Please don't disown me....

[blowedupmotor87]

WOW! Lots of stuff to reply to! Sorry I haven't gotten back on here, it's finals week!

Well my biggest complaint is they are gutless, so for bigger tires I would say gear them.

The only problem is the front axle tubes and c's will bend super easy. Off Road evolution makes a very nice kit that is not too much that uses an internal truss (just a really thick tube you weld in place) Even stock JKs are bending these axles with some decent use.

Have one in my garage right now, rockcrawler long arm kit Poison spider everything (bumpers sliders crusher corners fenders I mean everything).

Not mine building it for a customer of mine, doing 5.13 gears with 37s should be pretty cool

But dang that motor is weak

Sounds like a sweet build!!! If ya don't mind- post some pics when ya get done!

I've seen some of the weld on reinforcement stuff for the front 44. Honestly, I may be tempted to upgrade to the Dynatrac Pro 44 front housing when I get to that point, it re-uses all the guts you already have but is WAY beefier (and higher clearance!) than the stock housing. It is $$$ but, in terms of beef and saved labor cost (having to pay someone to weld the axle for me) I wonder if it might not be a better deal. That's WAY down the road though!!!

Gotta throw a supercharger on it. That should help.

Maybe after the warranty is over (100k miles, LOL!)

I'm with ya my friend. I was never much of a Jeep fan mostly because owners think there is no other 4x4 but we bought my wife a 2 door unlimited LJ in '06 and I have to admit it's fun. Being smaller than a full size it's a whole lot easier to wheel and cruising with the top off is really nice.

Have fun with the new project!

Thanks! Yeah, the Jeepers do seem to think they are the only 4x4 ever don't they? Sounds like y'all have some fun with the LJ!!! My buddy has an LJ now, I saw his and liked it so much I was like- WOW! I need to look into getting a Jeep! I think the JK with its four doors will be a lot better for me though. ODD fact on the topic of size- according to the spec chart here on CK5 and the spec chart in the Jeep brochure, the JK four door and a K5 have the exact same overall length at 184.8"!!! (weird, huh?) Though, the JK has a 9.5" longer wheelbase at 116".

Keep in mind that most of those rigs use 4.88 gears for 35's and keep 4.10s only for tires under 33"

I've been getting that impression! They seem to say that 35's call for 5.13's in a four door auto, seems a bit low to me?

It needs a blower!

I've gotten used to moving slower, LOL!

3.73s are not very common. 3.21 is the most common. i see more problems with those in a 4dr with 33" tires. i have put alot of engines and transmissions in the new jk's. mostly attributed to being over weight and under geared. 4.10s with 35s would be "ok". but not ideal for a long lasting drivetrain. also heavy bumpers, winches, all that doesnt help either.

i have only put 1 engine in a 2dr, and that was due to a oil galley plug falling out. they weigh alot less, and are way easier on parts

also unless they changed it in 11' they cant change the tipm for 35" tires. only from a 29" to a 255/75/17. so youre speedometer will be a little off.

warranty states that all things are covered unless the aftermarket part causes the failure. so really its up to the dealer. but if they say no, just call the chrysler "cair" line. they will do whatever it takes to keep you in a chrysler vehicle.

Thanks for the heads up on the line to call! I am trying to find a good service dealer around here. IDK about the service department at the one I purchased it from.

Since 4.10's are marginal, what do you think about running 5.13's for 35's?

For the speedo, I think AEV have a plug in computer that can actually correct it, we'll see I guess. I'd rather not have to live with error!

Have you heard of needing to run an auxillary tranny fluid cooler? Seems like a lot of people are saying that the trannies like to overheat in the four doors.

Hey blowedup,

Where'd you get the jeep? I just got one last week from Lake Norman. I got the sport and had them swap the tires for some bfg's. I have already
noticed a clunking feel in the steering which I had in a Tahoe a few years back. Dealer swapped out a steering shaft and it went away but I can't find a tsb for the wrangler. Some guys suggest taking a boot off the shaft and greasing. Don't know what to do.

Good luck with the Jeep!

Jay

Congrats on the new Jeep bro! Sorry about the clunk! I had a similar problem in my Dmax. I know the (temporary) cure for it was greasing the shaft and there was no official cure (other than to spend a grand+ on a Borgeson shaft!). May be similar for the Jeeps too. So, it's gone now right? Did you get your Jeep new or used, do you have a warranty? If you have a warranty, I would probably not mess with greasing it yourself and just have it fixed under warranty, that way they can't claim that your attempt and greasing it is what made it go bad... IDK. Sorry I can't be of more help bro! Hope you get it figured out! Maybe check out the JKowners forum that is an offshoot from Pirate4x4, and see if they have anything to suggest, thus far they seem more hospitable than Pirate itself.

