I just bought a 2000 wrangler sport with auto trans. The only thing done to it when I bought it was 33's on stock suspension. I would like info. on what lift kit I should run and other mod's to do to the jeep. Right now it has dana 35/30 with 3.07 gears and they are open. The Jeep will be about 70% on road and 30% rockcrawling.
What kind of off roading do you do when you get off highway? Is it your daily driver? Are you planning on more serious off roading in the future? The great thing about TJs is you can start fairly mild and build up to a sturdy off roader if you want. Id be thinking suspension lift, gear changes\posi and better engine performance as a start. how about some more detailed info on what your plans are for off roading
I do very little mudding but like to rock crawl on mild to moderate trails and it is my daily driver. As for the future It will become a more serious off-roader but that is a long was away.
Sounds like you would be happy with a quality hi-flex short arm lift and good 33s, maybe a rear locker depending on the terrain you wheel. Usually all rock rigs have lockers front and rear, but some people aren't comfortable driving around with two lockers in snow and ice if you live in those areas. Your gearing sucks for rock crawling, even trail riding. Going from my crawler with a 106:1 crawl ratio, to my stock TJ with 3.07 gears was a laborious exercise in clutch control and braking. Needless to say i only did it once and it stayed on pavement after that.
If you want to take it a bit farther, you can always do a ford 8.8 axle swap that has 4.10s in it already, buy a quality long arm lift, keep the front and wheel a 35-36" tire.
Your build will be centered around your tire size, until yoiu decide that, everything else is mute. I would also say for rocks and an auto, a decent easily attainable crawl ratio would be about 50:1, id get it as close to 75:1 as possible though.
If he wants to play in the rocks, the D35 has to go! Screw the 4:10's, go 4:56 and never look back. Personally, if you want this rig to drive like a car on pavement, I'd spend the $$ and go with ARB when you replace the D35. Add an engine/transmission skid to the list. Aussie (new for $239.00) is a tough little locker but it and the lockright will not have the pavement manners of an ARB.
Assuming that's a c-clip dana 35, I would plan on eliminating the c-clip before any rock crawling. Not a very good way to make friends when your stuck in the middle of the rock pile holding your axle shaft.
3" to 4" flex arm kit, short or long arm, good shocks like bilstreins or fox, gear it at 4.10 if you stay with 33's 4.56 if you go to 35's, posi the rear with a true-trac minimum ARB if you have the budget and don't forget the SYE to eliminate vibrations from the lift. Keep underbody protection in mind and do some skid plates for the steering box diffs oil pan and maybe a belly-up pan if you want to add a 1" body lift
the first gear in the 30rh or 32rh transmission is 2.74:1 ratio, I just swapped in an 8.8 ford axle in my jeep, I have the gears and Lockrite locker for the dana 35c if your interested. The locker has less than 100 miles on it, Jest letting you know before it hits ebay. The biggest improvement from stock to my jeep was the lockers. I would suggest getting just enough lift to fit the tire size you want to run, I speak from experience, running 35's on a Dana 35c will snap an axle even if you have a 2.5 liter, I do and did.
I paid $260.00 new, You can have it for $150.oo plus what ever shipping would be, I will post pictures of it if you would like. It has no wear what so ever, like it I said before it only has 100 miles or less. The ring and pinion gear I have are 4.10 I will sell them for $50.00 plus shipping (Factory Gears). I only have the rear set to sell.
If you change to the 4.10 you'll need to change the case in it so be ready to get a new case. Also would recommend taking out the front driveshaft if you do just the rears so there's no possible way for the 4WD to work til you get gears in the front and you'll be changing the case there too
Well I am actually swapping the 35 out for an 8.8. I found one for an unbelievable price and will have the axle on Wednesday. Who all make kits to do the swap?
That's steal!!! Way to go man!!! The limited slip in the axle is good enough to wheel until you can save up for a locker. If you look at putting a locker in the 8.8 you will have to get a locker that replaces your whole carrier due to the limited slip. I pulled my 8.8 out a junk yard with disc brake, 4.10 gear (matches my front axle) and limited slip, I paid $200.00.
Be sure to put limited slip additive in the gear oil when you refill it.
I've got 3.73 on 35's with a manual transmission. It's doable, a little painful but doable.
If you're gonna do it at all you may as well do it right and spend money once rather then spending twice because you are going to scrap those 3.73's at some point.
Good deal on the 8.8! The brackets arent hard to do, and if it were me, I would just go ahead and get 4.56's front and rear. The 4.56's will give you better milage around town the motor shouldnt be reving too high at highway speed. 4.56's will also cover you for WHEN (not if) you go to 35's. Run the lsd in the rear for the time being and slap and aussie in the front. For $ sake, get a decent short arm kit and let her eat.
Well I'm looking at RE 3.5 standard and super flex and the pro comp 4in stage 1 or stage 2... not sure which to go with or if there would be something better for me to run
For what you saved on the axle, The 4.56 gear sets would be the way to go, But do what you can with the money you have, I agree Buying the 3.73 gears would in the future be a waste, but your looking at 100.00 to do the 3.73 if you can find used gears, and about 400.00 for new 4.56 gears and install kits.
Well I think I'm just about set on 4.10 gears so that I can still drive on the highway at 70 and be under 3000 rpm. With 4.56 I will be sitting well into the 3's at 70
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