Hey everyone i really hope i get some feed back...  im geting ready to go to Iraq in Aug. and im trying to get stuff lined up for my jeep so when i get back in 7 months i can have a ready to rock TJ.   This is goin to be a joint project for me and my dad but im the one with the check book so ... Anyway this is what im thinking... i have a 2000 Tj and im looking at that new Nth Degree or rubicon express 6in long arm lift and putting ARB lockers all aroud. i have the may issue of JP and was looking at the 97-05 recall list "haha" and have really been learning lots from that  about the wounderful Dana 35.  Is it worth putting a locker on since its the bad egg in the basket or should i look hard in to geting a high pinion 9" or Dana 44?  I know that if im wanting a 6" lift im goin to have to get a slip yoke elim. and a new CV shaft for the rear.  also i know im goin to have to  put some type of rocker pannels on and looking to warn for all that stuff.  also tire size im looking at t 35x12.50... my home town is in iowa and the only way to get through the snow is tall and skinny and if a Dana 35 does not like big tires i dont want to wast the money on a locker that im goin to have to mess with all the time.  also should i chang up the gearing to a 4.56 or just keep it all the same.  now im not 100% new to all this but im having to do a lot of researching and some of this stuff i just really dont have any one to go to.  so i hope that i get some input and all is welcome.  i dont have a easy internet access so my best bet is i will be able to check this on thursday.  thanks

well I think you already know. I would look for a d44 axle at least to run 35" tires. Or to save on money you could work with what you have get a 4inch lift and try 33" tires. My guess is that would be plenty. Most ppl seam to go to big anyways.  

Well troop, I recently upgraded to a 6 inch X-Series from Rough Country and of course the requisite 35 inchers.  That D35 can be an issue, but before you go off spending *** on a new D44 or H.P. 9 Inch, I would advise also to consider upgrading your brakes.  Your stoping distances will greatly increase.  I now wish that I had gotten 17 inch wheels to accommodate larger rotors, but now I'm stuck with 15's and few solutions. 

If you're okay with your TJ stopping like a 5-ton truck then by all means spend your dough on a D44, H.P. 9, or D60 and I suggest an OX Locker with 4.56's.  If your rig is going to see a lot of abuse then you can't beat a D60, but that also means more weight and a little less clearance. 

You are not going to have enough money to do everything that you really need to do when you start making these big changes on your ride (unless you're rich and there aren't many rich soldiers).  Really think hard about what is important to you and when you do an upgrade, don't do a band-aid fix; do it right the first time and understand that every upgrade has consiquinces. 

If you have friends with lifted TJs, ask them if you could take it for a test drive and look at what is on it.  Think about what you like and don't like and what you would do differently (BUT DO NOT TRASH TALK YOUR BUDDY'S RIDE-you might need his help in the future).

Just some advise from a follow troop: stay alert, keep your head down, and your eyes moving.  Oh, one last thing.  When you come back from the sand box I want you to bring something back.  Victory. 

MSG Ferguson

Hey thanks for the advise.  I have a uncle that deals a lot with racing axles for drag cars and works a lot on tubing 9 inchers for the big fat tires. Anyway I talked to him and he is doing reasearch on it for me and impretty sure that im going to go ahead and get it done right the first time and go with d44 and 4.56 gears.

thanks

Erik

Wow really did not think about the brakes being an issue.  but once again I guess im in you situation too with 15" wheels.  Anyway Im not too to worried about it since I am in the motor transportation field.  I drive the LVS some what like the Army's Himit and also the newer 7 tons and of corse the humvees.  So far i like the field and am looking foreward to going over and Ill take all the advise you can give me.

Thanks OOHRAH

LCPL Peterson

Hey soldier and all thank you.

i don't care about winning hearts and minds just win the war (as i am sure you will!!)

God bless!

I have had ARBs since 95 or 96 on my 94 YJ. I have had nothing but problems with them. They are weak, the air lines are always leaking and if you put anything bigger than a 31" tire on they will void the warrantee. I had hugh problems with ARB when mine went south the first time. The cross pin broke and ate the gears. They sent me a new locker but told me that the gears and labor were on me. I didn’t have enough cash at the time to switch to anything else so I had it reinstalled. Since then the bolts that hold the body of the locker/carrier backed out and destroyed another set of gears. I had it patched together and am going to have a Dana 44 built with an Detroit locker. I personally would suggest going to go to a Detroit in the back and Ox locker in the front. Rough trail abuse wasn’t the issue in either ARB failure I have had, my YJ hasn't seen hard trail use. That’s what I built my CJ8 for. The YJ has only been a trail rig and Dailey driver since I bought it new and had the ARBS installed.

wow thanks!!

I'm glad that i heard that.  Man that seems like a lot of problems for no reason.  I'm glad you said something.  it seems to me that detroit has about the best thing going on for them and I really dont know anything about the OX locker.  But Ill have to look in to that now.

Thanks

Erik

The Ox locker is a cable locker. A frend of mine put them in his CJ7 and hasn't had a bit of problems. They seem to be as stout as a selectable locker can get. The cable is really strong he routed his badly initially and ended up dragging the bottom of a stream for all kinds of junk and it didn't break. Once we got it routed up and out of the way it never has snaged again. A selectable is really a nice thing to have in the front end. I have learned to live with the rear always being "on", but the front being locked makes it hard to turn on, especially on tight stuff. Good luck.