How tall for a daily driver / mild off road Wagoneer

[lorenmjones]

Bottom Line Up Front: I want to hear recommendations from experienced folks here on how tall to lift my "new" ride. I've never owned a lifted 4x4 so I need some help in knowing what is practical.

Here is the background info

OK. So my 1986 Grand Wagoneer has been purchased. My short term plan is to go through the basic mechanicals and make it reliable without doing any upgrades.

My long term vision is to do sort of a mild restomod aimed toward a daily driver for winter weather and for mild off road use in hunting and camping situations. I may go out in the woods and drive some trails just for the fun of offroading, but it is unlikely I will ever get into serious offroading with it. I do have 4 kids that will be running around in this with me at times.

My concept would include removing the woodgrain and going with some satin/matte paint (I've liked the thinned Raptor product I've seen in some build threads) and probably removing the carpet to make the interior sort of a hosedown affair with bedliner on the floors and some resilient material for seat covers. I would have an ultimate goal of a re-power with a Cummins 4BT / NV4500 and in so doing would plan to keep the stock axles (I'm not sure if the rear is an AMC20 or D44).

In my opinion the Grand Wagoneer stock ride height is pretty low from the get go even before the springs get tired and start sagging. With that in mind I am thinking that a Rusty's "3.5 to 4 inch" lift will be about the right amount of lift for my concept. I just haven't seen one up close so don't know how tall a 4" lift seems on a GW. I would plan to run narrower tires in the 32" range (thinking 235/85/16 currently).

Any thoughts? How high is too high for this concept.

[RWrightPhotog]

If it's an AMC 20 it'll have a round pumpkin. Image search to identify yours.

4 in is plenty for what you want.

[Ristow]

i like mine with 4" lift, 31 to 33 inch tires

[addicted]

2" with a set of 30x9.50's The tires fill the wheel wells nice and it is plenty of ground clearance for what you want to do with it.

[lorenmjones]

My dad picked it up for me so I haven't seen it first hand yet. My understanding was that in 1986 some had the AMC 20 and some had the D44 in the rear.

I'm sure 4" will be plenty, I'm just hoping it wouldn't be too much.

If it's an AMC 20 it'll have a round pumpkin. Image search to identify yours.

4 in is plenty for what you want.

[lorenmjones]

That's what I have been thinking from looking at pics in the thread where people put pics of their various lifts.

Does a GW with 4" lift still feel fairly comfortable to get in and out of without having running boards/steps.

i like mine with 4" lift, 31 to 33 inch tires

[lorenmjones]

I'm sure that would be adequate. I want people to look at it and know that it's lifted and looks a little aggressive but I certainly don't want crazy all. Does a 2" lift look pretty obvious or is it subtle enough that a relatively noninterested party may walk past and think it's stock?

2" with a set of 30x9.50's The tires fill the wheel wells nice and it is plenty of ground clearance for what you want to do with it.

[Ristow]

it is for me. im 6 foot tall. my wife has to hop to get in.

[blazer3664]

2" with a set of 30x9.50's The tires fill the wheel wells nice and it is plenty of ground clearance for what you want to do with it.

X2 . For what you are talking about, and if your springs are already sagged it will be plenty.

I did a lot worse than that with mine stock and sagging, only got it stuck once.
Dry tractor ruts, thump, all 4 wheels off the ground.
Yep ain't goin nowhere like that. Highlift jack and a bunch of mumbling later, we where going again.

Does a 2" lift look pretty obvious or is it subtle enough that a relatively noninterested party may walk past and think it's stock?

Not 100% sure on a Wag, but wide track Cherokee's had 31's as an option stock, so I wouldn't think 2" and 30X9.5's would be real "look at me, I'm lifted" unless its sitting next to a stocker. But it should look capable.

Most people wont know what a Wagoneer is supposed to be stock anyway. And thats IF they dont call it a Blazer/Scout/Bronc/ or something else......................... happens to me all the time.

If you are going for a certain look, know that tire choice can make a big difference.

When I got mine it had 31X10.50 BFG AT's ...............
I drove it a while then put a set of Courser OTD mud grips on it and everyone swore I lifted it. The OTD's were actually ~ 1/2" shorter.




By the way, this being your first 4x4, do yourself a favor.
Invest in a good come-along, and keep it in the jeep at all times.
Probably cost you less than a tank of gas, and may save a lot of broken parts.
The good ones are mostly dual gear like this one, though I'm not sure about Tekton brand, it was just the first that poped up.....

http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-5547-4-Ton-Power-Puller/dp/B000NPPBHO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410328204&sr=8-1&keywords=come+along

Slow, sweaty, and in bad weather it can be miserable work, but its a lot cheaper than tearing stuff up trying to "rock it" or what ever to get unstuck.

