CJA's Greatest Know It All - Q.1. - What is the best jeep for wheeling and why?

[WhiteOut]

don't argue with me son.



earlier 249s had garbage VCs that did not lock in 4low (try using the engine to go slow down a hill... ) and they hang super low, below the cross member.

231 takes two hours to swap, sits HIGHER in the rig than the 249, has aftermarket support, AND you can do 2wd burnouts :p

The early ones were crap. The low lock is nice to have on the later cases, I barely had to touch the brakes on those hills last weekend.

My 249 sits just as high as your 231 and if I buy $2000 worth of tires there is no way I'll be roasting them in a parkin lot.

[WhiteOut]

true... We keep it 4K then...  what do you buy?

LJ Rubicon to start with.

Savvy UnderArmor, Currie control arms, OME 2.5" coils, Bilstein 5125 or 5150 shocks, JKS trackbars, flat fenders, 35" MTR/Ks

[specialk]

What?  no winch? winch bumper?  try again... 

[LukeDuke]

YJ.

Oh yeah I said it. You can pick them up for so cheap.  A few carful nights spent on Kijiji and a few weekends at the junk yard and you can be running SOA on 38’s with the diffs to back them up for 2-3k depending on what tires you run. You still have money left over for a  winch and beer. Try that on anything else but a YJ or maybe a CJ if it’s not rotten to the core.

Oh and you have [] headlights, which is the best part
 

[binare]

LJ Rubicon to start with.

Savvy UnderArmor, Currie control arms, OME 2.5" coils, Bilstein 5125 or 5150 shocks, JKS trackbars, flat fenders, 35" MTR/Ks

That would be well over 4k no? Only need the rear trackbar, front jks will hit, only solution at that height is stock bar. Your forgetting spacers or new wheels to run 35s, stock backspacing will hit everywhere without severely gimping your steering stops and your suspension travel.

On that note. TJ Rubicon (cause LJs look stoopid), OME 2.5 coils, shocks and rear trackbar bracket. JKS MML, BL. Antirock. ESC tummy tuck. Steering box skid and 33 load range c  mtrs on new 15x8 3.75 aluminum wheels. Either a used winch or a good sale and you'll have enough change left over for a cb.

[JackstandJohnny]

Fraser you're drunk.

for the record if i had a 4k budget i'd do a TJ.  

but since i tried this in reality already i'll share my trials and tribulations.  

4k?
1500 for suspension when its all said and done. that was cheap stuff.  i want non RC stuff
800 for tires... sold the stock ones for 200 so this is my overall $$$ spent
300 for winch plate from RC.
  500 for used winch (or my rebuilt one)
900 for stock skids, front axle shafts, ujoint driveshaft, np231 transfer case, and some other misc. stuff. CB, maintenence stuff (wheel bearings) a rebuilt drive shaft etc.

who where HASN'T blown a 4k budget out of the water yet lol
OR....

gut the ZJ..... start with TJ. tj has 2" lift.  put 33s, 4.88 gears and aussies front and rear, bolt on warn winch/plate, tummy tuck and MML.... go flog

maybe i should gut the ZJ

[cLAY]

Ok....then let's go wheel Moab. No tow rigs allowed 

HAHA! You've got me there. Driving to Moab in my rig would be NASTY! Honestly I don't think it would make it.

[cLAY]

Honestly for an all out rig I would do a 4 door Wrangler.  That will probably be my next build and more of an expedition style with good on street manners. The frame makes things easier, the design of the body makes it less prone to getting wacked and easier to fix if it does. Tons of aftermarket stuff so its cheaper.

If I had to build a rig on $4000-parts only, I'd probably a TJ, its the cheapest on aftermarket parts and lots of used stuff.

$4000 including the rig, I'd do an XJ hands down. You can pick a decent running beater up for CHEAP, hack the fenders, budget boost, 33s, locker, winch, good to go. Drivetrain is near bulletproof under 33s, other than the D35 if you really like the skinny pedal.

Would I ever build another ZJ? Doubtful, although I do have a 5.9 that I daily drive that would make a cool expedition rig.

[dunl]

If you're starting with a stock rig (budget's the limit), plus $4000, then a stock Rubicon TJ would be the best 4x4.

But then again, we're cheating here. A stock TJ Rubicon already comes modified right off the lot, doesn't it? That's what makes it a Rubicon.

[specialk]

yes, the rubi gives you an advantage cause you are already locked up....

ONE MORE CONDITION...   let's assume any jeep BUT a rubi.   4K in after market only - you already own a jeep.  If it's a rubi, you are already ahead of the game...

I like what you did Johnny, you broke down the pricing!

[THE GOLD DIIGGER]

TJ is the way to go everything else is second best and put me with Clay's rig and i will roast him    .   

[jandh]

TJ is the way to go everything else is second best and put me with Clay's rig and i will roast him    .   

but you only have 2 feet of tin off a TJ left  ;p

[vantagetes]

All of you are dead wrong.

CJ. (Yes I drive a TJ).

Here's why:
Stupid easy to swap in any S/BBC motor and run either carb or EFI, there's no computer or real wiring to fiddle around with, blow fuses, throw codes etc. Turn the key and VROOM. The 302 is also a great engine for tweaking. If you want power go creep the Gremlin Owners Group for build tips.

Two choices of axle widths from the factory, and it's a passenger side drop so the list of 3rd party axles that will fit is endless.

Leaf springs (modern ones anyway) if set up correctly offer a great amount of flex and since they are leaf springs you can swap axles with almost no effort. No fiddling around with control arms, track bars or spring perches. About the most technical you can get is a torsion bar when you run into big torque.

D300. 'Nough said.

They are old and simple enough you A) can trash them and they work B) can trash them and not care C) can trash them and get another/parts for dirt cheap.

Anyone who argues can A) enjoy their lack of frame for control arms, bumpers, skidplate and tow points B) suck it when they dunk their dash and all of a sudden the speedo doesn't work stalling their jeep C) enjoy their sentinel chip shorting out and no starting their jeep.

CJ. Cheap, simple, rugged, almost impossible not to upgrade.

[bradley]

i completely agree, tj's are the best way to go with tons of cheap aftermarket support.
But i managed to do pretty good with my jz
1000 for the vehicle
500 for rims and tires
150 for rims
600 for lift
300 for d30 aussie locker
300 for 8.8 swap
front, rear bumpers and fender flares i cheated on, i build them myself with free materials from my work
500 dollars on misc
200 dollars on a/c compressor to air compressor conversion
450 for winch

and i got lucky with the transmission and tcase it has had a AW4 transmission so i was able to run a breather up under the hood and it has the NP 242 transfer case
 so it isnt awd

[Nootch]

When it comes to low budget, great performance, dependability, and reliability in my books its the YJ.

4000 can go a LONG ways on a stock YJ with tons of junkyard support.  Its leaf, so its dependable and simple.  Getting a few inches of lift is a pretty simple and easy, for pocket change you can upgrade your engine to a SBC, upgraded axles are super easy too. 

In my mind if you are trying to get the most on trail time and getting into the best spots and have 4000 to start off with a jeep in hand, you will get the best spread for parts and upgrades on the YJ.  Fab work is simple enough, leaf perches vs 4 link mounts and spring buckets on axle swaps will save you money in itself.  which can be put towards a good used winch and some better good used meats.