Stretch the TJ or sell it?

DerekM

DerekM

formerly dirk124
Location
Orem, Utah
My Jeep no longer fits my little family for any trips other than the mall. Even then it gets tricky to fit 2 strollers in it. I need to decide whether to go for the LJ frame/body stretch, or just sell it and find something else. I would rather not go into debt with another vehicle.

I don't know if I should attempt something this critical. It needs to look clean and not like it was just cut in half with a sawzall. Would it be cheaper to have someone stretch it for me, or just sell it and buy an LJ? I would hate to start all over and have more debt.

The other option is too look at the Jeep unibodies or go Toyota. Ugh what do I do!
 
DerekM said:
Is it the cost or the amount of work involved?
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The amount of work involved in comparison to what you have when you are all finished. Cost wise it's not that bad. Especially if you plan on keeping your suspension as-is. Look up DukeGnarly on Jeep forum project name "length envy". Other than the axle upgrade he did it is probably the most cost efficient way to do it.
 
DerekM said:
Because then I will still have the problem of an 18 month old kid kicking the back of my seat
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If you stretch it, are you going to move the rear seat back? If so then you still don't have room for a stroller. If you don't move it back, you have room for a stroller but you still have the problem of you kid kicking your seat. Sounds like you need a different rig. What about just buying something non-wheeling related that you use for family time and keep the jeep for you/wheeling time? I'm sure you could pickup a decent Civic for not much money (probably easily for less than $10K)
 
We have the 4runner but my wife drives it mostly. The main point is that I would love to be able to take one vehicle and be able to seat my family comfortably on day trips and 3 day trips to Moab.
 
The work of making it longer wouldnt be worth it to me. It might be cheaper than buying a TJ unlimited, but not if your time is worth anything. When you are finished you will realize the money you save vs the hours you put into it just earned yourself 1.75 an hour. All that time could have been spent camping.

Now, if you want to do it because you want a project and think it would be cool to say you built it then go for it. Project wise it would be cool, money wise it is not worth it.

If your projects are like mine, by the time you are finished making longer your kid will be driving ;-)
 
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I think a stretched TJ or an Unlimited would fit your needs nicely. I've stretched 2 TJs and I think the next time I'd start with an Unlimited.
 
My CJ is stretched and its cool but if you need to fit the family for every day duty save up and go with a 4 door wrangler. A 2 door unlimited TJ is only 15" longer. Its much better but kids will get bigger and crap you have to hall will grow. My 2 year old still kicks me in our full size Expedition :)
 
rholbrook said:
Never mind, sold it
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That was one of the better looking ones on KSL.

After this last trip to Moab my decision has been made kinda. I am for sure going to sell the TJ and get either an LJ, or a JKU. I need to go drive the 3.8l and see how I feel about it.
 
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