My new Jeep

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DL13
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Re: My new Jeep

Post by DL13 »

[quote="Skippman"Here's the short list of mods:
ARB Delux Bull Bar (Front)
Expedition One rear bumper with tire carrier system
2.5" Teraflex Coil Lift
Lightforce Striker 170 300,000 candela power lights
MPAC MOLLE Rack on the rear tail gate
Replaced factory rear view mirror w/ a GenTex auto dimming HomeLink mirror
Warn Tabor 9000 Winch (not pictured)
Hi-Lift jack on custom mount on top off my ARB's hoop


New wheels and tires are getting ordered this week and I'll have my stereo installed by summer.[/quote]
Very sweet jeep. What size wheel are you getting.
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DL13
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Re: My new Jeep

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vbironchef wrote:I will try to get some pics up by tomorrow. I have a 05 toyota tacoma. The only changes I made were that I added 2.5 inch coilover shocks and deaver leafsprings. New nitrogen charged shocks to the rear. Front upper A- arms. Put on a stainless steel muffler. Satelite radio and new sound system. I kept the rims and bought new A/T tires. I want to do more, but then again I don't since it's not a 4x4. I bought it for camping. Then the off-road bug got me. So I'm not sure if I want to keep it and buy a 4x4 instead. My truck is really to long to go off roading, but I do anyway.
Thous Tacomas are rely good looking I seen a new one inside a mall one day with with a off road package you could love from the factory. You should get your self a 4x4, you'll be able to do more.
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bigblockmatt
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Re: My new Jeep

Post by bigblockmatt »

Nice Jeep!

as for 4x4, i wouldnt buy a truck without it. I dont go crazy but i have used it enough to make it worth it. went camping and the road was a muddy mess, popped it in 4 wheel and had no problems. head to the snow - no chains needed!

ps. i have a 2001 tundra. i love the truck. nothing special on it.
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Skippman
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Re: My new Jeep

Post by Skippman »

shamrok3 wrote:Looks like a Hummer!
That's not a compliment. It's basically like telling a Harly Rider "Sweet bike! Looks just like a Yamaha!" :lol:


I've got a set of Goodyear DuraTrac 315/70R17's on order. They're about 34.5" tall.

Image

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I'm going to be running a set of V-Tec Raptor wheels. 17x9 -12mm 5x5. Never heard of V-Tec before. Someone told me they're rebranded ProComp's for Discount Tire Direct.

Image


They're not as agressive as most max traction tires but this is my daily driver. This is the best balance I've found between a all terrain like the BFG All Terrian and a max traction like the BFG KM2 or Goodyear MTR. These also get the Artic Weather Rating (snowflake logo) for snow and ice traction as well as the Mud and Snow rating. They can also accept studs if you want to screw them in although I know of no where in North America where that's considered street legal. A lot of people in my JK club run these and say they clear better than any other all terrian but are super quiet on the street.
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Re: My new Jeep

Post by Major_A »

How's the electrical system in the Jeep? My parents had a Grand Cherokee in the late 80's and it was a super massive POS. The only thing that worked when they got rid of it 3 or 4 years later was the drive train.
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Re: My new Jeep

Post by Skippman »

This is my 4th Jeep product. I've had two YJ Wranglers, a XJ Cherokee, and now my JK Wrangler and never had an electrical problem. My current Jeep has a 140amp alternator designed to run winches and other high output applications.

Unless of course that question wasn't directed at me. :lol:
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DL13
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Re: My new Jeep

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These are the rims I'm looking at, Mickey Thompson, they're only 15" but I don't need any thing to extreme. Tires I'm looking at Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor 30" the only differents is the tried and they have kelar in it.
Goodyear tires http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... ilentArmor

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Major_A wrote:How's the electrical system in the Jeep? My parents had a Grand Cherokee in the late 80's and it was a super massive POS. The only thing that worked when they got rid of it 3 or 4 years later was the drive train.
The electric are good, souns like your parents got a lemon
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Re: My new Jeep

Post by vbironchef »

Sorry I have not posted any pics yet. Have been watching CNN.

