Newbie Front Axle question

Stang849 · 09-25-2007, 05:22 PM

It's been offroad once so far.

JET455 · 09-25-2007, 06:34 PM

1 time!

my 2 cents worth Learn how to drive it before you go that big. Sounds like you have a good start with 33's and the the lift. Hold up for a while and when you break something you improve on it. By all means get all the bumpers, winches and protection you can. Skids area great start.

Alot of people do this they jump the gun and just go big and do not ever learn how to drive and pick the right line and learn from there mistakes. They just go big and think they can run over whatever they want. And they drive like pigs!

Stang849 · 09-25-2007, 08:32 PM

I have the skids for both diffs right now, contemplating the gas tank skid right now

sarge · 09-25-2007, 11:29 PM

Let me also add , when I first started wheeling I started out with a $300 Cherokee with a small lift and 31's . I wheeled it only , NO DD.
I then got a K5 with 36's and DD and wheeled it until I cut it apart and built the Yellow Cherokee that Jacob ( Hybrid ) has now. When I first built it, it was not my DD but I did get it out and drive it alot in between wheeling trips. I did this until it just was not practical to drive around.
This is when it would sit in the garage or along side the house with flat tires , leaked various fluids on the drive and I'm sure gave the nieghbors something to talk about.
It would sit for a month or two and then I would get it ready for a trip and drive it around the block half a dozen times , load it up on the trailer and take it wheeling . Returning home was easy just pull it off the trailer and forget about it for another month or so.
I finally decided that I really like driving them from time to time so I sold it for a more streetable version. Now that I have the Wrangler I am trying really hard to keep it streetable and as of right now it is my DD. I just like driving it , you have to admit that nobody buys a jeep because they are comfortable and have loads of room and they get good gas mileage !!!

they buy them because they are fun to drive !!!
So you have to ask yourself and only yourself , what do you want out of your rig? Are you ready to basically park it for months ( if so then go for it and built it big and bad ) or do you still want to take it to Krogers and the parts store on a regular basis.

tjjeepjeep · 09-26-2007, 07:13 AM

Guess I need to chime in, since I'm the one that drives it daily. ;) And has the offroad addiction.

Crap, I think I just said it's my fault....:(

DD and work is 20 miles one way, half of it highway. But you're right, Sarge (you can quote me that I said that too ;) ). It's fun to drive and can't imagine driving anything else. (Ain't nothing better than driving with the windows out when it's raining, the looks people give you are priceless.)

The draw of a trail rig is just that. I break it, and I'm not pushed to fix it while wondering about how I'm getting to work each day. Other thing to toss into the discussion is, for arguments sake, lets say we pay labor for anything that breaks (ok maybe not everything but humor me). Would that change the wheel the DD idea for anyone? Downside is that I'd need a truck to get it to the trail.

Ya'll have the experience and have lived these decisions. So bring on the feedback.

jfiscus · 09-26-2007, 09:06 AM

The problem I've experienced with having my Jeeps as a daily driver are related to problems like wobble from lost wheel weights, bent/wore out steering/etc in the front end. A harder wheeling trip really takes a toll on "stock" steering components with big tires; especially if you didn't even trailer it there - 25 mpg all the way back from Haspin is a drag, lol.

If you're gonna wheel your daily driver, be sure you have a backup car if you break something major or roll your jeep. I've had & seen my fair share of stuff break that "cant" be fixed in time for work the next day. Little stuff like broken u-joints can lead to other stuff breaking when the parts whip around.

Wheeling anything & worrying about paying labor (and having someone available to do labor) & wheeling is nt a good combination in my opinion. Especially if it is your daily driver; are you gonna be able to find a shop open on Sunday (cause you need it for work Monday) to work on a filthy jeep after you broke it on Saturday?

tjjeepjeep · 09-26-2007, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfiscus

are you gonna be able to find a shop open on Sunday (cause you need it for work Monday) to work on a filthy jeep after you broke it on Saturday?

