Full-Width DD XJ--Bad Idea?

[parks_pop]

I am thinking of swapping in some fullwidth axles under my XJ. I have a 6 inch long arm lift with bushwaker flares and other things that don't really make a difference for the intent of this thread.
Would this be a bad idea for a daily driver? Can I buy some wheels that have less back spacing that can help keep my tires under the flares? Suggestions???

 

[jswainthug]

I doubt that you could keep it legal.

 

[RockMonkey]

"Full width" is a subjective term. Are you talking 65"ish wide 1/2 or 3/4 ton axles, like a 9" rear and 44 front? Or are you talking about nearly 70" wide 1 ton axles? Both are commonly referred to as "full width". If you're talking about 44s or a 44 and 9" or something similar, then yes you can cover them with some extended flares or tube fenders or something. There are lots of them out there. Covering 70" wide 1 ton axles is going to be tougher, but you could use H1 wheels to get them a bit narrower, and build tube fenders to cover them.

 

[parks_pop]

9 inch rear and 44 front.

 

[_Auzzy_]

with some really off-set rims, and like 12.5 tires, you might be able to pull it off. what size tires you plan on running?

 

[parks_pop]

I'd like to run 35's.

 

[benjy]

Stratton did it, and wrote a thorough buid up

 

[parks_pop]

They're his axles I didn't know he was running them on a DD.

 

[Cody]

I run the 1/2 ford stuff with 35's. I don't DD the rig, and prefer not to drive it around town drawing attention to myself like a douchebag, but I haven't gotten any tickets. I only do about 100 miles per year around town in it, but I do about 5000-7000 miles during wheelin trips in a year, and probably about 50% of those would be highway/freeway miles. No flaps, no flares. 77" outside of tire to outside of tire.

I can post some pictures later. I didn't renew my phototime account so my albums don't show up. I need to upload some stuff to a different server.

 

[parks_pop]

Pics would be cool.

I haven't wheeled with you for a few years but for you to put me in the douchebag category....you must remember me
For real I know what you meant.

 

[Cody]

ya, I remember. Little white XJ right?

I wan't referring to you as a douchebag

 

[parks_pop]

The one I had back then was silver and.....yes little. That's when your had all body panels on your ZJ and Greg had a black YJ that wouldn't stay running. Ahh how things have changed.

 

[Cody]

ahh yes, I remember that day. I'm on my 4th grand cherokee now They're basically disposable right?

good to see you back around. Some of the same characters are still here....and some new ones. You would think some of us would have found something better to do by now.

 

[STAG]

I have built a FW XJ on 9"&D44 before. I had pretty wide rims but I bet if I would have had a little more backspaced wheels then I bet I could have fit them under some bushwackers or something.

Also remember that the distance from the bottom of your unibody "frame" can be no more than 24" off the ground. (measured from underneath the driver's seat.) Mine was 29" so it was technically too tall.

I'm building up a YJ on full width 1tons with a 67" wms-wms and I'm keeping this one 100% street legal.

These pics are the best that I could find that showed the front and the rear on flat ground; showing how far the tires stuck out.

 

[Cody]

also, FWIW I'm 77" wide outside of tire to outside of tire, which is about 2" too wide IMO for the type of terrain I wheel on. I find myself wishing I were narrower, and plan on my next set of wheels having 1" more BS (or less?) to bring my stance in a little bit.

29"! Holy ******! I think mine is just under 25" and I'm too tall for 35's. Tyler is on 37's and is just under 26 I think. ZJ's are heavier, so we get the 26" limit.

 

[STAG]

29"! Holy ******! I think mine is just under 25" and I'm too tall for 35's. Tyler is on 37's and is just under 26 I think. ZJ's are heavier, so we get the 26" limit.

yeah it definately wasn't a low cog build. but that being said, it also felt really stable... like an XJ on stock axles with ~4" of lift. Plus the 15" extended wheelbase helped.

 

[RockMonkey]

My XJ is currently 19.25" to the bottom of the frame on 35s (and the skid plate is almost flat), and it's 77" wide to the outsides of the sidewalls. Sounds like it'll be stupid-stable. I still bet I end up installing a sway bar on the rear.

 

[STAG]

My XJ was 81" from sidewall to sidewall with those tires. and about 83" with these tires. They were 37x13.5r18 w/ ~3" backspacing

 

[RockMonkey]

Tell me about this jack, please. I'm pretty sure I need one (or four).

 

[STAG]

Tell me about this jack, please. I'm pretty sure I need one (or four).

It's called a "bumper lift" jack. Was purchased from Fakler tire when they went out of business.. its good for reaching up under bumpers hence the name... Not sure where you buy them new. I think HF sells one maybe.. I found this blue one on google just barely.. The one in my picture is rated to 5 ton iirc. and it has safety locks/stops so even if you lose air pressure it won't drop the load. *sorry to hi-jack the thread parks_pop

Oh and they are very strong. With about 60 or so psi it easily and quickly lifted the entire front end of my XJ off the ground with the push of a lever.