Help me spend my money (smartly)

I think your original list is the way to go. Then start saving for a psc hydro assist ($2500) to add down the road. If you ever get situations where you can't turn the wheel when your spotter tells you to turn, then you need hydro. If that doesn't happen, then save your money.

For wheels, if I purchased again, I'd look at the KMC Machete because their rock rings look like they'll drain water. The chamber pro's probably hold a quart of water each and after washing the jeep I have to leaf blower the water out.

I wish I had 60's and 8 lugs, but I can't afford that either.
 
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phillypete said:
So what is your idea, DTD and stay on 35s and stock axles and gears?


Two reasons I am looking at a new front axle:
- 3.21 gears are terrible with 35” tires
- I want lockers.

I have found that similar equipped Jeeps and even stock Rubicon’s can navigate certain obstacles much more easily than I thanks to their lockers. Maybe I’m wrong but of everything I’m doing I feel like this will have the greatest affect on navigating rough terrain.

In your opinion would a high end suspension system net more capabilities than lockers, gears and tires?
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I think before you commit to any of these upgrades you need to decide what type of wheeling are you going to max at. Personally, I'm not going to add hardcore components if I'm not going to wheel hardcore. You also stated this will also be your daily driver. You need to ask yourself, do I need a DD that built up to occasionally wheel once a month? I know it looks awesome to have beefy axles, coilovers, and big tires but unless you put all that to the test, it's kind of useless. I say this because I'll be in the same boat in a few months when I switch from my 2 door JK to a 4 door JKUR. This will be my build plan for a stock JKUR. EVO 3" Enforcer stage 2 with DL flip. Cooper STT Pros 37's. C's for the front D44 and 5:13 gears. Driveshafts would be next but not an absolute must at first, unless there's issues. Other internals I would replace as I go. Depending on my type of wheeling, the stock axles and guts might do the job. If not, I'll replace them as needed not just for the hell of it. Anyway, this is just my $.02 so good luck on your build.


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TrainWreck618 said:
You might want to get a quote. They will probably want you to buy the parts through them, and $300 would be an amazing price. Around here guys want around $1000 an axle...


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Yes you are correct. After calling around it appears my logical deduction that a single axle would be half the cost of two is incorrect. I was quoted $870 and $700 at the two shops.

I HATE shelling out that kinda $$ for someone to do work, but it’s work that I don’t feel comfortable doing and it’s still a hell of a lot cheaper than buying a crate rear axle.


Mountainjk10 said:
I think before you commit to any of these upgrades you need to decide what type of wheeling are you going to max at. Personally, I'm not going to add hardcore components if I'm not going to wheel hardcore. You also stated this will also be your daily driver. You need to ask yourself, do I need a DD that built up to occasionally wheel once a month? I know it looks awesome to have beefy axles, coilovers, and big tires but unless you put all that to the test, it's kind of useless. I say this because I'll be in the same boat in a few months when I switch from my 2 door JK to a 4 door JKUR. This will be my build plan for a stock JKUR. EVO 3" Enforcer stage 2 with DL flip. Cooper STT Pros 37's. C's for the front D44 and 5:13 gears. Driveshafts would be next but not an absolute must at first, unless there's issues. Other internals I would replace as I go. Depending on my type of wheeling, the stock axles and guts might do the job. If not, I'll replace them as needed not just for the hell of it. Anyway, this is just my $.02 so good luck on your build.


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My style of wheeling is to stay within the capabilities of my jeep. The more capable my jeep is, the more territory that I have to explore. I’m not the guy who is going to winch and throttle my way through the hardest trails just to say I did it.

Its my daily driver only because I’d rather spend $5k on upgrades than on a more logical highway vehicle.


(Edit for typo)
 
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phillypete said:
Yes you are correct. After calling around it appears my logical deduction that a single axle would be half the cost of two is incorrect. I was quoted $870 and $700 at the two shops.

I HATE shelling out that kinda $$ for someone to do work, but it’s work that I don’t feel comfortable doing and it’s still a hell of a lot cheaper than buying a crate rear axle.




My style of wheeling is to stay within the capabilities of my jeep. The more capable mommy jeep is, the more territory that I have to explore. I’m not the guy who is going to winch and throttle my way through the hardest trails just to say I did it.

Its my daily driver only because I’d rather spend $5k on upgrades than on a more logical highway vehicle.
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I think your quote here answers your question. A Jeep with a solid lift, lockers, a little armor, 35"s or 37"s and you can do a whole lot more than you think.


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As one of you astute persons noted installation turned out to be considerably more than expected!!

So for the Trail Leader purchased and installed is now only $600 away from the PR44/60 set installed in my driveway.

Support the local offroad shop, or attempt a driveway dual axle swap?
 
phillypete said:
As one of you astute persons noted installation turned out to be considerably more than expected!!

So for the Trail Leader purchased and installed is now only $600 away from the PR44/60 set installed in my driveway.

Support the local offroad shop, or attempt a driveway dual axle swap?
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Isn’t the PR44/60 going to require new wheels? To 5x5.5?
 
600 sounds like its worth having the 60 even if it’s a semi-float. Some obvious draw backs to any semi floater but you’ll have a nice big ring gear and a stout housing. And really either way you’d be with a semi float so you might as well have the stronger one of the 2


Edit: will you need to add a 1350 rear axle now?

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phillypete said:
Semi float 60 in the rear 5x5. Either way its ok because I still have wheels in the budget.
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Hard to believe it would cost $2700 to install a locker in your 44. But if so, such that the price difference really is only $600 over the trail leader package, then go for the 44/60 package.
 
fiend said:
Hard to believe it would cost $2700 to install a locker in your 44. But if so, such that the price difference really is only $600 over the trail leader package, then go for the 44/60 package.
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It was regear/lockers for the rear, assemble and hang the front, install drive shafts and of course sales tax.
 
So my next question is do I have to have the new axles installed in order to get drive shaft measurements?

Is there a way I can do this without having my jeep out of commission for more than a weekend?
 
phillypete said:
So my next question is do I have to have the new axles installed in order to get drive shaft measurements?

Is there a way I can do this without having my jeep out of commission for more than a weekend?
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It would be best to measure for your drive shafts after the axles are in and your Jeep is on the ground. If you have a local shop that you trust, turn around time could be as fast as a day.



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