Lift ideas and general questions

[ZR2nit]

I have seen that Marlin at JBA offers a steel front diff housing for the Liberty. Could this be done to the CRD as well

 

[tommudd]

I have seen that Marlin at JBA offers a steel front diff housing for the Liberty. Could this be done to the CRD as well ��

Yes same exact front diff, just use stock mounts

 

[ZR2nit]

I'm just thinking out loud here

JBA 4-6 inch lift
Steel Dana 30 front housing
Ox lockers front and rear ( for the D30 and Chrysler 8.25)
ARB front bumper with winch
JBA full skids
JBA Rock rails
Boulder Bars rear shelf
31 inch (or equivalent metric size tires)
Maybe a RRO Luggage Rack
4.11/ 4.10s

That would be one awesome little rig. Sure it's no KOH conqueror but it would do everything I could want. Plus Diesel Power!!!

I haven't even gotten to preventative maintenance and tuning the engine yet. So throw in another $2-3k for that. As you can see I don't mind spending money as long as they are quality parts that make my vehicle better. When I get my CRD, I plan to keep it forever. No more house buying or marrying LOL

 

[tommudd]

Be a good setup for sure. But if only running 30-31 inch tires no need for 6 inch lift , not even 4 inch for 30s , 2.5 good for 30.7s even

 

[ZR2nit]

I dont know. I found a very similar thread to this one where you replied that 33s were way to big. Imy sure now that this car is over 10 years old there have been a lot of these threads LOL. I think ill stick to 31 or the 265/75/16 equivalent running the previously mentioned setup. Sounds like it would offer a good bit of actual articulation too.

 

[tommudd]

Yes 33s are too big for 4 inches of lift, still stands

 

[Apex]

With 3.5 inches of lift and say, 265/75/16s (31.7"), you'll probably still be rubbing at the pinch welds with new tires, especially ones with aggressive tread, even with proper wheel backspacing. If you got the factory bumper/dust covers they'll probably rub the heck out of that too, but it won't cause tire damage like the pinch welds. Running stock wheels/stock offset will likely rub swaybar. I have 16x8s with 4" backspacing and I've always rubbed a little bit at pinch welds at full turn.

I'm going to be running a much bigger lift and 35s eventually so I've got work to do on the wheel wells and fender flares, front and back. I finally took rear dust covers off yesterday and I got a bit of rust to deal with. My rocker panels are getting pretty bad but I got a plan for that too. When it gets a little warmer here in VA I'm going to bedline all four wells, bumper, flares, etc. and give the underside 3 or 4 coats of paint.

 

[tommudd]

With 3.5 inches of lift and say, 265/75/16s (31.7"), you'll probably still be rubbing at the pinch welds with new tires, especially ones with aggressive tread, even with proper wheel backspacing. If you got the factory bumper/dust covers they'll probably rub the heck out of that too, but it won't cause tire damage like the pinch welds. Running stock wheels/stock offset will likely rub swaybar. I have 16x8s with 4" backspacing and I've always rubbed a little bit at pinch welds at full turn.

I'm going to be running a much bigger lift and 35s eventually so I've got work to do on the wheel wells and fender flares, front and back. I finally took rear dust covers off yesterday and I got a bit of rust to deal with. My rocker panels are getting pretty bad but I got a plan for that too. When it gets a little warmer here in VA I'm going to bedline all four wells, bumper, flares, etc. and give the underside 3 or 4 coats of paint.

8 inch wide wheel with 4 inches of back spacing is a lot of your problems
8 inch wide and 5 inches no issues at all

 

[Apex]

8 inch wide wheel with 4 inches of back spacing is a lot of your problems
8 inch wide and 5 inches no issues at all

I didn't want to convey the idea that I was having problems out of it, a little rubbing never hurt nobody :happy175:

Most importantly, I wanted a wider stance with the lift. Stock wheels don't stick out enough.

 

[tommudd]

I didn't want to convey the idea that I was having problems out of it, a little rubbing never hurt nobody :happy175:

Most importantly, I wanted a wider stance with the lift. Stock wheels don't stick out enough.

