I just picked up a Wrangler Sahara, What now?

[Dude_Jeep]

I picked up a 2000 TJ Wrangler Sahara, D44, D30, 5 speed.

It has ARBs and is at 55,000 on the mileage. It is completely bone stock, but it is mint, it is "custom" painted cobalt blue. I picked her up for $9000.

I am looking to make this a nice crawler( yes nice, not thrash it), I considered selling it for a prodit and buying a Willys that I could thrash. But I am sticking with this so far.

So, I am looking to make this streetable, but an awesome crawler.

I was thinking a 6" skyjacker long arm coil over kit
Stak 5:1 twin stick
Ford D44 front
Build a cage

And thats what I got on the list for now. Trying to keep this under 25 large.

Any ideas or thoughts on what I should do?

EDIT: I am going to try and run 37" Krawlers on here.

[mudb8]

hmmm, 37's? yeah um..... I say forget a 6",

3.5" long arm, AEV's highline fenders, (we wanna keep it low and ballanced) d60's (37's are pushing it for d44's) ARB's, full cage, atlas 3.8, Gm 700r4, 5:13 of 5:38 gears and maybe a sbc or a 6.5 turbo diesel....

I think the 5.1 is a bit extreme,
well if you use the 700r4 any how with 5:38's. the first is 3.06 and the od is .7 so this thing would still run 70mph economically in od without strain. if your into the manuals, sorry, I'm not.......but a nv4500'll do er. that'll about do the 20k.

[mudcedes2k]

Sell the stock Dana 44 and use the money to buy a good pair of axles with money left over for gears; People overpay for those things constantly. $400 is an average price I see for a HP44/60 combo, or go all out and get 60's all around. Don't waste time trying to match a front axle with that stock rear one; it's not worth the trouble, money or weakness of that factory axle.

[Dude_Jeep]

Okay I like the low idea. I was looking at these https://www.spydercustoms.com/index2.php

They look good and should give me a lot of clearence under there. I am considering maybe going to a LTI with a 700R trans? I figured looking around I can probably get about $1000 for the D44 rear. I'll shop around and look for a D60/D44 combo. I was also considering getting Currie 9" axles f/r. MY buddie is doing that on his CJ7 and they arn't to pricey. I am going to call around and see what I can do with that. Also, for the front, I was considering going with the Poison Spyder flat fenders, fabbing them to get the up another 2", and button it all up.

So, would it be worth going to an LTI/700R Combo?
Would the Currie 9" be strong enough?
Do those fenders sound like a good way to go?(I like them because they got welded flares)

Thanks for the help, I don't know a whole lot about this stuff and I don't want to dig myself to deep of a hole.
The 5:1 is probably to low, so what should I do, a 4:1 or leave it with it's 2:1?

[jeep937]

I'd stay away from the lt1. Go 5.3 vortec. Most lt1s are beat and the optispark sucks. As for the 9 inch, In my opinion the pinion is to low.

[redbullTJ]

Originally Posted by Dude_Jeep

Oh................. I got the name Doofus_Jeep for a reason you know.

True to form.

[UCTJ]

I think you really need to spend some time reading and researching before you spend a dime that way you can do it right the first time.

[Dude_Jeep]

Originally Posted by UCTJ

I think you really need to spend some time reading and researching before you spend a dime that way you can do it right the first time.

Yes you are right. I am now considering selling this jeep and just buying a rig, might be better.

I got a 99' TJ already, I just picked this one up because for 9g you couldn't beat it, and I figured I could make a profit on it. But then decided to build it.

Might sell it and buy a good trail rig.

[mudb8]

here's a link to the AEV highline kit if you haven't seen them...........

http://www.aev-conversions.com/products/highline/

[Dude_Jeep]

Ooh, I like that. I am going to sell this Jeep though. I am looking into some other jeeps. I got a 99 TJ I might want to do that to though. Looks hot.

Thanks for the help but I am going to go ahead and sell her.