Jeep Modifications The American Way - Tax Dollars At Work

With the TJ/LJ, my knee-jerk would again be to start with a Rubicon model, but I'd be tossing the 4.10 axle gears; I'd probably ditch the 241OR transfer case, too, since I just don't do that much under-5-mph crawling. That would basically leave me with air lockers and an imposter Dana 44 front axle, and I'm not sure they are such a great base to start with anyway. But it would get me lockers on a budget, and I could swap out the t-case to someone who could use it later, so I'd start with a six-speed-manual Unlimited Rubicon model with a soft top and go from there. Many of the things I'd do to the suspension would be simply to get bigger tires under the Jeep. I'd then upgrade components as I went along. For example, the coil spacers would give way to Rubicon Express coils, the stock tinfoil control arms would get ditched for either a long-arm kit or at least adjustable tubular arms. But that would be over time. The goal with the tax-return nest egg is to get some elevation under the Jeep using parts that could be reused later. OK, it's not the end all, be all Jeep lift, but for two grand it puts more clearance under the Jeep with a decent ride and a good start to adding parts as money allows.

I'd rather start with a pickup or the two-door Cherokee, but my tax mods of choice would be the same for the four-door Cherokee as well. Rocker guards. Seeing a theme here? Not only will they protect the body of the Jeep but they will help stiffen the chassis as well. I'd look for something solid and stylish like the sliders from Warn or Kevin's Off-Road. I'd add a pair of Currie frame stiffeners to help keep the doors inline and a simple 3-inch lift to clear the 31x10.50R15 mud-terrain tires mounted on a set of used aluminum Wrangler Sport wheels. I'd have just enough tax cash left to purchase a performance intake kit with synthetic-media filter.