I would go with 16" rims. The question or issue is, do you want steel or alloy rims? As far as tires, you can't go wrong with BF Goodrich or Bridgestone/firestone.
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Re: My new Jeep

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vbironchef wrote:Sorry I have not posted any pics yet. Have been watching CNN.

I would go with 16" rims. The question or issue is, do you want steel or alloy rims? As far as tires, you can't go wrong with BF Goodrich or Bridgestone/firestone.
The rims I'm still contemplating. As for the tire, firestone I wouldn't touch with a ten foot poll, I've heard they blow out to easy, the other two make good tires but they don't have what I'm looking for like goodyear has. Even though I live in the desert, there is a mountain about 20 miles or so from me and in the winter it snows now and then and I like going up there for the snow and the goodyears are rated excellent for deep and light snow, so that's why I'm sticking with goodyear.
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Re: My new Jeep

Post by Skippman »

I love the Mikey Thompson Sidebiter Rims that you're looking at. They were on my short list. They're about $200 a rim though compared to $100 for the V-Tecs I'm looking at. That and the gloss paint job on them just screams rock rash magnet.

As far as Firestone tires, they got a REALLY bad rap thanks to Ford. The whole "Ford Explorer Tire Blowout" thing was Fords fault. Ford even admitted it. They had incorrectly labeled pretty much every Explorers tire inflation guide to below manufacturer specifications. "Airing Down" is a common thing to do when off roading to increase surface contact area of the tire. Less air equals more pliable tires. Look at your tire when it's low on air, notice how much more of it is in contact with the pavement? The problem with that is very few tires (Max Tractions, so called MT tires being the exception) are not designed to be driven for extended lengths of time on the sidewall. By under inflating the tires people were driving on the sidewalls causing premature tire wear on a part of the tire that, strictly speaking, was never designed to be in contact with the road. So blamo! Blown out tire. Unfortunatly there's noting Firestone can do at this point to regain their reputation.

I'm with DL13 though. There's pretty much 2 names in All Terrain tires, BF Goodrich and Goodyear. ProComp comes a close third but I think their market share is more due to pricing structure than tire quality as they're constantly running buy 3 get one free specials. For All Terrains I like, in this order: Goodyear DuraTrac's, BFG All Terrain KO's, Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armors, ProComp All Terrains. The only reason I didn't seriously consider the Silent Armors is they simply don't make them as large as I need them.


DL13, do you know what the factory size of your wheels are? I know that a lot of the guys in the JK club have run into issues trying to run 15" wheels due to brake caliper size and I'd hate to see you order a whole set only to be unable to mount them when you get them.

Vbironchef, I think the reason he's leaning towards the 15" wheels is due to tire cost. I can get 35" tires with a 15" wheel diameter for $210 a tire. When I go to 17" wheels it jumps to $265 a tire. So it's much cheaper to go with a smaller diameter wheel.
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DL13
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Re: My new Jeep

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Skippman It's not just ford that gave Firestone the bad rep Firestone them self too, I saw on the news some time ago there was, some where here in the states, a few emergency vehicles with Firestone on them had blow outs or the tread came off it was one of the two.
Well I changed my mine on the wheels, but ya that was basically why I was thinking of getting 15", so I have ordered the last 5 in the states 16" http://www.4wheelparts.com/Wheels/Ameri ... PAR3926865 and a set of silentarmor's and a speedometer pinion gear to compensate for the bigger size tires.
Oh my stock size are 16", I do like thous Mikey's I just wish they came in 16"
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Re: My new Jeep

Post by Skippman »

I hadn't heard about the emergency vehicle issue with the Firestone, thanks for the tip. I can't think of a compelling reason to ever run Firestone tires. If it's a car it's either Michillian or Hancook for me.