I won't disown you. With a few minor modifications you can do this:



View attachment 116839 3 tires on the ground.




View attachment 116840 This guy is 6'-2".

Nice! That's some crazy flex! I think that may be a TJ/LJ though?

Nice jeep . You know, I've often thought of selling my K5 and replacing it with one of those. Easier than trying to make mine ride like a new vehicle, and they are just as versatile as a K5, if not more. Too bad they don't come with a fuel efficient, powerful diesel. Then I'd probably go for it.

Got anymore pics? like of the interior?

So the jimmy is going up for sale? Did you even get a chance to unpack those new seatbelts?

For about $50k you can get a diesel- AEV sells the JK8 military spec, pretty sick rigs, 340lbft of torque, 5 speed auto, dana 44 front, dana 60 rear, 2500lb payload capacity! Also, there are rumors circulating of a diesel in 2014 but, who knows on that one. I would LOVE to have had that 2.8L/5 speed auto in mine, more power and more fuel efficiency, and even a better transmission!!! The JK's have that engine as an option in pretty much every market other than the U.S.. Why do we always get shafted?

Interior pics:
Getting in:

Dash (sorry it's dark, the Jeep was in full sun but, the camera phone did NOT want to cooperate!):

Back seat leg room (with 6'3" me comfy in the front seat):

Rear cargo area, it's actually pretty dang good sized, and has a little storage cubby underneath the carpet! (currently blocked by the soft top, that's how the dual top group gets delivered, I haven't had a chance to take the hard top off yet, I don't think 1 person can do it alone):

A side shot, you can really see the long wheelbase (only like 25.5" shorter than that of my DMAX extended cab that I traded in!):

Shot of it by the traded in Dmax (I am gonna miss that truck, the Jeep better be a great vehicle, it has got some big shoes to fill!!!):

The EVAP canister that I want to install a skid plate for before I even contemplate wheeling the Jeep (the big plastic box) (you can also see the Rubicon specific BFG mud terrains' tire tread in this shot):

Oh, and - YUP!!!! Part of the deal with the fiancee was if I buy this Jeep, the Jimmy has to go up for sale! Never even got the seatbelts unpacked, LOL! Whoever the future owner is, they get them in the box!!!

 

[79bonanza]

6.1 hemi swap it

 

[blowedupmotor87]

6.1 hemi swap it

I wish!!!

Imagine that, a big 4 door lifted Jeep that can vaporize the tires at a whim!!!

I priced out a Hemi swap just out of sheer curiosity and yeah, unless I win the lotto, that ain't happening! (I better start buying tickets now, LOL!)

That would be such a SICK rig!

Heck, if I win the lotto, I will call up AEV, they make them, for just about double the Jeep's original sticker price you can have a fully tricked out, tire shredding, 6.1L powered, expedition Jeep with a warranty!!!

 

[1BEATK5]

i drove a walker evans sema 2dr with the 392 hemi. 5" lift on 37s. it didnt spin the tires, but it twisted like crazy. very fun to drive.

an auxillary trans cooler would be a good idea. i have seen a few come threw the shop with them. i think mopar now makes one as part of a towing package. that way it is still a factory part.

 

[DK5]

I gotta do this, so I'm sorry in advance



































Are you sure ya wanna get rid of this thing?

 

[Avery4jc]

I'm with DK5 I don't get this one single bit.

So you traded in your nice useful diesel that could be daily driven, tow, haul and still get good mileage for an expensive jeep that needs a butt load of work to be wheelable and you are getting rid of your blazer?
Seems like I would have kept the duramax and dumped some money into the wheeler. DD the duramax and have the blazer to wheel. Now you have a jeep that has to be your DD, is too clean to wheel and carries a hefty price tag.

 

[DK5]

No I just did that to rub it in a bit . Don't get me wrong, like I said earlier, I've thought about switching to a newer jeep just to be done with it and start with something new. I like the new 4 door jeeps, they seem pretty versatile. Narrowing it down to one vehicle limits it to only one money pit that you can enjoy in a variety of ways, i.e, DD, commuter, work rig, offroader, road tripper, etc.

 

[1BEATK5]

No I just did that to rub it in a bit . Don't get me wrong, like I said earlier, I've thought about switching to a newer jeep just to be done with it and start with something new. I like the new 4 door jeeps, they seem pretty versatile. Narrowing it down to one vehicle limits it to only one money pit that you can enjoy in a variety of ways, i.e, DD, commuter, work rig, offroader, road tripper, etc.

