This 2007 Jeep JK Unlimited Rubicon came to us completely stock and in the most perfect condition. After all, this is a 2007, the first year of the JK body style.
The idea was to build a vehicle that was fully capable of performing in the rocks on 37" tires but also drive well as a daily driver. This of course is completely possible and here is what we came up with.
Suspension was first on our list and EVO Mfg. was the answer. We used the EVO Mfg. Enforcer 4" Stage 1 kit which offers front lower control arms to correct castor along with all new steel braided brake lines. For a shocks, we decided to go with the Rancho RS9000XL Series which pair well with the plush ride coils and offer easy fingertip adjustability to tailor the ride you want.
When increasing your JK's lift above 3", we always recommend to raise the front track bar mounting location which requires the addition of a bolt-on bracket or weld-on bracket. Additionally, we will replace to the draglink to mount on top of the passenger side knuckle. These two modifications work together to help correct your steering due to the addition of the lift kit.
There are a ton of products that can accomplish this. With the intent of eventually adding PSC Hydraulic Steering assist, we cut of the stock track bar brackets and welded on a new Synergy Mfg. front track bar bracket greatly increase the overall strength. Weld on brackets for the rear are also available. We installed all new steering links (tie rod and draglink) with RPM Steering Aluminum 1-Ton steering which are designed to flex when being hit on the rocks and not permanently bend like other products on the market.
We also took this time to add some minor axle reinforcement welding on EVO Mfg. Protec C2 Gussets to the "C's" of the axle.
With the plan of running 37" tires and this JK having the 3.8 motor, it was a must to install new gears. We ultimately installed a new set of Revolution 5.13 gears with a master install kit adding all new Timken Bearings and seals.
To get things rolling, we used ICON Dynamics Rebound Series Wheels in a 17x8.5 with a bronze matte finish wrapped in a 37x13.50x17 Cooper STT Pro tire.
To help with the new added wheel travel, we changed out the front driveshaft to an Adams 1310 CV driveshaft with solid u-joints. An aftermarket driveshaft in the front at minimum is always a must as the OEM driveshaft will bind under articulation and limit articulation ultimately resulting in a failure.
To clean up the fenders and provide additional clearance for the 37" tires, we added some MCE Fenders in the "narrow" configuration. These are a great budget friendly fender that are designed to bend and flex when hit to avoid body damage.
We also used the EVO Mfg. Mini Liners which look great to help fill in the wheel wells after removing the OEM plastic liners. These also work great for covering the wiring harnesses on the passenger side wheel well which can be exposed after removing the OEM plastic liners.
For front armor, we have the EVO Mfg. Pro Series bumper. This bumper does come with the option of a welded hoop and/or a bolt-on lower skid plate. This is a great low profile bumper adding ground clearance and improving your approach angle.
For recovery, we used a proven WARN winch in the new VR EVO 10-S model (synthetic rope). The new VR EVO's come standard with a wireless remote option and have competitive pricing to the lower end winches on the market. To top it off, we added the Factor55 FlatLink Shackle.
For rear armor, we used the EVO Mfg. Steel Fascia and D-Ring mounts to give a minimal look but provide protection and recovery points. The option to run just the D-Ring shackles is available if you wish to keep the frame rail exposed.
To help secure and support the heavy 37" tire, we used the EVO Mfg. Pro Series Hinged Gate Carrier. This option completely removes the OEM brackets all the way to the frame to help eliminate the chance of bending the week sheet metal on your tailgate. This also allows you to raise and/or extend your spare tire in the event you wish to go bigger or simply raise it.
We hope you enjoyed the information in the article and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the products we used or help you build your vehicle!
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