Topic: New guy from Mid Michigan.

[4BangN]

I'm Josh.  I'm new to the 4x4 scene.  I come from the import car scene.  I'm still in the car scene but sense I've been looking for a good winter vehicle I came across this 95 Jeep Wrangler.  I picked it up for a KILLER deal and sense it is a Jeep that is just AWESOME I thought, why not have double the fun and hit the trails and what not also.     So here I am trying to learn as much as I can about this Monster I have sitting out side.  I think it will be a TON of fun for me this summer.  And a lot of fun in the winter also.   :rock:

Little bit about my Jeep: 

-I'm running the 2.5L
-Flowmaster exhaust
-3" body life
-33" Thornbirds
-Full MSD ignition system

What brings me here?  Well I've always been into 4 cylinder engines ever sense I owned my 1990 Eagle Talon TSi.  I love them!  Especially with BOOST!  :D  I want to try to squeeze as much FUN out of my Jeep as possible.  So any information you guys have to offer is GREATLY appreciated. 

[sharpxmen]

I'm Josh.  I'm new to the 4x4 scene.  I come from the import car scene.  I'm still in the car scene but sense I've been looking for a good winter vehicle I came across this 95 Jeep Wrangler.  I picked it up for a KILLER deal and sense it is a Jeep that is just AWESOME I thought, why not have double the fun and hit the trails and what not also.     So here I am trying to learn as much as I can about this Monster I have sitting out side.  I think it will be a TON of fun for me this summer.  And a lot of fun in the winter also.   :rock:

Little bit about my Jeep: 

-I'm running the 2.5L
-Flowmaster exhaust
-3" body life
-33" Thornbirds
-Full MSD ignition system

What brings me here?  Well I've always been into 4 cylinder engines ever sense I owned my 1990 Eagle Talon TSi.  I love them!  Especially with BOOST!  :D  I want to try to squeeze as much FUN out of my Jeep as possible.  So any information you guys have to offer is GREATLY appreciated. 

welcome - nice Jeep, i like the seats. there's lots of info here how to squeeze more out of your 4 banger (larger throttle body, spacer, electric fan, cold air intake, gearing). keep us posted with your mods, this is a very active forum and and you'll get help if you run into trouble.

that's a big body lift, one thing you might want to consider maybe is going to a 1'' instead of 3'', get some 1'' lift shackles and use TJ flares - should give you enough clearance (some trimming is required with the TJ flares) - in the long run you might save yourself some headaches as there is a lot of strain on the body where the bolts go in.

[4BangN]

humm..  Good info on the lift.  I was going to go with a 2" shackle lift anyways for a full 5" of lift.  But I'm not sure I need that much.  I don't plan on going any bigger with the tires.  I'll have to look into downsizing the body lift and going with the 2" shackle lift and keep the 3" instead of trying to get to a 5".

As for those seats..  I hate them.  lol  They sit way to far back.  I have a hard time getting in the jeep because I am a bigger guy and it is hard to squeeze my leg between the side of the seat and the steering wheel.  I'm going to keep them and put them in my car.  I'll recover them black before I do that tho..

[jfrabat]

When it comes to lift, suspension should be your first choice.  Doing too much body or shackle lift has a lot of negative side effects (and in the case of BL, it can even be dangerous should you get into an accident).  You can do a junkyard suspension lift by adding leafs, so it does not become so expensive.

How are the Thornbirds working out for you?  I have never tried them, and have read mixed reviews about them...

As for the mods, there are many threads here on how to boost the engine.  Sharpxmen, in fact, is in on that club, as he is supercharging his (check out his build thread; his fab skills are fantastic!).  There are also some turbos around (robtheplumber comes to mind, but there was more than one) and a naturally aspirated engine build (yjmechanic), plus many mods to squeeze more power out of the 4 squirrels (FoMoCo eFan, ignition, cams, CAI, bored out TB, spacers, high flow filters, injectors, headers, high flow cats, cat backs, gearing, etc.).

[sharpxmen]

When it comes to lift, suspension should be your first choice.  Doing too much body or shackle lift has a lot of negative side effects (and in the case of BL, it can even be dangerous should you get into an accident).  You can do a junkyard suspension lift by adding leafs, so it does not become so expensive.

How are the Thornbirds working out for you?  I have never tried them, and have read mixed reviews about them...

As for the mods, there are many threads here on how to boost the engine.  Sharpxmen, in fact, is in on that club, as he is supercharging his (check out his build thread; his fab skills are fantastic!).  There are also some turbos around (robtheplumber comes to mind, but there was more than one) and a naturally aspirated engine build (yjmechanic), plus many mods to squeeze more power out of the 4 squirrels (FoMoCo eFan, ignition, cams, CAI, bored out TB, spacers, high flow filters, injectors, headers, high flow cats, cat backs, gearing, etc.).

thanks for the props JF 

[4BangN]

When it comes to lift, suspension should be your first choice.  Doing too much body or shackle lift has a lot of negative side effects (and in the case of BL, it can even be dangerous should you get into an accident).  You can do a junkyard suspension lift by adding leafs, so it does not become so expensive.

How are the Thornbirds working out for you?  I have never tried them, and have read mixed reviews about them...

