At age 34 (I'm almost 40 now), I bought my first and only new vehicle ever - a 2005 LJ - as a spring/summer/fall daily-driver. I have always stored it in the winters, and driven a cheap "winter bomb" to keep the LJ out of the salt. I love the thing, and have pretty much babied it, to say the least (until more recently...read on).
Here's a stock shot of my LJ. Looking back, it looked pretty "wussy" on those stock-sized tires (not that it's huge now, but...). I also bought some OEM Rubicon rocker guards back in 2005, but have been too much of a puss to drill holes through the body to mount them. :teehee: Actually, I just haven't had the need for them up to this point, and installing them hasn't been a priority.
A couple years ago, when the Wrangler GS-As were starting to get a little slippery (plenty of tread left, but the compound got kind of hard/slippery), I sprung for some 31" BFG KM2s and a budget boost. It's a great set-up. The handling is still great, and the tires aren't horribly loud for being a mud-terrain design.
Enter a Fall 2010 visit to Rocks and Valleys with my daughters (met up there with Crawler and his wife). One word...ADDICTED! So were my daughters. Mira was begging me to get a locker so we could do the Black Diamond trails. :thumb:
Notice the custom "striping" on my door? It's a scratch that goes the full length of the driver door and into the quarter panel. I'll have to see if it'll buff out. It's the only real "carnage" (used very loosely) from the day. My girls were worried. They were like, "Dad, are you going to be OK?". It was all good.
So there it is. Upgrades will be simple weekend projects - nothing to pull too much of my time away from my family/girlfriend, nor working on Mira's XJ with her. For the haters, no I won't be selling it, and no, I won't be parting it out. :finger: :sonicjay: :sonicjay:
More updates to come.
Craig
Current Plans/Status (updated 4/2/2012):
I want to give a H-U-G-E thanks to RockSolid Performance for all of the guidance, custom work, and great service. Thanks guys!
Full-Traction long-arm install under way...
Here's a stock shot of my LJ. Looking back, it looked pretty "wussy" on those stock-sized tires (not that it's huge now, but...). I also bought some OEM Rubicon rocker guards back in 2005, but have been too much of a puss to drill holes through the body to mount them. :teehee: Actually, I just haven't had the need for them up to this point, and installing them hasn't been a priority.
A couple years ago, when the Wrangler GS-As were starting to get a little slippery (plenty of tread left, but the compound got kind of hard/slippery), I sprung for some 31" BFG KM2s and a budget boost. It's a great set-up. The handling is still great, and the tires aren't horribly loud for being a mud-terrain design.
Enter a Fall 2010 visit to Rocks and Valleys with my daughters (met up there with Crawler and his wife). One word...ADDICTED! So were my daughters. Mira was begging me to get a locker so we could do the Black Diamond trails. :thumb:
Notice the custom "striping" on my door? It's a scratch that goes the full length of the driver door and into the quarter panel. I'll have to see if it'll buff out. It's the only real "carnage" (used very loosely) from the day. My girls were worried. They were like, "Dad, are you going to be OK?". It was all good.
So there it is. Upgrades will be simple weekend projects - nothing to pull too much of my time away from my family/girlfriend, nor working on Mira's XJ with her. For the haters, no I won't be selling it, and no, I won't be parting it out. :finger: :sonicjay: :sonicjay:
More updates to come.
Craig
Current Plans/Status (updated 4/2/2012):
- AEV Highline Hood & Fenders
- Front Bumper TBD
- Warn 8274 Winch & Winch Plate
- Rokmen Rear Bumper
- OEM LJ Rubicon Rocker Guards
- Rokmen Gas Tank Skid Plate
- Warn Steering Box Skid Plate (used...thanks JCR Offroad)
- Rokmen 1/2" Body Lift
- PSC Hydro-Assist Steering
- OME springs (~2 3/4" lift)
- Rokmen Rear Coil Spring Relocation Kit
- Full-Traction long-arm suspension & skid plate
- Custom Steering & Track Bar built by RockSolid Performance
- Currie Dana 60 front axle, 4.88 gears w/Grizzly Locker. My stock Dana 30 will end up in Mira's 1993 XJ 2-dr. project.
- Dana 70U rear axle, 4.88 gears w/Powr-Lok L/S: Narrowed by Sinister Fabrication/Unlimited Offroad Centers
- Hummer H2 wheels: OEM silver H2 wheels with centers machined out to clear Dana 70U hubs (thanks itselliott)
- 37" BFG KM2 tires.
- Advance Adapters SYE
- Parts Mike Pinion-Mount Parking Brake
- Currie Antirock front sway bar
I want to give a H-U-G-E thanks to RockSolid Performance for all of the guidance, custom work, and great service. Thanks guys!
Full-Traction long-arm install under way...