1 year ago i had 5 jeeps, 2 chevs and 2 pontiacs. nothing got done on any of them. it was dumb.

now i have a jeep, my k5, and the wife's car, and my dads car (which is parked in my dads garage where its been since 85'). everything else is either on the chopping block, or already sold. now i can get back to actually doing stuff to what i own. i tried to sell my k5 a couple times and im glad i kept it. i sold my rubicon instead. it was very fun, and wheeled great too. the 4.0l 6spd with 4.10s is a good combo.

the jk wont need a butt load of work to wheel. its a rubi. 2" lift, more underbody protection and go nuts. its already locked, has mud tires, has a sway bar disconnect, a descent ammount of skids, sliders.... al the stuff that costs alot of money to add to a vehicle later.

but he traded a truck in for the rubi. so why not keep the jk stock and keep the k5 as a wheeler.

pic whore on for my junk

 

[blowedupmotor87]

Sorry I haven't replied sooner, fiancee has a stomach bug so, I hung out with her after I got home from work today, trying to distract her from being sick.

i drove a walker evans sema 2dr with the 392 hemi. 5" lift on 37s. it didnt spin the tires, but it twisted like crazy. very fun to drive.

an auxillary trans cooler would be a good idea. i have seen a few come threw the shop with them. i think mopar now makes one as part of a towing package. that way it is still a factory part.

That'd be a SICK rig!!!

Gonna hafta see if maybe mine has a cooler then, it has the trailering package. (all whopping 3,500lb triler towing capacity that it has, LOL!)

I gotta do this, so I'm sorry in advance



































Are you sure ya wanna get rid of this thing?

LOL! Yes and no. I will be sad to see it go but, the fiancee will be happier, one less vehicular mouth to feed, LOL!

I'm with DK5 I don't get this one single bit.

So you traded in your nice useful diesel that could be daily driven, tow, haul and still get good mileage for an expensive jeep that needs a butt load of work to be wheelable and you are getting rid of your blazer?
Seems like I would have kept the duramax and dumped some money into the wheeler. DD the duramax and have the blazer to wheel. Now you have a jeep that has to be your DD, is too clean to wheel and carries a hefty price tag.

I wouldn't say the Jeep needs a butt load of work to wheel, nothing too untoward is needed. Yeah, I am losing some rigs but, I am gaining simplicity. What I shoulda done is bought a Rubicon TJ from the get-go 8 years ago, instead I went on a vehicular rollercoaster that I am now trying to exit, LOL! (BUT, had I done that, I might never would have found this site and some others that I have enjoyed/will continue to enjoy so... who knows, I guess it's all water under the bridge now!

Rollercoaster:
2004 BlaZer2 (my first brand new vehicle)- wheeled the dogsnot out of it and racked up 36K miles in the first year and a half

1969 Bronco- figured older and simpler (with a V-8 too!) would be a better wheeler- bit off more than I could chew with this one.

1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee- after getting sick of the Bronco's resistance to improvement, I decided newer was better. Lifted it, locked it (rear Aussie locker), 231 case converted it (V-8 so 249 case was original), wheeled the dogsnot outta it. Ran into a lot of bumpsteer problems that just nagged on and on, and wanted to go bigger and didn't feel the unit body would appreciate 1 tons and 37's.

2005 Honda Civic (2nd new car)- figured heck, I have the Bronco now, why keep the BlaZer2?? Then heck, this is more practical DD than the ZJ...

2007 Chevy Silverado 2500HD (3rd new car)- couldn't stand the Civic any
longer, wanted a big diesel pickup with tow capacity for planned 4x4 project.

1987 GMC Jimmy- I love it but, I still feel kinda guilty because the fiancee LOVED the Jeep and she cannot learn how to drive a stick. Plus, I just don't seem to be able to turn it into the perfect rig I want (though it is close).

New 2011 JKU Rubicon- the vehicle that seemed the most capable out of the box vehicle on the market that a normal person can buy. It is also pretty practical for me, I need a four door (always going places with friends). Fiancee can drive it (auto) and LOVES it so much that I think she will soon forget the ZJ alltogether. She wants me to start driving her car and let her take the JKU, NOT gonna happen, LOL!

I wish I had all the money that I lost in depreciation over the years, I put 36k on the BlaZer2 in a year and a half and 107k on the DMAX in four years! The Civic was not so bad but, not great either. But, I do prefer to buy new because I am paranoid about previous owners!!!

No I just did that to rub it in a bit . Don't get me wrong, like I said earlier, I've thought about switching to a newer jeep just to be done with it and start with something new. I like the new 4 door jeeps, they seem pretty versatile. Narrowing it down to one vehicle limits it to only one money pit that you can enjoy in a variety of ways, i.e, DD, commuter, work rig, offroader, road tripper, etc.

Yup, that's the idea!!!

