RE 4.5 more like 7.5

[wsgoodspeed]

massachusetts off-road trip

Me and the boy installed a Rubicon Express 4.5 (domestic) on my 84 CJ 7 last night, Woa! it's up there! We put a 4 inch Sky Jacker on his (boy) 83 CJ 7 about 7 months ago and was not and is not nearly as tall (same size tires). I have a few questions for the board. 1) how muck can I expect the RE lift to settle? The SkyJacker settled about an inch. 2) When I put the shocks on they look a little short (26.5 eye to eye). At full droop with the wheels off the ground I have to compress the shock about 4 inches to get it on. When articulating will one wheel being jammed up in the wheel well cause the other spring to flex more than it does at full droop (hanging from bumper from highlift with wheels off the ground) ? 3) I am running 31 inch BFG MT's, they look pretty small with that lift! I wanted to wait until I could afford to re-gear and lock the rear to switch to 33's. Will running 33's give me too tall of gearing with the 3.3 to 1 gearing I have? I want to wheel this thing and being geared to high would SUCK.

Thanks for your help and comments!

Shawn

 

[jps4jeep]

Welcome to the board!
Rubicon express makes a quality product, I would not expect the springs to settle too much. That is weird that the (Boy's) CJ settled 2 inches. I have a skyjacker lift (YJ) and they settled only about 1/4 inch. As for the droop, I would tend to speculate that the wheel will drop more but not too much, I believe that the angle that the shock is at in relation to the the frame and the axle will decrease (become more acute) causing the shock to be stressed more though, but thats why they come with bushings! You did not state what motor you had in that fine beast, nor wheather it will also serve as a daily driver, but for gearing, 4.11-4.56 should be a very good set up, but again this depends on the vehicles intended purpose.

Johnny

 

[wsgoodspeed]

Johnny,

The SkyJacker settled about 1 inch (looks confusing in my post cause of question 2). My jeep is running a 258, I plan to drive it alot, not every day. I believe my gearing is 3.3 to 1. I want to change gearing eventually but I have sunk alot into this beast in the last 6 weeks, my wife says my next mod had better be a bed for the back of the jeep ( If ya know what I mean). I plan to do quite a bit of wheeling, Jellico, Tellico, Royal Blue and wind rock are all pretty close.

Thanks for the comments!

Shawn
KnoxVegas, TN

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

I don't know of any 3.3 gearing in CJ's, check the diff tags for the first three numbers, that should be your gear ratio. 2.72, 3.07, 3.55, 3.73, 4.10 being the most common options.

 

[far_right]

there is a one or two nuber code one the back right side of the rear alxe.... tell me that code and i can tell you stock gear ratio, and if it is track lock

 

[Snitty]

well... start thinking about a trailer for it... with a bed in it...

 

[jeeprostyle]

The Flying Jeep

There aint gonna be room for a bed in a jeep . . . . i know what you could do, get a fold out bed. Stop, fold it out, you could even use it as a picnic table if you took the matress off and there was a hard base below it. It would be prostyle. Run the idea by her, she might approve . . .hehe.

 

[firemanharry]

I have an 83 CJ with 3.31's also and am currently running 34" tires through a T-176 and a D-300. I had to work a bit to get up the big rocks, but made it through decently. Instead of regearing the rears, I've decided to swap in a SM465(6.5:1) transmission behind a V8.

I'd say run the tires and see what you need before you regear. 8)

 

[wsgoodspeed]

My axel is stamped with a single B, 3.31's. I think I will have to run bigger tires, That Rubicon Express 4.5 inch lift sits 3 inches higher than the SkyJacker 4 inch lift on my sons. I called RE, they said it might settle a half inch or so but no more. My 31 inch tires look like those donut spares that come with an econo car. I am not complaining, the lift is lots softer than the SkyJacker, have not had it in the hills yet, I will report back when I do.