Advice request: helping a friend with her new TJ

[NotYourRealDad]

I've been lurking around and reading up - trying to figure this out without asking for help and getting a 'do your research' answer...

I'm a former Mercedes Tech - V8 Datsun Z car builder, custom fabricator and disabled guy with a bunch of herniated discs in my back and neck. Now I'm the go-to guy in my office for anyone with vehicle issues or project advice. Usually people have easy questions or simple problems. One of the coolest ladies in my office recently bought a 2000 TJ with a 4 inch lift - rotten 33s, and while the suspension feels okay and doesn't have any obvious areas of play - there's visibly worn bushing, a sway bar that looks like it has too long links on it, and it has the classic low speed drifty feeling of tall tires on small rims.


She replaced the 33s with some 32s, dropped the pressure down to 30psi, and while it's better, it still doesn't feel quite right.

Looks like the sway bar links are too long and are worn. Has a transfer case drop, but I don't know enough by looking at it to know if it has an SYE already...
I know how to make a road car handle well and be extremely quick, but I have zero experience with setting up off-road vehicles that aren't Radio Controlled.


She's not planning on doing any really extreme off-roading, but wants to use it for getting to campsites on trails that would be irresponsible to traverse in a stock RAV 4 hybrid.

Because of the age of the components, and not knowing what they are, I'm hesitant to start trying to replace bushings, and because of the multitude of ways people tend to lift jeeps, I want to be sure I'm not having her buy something that won't work well.

Would like to replace the shocks, sway bar links F&R, stabilizer strut, and possibly the control arms. Would also like to keep spending as reasonable as possible. I figure that you guys can probably tell me what I'm dealing with just by looking at it, and provide some guidance or tips so she ends up with a jeep that rides well and has easy to source parts.

Retaining the 4" of lift isn't a requirement, I think that dropping to a 2-3" lift might reduce costs, improve ride, and make it easier to find replacement parts in the middle of nowhere... but that's just what I have gathered from reading a bunch of the guides, posts, and questions on here. If it's easy to find replacement bushings for a lot of this stuff, I'm quite good at blasting old parts, priming, and repainting or rhino-lining (could also give me an excuse to get into powder coating, because I'm a tool fiend). I wouldn't be doing her any favors if I just tried to wing it here.

I have pictures :

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1I7e0EB75WhxEMLkRVkNCXe19waE96IsO?usp=sharing

Thank you guys in advance for any help you can provide. I really want to try to make her Jeep experience one that will lead to being bitten by the customization bug, and years of reliable performance out of the 4l beast, it's good to have other automotive enthusiasts around. Helping her out by getting some advice from guys who live and breathe this stuff seems like a great step towards making sure she has a positive Jeep experience.

 

[KennethS]

I’d start with the dry steering test to determine if any of the existing components are worn. No real need to replace parts that are still fully functional.

 

[JKP]

No SYE, otherwise the rear driveshaft would have the slip joint in it like the front one.

Those are JKS quick disconnect sway bar links. They are adjustable for length. You can get a rebuild kit for them.

 

[OldBuzzard]

No SYE - the slip yoke is still there in the rear driveshaft.
The sway links (front) look okay, and might actually be a wee bit too short. The end of the sway bar should parallel the up-curve of the frame to get the required 10° up-slant. They're adjustable.
How is the frame? Bang on the bottom with a hammer looking for soft spots. Feel inside the holes, how much rust flakes are laying in there. Look inside if you have an inspection camera.

 

[Duck Doctor]

Noticed a drop pitman arm. Make sure your drag link and track bar are properly oriented in relation to each other.

 

[NotYourRealDad]

No SYE, otherwise the rear driveshaft would have the slip joint in it like the front one.

Those are JKS quick disconnect sway bar links. They are adjustable for length. You can get a rebuild kit for them.

Excellent. Thanks for the info!

Should she consider having me install an SYE?
Seems to be pretty standard practice to do so.

She's looking for a better ride quality (other vehicle is a 2010 lexus rx350h). I've mentioned that the jeep is going to ride like a truck, because solid axles. But I have to say that the current shocks are very stiff, and it feels like it has an excessively stout spring rate on the current springs. The springs remind me of what I did with the first Datsun 280z I built as a 17 year old - went from stock (200lb/in?) to some ~600 lb/in springs because I thought I wanted it to handle like a 'race car'. After a couple of months, I realized that I did not in fact want my daily driver to handle like a race car.

I'll order up some rebuild kits for the links, and do a little more research to figure out what shocks and springs she should think about throwing at it that won't cause excessive teeth rattling.
She is not going to be doing any intense off roading. A smoother ride would go a long way towards improving her enjoyment of the vehicle imo.

If you have any suggestions on that front, I'd be pleased to hear them. I'll probably still spend way too much time reading up on the subject here, because that's my favorite part of any project... the danger is that if I spend enough time reading about jeeps, I'll end up with yet another project vehicle in the fleet, and I already don't have enough time for the project cars I already have.

Thanks again!

 

[macleanflood]

SYE would also need a new driveshaft and at least adjustable upper control arms to set pinion angle.

If you're not planning on a 4" lift and 35s it's an unnecessary expense.

-Mac

 

[NotYourRealDad]

The previous owner said that it currently has a 4 inch lift. It has spacers to drop the transfer case for improved pinion angle. A big part of why I'm asking for advice is because I've read the beginner's lift guide and about other people's builds, and this jeep's lift configuration seems to follow a budget build lift setup, which I suspect has something to do with the relatively poor ride quality. Over the years I've driven some friends stock, and lifted Jeeps with larger tires than the 32s on this one, and at low speeds they didn't handle like a skateboard with the trucks and wheels replaced with a pool full of freshly poured marshmallow.

I mean, I can see the sidewall deflection when I push it back and forth, and nearly zero suspension deflection. When I compress a corner...
That being said, it's been about 2 decades since I drove a stock TJ, or the lifted CJ on 35s. And my butt dyno for suspension setup has been retrained by a BMW m235xi, new EVs, and other luxury cars in stock trim. So I could be tilting at windmills.