Yea, I'm afraid the owner will laugh hysterically and hang up on me when I call in that situation..

sarge · 09-26-2007, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjjeepjeep

Guess I need to chime in, since I'm the one that drives it daily. ;) And has the offroad addiction.

Crap, I think I just said it's my fault....:(

DD and work is 20 miles one way, half of it highway. But you're right, Sarge (you can quote me that I said that too ;) ). It's fun to drive and can't imagine driving anything else. (Ain't nothing better than driving with the windows out when it's raining, the looks people give you are priceless.)

The draw of a trail rig is just that. I break it, and I'm not pushed to fix it while wondering about how I'm getting to work each day. Other thing to toss into the discussion is, for arguments sake, lets say we pay labor for anything that breaks (ok maybe not everything but humor me). Would that change the wheel the DD idea for anyone? Downside is that I'd need a truck to get it to the trail.

Ya'll have the experience and have lived these decisions. So bring on the feedback.

I could flat out not afford to take my Heep across the street if I had to pay for repairs !!!! with that being said I would then find a cheap DD like an old XJ or rice burner with 1/2 a million miles on it and use it only for a back up DD. I sometime take it for granted that I can do all of my own repairs and have a pile of spare junk stashed around the garage.

jeepmanjeff · 09-26-2007, 03:13 PM

Wow lots of great information given out!

My Jeep was a stocker at first. I wheeled it about 2 mopnths and got a locker for the rear. You would be amazed where this alone can get you through. I then put a EZ locker up front Stage 1 and wheeled it till I did my Scout Dana 44 swap on 35's Stage 2. My next step was 3/4 chevy 44 with Corporate 14 bolt in the rear. Both Locked and loaded with 35's.Stage 3 Then I went full bore with the current setup of 60 up front and 14 bolt rear on 40" total rig rebuild. Stage 4

First Stage was about $2500 ( sold for $1800)
Second stage $1500 (sold for $2500)
Third stage $2000 (sold for $2000)
4th stage $6500 (current setup)
total $11500-$7500 for a difference of $4000 spent over 10 years or so

All these stages incorporated tires, rims gears and lockers for the most part.

Point is, I have been here and done that! My opinion is Build it once and only once but after some experience wheelin it while.

Or do what sarge said and not have all the other expenses in between like I did.

Looking back on it though...it did teach me a lot of the skills I posses today in doing all those different swaps and buildups

09-25-2007, 06:34 PM	#2
JET455 Your wifes pimp! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Everywhere!!!!!! Posts: 548	1 time! my 2 cents worth Learn how to drive it before you go that big. Sounds like you have a good start with 33's and the the lift. Hold up for a while and when you break something you improve on it. By all means get all the bumpers, winches and protection you can. Skids area great start. Alot of people do this they jump the gun and just go big and do not ever learn how to drive and pick the right line and learn from there mistakes. They just go big and think they can run over whatever they want. And they drive like pigs! __________________ if i am not currently offending you, i will be shortly.

09-26-2007, 03:13 PM	#9
jeepmanjeff Ah Unz ze President! - CORE Member - - Moderator - Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fairfield Ohio Posts: 588 Images: 343	History of my CJ-7 Wow lots of great information given out! My Jeep was a stocker at first. I wheeled it about 2 mopnths and got a locker for the rear. You would be amazed where this alone can get you through. I then put a EZ locker up front Stage 1 and wheeled it till I did my Scout Dana 44 swap on 35's Stage 2. My next step was 3/4 chevy 44 with Corporate 14 bolt in the rear. Both Locked and loaded with 35's.Stage 3 Then I went full bore with the current setup of 60 up front and 14 bolt rear on 40" total rig rebuild. Stage 4 First Stage was about $2500 ( sold for $1800) Second stage $1500 (sold for $2500) Third stage $2000 (sold for $2000) 4th stage $6500 (current setup) total $11500-$7500 for a difference of $4000 spent over 10 years or so All these stages incorporated tires, rims gears and lockers for the most part. Point is, I have been here and done that! My opinion is Build it once and only once but after some experience wheelin it while. Or do what sarge said and not have all the other expenses in between like I did. Looking back on it though...it did teach me a lot of the skills I posses today in doing all those different swaps and buildups __________________ Keep them on all 4's

09-25-2007, 05:22 PM	#1
Stang849 Stinkin Bastige Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Anderson Twp. Posts: 178 Images: 236	It's been offroad once so far.

