Talk of upgrades

[DaThug]

Curious how others planned upgrades. I have big plans for Da Thug, lift, tires, bumpers, etc.

Would you look at doing tires first or the lift? Or are those usually done at the same time? Are there any laws in MA or CT about tire size or lift height for street rides? Someone at the office mentioned there might be as they knew someone that was always getting ticketed for big tires.

[ASauer17]

Usually tires and lift are done at the same time. I did my lift first then got tires because I didn't know how it would sit. After my lift I put on 33s, and that lasted maybe an hour, I went back and got 35s.

There are lift laws for MA.. The book says that the suspension height should not be more than 2" higher or lower then stock. BUT it also says that 4wd vehicles can use the wheel base x track width / 2200..

You need to have fender flares that COVER most of your tire. You can get ticketed for having too much exposure on your tire..

I have a 1998 Wrangler with a 4.5" lift and 35s. I go to a local auto place for inspection stickers. I will not go to a gas station inspection place

[Kurt]

A lot to consider when planning upgrades.
- What type of terrain do you want your rig to be able to traverse
- What do you envision to be the final size & capability of your build in a few years
- Budget
One generally needs to consider the above to come up with a logical progression of upgrades. You want to avoid doing a mod and then replacing it in a year or two as you evolve your rig towards your final goal.
Gearing also comes into play when you get into bigger tires and a heavier rig.
And then there's lockers.
Also rocker, gas tank, steering box, radiator & engine skids need to be on the list. More if you want to play in the rocks.

Yes - Mass has lift laws.
Per MA regulations...
6.05: Maximum Combined Mechanical and Tire Lift

The maximum mechanical lift for four wheel drive motor vehicles shall be calculated by multiplying the wheel base times the wheel track, and dividing the product by a safety factor of 2200: i.e., 92"w/b x 58" w/t = 5336/2200 = 2" (maximum mechanical lift). The outside diameter of the largest tire size available from the original manufacturer as standard or optional equipment for the particular motor vehicle may also be increased up to an amount equal to maximum mechanical lift calculated.

Due to slight variances in production tolerances, violations must be in excess of one inch beyond the Registrar's specifications of approved maximum altered heights.

This is based on the maximum lift and tire size available at the time of manufacture.

As for sequence there are differing opinions of what to do first, second, etc.

[DaThug]

At the end of the day, my jeep is my daily commuter. I also love going off road with it and want to be able to do more off road. I have been thinking 35's and an equivalent lift that would allow me to off road safely, do some minor rock areas. I also want to replace the stock front and back bumpers and add a winch.

Not sure what that will do to gas mileage, I do have 2 hours of commute a day.

[BlackNBlue-ISH]

Definitely look into undercarriage protection. Specifically engine/evap/gas tank/control arm skids. Those are always the first to get hit. Front and rear bumpers are nice, but they can take a small hit or two before they need to be replaced. As far as making a difference on the trail, the best investment is tires. Mud terrain or all terrain, if you have good tires, you can keep the jeep under control. As you wheel the jeep, you'll determine how tall you want to lift it.

TL;DR protect the jeep from damage, then up grade everything else.

[ImNotCassie]

I agree .... skids first. Protect the jeep from damage is what I always say.
Go wheeling a few times before doing any major mods. You will see and learn things on the trail that you would never even think of otherwise.

As for the tire extension past fenders ..... that depends on the policeman you drive past or how obnoxious a driver you are. My neighbor's buddy has a lifted jeep with no fenders, never a problem. After Rausch, I drove around for a while with no passenger side fenders, got looks but no tickets. LOL I even just got an inspection sticker with the rear one missing.

[ASauer17]

I'm the opposite. I did not take my stock jeep on the trails. A stock tj wouldn't get too far. A JK is a different story. I also have 0 additional skids then stock and still have my plastic steps.
Every person will tell you different. It all depends on how you pick your lines.

[DaThug]

Good info, I had skids on the list but had forgotten. I do want to see what others have done and see the differences in lifts, tires,etc. Being new to jeeps its helpful to hear about what others have done as well as their order of the upgrades.

With my lengthy commute I did the inside first, stereo, sub and speakers.

[pirahnah3]

I agree, some skids first because no matter what you end up with you will want/need them.

As for upgrades, get out talk to folks look at some Jeeps, see what you want to do with your jeep and where you want to go. Better to only do it once rather than constantly having to change out the same parts over and over.

[Frank]

I say if you commute 2hrs. a day and drive a Jeep , You must be rich ! This discussion has been around for ever. There is no right order. Take her out , see what your comfortable with and look at other Jeeps in your class. See what they have done or had to repair. It might give you the order your looking for. I always tell people to buy good off road tires and put them on plain steel wheels . Commute with the tires you got , wheel with the nastys ! If you like the power you get and milage , you will Hate what happens to both with big tires and no gear change. Good luck Dude . FjR68

[ImNotCassie]

Talk to people ON THE TRAIL. If you talk to just anyone with a jacked up jeep, chances are, they have never seen a trail and build for looks.

[RandyCarol]

Without doing the math, would a 2 door JK with about 3" lift on 37's pass? I'm still in NH but will end up in Mass eventually