Been researching lift kits: looking for a 3-4" lift, should I go for a suspension lift or just a body lift?
Realize a body lift will only give you a bit more clearance for tires, which if you're running say, 29's now and go to 33's is only going to give you an additional 2" clearance under the differentials ((33-29)/2=2"), everything else stays the same. And you will find that most folks won't recommend a body lift of more than 1-1/2"-2" unless your building a mall cruiser.
I'd go with a 4-inch short arm suspension lift with a Slip Yoke Eliminator (SYE) and Double Cardan rear drive shaft. That way you will avoid driveline vibration problems and the need to install a transfer case lowering kit. Instead you will be able to install a nice tight "tummy tucker" type of skid plate for additional ground clearance. This is going to cost you more initially but provide much more satisfaction in the long run. One thing to try and plan for is to do it right the first time and you won't be burning money by doing the same mods over and over until you get it right.
Tires: looking for something that can go on the highway if it needs to but more for taking through the trails and through town, what should I get- size type?
Many to choose from and lots of differing opinions as to what works best. However, I'd say look at something in a 33" Mud Terrain (M/T) as opposed to All Terrain (A/T). With the computerized tread designs and rubber compounds used today, most M/T's will give you more than satisfactory handling on the road and superior performance off road. The type of tread pattern you will be looking for depends a lot on the type of wheeling you will be doing. Basically we have rocks, sand and mud and variations thereof. Instead of me promoting what I like, I suggest finding Jeepers in your locality and ask what they run and have success with.
Will any performance mods be worth installing?
Weird subject for the 4.0. Due to the electronics on this engine it is really hard to get a lot of bang for the buck in performance increases. Opinions go all over the board here so my best advice is don't rush out and buy anything without really doing your homework first. Realize that on forums like this, most of us are not going to fess up to the fact that we wasted a wad of cash installing the latest wiz-bang gadgets. Instead we try and defend the purchase and justify why there must be a performance increase. Look for hard facts and figures first.
Looking at the body armor, it seems it's more for looks than actual protection, other than skid plates are any worth getting?
You can certainly build a tank that weighs a ton and gets squat for gas mileage but there are a few pieces of armor that can really save your rig.
1. Bumpers, front and rear
2. Rocker guards
3. Differential Skids, front and rear
4. Steering box skid plate
5. Lower Control Arm Mount Skids, front
6. Heavy Duty Tie-rod and Drag Link.
One area you have not mentioned that I would put before most of what we've talked about is Safety & Recovery. Before you really start spending money on any other part of your rig I would suggest investing in some basic safety and recovery equipment. The following list is the basic stuff that I have with me every time I venture off road. Depending on what kind and how serious my wheeling adventure will be, I may add another 3 or 4 pages of equipment and supplies. This is only the essentials and you should modify a list like this (modified from a magazine article) to suit your own needs:
Every Trip Stuff
ÿ Survival gear
ÿ First aid kit
ÿ Duct tape
ÿ Electrical tape
ÿ Zip-ties (variety of sizes)
ÿ Bailing wire
ÿ Ratchet straps
ÿ Aero Kroil
ÿ Brake cleaner
ÿ RTV silicone or gasket maker
ÿ Multi-tool pocket knife
ÿ Tow strap
ÿ Fire extinguisher
ÿ Flashlight or headlamp
ÿ Drinking water
ÿ Matches or lighter
ÿ Warm jacket
ÿ Folding shovel
ÿ Small socket set
ÿ 4-in-1 screwdriver
ÿ 4-in-1 Torx screwdriver
ÿ Channel Lock pliers
ÿ Large and small adjustable wrenches
ÿ Tire repair kit w/valve core tool and spare valve cores
ÿ Air pressure guage
ÿ Air hose and chuck (for OBA system)
ÿ Jumper cables
ÿ Mechanix Gloves
ÿ Clif Bars
ÿ Lug Wrench
ÿ Hi-Lift Jack
ÿ Shop rags or paper towels
ÿ Sunscreen
Also if you have encountered any problems with this year jeep that you think I might encounter please let me know, I'm sixteen and got the jeep to take on job sites- surveyor engineer, need to get to the tough sites on top of mountain, you don't need life story.
Any help would be great thanks.
My rig is an '03 so I can't help with known problems but my main recommendation is to stay on top of maintenance, spend a lot of time on top and underneath your rig looking, checking, tightening, lubricating stuff and really get to know your Jeep inside and out. Do this and your going to have a blast.
Best of luck - John
