8:04 pm
I've been doing a little research online to try and determine how much I want to build up the LJ. I keep asking myself what over wheel base do I want to end up with. I currently am at around 104” and running 37” tires which seems to want to hang up the diffs on every other rock I roll over. I have conceptualized running 42” tires and was wondering if anyone had any experience running a rig with a wheel base of 110”? I’ve seen a lot of comp buggies built to this length and just wasn’t sure if I should sacrifice the approach and departure angle to keep the shorter wheel base or go for it and stretch an LJ to 110” with the larger tires? :hack:
8:53 pm
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline It's up to you, but I've witnessed 100" to 105" being perfect for most trails. Sometimes longer is better and sometimes shorter is better. The big concern you should have is the overhang in the rear of your LJ. I would stretch just to get rid of that.
I used to wheel a lot. . .
10:50 pm
I'm right around 110" inches with 37s and a long overhang. I think a short wheelbase will help you in some spots and a long wheel base will help in others. I get hung up in different spots than the Jeeps but I wouldn't hesitate to go for any trail that they go on. I'd be interested to see just how much difference you noticed with a 6" stretch.
11:58 pm
I thought this topic sounded familiar. Looks like I had the same question a while back. 😀
12:30 am
July 15, 2005
Offline 110 is fine on 42's, 105 to 108 would be better though. You might want to do a spread sheet on the cost of throwing 42 inch tires under your Jeep. Believe me because I know, it isn't cheap...
__________________
'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."- Ronald Reagan
12:33 am
July 15, 2005
Offline Most all successful comp buggies are around a 100 to 103 inch wheel base on 40 inch tires
"LJ3" wrote: I’ve seen a lot of comp buggies built to this length and just wasn’t sure if I should sacrifice the approach and departure angle to keep the shorter wheel base or go for it and stretch an LJ to 110” with the larger tires? :hack:
__________________
'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."- Ronald Reagan
2:51 am
It is such a personal preference it’s hard to say. But I can tell you that I have liked each of the wheelbase/tire size increases I did. When I made the move past 36”s I rarely drove it on the street. My favorite street combo was 36’s at 100”. It did all of the local trails and most of the non-buggy JV trails just fine. Now with that said currently I am on 42’s at 113” and would not trade it for the world. 
Comp buggy work so well with a short wheelbase because they are super light, stickies and motor. Tough comparison to a production type vehicle.
One thing is for sure…big tires make up for lack of driving skills. Just look at Rob. :nutkick:
2:56 am
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline "rainfly" wrote:
One thing is for sure…big tires make up for lack of driving skills. Just look at Rob. :nutkick:
Maybe he needs BIGGER tires 
I used to wheel a lot. . .
2:56 pm
I have definitely done the rough math for putting 42" under the jeep...not cheap, but I was not looking to drop all the money at once. Just trying to get an overall idea of where I want the jeep to end up and then start heading in that direction. Thanks guys for all the advice. I will probably go with a 3" stretch in the rear and a 2" stretch in the front for a grand total of 109" on 42". 
12:43 am
January 12, 2007
Offline The rear overhang on my LJ was a HUGE problem at the Hammers. I think moving the rear axle back would be a great improvement. 8)
1:00 am
"LJ3" wrote: I have definitely done the rough math for putting 42" under the jeep...not cheap
Just out of curiosity, what did you come up with?
2:56 pm
"Bender" wrote: [quote="LJ3"]I have definitely done the rough math for putting 42" under the jeep...not cheap
Just out of curiosity, what did you come up with?
ok here it goes...
Jeep Build
FRONT
Coilovers King 2.0 remote reservoirs w/ springs $1000.00
Genright Hoop Kit $299.00
King Bump Stops $480
Front Axle Dana 60 67.5”+- (not sure if I’m going to build or buy one) Curry Rock Jock full float $7600
4 link bracket for front $279
Tube Fenders $495
Front Stinger $215
Lights for fenders $50
Paint $150
Hydro assist or full hydro??? PSC Full Hydro $1330
Drive shaft??? $300
TOTAL Front $12,198
REAR
Rear Axle Rock Jock Dana 60 67.5+- $5000
4 link Bracket $279
Crusher Corners stretched 3” with flair $760 Genright
Comp Gas tank $850
Rear Stinger Bumper and tire carrier $695
Coilovers King 2.0 remote reservoirs w/ springs $1000.00
Genright Shock Mount $299.00
King Bump Stops $480
Lights $65
Paint $250
Drive Shaft $300
TOTAL Rear $9,978
MISC
Rims 17x10 champion Beadlock 5ea $2050
Tires 42” IROC $2300
AA 4.3 – 1 T-case twin stick $2700
Eventually a bigger engine and transmission ????? $8000
Heim Joints and upper and lower control arms est. $1660
Full Welded Cage???? $1500
TOTAL MISC $18,210
TOTAL Build using New Parts…not including Tax Labor shipping etc. etc…. $$$$$$ Maybe I’m just crazy and should buy a new diesel truck instead……………..NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA…. Way more fun to build a JEEP! ($40,386) This is about the most expensive way I could build it. With the wheeling and dealing I would hope to be able to cut this figure significantly, and I could also sell the parts I have on there now for about $5,000
PS they need to make a smilie that is broke 😀
3:22 pm
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline You do realize that you could buy that Jeep used for less than half that price?
