Please Verify My Potential Setup.

[Hedsic]

But then it gives you an excuse to add lockers while it's all opened up


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[tommudd]

Simple math would dictate that there'd be a performance drop, but my butt dyno didn't really notice a difference. If someone buys a Liberty with performance in mind, they're sadly disappointed, that's not what they're made for. I do have a couple other good outlets to cure an itchy right foot anyway.
As far as gas mileage savings, let's say I could save a whopping 2 mpg. I put on approximately 5k miles per year. 2 mpg less @3.85/gal equates to costing an extra $119 per year. Changing f&r diff gears; gears & install kits: $716~$916 (JBA prices). Labor: depending on local shop rates, you could be looking at upwards of $1k to replace both sets, maybe more. After sales tax and other incidentals, I'd be looking in the $2k range to save $119 per year on gas. Simple math again means my payback (gear upgrade vs extra gas cost) would be 16.8 years. Not to mention, that's one lump sum out of pocket, as opposed to extra gas costing just a little bit at a time. That's also figuring gas prices don't skyrocket as well. Am I still going to have my Liberty in 16.8 years? lmao. I'm not going to have it 6.8 years from now. I'm much better off taking that $2k and investing it in something that's going to yield a healthy payback by the end of those 16.8 years. Changing gears for the sake of saving gas is a huge exercise in futility.

Even with the manual there was a performance drop, buddy had an 06 with 6 speed and 32s , he kept saying the same thing until he regeared. He said he had forgotten how much power it had before. No one stated it was simply for saving any gas either, but also better driveability overall. PLUS many have done the 4.10 4 cylinder swap for much less . But then I am one who likes to keep making my rides better than they ever were when first built.
My 4.10s set up cost me a total of just over 500 bucks, thats with new rear gears, front 4 cylinder diff that had less than 10,000 miles on it, and a Certified Jeep Tech doing the gear install. So they paid for themselves a long time ago.
Oh well the next build of a KJ of mine will get 4.10s as well just cause it makes sense

 

[CactusJacked]

Not everybody has a Jeep tech who works for nothing. Your situation/condition is certainly out of the ordinary compared to what others would be looking at spending. Yes, I'm a DIY'r and penny pincher as well, but to those who have to spend good money on labor, the cost benefit isn't there.

 

[sprawlcowboy]

After doing some reading, I may have some issues getting the stock wheels to fit with the JBA UCAs with 245/75/16s without some rubbing.

From what I see some people go the wheel spacer route (hubcentric & available for $119 on Amazon for set of 4). Others go the aftermarket wheel/tire route with 4"-4.5" backspacing.

Are there any issues when going with the Cragar 15x8 instead of 15x7?

Also, does this new rim size open up new tire options?

 

[John3seventeen]

After doing some reading, I may have some issues getting the stock wheels to fit with the JBA UCAs with 245/75/16s without some rubbing.

From what I see some people go the wheel spacer route (hubcentric & available for $119 on Amazon for set of 4). Others go the aftermarket wheel/tire route with 4"-4.5" backspacing.

Are there any issues when going with the Cragar 15x8 instead of 15x7?

Also, does this new rim size open up new tire options?

I have the 245/75/16's on stock wheels with JBA UCA's and a 3" lift - absolutely no rubbing.

Disclaimer: I do have an ARB bumper and the pinch weld pounded over which helps.

 

[tommudd]

After doing some reading, I may have some issues getting the stock wheels to fit with the JBA UCAs with 245/75/16s without some rubbing.

From what I see some people go the wheel spacer route (hubcentric & available for $119 on Amazon for set of 4). Others go the aftermarket wheel/tire route with 4"-4.5" backspacing.

Are there any issues when going with the Cragar 15x8 instead of 15x7?

Also, does this new rim size open up new tire options?

Stick with 7 inch wide, 4 inch backspacing, 8 inch wide is not needed with the size tires we can run on the KJs
I know of at least 5 or 6 that we lifted at my place running 245-75-16s and stock wheels , no spacers

 

[tommudd]

Not everybody has a Jeep tech who works for nothing. Your situation/condition is certainly out of the ordinary compared to what others would be looking at spending. Yes, I'm a DIY'r and penny pincher as well, but to those who have to spend good money on labor, the cost benefit isn't there.

But its doable is the point I am trying to make, John and Bob both have under 700 / 800 or so I think in their front and rear diffs maybe a little more. They went with the 4 cylinder front and rear diffs from a junk yard, an afternoon of fun and you're cruising down the road

 

[TwoBobsKJ]

But its doable is the point I am trying to make, John and Bob both have under 700 / 800 or so I think in their front and rear diffs maybe a little more. They went with the 4 cylinder front and rear diffs from a junk yard, an afternoon of fun and you're cruising down the road

I think I spent a bit less than that (but who's counting?!?!?) but even if I'd spent $1000 it would have been worth it. Mileage is up, power is back (especially when towing the boat) and both diffs had a LOT fewer miles on them than the originals. Plus it was fun working at Mudd's Garage :smoke2:

Bob

 

[John3seventeen]

I purchased mine for $750 and that included the Tri link upper control arm. Both the front and rear were from a Liberty with less than 60k on the odometer. I just wish the 4cyl had came with 4:56 gears!:laughing1: I definitely enjoy the lower gears.

 

[tjkj2002]

That's why I like having a manual trans, that's where the lower gears are. Comparing final drive 1st gears between his automatic and my manual, he would have to have 4.92 gears in the rear to equal my 3.73's.