09-25-2007, 08:32 PM	#3
Stang849 Stinkin Bastige Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Anderson Twp. Posts: 178 Images: 236	I have the skids for both diffs right now, contemplating the gas tank skid right now

09-25-2007, 11:29 PM	#4
sarge Pure Bacon Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Trenton, Oh Posts: 1,098	Let me also add , when I first started wheeling I started out with a $300 Cherokee with a small lift and 31's . I wheeled it only , NO DD. I then got a K5 with 36's and DD and wheeled it until I cut it apart and built the Yellow Cherokee that Jacob ( Hybrid ) has now. When I first built it, it was not my DD but I did get it out and drive it alot in between wheeling trips. I did this until it just was not practical to drive around. This is when it would sit in the garage or along side the house with flat tires , leaked various fluids on the drive and I'm sure gave the nieghbors something to talk about. It would sit for a month or two and then I would get it ready for a trip and drive it around the block half a dozen times , load it up on the trailer and take it wheeling . Returning home was easy just pull it off the trailer and forget about it for another month or so. I finally decided that I really like driving them from time to time so I sold it for a more streetable version. Now that I have the Wrangler I am trying really hard to keep it streetable and as of right now it is my DD. I just like driving it , you have to admit that nobody buys a jeep because they are comfortable and have loads of room and they get good gas mileage !!! they buy them because they are fun to drive !!! So you have to ask yourself and only yourself , what do you want out of your rig? Are you ready to basically park it for months ( if so then go for it and built it big and bad ) or do you still want to take it to Krogers and the parts store on a regular basis.

09-26-2007, 07:13 AM	#5
tjjeepjeep Just tired Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, OH Posts: 2,213 Images: 2212	Guess I need to chime in, since I'm the one that drives it daily. ;) And has the offroad addiction. Crap, I think I just said it's my fault....:( DD and work is 20 miles one way, half of it highway. But you're right, Sarge (you can quote me that I said that too ;) ). It's fun to drive and can't imagine driving anything else. (Ain't nothing better than driving with the windows out when it's raining, the looks people give you are priceless.) The draw of a trail rig is just that. I break it, and I'm not pushed to fix it while wondering about how I'm getting to work each day. Other thing to toss into the discussion is, for arguments sake, lets say we pay labor for anything that breaks (ok maybe not everything but humor me). Would that change the wheel the DD idea for anyone? Downside is that I'd need a truck to get it to the trail. Ya'll have the experience and have lived these decisions. So bring on the feedback.

09-26-2007, 09:06 AM	#6
jfiscus Terrain Stomper Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Crittenden, KY Posts: 633	The problem I've experienced with having my Jeeps as a daily driver are related to problems like wobble from lost wheel weights, bent/wore out steering/etc in the front end. A harder wheeling trip really takes a toll on "stock" steering components with big tires; especially if you didn't even trailer it there - 25 mpg all the way back from Haspin is a drag, lol. If you're gonna wheel your daily driver, be sure you have a backup car if you break something major or roll your jeep. I've had & seen my fair share of stuff break that "cant" be fixed in time for work the next day. Little stuff like broken u-joints can lead to other stuff breaking when the parts whip around. Wheeling anything & worrying about paying labor (and having someone available to do labor) & wheeling is nt a good combination in my opinion. Especially if it is your daily driver; are you gonna be able to find a shop open on Sunday (cause you need it for work Monday) to work on a filthy jeep after you broke it on Saturday?