Plu, selling yours would make it even more reasonable. But, maybe you have a lot of disposable income, and building can be fun too.
I used to wheel a lot. . .
3:37 pm
Club President
April 2, 2003
Offline Wouldn't Rob just sell his to you for that much? It's close to what I'd sell my TJ for, but the WB is to short for your requirements and mine is only able to run 38's without work like Rob's.
You can cut some bucks off your estimate:
You can get a complete Rock Jock 60 for the rear for 3300 OTD. Full float with drive flanges and the big bearing kit add a little to the price. This is what I bought mine for last march (I paid $3190).
You can get a complete Rock jock 60 front end for $5600 OTD (that's what I would have paid last march). I don't recall that you can get a full-float front end, or would need it because of the two piece shafts.
I'm not sure how much you can stretch your rear without hitting the center section of the 60. Did you add a Gen-Right tank to your estimate? I think the 42" IROCs are the same price as 40" MT/R's. I'd run the new MT/R's over IROCs, but they may not be tall enough for what you want. The MT/R's come in a 42" also now, but I think they are only a comp compound - and more expensive.
3:53 pm
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline The 40" Kevlar MT/Rs are pretty close to the same size as the 42" Iroks.
I used to wheel a lot. . .
4:40 pm
"BKGM Jeepers" wrote: You can cut some bucks off your estimate:
You can get a complete Rock Jock 60 for the rear for 3300 OTD. Full float with drive flanges and the big bearing kit add a little to the price. This is what I bought mine for last march (I paid $3190).I'm not sure how much you can stretch your rear without hitting the center section of the 60. Did you add a Gen-Right tank to your estimate? I think the 42" IROCs are the same price as 40" MT/R's. I'd run the new MT/R's over IROCs, but they may not be tall enough for what you want. The MT/R's come in a 42" also now, but I think they are only a comp compound - and more expensive.
As for the Axles there was a little more to it than I explained. I priced them with new wildwood breaks and locking hubs. The stock breaks on the 05 rubi just don’t cut it even with the 37" tires.
Stretching the rear would require a shorter gas tank. The Genright Comp Tank is a 15 gal tank that gives you an additional 7" back there to stretch a 60
As for the tires you all are right. I really do like the MTR's however they are about double the price over the IROC's....
John is right when he says that I could buy someone else’s used rig for half the cost, and that’s an option that I have considered but building the rig is half the fun + a wise man once told me a real jeep is built not bought....
The estimate I gave all of you was if I did have unlimited disposable income....not the case... I figure I will take the Jonny Cash approach and "Get it one piece at a time"
My goal is to have a 60 in the rear and front tube fenders by April for MOAB.
7:07 pm
Club President
April 2, 2003
Offline The "Moab goal" sounds like a good one!
8:32 pm
Will this be a street driven rig? If so I would rule out full hyrdo. (for legal and safety reasons)
Also I would not get too hung up on the size stamped on the size of the tire. We joke about the MTR 40's and the Irok 42's being close to the same height. (I think they really are close) Find a tire that performs the way you want it to. I would guess the MTR would be the only way to go if you are planning on driving it on the street. I don't think you can go wrong with that tire.
11:57 pm
"rainfly" wrote: Will this be a street driven rig? If so I would rule out full hyrdo. (for legal and safety reasons)
Also I would not get too hung up on the size stamped on the size of the tire. We joke about the MTR 40's and the Irok 42's being close to the same height. (I think they really are close) Find a tire that performs the way you want it to. I would guess the MTR would be the only way to go if you are planning on driving it on the street. I don't think you can go wrong with that tire.