Have you checked out Discount Tire Direct? That's where I'm ordering mine from. They do a 12 month same as cash deal and are just as cheap as tire rack. Plus they offer road force balancing which is superior to the traditional spin balancing done by most places.
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DL13
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Re: My new Jeep

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Skippman wrote: Have you checked out Discount Tire Direct? That's where I'm ordering mine from. They do a 12 month same as cash deal and are just as cheap as tire rack. Plus they offer road force balancing which is superior to the traditional spin balancing done by most places.
Ya I did but I'm not going with Discount at this time, I know they're cheaper, I decided to go with 4 Wheel Parts as there is a store here in Tucson. What I can do is leave my rims with them once they come in than once the tires come in they can mount and all there,it's safer than keeping the rims in my shed and have some one still them. I should have my wheels next weekend (hopping) and I'll post a pic to show you.
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Re: My new Jeep

Post by vbironchef »

Image

Sorry It took so long. I have new tires since I took this pic. You can't see the upgrades, but they are there. Gives me a lift of 0 to 3 inches. The tires that are on now are Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo. I replaced them with Firestone Destination A/T. I looked at these ratings to make my choice. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyres ... ?type=ORAT I'm no pro so I just went with what others have said. I'm not making any judgement, or comment on the tires. Just saying what I have.

When looking for mud tires or maximum traction tires just look at this http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyres ... ?type=ORMT Like I said no comment on tires just the reviews.
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Re: My new Jeep

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vbironchef wrote:Image

Sorry It took so long. I have new tires since I took this pic. You can't see the upgrades, but they are there. Gives me a lift of 0 to 3 inches. The tires that are on now are Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo. I replaced them with Firestone Destination A/T. I looked at these ratings to make my choice. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyres ... ?type=ORAT I'm no pro so I just went with what others have said. I'm not making any judgement, or comment on the tires. Just saying what I have.

When looking for mud tires or maximum traction tires just look at this http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyres ... ?type=ORMT Like I said no comment on tires just the reviews.
That's cool You've bin busy and all. A TRD, I like thous more than the standard ones they have more to them. If you do decide to get a 4x4 get the TRD 4x4 with the off road package, they are rely nice. :supz:
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Re: My new Jeep

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That's beautiful terrain right there my friend! I need to get out to the southwest again. Everyones been talking about heading to Moab this year. If I had the time I'd go but I've devoted all my vacation this year to skiing and going to Australia for 3 weeks.
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Re: My new Jeep

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Skippman wrote:That's beautiful terrain right there my friend! I need to get out to the southwest again. Everyones been talking about heading to Moab this year. If I had the time I'd go but I've devoted all my vacation this year to skiing and going to Australia for 3 weeks.
Australia nice, you lucky dog I would love to visit there, and skiing never tried it but would like to, it looks fun.
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Re: My new Jeep

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Skippman wrote:That's beautiful terrain right there my friend! I need to get out to the southwest again. Everyones been talking about heading to Moab this year. If I had the time I'd go but I've devoted all my vacation this year to skiing and going to Australia for 3 weeks.
FYI, don't come to Australia during summer (your winter) as it is stinking hot. If you're looking for great scenery, NZ is somewhat better... Although this depends entirely on which part of Australia you go to. (Where are you going?)
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Re: My new Jeep

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I have a 3 week trip planed out. Here's my rough plan.

Fly from St. Louis to LA, LA to Sydney, Sydney to Cairns.

Spend 3 days at the Great Barrier Reef SCUBA diving, fishing, and relaxing on a Live-A-Board.
Back to shore and spend 2 days on a jungle hike to give my blood chemistry a chance to level.

Fly from Cairns to Auckland, NZ. Meet up with friends.

Spend several days driving from Auckland down through the North Island to Wellington.
Spend the weekend in Wellington going to Au Contraire, the national New Zealand Sci-Fi convention.

Fly from Wellington to Melbourne, Australia.

Spend several days kicking around Melbourne meeting the find Aussie Sheila's and having a good time.
Attend this years WorldCon AussieCon4 and have a good time.

Fly back to LA, LA to St. Louis.

It's going to be the last two weeks of August, first weeks of September. Which I believe is getting into your spring season if I remember right. :-k
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Re: My new Jeep

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Sounds nice! The scuba-diving on the Reef sounds especially good, I have gone snorkelling on the reef twice, and loved it, also went scuba diving in Egypt and that was great, despite the slightly less stunning scenery, you'll really enjoy it and Spring (yes, it is) in NZ is very beautiful.
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