Is anyone aware of the Low Center of Gravity configuration for a Jeep? I am off to start the major mods to mine finally and I want to pick brains about a LCOG configuration. Opinions and concerns are good also. I have a design in mind, well always have, and just want to hear what others think about it.
they been around for years, for example my tj is one. it sits lower on 43" tires than most tjs on 35’s.
are you planning on a xj LCOG build?
the only issues that arise are hard hits. the lower you go, the more you have to modify. This might not be a good thing for a vehicle without a frame.
now if you are planning a yj/tj I have a build plan set aside for moderate LCOG rig on 37’s. Even lower than what my tj was.
That’s why I just lowered mine. But I have large wheel well openings.
Wider axles full cage and get to opening up the wheel wells. Out board the springs and a well set up long arm kit makes life nice.
Put some rockwells under there and you are guaranteed a low COG.
I plan on going on a 3" lift with 33" tires to start. As I progress will be custom a new fender setup with a removable outer cage with a inside hybrid cage setup. The before posted roof rack will be the top of the eco cage. With gasket flanges to the interior cage. Everything I plan will keep me 100% inspection capable. I have a RI and a Mass inspection licensed mechanic to assist me in design and configuration of the cage.
LCOG is a great idea which you can easily apply to your build
as you consider each modification.
My JK build is being done according to some LCOG principles:
- Aluminum rims lighter than steel
- Aluminum skid plates lighter than steel
- 35" tires, lighter than larger tires
- Special “mid-arm” lift kit of approx 3.5" that enables articulation comparable
To a “long arm” lift, with a greater proportion of the approximately 12"
wheel travel being downward, and bump stops to limit up travel.
This lift kit is lighter than a “long arm” of comparable articulation/travel. - Moved 100lb spare tire from tailgate to center of vehicle
- Aluminum front bumper to lessen weight of added winch/bumper combo
- Removed hardtop
- Removed back seat
Things I am considering in the future include:
- Air bump stops or hydraulic bump stops
Good luck on your build, you are starting with a relatively heavy rig
that needs to be reinforced for hard wheeling.
Just need to trim and bump stop and you will be fine. Don’t make the roof rack too heavy!
Will talk to Chris also (BigRed86) He has a roof rack and he does awesome with is set up
question: how much lift is normally recommended for 33" tires on a xj?
When going lower, the first thing to keep in mind is up travel. now you can set it up with about 3" of up travel and still have a good ride on and off the street. The second thing wheel wells. You basically just need to make sure that the tires are not going to rub anything, and trim accordly. Remember if a tire can rub bad enough to bind, you could possibly break an axle.
I would recommend building it at full suspension bump, and then you can set the ride height to 3-4" higher
Without cutting the wheel wells all lift manufacturers suggest a 4-5" lift for 33" with minimal up travel. Yes I am going to fit the tires into a cut wheel well and dry fit all with the springs and shocks removed for bump stop. That will settle the up travel issue. Mike’s suggestion about long arm will actually come in the future.
Sounds like you are on the right track. if you are not moving the axles around, the tires rubbing should be the only thing you need to worry about.
Basicly trim off what hits, then rework/build flares to clean up appearances 
If i recal somewhere around 5"or 6" of lift & equal bumpstops to accomadate 33"tires for street/light wheeling
With 4.5" of lift I trimmed a considerable amount off the front fenders & need to do the rear.
On 33’s with 3" lift you will need to do some serious fender cuting. Especially if you are planing a lcog
I agree that an exo cage will be overkill in the weight department.
As for exo’s my friend in FL had an AL exo. Light & Strong
Inspiration pirate4x4.com/forum/jeep-che … -pics.html
Please stay on topic.
All inappropriate posts are moved to the members only section
You can clock your transfer case to gain you just over 2 inches of ground clearance for free. Its not tough to do and can be done in the jeep. You pull the transfer case off and then drill new mounting holes in the transmission, then bolt everything back up. It rotates the transfer case about 6 or 10 degrees (forget now) which rotates the bottom hump up and out of the way. Google clocking XJ transfer case. I had to clock mine when I installed the AW4 into my TJ as the TJ’s are already in the “clocked” position.
I have the metal template jig you can use. All you do is align the mounting holes that are in the transmission already, then rotate the jig using the degree wheel, drill new holes and reassemble.
Here is a link to the Cached version… the original site must be down… webcache.googleusercontent.com/s … clnk&gl=us
I’m running 3.5 lift with trimmed wheel wells and 33’s. Haven’t had an issue yet.
KC