Hate rubbing anywhere, if its rubbing, then I'm upgrading, changing, rebuilding, inventing or removing something.
The 8 inch with 5 inches of backspacing works great , and as far as wider stance, we can't lift ours high enough using regular lifts to make hat much difference . Better suspension means more than wider wheels

 

[Apex]

Hate rubbing anywhere, if its rubbing, then I'm upgrading, changing, rebuilding, inventing or removing something.
The 8 inch with 5 inches of backspacing works great , and as far as wider stance, we can't lift ours high enough using regular lifts to make hat much difference . Better suspension means more than wider wheels

I totally understand all of that, but to me a wider stance looks better. I guess it boils down to preference, but probably doesn't hurt the stability either. Think about using a ladder; the further up you go, the further out you go with your base. KJs are top heavy enough as it is, and we got a high roof line to contend with as far as aesthetics are concerned.

I may be able to get rid of it by pounding pinch welds more thoroughly and adding a top plate or two but I'm not that worried about it. Adjust-a-struts in the future will definitely help, need them for my build for 35s. Wheel wells are getting altered for that project anyway.

Better suspension means more than regular lifts. :gr_grin:

 

[tommudd]

I totally understand all of that, but to me a wider stance looks better. I guess it boils down to preference, but probably doesn't hurt the stability either. Think about using a ladder; the further up you go, the further out you go with your base. KJs are top heavy enough as it is, and we got a high roof line to contend with as far as aesthetics are concerned.

I may be able to get rid of it by pounding pinch welds more thoroughly and adding a top plate or two but I'm not that worried about it. Adjust-a-struts in the future will definitely help, need them for my build for 35s. Wheel wells are getting altered for that project anyway.

Better suspension means more than regular lifts. :gr_grin:

So going SFA then for the 35s
Remember wiring etc in the wheelwells cant just cut them out plus part of the whole structure. Well build KJs you don't have to cut the wheelwells out, unless creating a whole new subframe

 

[Apex]

I had some time today, I cut the rust out of the outer rockers and did trimming for clearance in all 4 wheel wells without taking out any uniframe meat. Passenger side inner rocker was in bad shape too so I had to improvise. No more rubbing whatsoever, rust treated in the process. More clearance for bigger tires in the future.

Rear dust covers in my opinion may be a liability. It was keeping sand and moisture trapped in the wheel well framing and between the rockers. Even with regular washing inside the rockers the dirt might stay trapped. Better off having everything open to air, and no crannies for stuff to get caught up in. Rubberized undercoating or DIY bed line and call it a day.

 

[Myke]

I had some time today, I cut the rust out of the outer rockers and did trimming for clearance in all 4 wheel wells without taking out any uniframe meat. Passenger side inner rocker was in bad shape too so I had to improvise. No more rubbing whatsoever, rust treated in the process. More clearance for bigger tires in the future.

Rear dust covers in my opinion may be a liability. It was keeping sand and moisture trapped in the wheel well framing and between the rockers. Even with regular washing inside the rockers the dirt might stay trapped. Better off having everything open to air, and no crannies for stuff to get caught up in. Rubberized undercoating or DIY bed line and call it a day.

Can you post some pics of what you cut out in the fenders?

 

[tommudd]

Can you post some pics of what you cut out in the fenders?

Nothing you can cut out since its all structural
Behind the wheel in the pinch weld area its a double thickness , but cutting anything out on the outside weakens that whole area since the second layer is the floor in the cabin.
So unless you are going to remove, weld in large areas with a frame type of extra reinforcement noting you can do that will not create issues long term.

 

[tjkj2002]

With 3.5 inches of lift and say, 265/75/16s (31.7"), you'll probably still be rubbing at the pinch welds with new tires, especially ones with aggressive tread, even with proper wheel backspacing. If you got the factory bumper/dust covers they'll probably rub the heck out of that too, but it won't cause tire damage like the pinch welds. Running stock wheels/stock offset will likely rub swaybar. I have 16x8s with 4" backspacing and I've always rubbed a little bit at pinch welds at full turn.

I'm going to be running a much bigger lift and 35s eventually so I've got work to do on the wheel wells and fender flares, front and back. I finally took rear dust covers off yesterday and I got a bit of rust to deal with. My rocker panels are getting pretty bad but I got a plan for that too. When it gets a little warmer here in VA I'm going to bedline all four wells, bumper, flares, etc. and give the underside 3 or 4 coats of paint.

Even using the JBA steel front diff your not going to be handle 35" tires unless it's just sitting on the front lawn.

 

[Myke]

Nothing you can cut out since its all structural
Behind the wheel in the pinch weld area its a double thickness , but cutting anything out on the outside weakens that whole area since the second layer is the floor in the cabin.
So unless you are going to remove, weld in large areas with a frame type of extra reinforcement noting you can do that will not create issues long term.

This is why I want to see picture of what he cut out :Insane: