Need Advice-best mods for Baja wheeling?

[spacomponents]

We just got an '04 4x4 Liberty Sport V6 auto, stock, has 3.73 gears.

What are the most important mods to do before we start cruising the backroads of Baja?

 

[JeepJeepster]

What speeds do you plan on doing? Some rims with less BS will help with handling, but may cause rubbing without a lift which kinda cancels that out. I run rims with 5"BS with a 2.5in lift and 245/70/16 tires.. perfect combo.

Skids are a must.

If you plan on doing alot of hard runs with alot of downshifts, a bigger ****** cooler wouldnt be a bad idea. Keep O/D turned off.

 

[spacomponents]

Cruisin' Baja

We keep our speeds in reason, because cows and horses wander out on the roads anytime. Plus the ruts, rocks, and whoops make things uncomfortable unless you have long travel suspension.

More concerned about getting stuck, punctures, things that strand you. Would love to run wider rims and wider tires for sure, skids of course, and patch up any weak links anywhere, and I don't really know Libertys very well.

 

[JJsKJ]

I would run GY MT/R's as they hold up real well around rocks and most sharp objects. I think the OME lift and shocks/struts would give you a great ride over the rough stuff while keeping the KJ at a nice ride height. Definately carry spare upper control arms and switch to moog lowers so you can keep them lubed up. A set of Moabs w/ 245/70's would probably work well to widen the stance a little as they have a better offset/width than stock.
You should seriously consider a really good air filter to keep the dust out of the engine. Look at the new Amsoil Ea series drop in for the KJ (P/N EAA201) and stay away from the K&N dirt funnel type systems.

Be sure to post up pics of your journeys! KJ WEST might be looking into a Baja trip for 08 since one of our members just completed a trip down there.

 

[spacomponents]

Baja Ventures

hey, thanks. I don't know the Liberty very well yet, and didn't know upper control arms were vunerable. and I'll look into the Moog units, thanks.

as you know, there is great wheeling ops all over Baja. We've been wanting to visit the campground that takes 4x4 to get to, the one where each campsite has it's own geothermal hot tub.

we haven't had a 'family' 4x4 for a long time, so now we're planning some fun trips. we had a great adventure south of San Felipe following the Baja 250 course partway, then breaking out onto the beach to find a full service cantina, then back north on the beach for about 10-12 miles towards town.

 

[JJsKJ]

hey, thanks. I don't know the Liberty very well yet, and didn't know upper control arms were vunerable. and I'll look into the Moog units, thanks.

as you know, there is great wheeling ops all over Baja. We've been wanting to visit the campground that takes 4x4 to get to, the one where each campsite has it's own geothermal hot tub.

we haven't had a 'family' 4x4 for a long time, so now we're planning some fun trips. we had a great adventure south of San Felipe following the Baja 250 course partway, then breaking out onto the beach to find a full service cantina, then back north on the beach for about 10-12 miles towards town.

It isn't so much that they are vulnerable, it is just that you are totally stuck if one does go bad. You can break the front diff or a cv axle and still get home or towed off a tough trail but if you lose a control arm you are done where you stand. It is cheap insurance to carry a spare w/ you when wheeling so far from a good source for parts. It might just be that I am a little paranoid as we just had a Jeepin Al's upper arm break while wheeling in Moab and it stuck everyone behind the broken Jeep for about 4 hours before we could get it fixed and that was by scavenging one off another KJ and swapping it to get moving again.

 

[spacomponents]

upper arm

so are the upper arms the same, left and right side?

 

[JJsKJ]

so are the upper arms the same, left and right side?

Yes.

 

[JeepJeepster]

It might just be that I am a little paranoid as we just had a Jeepin Al's upper arm break while wheeling in Moab and it stuck everyone behind the broken Jeep for about 4 hours before we could get it fixed and that was by scavenging one off another KJ and swapping it to get moving again.

So yet another set of Al's arms broke? For some reason I must say that I saw this coming. I never did like the way they were made.

If you took an A-arm off another Jeep, then how did it keep going? idea.gif

 

[spacomponents]

upper arms-Rustys

Rusty's has nice looking ones, DOM tube, #KJ-UCA1, says shown is a prototype, call for pricing.

 

[K Dje Ryu]

Rusty's has nice looking ones, DOM tube, #KJ-UCA1, says shown is a prototype, call for pricing.

His aren't ready yet, the last time I called, a little over a month ago. Should be ready to ship them by late June, early July, from what I understood.

 

[CRD4Liberty]

Al beefed up his A arm when he heard that 2 pair had been broken during heavy wheelin'. He can give you the info if you call him. Mine have worked great so far on the CRD. He has over a hundred pair out there and have had 2off road failures that he has replaced the arms on even though there is no implied warranty on the arms. How many other aftermarket products have failed while wheelin', I think this is a none issue really.

 

[tjkj2002]

His aren't ready yet, the last time I called, a little over a month ago. Should be ready to ship them by late June, early July, from what I understood.

Yeah those things where supposed to be out months ago,doubt they will ever be availiable like there SFA kit for the KJ.