I totally agree with the MTR’s being a better tire. I’m just a little bitter towards them seeing as how my last pair had a tire that wasn’t true and I had to replace the set (sell) with 75% tread left on them. As for the full hydro I wasn’t sure about putting it in or saving the 350$ to go with the ram assist, but I do want the option to drive the rig around town or back to the trailer after the trail. Basically its going to be a one ton build that will take me a couple of years.
On that note do any of you guys have an opinion as to what length axle I should be looking at for running 40’s without ripping out my antirocker or hitting the frame. Looking at the Rock Jock, its 64” WMS… I have the feeling that this isn’t enough?
12:46 am
July 15, 2005
Offline 64 inches won't be wide enough to clear rubbing your frame in the front with 40 inch tires. You will rip your Antirock off. If you want to severely limit your steering stops then you can do 64 in the front. I am full width which is 69 inches and I clear my front antirock by about two inches. 66 is probably as narrow as you will want to go in the front..As far as brakes go unless you have a stick shift, I don't care what break calipers you put on your Jeep with 40 or 42 inch tires, you are not going to stop very well. With an auto and an Atlas TC, you will never stop in 4-low. I run large 1 ton front calipers and a vanco hydro boost which is the only thing I have found that will stop me on and off-road. I have tried several different brake options and have always gone back to the Vanco. As far as your rear axle goes, if I was to do mine over again and knew I would have eventually ended up on 40 inch tires, I would have put a shaved 14 bolt in the rear. I have already grenaded one high pinion dana 60 ring and pinion. With 40 inch tires, I have to treat my rear HP 60 like it is a front Dana 44 😥 With your LJ's wheel base and 40 or 42 inch tires, a 14 bolt would be a perfect fit and half the price of a HP 60 and about 10X stronger!!!
"LJ3" wrote: [quote="rainfly"]Will this be a street driven rig? If so I would rule out full hyrdo. (for legal and safety reasons)
Also I would not get too hung up on the size stamped on the size of the tire. We joke about the MTR 40's and the Irok 42's being close to the same height. (I think they really are close) Find a tire that performs the way you want it to. I would guess the MTR would be the only way to go if you are planning on driving it on the street. I don't think you can go wrong with that tire.
I totally agree with the MTR’s being a better tire. I’m just a little bitter towards them seeing as how my last pair had a tire that wasn’t true and I had to replace the set (sell) with 75% tread left on them. As for the full hydro I wasn’t sure about putting it in or saving the 350$ to go with the ram assist, but I do want the option to drive the rig around town or back to the trailer after the trail. Basically its going to be a one ton build that will take me a couple of years.
On that note do any of you guys have an opinion as to what length axle I should be looking at for running 40’s without ripping out my antirocker or hitting the frame. Looking at the Rock Jock, its 64” WMS… I have the feeling that this isn’t enough?
__________________
'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."- Ronald Reagan
6:35 am
I am a big fan of the 14b. Cheap and strong as they come. I shaved mine and it has a touch more ground clearance than my HP60. Switching it over to disk was easy and inexpensive to boot. I changed my master cylinder to a Ford one ton van (E350). With the Ford 2 piston calipers up front and the chevy disk stuff in the back I was able to lock up 39.5’s on dry pavement with my YJ. My system flat out works.
2:21 pm
"rainfly" wrote: I am a big fan of the 14b. Cheap and strong as they come. I shaved mine and it has a touch more ground clearance than my HP60. Switching it over to disk was easy and inexpensive to boot. I changed my master cylinder to a Ford one ton van (E350). With the Ford 2 piston calipers up front and the chevy disk stuff in the back I was able to lock up 39.5’s on dry pavement with my YJ. My system flat out works.
I hate to admit it but seeing as how it’s my first time building an axle, could you guys take a look at these two ads on CL and let me know what you think or give some advice as to where I should start looking for a 14 bolt rear…ie years, make, etc…. Also does shaving an axle mean shortening it?
http://sacramento.craigslist.o.....18418.html
http://sacramento.craigslist.o.....00624.html
3:46 pm
July 15, 2005
Offline Rainfly is the 14 bolt expert, but unless you want that chevy truck sitting around as junk, I would pass. 14 bolts are cheap. Iv seen them advertised for as low as 200.00. WFO up here in Auburn sells and builds them...Check out their web site. If your going to build your jeep yourself, you are going to probably want to get to know them. They are a wealth of knowledge and they build and sell all kinds of custom brackets and stuff.
Shaving a 14 bolt means taking some of the low hanging metal from the bottom of the pumpkin for more clearance.
__________________
'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."- Ronald Reagan
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