Your forgetting the 2:1-2.5:1 reduction the torque converter give a auto trans.Plus the auto trans technically has a "unlimited" crawl ratio due to the TC.With a manual your slipping the clutch for the same effect the TC gives and a good cooling system will deal with the added heat generated from the TC in that situation but a $1000 is needed for the manual trans if done to many times.

Simple math would dictate that there'd be a performance drop, but my butt dyno didn't really notice a difference. If someone buys a Liberty with performance in mind, they're sadly disappointed, that's not what they're made for. I do have a couple other good outlets to cure an itchy right foot anyway.
As far as gas mileage savings, let's say I could save a whopping 2 mpg. I put on approximately 5k miles per year. 2 mpg less @3.85/gal equates to costing an extra $119 per year. Changing f&r diff gears; gears & install kits: $716~$916 (JBA prices). Labor: depending on local shop rates, you could be looking at upwards of $1k to replace both sets, maybe more. After sales tax and other incidentals, I'd be looking in the $2k range to save $119 per year on gas. Simple math again means my payback (gear upgrade vs extra gas cost) would be 16.8 years. Not to mention, that's one lump sum out of pocket, as opposed to extra gas costing just a little bit at a time. That's also figuring gas prices don't skyrocket as well. Am I still going to have my Liberty in 16.8 years? lmao. I'm not going to have it 6.8 years from now. I'm much better off taking that $2k and investing it in something that's going to yield a healthy payback by the end of those 16.8 years. Changing gears for the sake of saving gas is a huge exercise in futility.

When I did my gear swap it paid for itself in less then a year since I was doing a lot of long distance driving at that point.I gained 5-6 mpg's city and 8-9 mpg's highway.Re-gearing also prolongs engine life,cooling system life,trans life,and t-case life by reducing the stress and heat loads placed on the power train.


To think of it I've re-geared twice,yeah it's going to take a bit longer to recoup the costs of going to 5.13's($26k) but 4.10's was never going to cut it with 35" tires.

 

[sprawlcowboy]

Just thought I'd give you guys an update. I've decided against having JBA assemble the front struts. Reason being, it didn't originally click in my head that in order to do that, they're going to need strut mounts and isolators. So in addition to the $120 for labor, I was going to pay ~$156 for the mounts and ~$60 for 4 isolators for a total of $336.

I'm sure I'll be able to find a shop locally that would be able to assemble them for much cheaper than that using the factory strut mounts and isolators.

 

[TwoBobsKJ]

Just thought I'd give you guys an update. I've decided against having JBA assemble the front struts. Reason being, it didn't originally click in my head that in order to do that, they're going to need strut mounts and isolators. So in addition to the $120 for labor, I was going to pay ~$156 for the mounts and ~$60 for 4 isolators for a total of $336.

I'm sure I'll be able to find a shop locally that would be able to assemble them for much cheaper than that using the factory strut mounts and isolators.

I worked a deal with a local shop to have them assemble the fronts for me with a promise that I'd have them do the alignment after the lift was complete. They only charged me $20 to assemble both of them - and then $80 for the alignment.

Try that with a shop near you and see what they say.

Bob

 

[sprawlcowboy]

So all of the parts with the exception of the UCAs have arrived.

One thing I'm somewhat concerned about, when I look on JBAs website, the shocks I listed in the OP are Bilstein HD shocks. When I look on JBAs website, it lists them as heavy duty replacement shocks for a stock KJ.

Am I going to have issues using those shocks with my lift?

Should I have gotten the 4" or 2.5" lift Bilsteins?

 

[Porkchop]

As far as I know all front shocks are the same size only the Ironmans come longer. I'm sure Tommod will know more, might want to PM him he can get busy and may take a bit to check this post.

 

[tommudd]

All front shocks with the exception of Ironman are the same length no matter if stock or aftermarket. You don't need longer front shocks, only rear are needed longer

 

[sprawlcowboy]

All front shocks with the exception of Ironman are the same length no matter if stock or aftermarket. You don't need longer front shocks, only rear are needed longer

Ok. I have taken a picture of both the part number on the box, as well as the shock outside of the package next to the OME rear spring.

The F4-BE5-D917-H0 is the correct rear shock for this lift correct?

 

[VAhlene]

Ok. I have taken a picture of both the part number on the box, as well as the shock outside of the package next to the OME rear spring.

The F4-BE5-D917-H0 is the correct rear shock for this lift correct?

Pretty sure those are the stock length shocks. You want these ones.... F4-BE5-6458-H7

That is what I am using with my OME lift.

 

[sprawlcowboy]

Pretty sure those are the stock length shocks. You want these ones.... F4-BE5-6458-H7

That is what I am using with my OME lift.

I really hope not, as verification of correct parts and part numbers were the entire purpose of this thread.

If that is the case, that'll set me back weeks (shipping, wait for return $, buy *-H7, shipping).

 

[VAhlene]

I really hope not, as verification of correct parts and part numbers were the entire purpose of this thread.

If that is the case, that'll set me back weeks (shipping, wait for return $, buy *-H7, shipping).

The part number you have is for a stock Jeep liberty they would work but you wont get the same flex as you will be limited by the shock length. The part number I posted is shocks for a wrangler with 2-3" of lift this was the part number I got from JBA a year in half or so ago when I did my lift, the rear shock should be silver with a black boot the 5100 series.

 

[tommudd]

OH whoops thought you were talking about front shocks not rear