Taking the Plunge

chefdab · **Posted:** Sat May 19, 2007 5:26 pm

If you move the rear axle back a few inches, maybe change to a triangulated four link for the suspension. I don't think you would need a track bar with that setup. I could be wrong though. Or a full on three link rear for sure you won't need a track bar.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Sat May 19, 2007 8:01 pm

chefdab wrote:

If you move the rear axle back a few inches, maybe change to a triangulated four link for the suspension. I don't think you would need a track bar with that setup. I could be wrong though. Or a full on three link rear for sure you won't need a track bar.

True but I wonder if the tank would still be in the way? Based on how it looks to me, it would. Fuel cell time..... where there is a will there is a way.

ARBSeth · **Posted:** Sat May 19, 2007 8:50 pm

Tank would be in the way... arms are also a problem. They move a ton, and they hit stuff... like rear sway bars. Anyone who saw me almost roll it iback down Hells Gate in Moab knows a rear sway bar on a rig that high is a must. I pulled mine off because the rear arms where getting eaten by the sway bar. I think Im going to try moutning an Anti Rock Upside down to solve the problem.

Ther KJ is like an XJ, you have to lift it a ton to get even a 32" tire under it without serious trimming, and there isn't anything left to trim once you roll the rear sheet metal back a little and bang out the pinch weld.

Good luck keeping it low if you want more than a 32" tire... hope you figure it out.

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Wed May 23, 2007 5:01 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

Yeah they opened up those wheel wells by at least 2"-3",making those custom flares would be a pain for the front and rear.

I think the rear flairs are just a front flair cut to fit the back section...not really difficult.

spencevans · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2007 3:05 pm

DarbyWalters wrote:

tjkj2002 wrote:

Yeah they opened up those wheel wells by at least 2"-3",making those custom flares would be a pain for the front and rear.

I think the rear flairs are just a front flair cut to fit the back section...not really difficult.

The real problem is the sheet metal. where the flare meets the sheet metal the sheet metal is indented. IMO the best way to get around this sheet metal issue is to have new flares made that sit about 1-2 inches higher on the body( just above the sheet metal crease ), thus eliminating the sheet metal issue. Bigger, bulky flares would give the Libby a great look.

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Tue May 29, 2007 9:22 pm

If you get rid of the rear doors...make it a panel type truck...then you will have room to cut metal.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Tue May 29, 2007 9:39 pm

DarbyWalters wrote:

If you get rid of the rear doors...make it a panel type truck...then you will have room to cut metal.

DOUBLE DOG DARE YA WALLY! :twisted:

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Wed May 30, 2007 2:57 pm

That is what I would like to do...I don't use the rear seats or doors anyway. I don't think I would make the back removeable like a Bronco but making it a panel wagon (no side windows) and a flat floor inside would be my plan. Caged of course.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Wed May 30, 2007 5:05 pm

DarbyWalters wrote:

That is what I would like to do...I don't use the rear seats or doors anyway. I don't think I would make the back removeable like a Bronco but making it a panel wagon (no side windows) and a flat floor inside would be my plan. Caged of course.

Hmm.....seen those pics of that CRD all cut up and being rebuilt? Giving me some bad deas.... :twisted:

GaCRD05 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 29, 2007 9:43 pm

I've been thinking hard about this over the last week and half (been on vacation). Only one person mentioned my latest thoughts. Wouldn't creating a new "flare" out of DOM in the rear and using the same to make a "flat fender" up front be the best route? You could basically make the wheel wells whatever size you wanted by rewelding the quarters and fender panels to the tubing. You would actually create some additional side panel protection. TJM makes a similar bolt on protection system for the fronts of some of those foreign 4X4's. You could tie them into your aftermarket front and rear bumpers as well as those Super Skink type sliders.

On the topic of pushing the axle back so as not to hit the gas tank, the undercarriage shot in the official Jeep "packet" found at dealerships shows about 3" max distance between the diff cover and the tank (probably less with factory skids). But it could move back some and then get creative with bumpstops.

I've worked it out in my head a thousand times and I'm sure it will work (famous last words I know). Now I just need one of you guys with the resources to do it first.

Anyway, let me know what ya'll think!

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:26 pm

There is a guy on NAXJA w/ a sweet XJ that he just built some really nice tube steel and sheet metal flares/armor/fenders for his XJ. the nice thing about the XJ is that it has nice flat panels to work with where the KJ is so dang curvy.

GaCRD05 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:36 pm

Agreed on the curvy thing, but KJs have a striking resemblance to TJ's as far as the grill and fenders are concerned.

Check these out and tell me you can't picture something similar on a KJ:

https://www.spydercustoms.com/index2.php

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:40 pm

GaCRD05 wrote:

Agreed on the curvy thing, but KJs have a striking resemblance to TJ's as far as the grill and fenders are concerned.

Check these out and tell me you can't picture something similar on a KJ:

https://www.spydercustoms.com/index2.php

Oh I can picture all kinds of stuff but I just can't pull the trigger on starting any of it. Maybe soon though......

rubigade · **Posted:** Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:49 am

