Out in FrontSince both ends of a vehicle must work together for overall performance, the front suspension is no less important than the rear. Rubicon Express was chosen for the front, joined by a pair of 3-inch King smoothies and a pair of King bumpstops. The RE front suspension kit converts the front four-link to a radius-arm configuration, which is both simpler and more rugged than a four-link by virtue of fewer moving parts. Steering was strengthened using a Currie heavy-duty linkage, and stability was gained via a Currie Antirock sway bar. A Precision Gear 4.88 ring-and-pinion set lives inside the stock Dana 30 housing, which was externally fortified by a Barnett Performance Products differential cover and a Barnett axle-gusset kit. The upper shock mounts are also Barnett items and delete the factory stem-mount style for a more conventional (and tougher) eye mount.
Hindquarters The TJ's stock 93-inch wheelbase is downright sketchy at high speed, so T&J stretched it to the class limit of 102. The frame was notched for a relocated coil bucket, and a Rubicon Express LJ long-arm kit brings the rear axle into the desired location. The Rubicon Express Tri-Link upper control arms locate the rear axle laterally without using the stock Panhard bar. A Currie Antirock sway bar keeps the chassis stable through the corners. King bumpstops reside inside the Rubicon Express coil springs and carefully control the final 4 inches of compression travel. The rear axlehousing is a stock Dana 35, but the guts have been upgraded with 4.88 Precision Gear gears and an Alloy USA Super 35 axleshaft kit. Barnett Performance Products created a custom gusset kit for the Dana 35 housing. Not shown is a Currie tailshaft conversion kit at the rear transfer-case output.
Race-ReadyT&J Performance Center has streamlined this build into a complete package. Imagine showing up at T&J with a stock TJ Wrangler and driving away with a vehicle that's ready to race or to tackle the trails with competence that's galaxies beyond the scope of a stocker. Turnkey packages start at $19,950 (not including the vehicle, which you must supply). For details, give T&J Performance Center a call at (714) 633-0991.
 Though it's SCORE-legal as...  Though it's SCORE-legal as pictured here, the Barnett Performance Products six-point TJ 'cage still allows the factory hardtop to be mounted. Ingress and egress are easy too, thanks to a low-profile door-bar design. The TJ Wrangler's body-on-frame construction is stronger, longer-lasting, and easier to repair than the XJ's unibody. Beneath the 'cage, Beard seats comfortably cradle driver and co-driver. |  The 'cage work extends forward...  The 'cage work extends forward through the firewall and provides reinforcement all the way to the front of the chassis. This TJ is propelled by one of Jeep's best-ever mills: the 4.0 High-Output inline-six. This 4.0 is stock inside but breathes through a Turbo City intake. A Barnett Performance Products HD motor-mount block-bracket kit keeps the engine in place with zero block or motor-mount breakage. The stock radiator, with its plastic end tanks, was drop-kicked to make way for an all-metal high-flow unit for better, more reliable cooling. All of the smog-control components were left in place under the hood, which means that the TJ gets to keep its street registration and license plate. |  A pair of Kings beats one...  A pair of Kings beats one Mojave. Three-inch smooth-body Kings were used at every corner of this TJ. Bypass shocks are an extra-cost option. Those who plan to drive their race-modified TJs daily on the street would do well to bypass the bypasses and go the smooth-body route. Smooth-body shocks run quieter than bypass models - a plus for everyday driving. Damping characteristics were nicely dialed and let the Jeep work smoothly over the small ripples and the big hits alike. An Optima RedTop battery rests between the Kings, securely fastened in a Camburg battery mount. |