Hey guys! Just about 45 mins from LBI to get somewhat of a location of where I am. I pass throught the pineys to get there obv and kayak and all that in chattsworth. As of now my truck is all stock and alot of ppl on this site have so much advanced stuff but we're in NJ. So i was wonderin mod wise what I should get. I cant afford a sick bumper since I'm a college student but I need somewhat insurance on the front end there so I want to get a brush guard. But what else do I need for this area? Where can I wheel that isn't too crazy?

No brush guard.

everyone always says that here.. I haven't seen any proof where a brush guard has actually folded in on itself. Why not? I cant afford much right now. I'm in college with a low income.

Heres one of the myriad of pictures on XOC of brushgaurd damage..

Better tires too handle the mud, snow, etc. of New Jersey weather; cannot go wrong with the BFG A/T's. 32" are the biggest you can do with no form of lift, be it body or suspension.

Then if you want to do the PML (Poor Man's Lift), which since you are college, is right up your alley. You can get a set of rear shackles for around $50, which will give you about 1.5" of lift in the back. To compensate for the front, you can/will need to crank up your front torsion bars 1.5".

Once you have more $$$$ and confidence in your ability, you can get what are called sliders. They are metal protection for you rocker panels. They basically cover from the front door to the back door from rocks, debris, etc.

The Pine Barrens is a perfect place to learn with minimal damage, other than scratches.

S.

Stone cold you're definitely right. The PML is right up my alley. But I wouldn't want to do the install w/o someone who actually knows what they're doing considering it is my only vehicle. I figured sliders down the road.

I'm a PML expert now.. I'm sure whenever the next mod day is if you could make it I'll give you a hand. I gotta do my CB and I know TJ has a ton of stuff to do and stone probably still has torsion bar issues. As for the sliders..keep an eye out for used on here on XOC thats how I bought mine and I saved about 200 bucks atleast.

OH! i am also thinking about 31's a/t ko's when my grabbers disintegrate.

How do I find out when the mod days are? I tried to register for NJAX but wouldn't let me earlier today. Maybe it's time to try again. You guys are awesome btw. Finally someone local!

Pretty much every Saturday at my driveway....mod day....



Unless its raining all day...we start like 10 AM...a little rain early on is ok....deep snow is not....Sunday's are the weather alternate.

okay sounds awesome TJ. Any recommendations for where to get my shackles? I hear about revolver and calmini. Also should I get the Add a leaf package?

Mod days are usually posted in this forum or on NJAX. NJAX got hacked a while back, so people stayed away. It is slowly coming back though.

Mod day at TJ's is a pretty good place to get the PML done. Plenty of us have experience in doing it.

S.

Calmini, SLR, and A/C sell the shackles. The AAL will be more money - in the $ 175+ range. I would go with the shackles for now.

Where in Mt. Laurel are you? I am not too far away from there. Actually my vet is in Mt. Laurel, by the Rt. 70 circle.

S.

haha thats crazy man im about 15 minutes or less from the rt 70 /206 circle. I guess Im gonna go ahead and order the calmini shackles. I like the blue

Don't worry, they only stay blue for a couple weeks before they rust.

danggg not like it matters though.

Stone you going to tj's this weekend? I need a hand w/ my CB but I also wanted to see if I can't help get TJ done before the winter.

until it peels off......

I cannot make Saturday, but Sunday is doable.

If Sunday is easier...we could do Sunday too, or swap...I'm there either way, unless the wife needs help, etc...so lately, I pick saterdays...with sunday as the back-up.

If I know going into the weekend that Sunday is the better day, I might do wife stuff on Sat, etc instead...

Let me know.

Sunday works better for me too..

just want to add my $0.02 about the brush guard.

DON'T GET IT!!!!

seriously though, you will regret it. i think they cost somewhere around $450 for a new one. they really serve no purpose except you can mount some lights on them. if you do some more searching you will find more pics where it has crushed in the hood. i wanted one at first too, but i'm glad i didn't get it. you could buy sliders for that price. and if you have even the slightest interest in offroading the brush guard will only hinder you.

stone was dead on before with tires, PML and sliders. i had no idea what to do for a PML, but i bought the AALs and took them to TJ's for a mod day and everyone helped me out with it.

wheeling in the pine barrens is fun...but only if you go with someone who knows where there are going. rausch creek is in PA and has all levels of trails.
BTW...steve lives in mount laurel. he's got an 00 or 01 blue X with a steel bumper

TJ...PM me your address and phone # in case i can ever make it one of these weekends

U gotsit

Close, but Steve lives in Mt. Holly.

doh...mount holly, mount laurel...close enough

Tom...your PM was never read....ugotsit was to tell you you got it... :rolleyes:

I would like to tackle fixing the broken front swaybar mount Sunday.

TJ- you still have that little propane torch, no?

S.

I would like to offer my assistance.

I think so...I don't remember it taking off yet...



OK, looks like Sunday, not Sat.



I also have some Kroil, which loosens rust welded stuff really well, as its made from all SORTS of currently banned chemicals.

lol...i got the info in an email TJ. i opened it up on XOC now too in case you didn't believe me :p

i need to get a new in-cabin air filter and install that. i'll let you know friday if i can make it sunday

The filter will take 10 mins tops. I gotta do my CB and find somewhere to mount it but I don't have an antenna yet so I may not know if it worked yet..

butting in......

I love my Calmini junk. My shackles and spacers are still all blue.....no rust, no peeling and have been wheeled like hell since June. Hope you like them!!! Good luck!!!

Hey, you were supposed to come to the pines clean up..what happened?

I did an install instruction write-up for the in cabin filter...its posted somewhere around here, maybe backyard mechanic?

Its not a hard job...we can do it no prob.



Let me know if you can make it.

Youv'e got it posted on NJAX..

The in cabin microfilters are a very easy job. Getting the dash out was tricky at first but it was really simple. I wasn't sure if my filters were replaced since the guy before me bought it so I take out the old filters and they were a dark gray and it had freaking woodchips in there somehow... idk but they're supposed to keep out some of the smells and pollen (for springtime obv).

I went out of town...and then this site went down and I didn't know how to get a hold of you!!! Maybe another time. I'm trying to get a run together soon. Hopefully, you guys are free too!

We all check NJAX.net daily I think. It's not the most active but useful..

So back to the modding issue. shackles will be ordered as soon as I get my next paycheck. So the next thing would be sliderzzz. BUT! There is an option for the stock or 2" in body lift... But the body lift should come first if you're going to do it I assume. But how do I know if I want a body lift now?! lol I know I dont want over 32 in. tires so I wouldn't NEED it. I guess I just answered my own question but did anyone run in to this while they were modding?

you'll want a body lift...at least at some point. but as you said, if you don't ever plan on going bigger than a 32 you won't need it. regular sliders on a BL truck don't look that bad either. actually makes a nice step to get in. i think you really need to decide about a BL before getting a bumper because it can be a pain to lift a steel bumper.

i don't have a BL now, but i know i'll get one eventually. didn't want it now because i can't afford my mpg dropping any lower.

The BL won't impact your MPG.

The SL did a little.

So just out of curiosity.. any mod days lately?

Check with Brian a/k/a baf6. He usually orchestrates some mod days. But they are up in northern NJ

mod day = whenever you wanna come on up

tools and beer are always available here

I am a fucking dickhead spammer

nice edit, TJ

LOL

I am branding their asses.