Hey guys, man you got me thinkin so many things. Let me air them out a second.
1. I'm thinkin of goin to the SFA! I never thought I'd admit it but a few weeks ago I went mudding (among other things) which I NEVER do. My little KJ went everywhere the CJ-7 I was with did... ALMOST. I was a little bit low when it came to deep water in comparison to his 4" lift with 33s. I got nervous when it went over his tires but I went through pretty much everything. Only problem was his ruts!!! I had to push through the center section, you know, the raised soil under the belly?! That got me thinkin about the SFA... and bigger tires. You know, there are some trails you just can't go on without bigger tires too.
2. As I read each of your commentary, as fun as it is, it looks like so much money right out of my wallet. I'm always game for being the odd man out when it comes to the unusual Liberty going where the Wranglers go. As I said "It's more the driver and less the machine." Sometimes though, it comes down to the machine. And aren't we basically trying to make these LIKE the TJs/JKs??!!
Let me ask ya'll straight... If you could, would you go buy a tricked out TJ or JK, locked at both ends, lifted a little, winch, bumpers, rock rails, full roll cage, navigation, etc, all factory/dealer installed and warrantied for 100K miles financed for 48 or 60 months in lieu of all this add on stuff that costs right out of pocket and you'll never get back out???
I'm not debating it. I just want to know, if you had your choice (and you may) what would you do?
I'm on the edge. You can see what I've already done to my Liberty improvement-wise and it's very capable in my hands. But I'm teetering on the edge of keeping and improving it or replacing it with a tricked out 07 JK.
Help.
Matt

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:25 am

My KJ is paid for so it helped make the decision easier. I kinda want a JK but I am not going to dive into another 5 or 6 years of monthly payments. I can build a very capable and rare SFA KJ for way less than what it will cost me just in financing to buy a JK.
As for the warranty, good luck. Once you start modding a rig you are really at the mercy of the dealer unless They charged you out the wazzoo to do the work for you and they don't pin any problems on your abuse. It is a crapshoot on whether or not the dealer will support your hobby.
I already worked the numbers for a JK and what I would want to do to it and I was Shocked at how much money I would be tying up in such a short time not even counting the monthly payments and the CC bill I would have when I was done.
The bottom line is that a JK for me would turn into a huge money pit just like any Jeep but kinda worse when you realize just how much is already available for them and I would be trying to mod it while making payments on it.
I have considered buying a built or building a TJ and it is a similar situation. Even older TJ's cost more than what my KJ is currently costing me. I love them, especially the Unlimiteds, but I see them everywhere and I would prefer something out of the ordinary. I still love the KJ platform and building one up is the right direction to go for me.
If money was no object, I would have one of each Jeep. I still want to build another XJ, I would love to build a ZJ or old CJ even. And of course I want a buggy too. I gotta focus on what I have now and whatever I decide in the future to build will work itself out.

rubigade · **Posted:** Fri Jul 13, 2007 4:29 pm

Thanks for the advise, and good advise it is. I get your drift on the "paid for" side but what if your KJ still had 2 years of payments left like mine? What then?
Furthermore and just FYI, my dealer, and friend, is Grubbs Jeep in Bedford, TX. They have a subsidiary off road shop called Screamin Lizard Customs and not only do they do it ALL, they'll do it before or after purchase, financing it into the sale of the new one, as well, they stand behind their work and parts like no one I've ever seen! I'm not worried about that warranty stuff at the moment. I'm not hard on my stuff at all but if it breaks, I most usually know if it was me or weak parts.
Right now they're putting 6.1 Hemis in brand spanking JKs!!! That's outta my league money wise for now but it's pretty trick! They just built two "brutes"! Pretty trick too.
Anyhow...

USAFCOP · **Posted:** Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:17 pm

Well, it all depends on what you can/want to be able to afford in the payment. My KJ hs been paid for since Feb '04, and I love the interior far better than that of the TJ and the JK, although I have only been in one for maybe an hour, and have not driven it. I also echo JJ on his sentiment of wanting something different, thus why I am going the route I am with mine. I am about a quarter of the way there with parts and have half the money I need, and w/o the payment, I will have all of the money needed by January, but then again, I am doing mine locally and helping, so it cuts the cost a little.

Bottom line for me, I do not want to drive what everyone else does, and I do not need another payment, the wife's car and my school are too much as it is.

Guest · **Posted:** Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:29 pm

rubigade wrote:

Right now they're putting 6.1 Hemis in brand spanking JKs!!! That's outta my league money wise for now but it's pretty trick! They just built two "brutes"! Pretty trick too.
Anyhow...

This would be a better fit in the KJ: http://www.jeephorizons.com/news/07_crd_061306.html

I want those fender flares above! Yeah, the KJ is curvy, but that's why God made cardboard templates! How do those things secure to the body of the car? Do they weld to fender or frame?

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:10 pm

I'm just like USAFCOP,mines been paid off for over a year now,and I've got so much labor into mine,why not? Money can be made and I look at it as now my KJ will be like a new vehicle again,all new running gear

! I'm gathering my parts but can not commit abunch of money yet due to my situation with the Army and what they plan on doing to with me.As sson as the decision is made in August then I can go from there,hopefully can be down sometime between Jan or march.

I was looking at doing a SFA after I got back from Iraq in '04,since I was in WA I called S&N fab(who did the Detriot Locker SFA KJ) and they wanted $15,000 just for labor,no parts.Since I will also be helping out that will drive down my costs like USAFCOP(which one will be done first? the race is on :lol:

)I like my KJ to stand out and this is just the next step since I'll be running my KJ till the wheels fall off then I'll just superglue them back on and keep on going

.

rubigade · **Posted:** Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:15 pm

Man, this is cool.

I love the perspectives. To be honest, the reason I bought mine originally (I wanted a new TJ Unlimited) was because I needed a combination of economy and 4x4 fun and really had no idea that I would have modified it at all. I was gonna drive it for a couple of years then trade up. Little did I know there was this sort of crazy stuff going on... or that I'd consider such stuff.
And as far as driving something different goes... I'm with you. I love it when people come up to me at gas stations and tell me they'd have bought a Liberty if it looked like mine. Too, the guys at the Jambo got a kick outta watching me go where they did! Gotta run.

Taking the Plunge

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