As for the mods, there are many threads here on how to boost the engine.  Sharpxmen, in fact, is in on that club, as he is supercharging his (check out his build thread; his fab skills are fantastic!).  There are also some turbos around (robtheplumber comes to mind, but there was more than one) and a naturally aspirated engine build (yjmechanic), plus many mods to squeeze more power out of the 4 squirrels (FoMoCo eFan, ignition, cams, CAI, bored out TB, spacers, high flow filters, injectors, headers, high flow cats, cat backs, gearing, etc.).

I really can't wait to get out in the spring time when things start to thaw around here.  The wet season is going to be a blast!  As for the Thornbirds.. Well, they suck in the snow so far.  I haven't had them out in the mud or anything yet.  And sense they are the first M/T tires I've ever had, I imagine that I am going to love them over anything else I've ever had.  heh 

I do want to dump a TON of money into this Jeep.  But sense my car is my first priority that has to be completed first.  I'm sure I'll be able to put some money into the Jeep, such as exhaust, filters and some more less expensive mods until I can afford to dump money into an engine build.  Boost would be the way I want to go!  I love turbo's and S/C's.  They are just flat out AWESOME!  I had a turbo 1995 Honda civic with a SOHC engine.  It was definitely fast.  Faster then bolt-on LS1's anyways. 

Thanks for the warm welcome.  I'll be around for sure checking out build threads and asking questions.  Again thanks for all the help so far.  It is greatly appreciated!

[Sine Deviance]

Hah, another DSM'er going to Jeep (or back to Jeep, in my case.) Before I got my YJ I was rolling a '91 Eclipse GSX.

Welcome to 4bangerjp, and to Jeeps in general. I can almost promise you that you'll never go back.

[Jeffy]

As for the Thornbirds.. Well, they suck in the snow so far.  I haven't had them out in the mud or anything yet.  And sense they are the first M/T tires I've ever had, I imagine that I am going to love them over anything else I've ever had.  heh 

First off welcome.

Thornbirds are no MT's.  They are AT's and I will wager that you'll be disappointed in them.  They look aggressive but they aren't.  Not to mention that are bias ply which means they will get flat spots if you park for any extended period of time.  They will round out if they get warm enough.  The other problem is they tend to wear fast if you drive onroad.  They are also heavy tires which will up your unsprung weight which isn't good either.  You'd stuck with 33's as well since you have 15x10" wheels.  Although I think BFG still makes a 31x12.5R15.  Changing you're wheels and tires would probably be your cheapest option for any noticable performance gain.

[4BangN]

Hah, another DSM'er going to Jeep (or back to Jeep, in my case.) Before I got my YJ I was rolling a '91 Eclipse GSX.

Welcome to 4bangerjp, and to Jeeps in general. I can almost promise you that you'll never go back.

I'm not a DSMer..  I drive Honda's.  And I can't "leave" the import scene.  I love them.  I just wanna be able to have fun in the mud / trails also.  :D  Here is a pic of my summer ride.



I have a lot of work up into that car so far.  I can't abandon it now.  lol  I'll have it for ever.  and sense it is almost paid off.  I'll be able to dump a ton of money into it pretty soon to make it fast and even more fun to drive.

[Sine Deviance]

I'm not a DSMer..  I drive Honda's.

Well in your first post you said you had a Talon TSi, so y'know...

And I can't "leave" the import scene.  I love them.  I just wanna be able to have fun in the mud / trails also.  :D  Here is a pic of my summer ride.
...
I have a lot of work up into that car so far.  I can't abandon it now.  lol  I'll have it for ever.  and sense it is almost paid off.  I'll be able to dump a ton of money into it pretty soon to make it fast and even more fun to drive.

That's a nice Civic, and a nice Wrangler in your original post. I just couldn't deal with the import scene anymore. Most of the import guys you meet are dicks and they all think they have the nicest ride under the sun. Of course, I'm generalizing here, but they almost never have anything helpful to say. That's the biggest reason I went back to Jeep; the Jeep community is very friendly and accepting. Not only that, fast cars get you noticed by the wrong people (police) and/or killed. Jeeps just get you noticed by all the girls and they only kill your bank account

At one point my GSX was making 550hp at the wheels  (at)  19 psi and running low nine's in the quarter. After the mainshaft in the transmission snapped for the third time I decided to just give up on it and go back to something easier to maintain.

[95yjman]

Welcome! nice looking YJ!

[4BangN]

Well in your first post you said you had a Talon TSi, so y'know...

That's a nice Civic, and a nice Wrangler in your original post. I just couldn't deal with the import scene anymore. Most of the import guys you meet are dicks and they all think they have the nicest ride under the sun. Of course, I'm generalizing here, but they almost never have anything helpful to say. That's the biggest reason I went back to Jeep; the Jeep community is very friendly and accepting. Not only that, fast cars get you noticed by the wrong people (police) and/or killed. Jeeps just get you noticed by all the girls and they only kill your bank account

At one point my GSX was making 550hp at the wheels  (at)  19 psi and running low nine's in the quarter. After the mainshaft in the transmission snapped for the third time I decided to just give up on it and go back to something easier to maintain.

Forgot about the TSi I owned.  heh  I wasn't really a DSM guy tho.  I drove one, but that was my entry level tuner.  I haven't driven a DSM in a very long time.  Been Honda for almost 3 years now.  Sorry for coming off as a dick about it.   

My civic isn't fast.  "yet"     But once I finish the new engine build.  It will be quick and more fun to drive.

[bammerman]

welcome - nice Jeep, i like the seats.

I am with sharp on this one.