CJA's Greatest Know It All Q#2 - What does "Do it once; do it right" really mean

[Bnine]

Personally I have avoided giving "do it right" advice for about a year now. For one, no one listens any ways until after they are on the trail with an exploded 35 that welded, or a suspension that has ripped itself apart.

Secondly, no matter how you try to explain it, you are a know it all bunghole for recommending anything other then what the OP wants to run in the first place.

I have spent hundreds of hours over the years explaining to dozens of people how to do proper suspension, steering, maintenance, and drivetrain. I can honestly say only a handfull have ever walked away and actually put that advice to use right away.

I cant count how many left my shop, bolted in their cheap crap after I advised them not to, only to see them selling said cheap crap a while later and finally go with quality components.

Johnny, your analogy is messed up. The idea is that you do your individual mods right, and do them once. So to answer your question, you've done your axle "right", and Fraser has done his suspension "right".

Short arm versus long arm, and 44's versus 8.8's are just peoples preference and both can be done right, or wrong.

You slap a stock drum brake 373 8.8 under a SOA YJ with a SBC and 39's. You fail.

Throw the same axle under a YJ with 33's and you've done it right.

Long arm a stock rubicon on 31's with rough country suspension. Fail
Short a stock rubi with johnny joint suspension. Done right.

Throw a custom inverted T steering set on a TJ cause its cheap. Wrong.
Throw a custom inverted T steering on a leaf sprung YJ. Done right.


Its a pretty simple concept. Take short cuts, or put round pegs in square holes, or cut costs where they shouldnt be cut and you are doing things wrong.

You dont have to be rich to build a jeep properly. Im proving that now with my YJ that has zero net dollars in it after purchase and is all set to be beadlocked on 35's, coil overed and linked in the front, spooled 44 rear, hp 30 aussie locked front, wj steering and brakes, chromo shafts, flat fendered, front and rear bumpers, and winched.

Gross cost to me when Im done including the trade I used to purchase it will be 6k once I include the d300 swap and tummy tuck.

I have little to no budget to work with so instead I just take my time and wait until I can do it right.

[Spinalguy]

It simply means that waiting forever while you save enough money to do it once. But, being that any stock jeep looks pretty girlish, it is necessary to do something immediately which will negate the do it once fantasy.
Simply put, its a fantasy of doing it once.

[binare]

You dont have to be rich to build a jeep properly. Im proving that now with my YJ that has zero net dollars in it after purchase and is all set to be beadlocked on 35's, coil overed and linked in the front, spooled 44 rear, hp 30 aussie locked front, wj steering and brakes, chromo shafts, flat fendered, front and rear bumpers, and winched.

Gross cost to me when Im done including the trade I used to purchase it will be 6k once I include the d300 swap and tummy tuck.

She was already a schweet YJ before all that Bill. Wish my numbers added up the same way

[Pookapotamus]

Its a pretty simple concept. Take short cuts, or put round pegs in square holes, or cut costs where they shouldnt be cut and you are doing things wrong.

I think Billy pretty much nailed this one to the wall.

[Bnine]

It simply means that waiting forever while you save enough money to do it once. But, being that any stock jeep looks pretty girlish, it is necessary to do something immediately which will negate the do it once fantasy.
Simply put, its a fantasy of doing it once.

They can still take steps Tom. Unless they just have to have 35's and lockers out of the gate.

Look at a TJ. Its easy to do it right, and still get it on 33's almost instantly for no more then a few hundred plus tires.

Small body lift, mml, home made disco's, and 30$ worth of spring spacers will put a jeep on 33's functionally for the beginner.

Progressing to a 3" spring via OME or AEV or who ever, couple with adjustable uppers front and rear for pinion and caster runs less then 1000$, and no more then a 1/2" of down spacer needs to be used on the belly pan until an SYE can be done.

Add steering for 400 whenever.

Do LCA's for 500 when budget provides.

Do the SYE and driveshaft for 600 next.

etc etc

Whatever order you want.

The point being, to many guys want a 4" lift on 35's right out of the gate but dont have the budget to drop 3-4k and have it done right. Or they do have the money but they drop it at a shop and get hosed on crap parts if they are new and dont specify what they want.

I mean really. A TJ loses the girl look as soon as you bolt agressive 31's on it like a stock rubicon.

[Spinalguy]

i see what you are saying Billy. i took the question to mean do it once complete. Steps work too but it still means that every suspension/tire change means it was not a do it once project.

[Bnine]

I think you have to be pretty loaded to do it all at once, and thats completely unrealistic for pretty much anyone.

I interpret that from a mod to mod perspective.I would say it gets used more often when making recommendations to people regarding a singular mod then complete builds.