1 year ago i had 5 jeeps, 2 chevs and 2 pontiacs. nothing got done on any of them. it was dumb.

now i have a jeep, my k5, and the wife's car, and my dads car (which is parked in my dads garage where its been since 85'). everything else is either on the chopping block, or already sold. now i can get back to actually doing stuff to what i own. i tried to sell my k5 a couple times and im glad i kept it. i sold my rubicon instead. it was very fun, and wheeled great too. the 4.0l 6spd with 4.10s is a good combo.

the jk wont need a butt load of work to wheel. its a rubi. 2" lift, more underbody protection and go nuts. its already locked, has mud tires, has a sway bar disconnect, a descent ammount of skids, sliders.... al the stuff that costs alot of money to add to a vehicle later.

but he traded a truck in for the rubi. so why not keep the jk stock and keep the k5 as a wheeler.

pic whore on for my junk

Exactly, hard to keep anything up to snuff with too many vehicular mouths to feed! I like your Rubi, I still regret that I didn't buy one like it years ago!!!

I can't keep the K5 for two reasons:
1) I made a deal with "she who must be obeyed" (my fiancee) agreed to sell it if I bought the Jeep.
2) The whole buying the Jeep thing would be pretty pointless if I kept the Jimmy, I don't need two $$$ eating offroad rigs! (Might as well have kept the Dmax or bought another Civic at that point, LOL!)

Who knows, I may end up making a mistake (I have a history of that) but heck, it'll all work out eventually!!!

 

[blowedupmotor87]

Some funny things about me and vehicles:
In 2003 when I bought the BlaZeR2, I had narrowed my vehicle choices down to 4:
2004 BlaZeR2 (the winner due to getting a GM discount)
2004 TJ Rubicon (what I shoulda probably gone with)
2004 BMW 330 Sport coupe (love the styling/workmanship/handling)
2004 Mini Cooper (the oddball, I just loved the retro look)

All were about the same sticker brand new but, I got a STEEP GM employee discount on the BlaZeR2 so, it won out.


The DMAX and the Jimmy are the two vehicles that I have owned the longest out of anything I have owned:
DMAX- 4 years and a month
Jimmy- just slightly less (DMAX beats it by a couple weeks, IIRC)

BUT, the Jimmy has the least miles put on it by me outta anything I have owned and almost gets passed up by a rental car I had once, LOL!

 

[blowedupmotor87]

AND yes...
























I did just admit to having wanted to buy a Mini Cooper. You may disown me now!

 

[blowedupmotor87]

I really did get disowned...













OUCH!!!

Please take me back!!! I didn't even test drive the Mini-Cooper!

 

[euzoa]

I actually like the mini cooper in a wierd way, but the seats kill my back so i could never own one.

 

[1BEATK5]

i think if you frove one, you wouldnt want one. i have driven a couple and it just wasnt what i was expecting. maybe the supercharged ones are more fun

 

[blowedupmotor87]

I actually like the mini cooper in a wierd way, but the seats kill my back so i could never own one.

I still wonder if I could even fit in one, I never did sit in one!

i think if you frove one, you wouldnt want one. i have driven a couple and it just wasnt what i was expecting. maybe the supercharged ones are more fun

That stinks, it would be awesome if they were a totally flingable car like the original! The supercharged ones have a good bit more power but, they are heavy for as small as they are.

 

[euzoa]

My aunt had one (it was the sport but since it was a lease i wasnt allowed under the hood) and that thing would GO. Especially weaving in and out of DC traffic

 

[blowedupmotor87]

WOO-HOO!!! I just ordered my 3.5" Rock Krawler X factor midarm lift, with 2" bumpstop extensions F/R, Fox external reservoir shocks and matching stabilizer! Can't wait for it all to get here!!! (no word on RK lead time yet...)

 

[elks]

I think you did fine. I have often thought that if I just went in sold my blazer, my, jeep and my truck I could have one really awesome 4 door JK. they are great vehicles and with some mods on them they are some of the most comfortable and capable rides around. I love jeeps, hence the reason I still own the first one I bought and still wheel in it. On the flip side there are not many jeep that are as cool and good looking as a 72 blazer.

I fully understand why you did what you did, I have thought about it pretty hard myself.

 

[crawdaddy]

Nice jeep. Really like those 4 doors. How is your wife going to feel when it gets some scratches?


Pic whoring time

LT1 , NV4500, Dana 300
Dana 44/60

 

[blazinzuk]

Here is the JK I just finished, well not quite painter is taking his sweet time on the fenders and bumpers and sliders.

3.5 x factor long arm kit. I like the rockcrawler stuff for these.

What a pain on the exhaust. Really interested in how the mid arm kit does can't wait to see pics.