Will these mods done now save me hassle in the future?

[ncflyer]

I've got a 12 Rubicon 4door and basically hooked so looking at how I want to set mine up and think the expedition type stuff will be more to my liking. I'm more of utilitarian over "just because" and after researching things....

1. I've seen where some of done a "sleeve and gussett" job on the front end to beef it up. Some haven't. Is this more of a Rockcrawling thing or good for long term whatever I may get into use? I plan on keeping this for a while and don't mind spending the $$ for worthwhile things that keep me rolling.

2. Swaybar relocation?

3. Steering stabilizer relocation? (Move them more out of the way of potentialy being damaged)

4. With the additional weight on occasion any suggestions of how to adjust for it? Is there anything easily added/removed for when I'm not loaded up so the ride won't be so stiff? The AEV lift has progressive springs but not sure if they'll compensate for more than the bumper/tire carrier weight.

My intent is to do the AEV 2.5" lift as it's a DD with 33s as well so a compromise.

I'll continue reading up but any information/suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Bigjerm]

1. The sleeve and gusset of the D44 usually comes around the 37" tire mark and rock crawling. If you never get there I would say its probably not needed with 33's!

2. I wouldn't move the sway bar, unless you are doing the mod where you rotate it up so it doesn't hang down as far. The skid install for it is good and gives it solid protection.

3. I had 2 JKs and I never mangled the steering stabilizer but the bracket to move it up is cheap and easy so why not? Just because I didn't doesn't mean you cant right?

4. Not sure on this one.... We got some good lift pro's here with some experience with the expo weight set up side of things. I am young, I still buy into the, "its a jeep, its suppose to be rough." So mine is a little rough on the ride!

[JPK]

I run AEV's 4.5" suspension and 37's on my 2010 JKUR, and at ~42k miles haven't bent the oem D44 yet. I do some of everything with my Jeep, including rock crawl, but not a lot of that (and I'm careful and easy on the throttle when in the rocks.)

The e-sway bar is fine, but a steel skid in lieu of the plastic air dam would be a real benefit.

The AEV 2.5" suspension doesn't include high steer since the lift isn't high enough to allow for high steer. BTW, add the new AEV front control arm brackets, which are going to be an add on option for the lift. It will improve ride, handling and especially steering enough to be worth the roughly $100.

The AEV suspensions ride very well unloaded and loaded. Dave Harriton has written on the AEV forum that the 2.5" ride is similar to the 3.5" and 4.5" ride, and that makes it a great ride, even light (though a bit firmer and better controled than oem, it is not harsh - with the brackets.) Also according to Dave Harriton, the 2.5" suspension is set up to handle slightly less additional weight than the 3.5" or 4.5". I wouldn't let this worry you since the 4.5" on my Jeep handles a whole lot of additional weight extremely well. Do run the tires at the AEV recommended inflation (which is 32lbs for the BFG D range 35's and 37's with AEV bumpers, etc, and probably similar to any BFG D range tire.) I run mine at 40lbs, but that is because my Jeep has the 5.7 Hemi, AEV bumpers, tire carrier, an auxilliary fuel tank, a fridge, roof rack and frequently carries a lot of additional passenger/cargo weight. In fact, now that hunting season is over and the Jeep unloaded, I'll probably drop to 35lbs. There is a noticeable difference between 32lbs and 40lbs when the load is light!

Choosing the AEV suspension is a great move, you'll love it - but get the brackets!

JPK

[Free Beer]

C-gussets wouldn't hurt. It is cheap insurance if you are going to be driving a loaded down 4-door with a 1/4 ton axle. I don't see why tire size would really matter. All it takes is a moment of not paying attention, drop the front-end into a hole and now your axle smiles a little more. Ask me how I know. This was on a light 2-door on 33's at the time.

[Black_ZJ]

A good and nicely priced gusset kit is http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/merchan...ry_Code=BP-B_S with a write-up here http://www.rockcrawler.com/2011-01/r...#axzz1kLHBjqMz

[ncflyer]

Thanks for the info so far. Anyone with ARB diff cover experience on the 11/12s with the 4.10 gearing? I spoke to them and they said there may be a space issue that you don't know for sure until you actually try to put one of their covers on and then have to make space in the cover.

