Yeah went snow wheeling in February and after winching a couple time found that my frame was cracked the same way my son's did. I did not want to abandon my rig. (I like my 2-Door). and even though it's not the perfect lift. It works. So I ordered The Rusty's front stiffeners dropped the front axle welded up the crack best I could and plated the front rails. Then I thicker metal and wrapped the area the of the crack with another thicker layer of metal. It seems to be holding up pretty well. I also bought a steering box brace from M.O.R.E. off road products (very stout!). Our XJ's are perfectly suited to take wheeling in the stock form with little to no effect on the stability of the parts, (mainly because the wheeling you can do has it's limits) But when we start changing something like the tires size and there starts a rippling effect that seems to never end. I try to do most of my up-grades on the cheap (C.L.) and try to save the money for the bigger things if I can.

 

I wish I knew how to weld! I keep telling myself I need to teach myself but haven't yet... Shop locally makes a diy stiffener kit for $375 for the kit but $950 for the kit+install.

 

$2800...

What's the condition and miles on your rig...

What is the condition of the brakes, tie rods, wheel bearings, neutral safety switch, radiator, alternator, starter, wires, plugs, injectors, cap, ball joints, throttle body need cleaning, change all the fluids, upgrade headlight wiring, sensors, rear disc conversion, upgrade drive shafts, do all your known failure points...

It would suck to drop $2800 on tires, lockers, suspension and then be dimed to death fixing all the other.

Just my .02, it's like the guys with the expensive rims and stereo on /in a car that doesn't run anymore..

 

Yep for sure, I went and bought another daily for this exact reason, i just wish i had 2,800 to dump into the jeep to fix everything xD

 

New brakes as of about 6months ago, tie rods need to be replaced (going to with steering upgrade), wheel bearings are actually being checked out this weekend, NSS has been cleaned, radiator and alt just replaced last month, starter replaced a year ago, wires/plugs/cap replaced last month, volvo injecter swap 6months ago, ball joints replacing this month, throttle body/fluids done last month, 02 sensor 6months ago. Headlight upgrade im debating doing that or going with the trucklites LED kit for the $500., rear disc conversion I really want to do but haven't dedicated the time to research it in detail. Drive shafts I want to upgrade as well but I have spare stock ones available and with the wheeling I do at this point im not too concerned...

Dropped it off @ knuckle-busters today in Mesa, AZ. Going to get new gears put in, have my sliders installed, fix a broken rear diff bolt and have my steering column checked out and possibly replaced. After all that I'll have around $1-1.2k left to spend. Going to upgrade to 1-ton steering and replace the ball joints.

 

Have you considered going with a different/cheaper selectable lockers? Eaton E-lockers and OX mechanical lockers are both great, will do the same as the arb, but you'll save some money.

 

Or even Yukon Zip. While not drastically cheaper than an ARB, get one around the holidays with a discount and could save a couple hundred and get a free compressor(most dealers offer one).