[Unlimited]

I'm fairly new to Jeeping. I bought a '04 Unlimited a year ago. I've done a little off roading in it and now I'm hooked. I'm ready to start building it so I can go more places, etc.

So far, I've got a Fabtech front bumper and Shrockworks rock rails. Guards on the steering box and diffs. I'm thinking that my next mod will be suspension. I think I've decided on a Rubicon Express 3.5 Superflex lift, JKS disconnects, and the adjustable trackbar. Would it be of benefit to go with adjustable front and/or rear lower arms? I'm also trying to decide on shocks, I think I've narrowed it down to Rubicon Monotubes or Old Man Emu's. Any thoughts?

My plan is to go with 33's and I'd like to put them on the factory rims. Will I have a problem with offset if I do this?

I'd like to keep it as my daily driver, so I don't really want to do anything to compromise the way it handles on the road. I'm not looking to do any severe rock crawling or anything like that, but I would like to be able to handle the Mojave road or the Rubicon trail.

Thanks in advance for your response, //Brian.

 

[JeepCrawler98]

Lower arms are not a "must" with the 3.5" kit but I would recommend it. You can set the front caster angle close enough easily with the stock arms, and unless you're doing a SYE the rear pinion angle tends to be "good nuff" as well; however, the stock arms are just rediculously weak. I've changed the bushings on them, and once you pound out the bushing housing, it's amazing that Jeep would put such a flimsy stamped poopy on an off-road based vehicle.

If you are going with 10.5" wide 33"s the stock wheels will be ok, if you are going with 12.50" wide 33"s you will want to either run a spacer to offset the factory wheel, or just replace the wheels alltogether.

The Monotubes and Emu's are both nice shocks - however I am a bigger fan of the monotubes. They seem to have more travel, and overall ride more controlled than the emu's i've noticed.

 

[1BLKJP]

Welcome aboard. RE makes some good equipment. My long arm suspension uses the RE skid and RE 5.5" springs.

You shouldn't have to worry about an SYE or pinion angle as much since your unlimited has a longer rear driveshaft than our baby wranglers. Like David said the arms are nice, but with your setup you don't really "need" them. You might just want to go with the lift itself and then as time goes on add the arms of choice in there.

As far as shocks go. Are you on a budget for them? Becuase I love my Rancho RS9000's. They are a little more expensive but I think they are worth it. And sometimes you can find buy 3 get 1 free on them.

Now for wheels. Unless you are rolling 10.50 wide tires you won't be able to use your stock wheels. A 12.50 tire on a 7.5" wide rim is just no bueno. You really need to plan on new rims also.

 

[jeeptales]

I like what I'm hearing

Lower arms are not a "must" with the 3.5" kit but I would recommend it. You can set the front caster angle close enough easily with the stock arms, and unless you're doing a SYE the rear pinion angle tends to be "good nuff" as well; however, the stock arms are just rediculously weak. I've changed the bushings on them, and once you pound out the bushing housing, it's amazing that Jeep would put such a flimsy stamped poopy on an off-road based vehicle.

If you are going with 10.5" wide 33"s the stock wheels will be ok, if you are going with 12.50" wide 33"s you will want to either run a spacer to offset the factory wheel, or just replace the wheels alltogether.

The Monotubes and Emu's are both nice shocks - however I am a bigger fan of the monotubes. They seem to have more travel, and overall ride more controlled than the emu's i've noticed.

Spoken like a man who has had grease under his fingernails more than once.

Today I noticed diff fluid on my garage floor where I park my Rubicon!

I'll be re-sealing some diffs tonight; I think I’ll service both diffs again while I have them torn down. I’m guess I need to try not to smack them around so much when rock crawling.

 

[1BLKJP]

oday I noticed diff fluid on my garage floor where I park my Rubicon!

I'll be re-sealing some diffs tonight; I think I’ll service both diffs again while I have them torn down. I’m guess I need to try not to smack them around so much when rock crawling.

Get this stuff from Napa or Home Depot call "The Right Stuff" It will seal over the top of a leak. And will hold better than anything else I have ever used.

 

[Unlimited]

Thanks everyone for the input...

Welcome aboard. RE makes some good equipment. My long arm suspension uses the RE skid and RE 5.5" springs.

Thanks. I liked the RE superflex kit because it is upgradable to a long arm if I ever want to go that way. Plus, I've heard that the RE lifts offer a better ride than most.

You shouldn't have to worry about an SYE or pinion angle as much since your unlimited has a longer rear driveshaft than our baby wranglers.

Thats what I've been told, as long as I don't go over 3.5".

Like David said the arms are nice, but with your setup you don't really "need" them. You might just want to go with the lift itself and then as time goes on add the arms of choice in there.

Considered that, but the "upgrade" is only $60 per axle. It's $250 to buy the adjustable ones later. If it was something I might want to do in the future, I think it would be better to do it in the first place. If it wasn't something the Jeep would benefit from, I'd pass.

As far as shocks go. Are you on a budget for them? Becuase I love my Rancho RS9000's. They are a little more expensive but I think they are worth it. And sometimes you can find buy 3 get 1 free on them.

The RS9000's are an additional $60 over the RE Monotubes or the OMEs. Worth it? As for a budget, well, yes and no. My problem is that my wish list is about a mile long and the more I spend on one thing, the longer I have to wait until I can get the next. I keep running into the old "If I'm going to spend $X on this, why not spend $X + ? for the next better version? " It's gotta stop somewhere.

Now for wheels. Unless you are rolling 10.50 wide tires you won't be able to use your stock wheels. A 12.50 tire on a 7.5" wide rim is just no bueno. You really need to plan on new rims also.

10.5 wide 33's just seems wrong to me. I was planning on the 12.5s. I was told by the tire guy that my stock wheels would work but I might have a problem with the offset being too deep. (That's a problem I keep having, people who want to sell you something will tell you anything to get you to buy what they are selling.) Guess I'll plan on new rims as well.

Thanks again for the responses, //Brian.

 

[troy b]

Unlimited, I think what they are saying about the rims is that you can fi the 12.5 tires on, but you will need a spacer to 'kick' them out a bit to make up for the offset.

 

[tex]

Wheel spacers cost about $60 each. That's more than some wheels, and you can recoup some of your cost by selling your stock rims. I'd go with new rims.