A highlift jack is very handy also, but can be dangerous if you dont know how to use it safely. Even when you do, they can get you, but so can a kitchen knife.
If/when you get one, do a little research on the ins and outs of their use. Better to learn by reading, than by waking up in the hospital with a broken jaw, or worse. Same goes for the come-along.


Jim

[lorenmjones]

I like how you said that..."should look capable". That may be the look I am after.

I do appreciate the advice on the come-along and the Hi-Lift. I will definitely get one.

I'm planning to run Wrangler Dura-Trac for their aggressive appearance, off road traction and mountain/snowflake rating. I'm kind of going a little for the tall skinny tire look but without getting the military style bias ply tires. I'll have to decide once I get next to it. Maybe I'll drive it up on a couple blocks of wood to see how tall various heights feel climbing in and out.

X2 . For what you are talking about, and if your springs are already sagged it will be plenty.

I did a lot worse than that with mine stock and sagging, only got it stuck once.
Dry tractor ruts, thump, all 4 wheels off the ground.
Yep ain't goin nowhere like that. Highlift jack and a bunch of mumbling later, we where going again.


Not 100% sure on a Wag, but wide track Cherokee's had 31's as an option stock, so I wouldn't think 2" and 30X9.5's would be real "look at me, I'm lifted" unless its sitting next to a stocker. But it should look capable.

Most people wont know what a Wagoneer is supposed to be stock anyway. And thats IF they dont call it a Blazer/Scout/Bronc/ or something else......................... happens to me all the time.

If you are going for a certain look, know that tire choice can make a big difference.

When I got mine it had 31X10.50 BFG AT's ...............
I drove it a while then put a set of Courser OTD mud grips on it and everyone swore I lifted it. The OTD's were actually ~ 1/2" shorter.




By the way, this being your first 4x4, do yourself a favor.
Invest in a good come-along, and keep it in the jeep at all times.
Probably cost you less than a tank of gas, and may save a lot of broken parts.
The good ones are mostly dual gear like this one, though I'm not sure about Tekton brand, it was just the first that poped up.....

http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-5547-4-Ton-Power-Puller/dp/B000NPPBHO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410328204&sr=8-1&keywords=come+along

Slow, sweaty, and in bad weather it can be miserable work, but its a lot cheaper than tearing stuff up trying to "rock it" or what ever to get unstuck.

A highlift jack is very handy also, but can be dangerous if you dont know how to use it safely. Even when you do, they can get you, but so can a kitchen knife.
If/when you get one, do a little research on the ins and outs of their use. Better to learn by reading, than by waking up in the hospital with a broken jaw, or worse. Same goes for the come-along.


Jim

[addicted]

This is the thread for the '89 I built a few years back. http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=127638

There are pics of it stock and slightly sagging, then the 2" with stock sized tires and finally the 2" with 30x9.50's.

2" BJ's lift.

http://i652.photobucket.com/albums/uu246/High_Idle/DSC_0559.jpg

[Full Size Jeeper]

4 inch lift and it also has some sort of block in the back that we will be taking out as soon as I find the time. I want it to sit more even then what it does now. Slightly higher in the back.

[lorenmjones]

Addicted and FullSizeJeeper,

Thanks for the pics. Great looking rigs in both cases. The 2" lift is enough to overcome the saggin wagon look, but I think I inherently prefer the took of the 4" lift. I will probably go that way unless in my experimenting I find the height to climb in feels too tall. FullSizeJeeper, what size tires are you running on that?

[jamesdart]

4" lift, is nice. its really not that high. should still fit through a garage door. I have the rustys 4" on mine, its pretty cheap and springs seem to be decent. ride quality is ok. I have 33x1050s but you have to do a little work to get them to clear. a 32 might be a better choice if you don't want to mess with anything.

[lorenmjones]

Thanks for the input. That is reassuring. I think i am leaning toward 4" lift with the 235-85-16 tires that are about 32" or just a hair under.

Do you have the Rusty's kit with the 2" helper spring and the 2" block, or do you have the kit with the full new spring packs front and rear?

4" lift, is nice. its really not that high. should still fit through a garage door. I have the rustys 4" on mine, its pretty cheap and springs seem to be decent. ride quality is ok. I have 33x1050s but you have to do a little work to get them to clear. a 32 might be a better choice if you don't want to mess with anything.