]

Alright did not know that. Thanks jeepinhokie!

And thats not a half bad idea. So maybe ill buy the aussie/gears/super shafts before i buy the HP30. Then when i get all the pieces together ill get the 30 and throw all the parts on. Theres a possibility i truss the HP30 and 44 down the line incase one day i wanna go to 37's but thats probably not gonna happen. And if it does it won't be until after i get some tube fenders.

[jeepinhokie]

Originally Posted by mhcblues119

Alright did not know that. Thanks jeepinhokie!

And thats not a half bad idea. So maybe ill buy the aussie/gears/super shafts before i buy the HP30. Then when i get all the pieces together ill get the 30 and throw all the parts on. Theres a possibility i truss the HP30 and 44 down the line incase one day i wanna go to 37's but thats probably not gonna happen. And if it does it won't be until after i get some tube fenders.

doing it the way you initally thought would work, but might cause more down time for the jeep while the front end is being worked on multiple times.

setting the HPd30 up before throwing it under the jeep will cost more up front, but will cause less down time later down the road. and in theory, make less work for yourself pulling shafts to put the locker in, then pulling the shafts to replace with alloy ones. then pulling the axle to have it regeared. you get the idea.

ask around, hopefully somone else will have some input on 35's in a stock open d30 for a few months. cant be the worst thing someone has done to to d30.

look at the "so you want a tummy tuck" thread if you havent already. they address most everything needed.

but i think you are headed on the right path.

[mhcblues119]

With my jeep being my DD i need it running 90% of the time. Even tho I live on campus 65% of the year and i rarely use it while at school. My really only time to work on it is over christmas and spring break. And the summer. Iv read that a D30 can keep up with 35's fine as long as i don't abuse it. And i don't. I rarely get to wheel with school and all. So id like to build it up while I'm going through college and once i graduate in 3 years it should be exactly where i want it and ready for some serious wheeling gonna try to talk the parents into a moab trip for my graduation present (my tj, my brothers xj, and my dads JK) would be awesome!