[Rovertrader]

I've been doing this mess a while form all aspects- third world jungles to hard core wheeling, and my 2c is: set your budget, fix the biggest most likely issues to leave you stranded if they break, and go from there. JPK has a good bit of JKU experience and great insight especially for said model. For example, the T-case shifter $2 spare is a given to me- not glamorous or highly publicized but a pain to fix in the mud. Hence, my second 2c: much easier to plan and prep in the comfort of your own garage than trailside or in a river. I do not subscribe to the fix it when it breaks mentality- I hate to break!! The C gusset is cheap and easy- cheap insurance as they say.
In all, you can plan for your tire size and load- but also plan for a safety margin when the unplanned happens- this is what keeps the fun in and the pain out.
Lastly- drive it a bit, take some measurements loaded/unloaded for amount of compression, etc. The AEV products are fantastic and make these rigs the most versatile platform made today, as they are comfortable, capable, load worthy, can tow, etc- very hard to beat, and very reliable.
Didn't mean to rant, but the devil is in the details as they say. Cheers, and all the best!!

[JPK]

Just a comment on the Rubicon D44 tubes and C's; Dave Harriton has written on the AEV forum that in his experience and opinion, its not the C's that are the potential weak point of the Rubicon front D44, its the tubes. According to Dave, AEV has bent some oem D44 tubes (and the D30 tubes and C's are the same as the Rubicon D44 tubes) when they have jumped JK's and on occasion in sand washes when running really fast. Dave has written that AEV has yet to bend a C and that he hadn't at that time, maybe six month or nine months ago, found a verifiable first hand report of a bent C. I have read a number of reports of broken C's in the meantime and some of bent C's, but many seem to be TJ's owned by current JK owners who recommend gusstetting based on their prior TJ experience.

Here's Dave on the tubes (commenting on the photo posted below!):
"That actually resulted in a bent front housing and rear bent axle shafts...classic photographer wanting a little air where I kept hitting it and hitting it and it wasn't really doing what we wanted...a little frustration, a 6.1 and voila, bent axles

To be fair though, we have bent another front housing just doing fast dirt roads with some big hits during testing (probably way faster than most anybody would drive on of these vehicles if their name was on the title)"

Dave again:
"Its easy to bend if you:
a) jump it (even in sand), ask me how I know...
b) fly down a fire road and hit a bit of a wash and put the car hard into the bumpstops, ask me how I know...

Basically if you put it hard into the bumpstops, such that the isolators disappear and you make full metal to metal contact, chances are good you'll put a bit of bend in it. Nothing that would happen during normal rockcrawling or normal use, basically you need to be moving fairly fast. The most likely culprit is an unseen washout since most people aren't jumping JKs."

And Dave again:
"The front JK axles will bend if you jump them...I found this out the hard way

If you don't jump them, they seem to be fine. The best way to fix it is an axle truss (which we have in development), the Military J8 front axle has thicker tubes and there are a couple of companies that make sleeves to try to get a little more strength out of them, but that approach will never be as strong as a truss.

They're has been a lot of talk regarding the front C's bending, but we haven't seen that or had any evidence of that, but have several bent front axles here with bent tubes so we have proof of that" [AEV as since canceled axle truss development]

Here's an example of how Dave bends D44 tubes:


JPK

[Black_ZJ]

Holy crap JPK, even a gusseted axle would have issues after that kind of abuse.

[JPK]

Holy crap JPK, even a gusseted axle would have issues after that kind of abuse.

When I was younger, a lot younger, I used to jump my CJ5 for distance on Assateague Island, which is a barrier island on the Atlantic which runs from MD into VA. When the weather was right the beach was just one launch ramp after another. We got all of the air Dave got and maybe some more. That CJ5 had the AMC 304 in it. Moddified of course! Never bent either of the D44' in that Jeep, but I did spread the frame between the motor mounts.