Hey Ya'll!

Aww gee Bill, I wouldn't do that to a feller.... *innocent look*

I (finally with dialup) downloaded the video. He finally made it I see, but I think he should have gone further to the left to begin with. BUT this is from a gal who got stuck up to her axels in montana mud one time while out in a "dry" lake bed.

Welcome to the group, Kate.

Tom

Bill, sometimes you are a real "pill."

Tom

Bill's our resident curmudgeon. He'll tell you I am our resident commie-pinko bleeding heart Al-Qaida loving propane-running liberal weenie.

"Who is he calling a pinko?"

Welcome aboard....

Kate- The lift is to accomodate the larger tires, the new shocks are to accomodate the lift.

Sway bar discos (short for disconnects) replace the sway bar link so that you can effectively disconnect the sway bar from the suspension system without removing it from the vehicle.

Your stock tires are OK but will get cut up easily, easily get flats, and get stuck in mud easily. The MT/R may be overkill, but it is a very good tire. I have a set on my 89 Cherokee that my mother now drives. They are tough, grab well, ride well and are quiet.

Depending on what you want to do, all of the above mentioned is probably overkill. My Cherokee had a 2" spacer lift with an add-a-leaf in the rear and on 30" MT/Rs with sway bar discos, I could tackle a lot of stuff I couldn't.

Lastly, consider a winch. Do not consider a reciever winch.

Carl

Correction.. err stuff I THOUGHT I couldn't...

With that attitude you will do fine. Just ignore any razzing and keep asking. I dont know much about Libby's since I have a 98 TJ, but its always amusing to hear about someone elses stuff (beats the hell out of telling the gang I busted my rig _again_). So, do tell us more about that Montanna Mud. LOL!

Having fun is what its all about. =)

-jenn

PS: I have the "MudBall"....

Don't consider a reciever winch. Why not?

I had one on my Cherokee. What I didn't think about? You don't get stuck on flat land, oh no. You get stuck in nasty, nappy, middle-of-your-doors-deep mud. You get stuck off-camber. You get on big, slippery rocks. You get stuck on a steep hill. Now you've got to carry the winch and winch plate (read:

100+LBS) from the back of your truck, thru this terrain, clear the mud from your reciever, slide it in. Put the pin in, hook the cables up, and NOW winch out. Also, it is not always possible to access the reciever to plug the winch in. I considered running trails with the winch on, but it hit EVERYTHING. Winch bumper? Just pull the cable and do it.

Carl

: : The MT/Rs that Carl mentioned are off-road mud tires and it sounds like you : would have little need for them. :

Actually, I have this thing about mud. I have always liked to play in it BUT for now, I ahve what I have.... well, that and a AAA card if I don't go out too far I guess LOL

: : If possible you might see if you can get the dealer to swap you a set of All : Terrain tires. They all have a deal with a local tire company although the : swapping is easier done before the sales papers are signed. At the very : least the ATs will give you better winter performance. :

Somehow, I doubt it BUTm you never know, I suppose I could ask.

: : Everyone has their own favorite tire manufacturer, BFG is popular here but : not universal (I have Kumho Venture AT-825s on my Grand Cherokee, see chart : above)

The last set I had on my Cobra were Kuhmos. I was not all that happy with them. Seemed to need rebalancing all the time

: Depending on how high you lift your Liberty you might need new (longer) : shocks or shock extensions.

Gotcha

: : The 'discos' are sway bar disconnects. You need to disconnect the sway bar : for full articulation off-road but you don't sound to be planning that : either.

I might, you just never know. Better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

: A towing point front and rear is important off-road so if you get stuck : someone can pull you out without endangering your axles or body. (The KJ's : not yours) A trailer receiver counts as a rear tow point and allows the : addition of additional carriers, etc. that may be of interest now or in the : future. If money is a consideration you only 'need' one tow hook in the : front.

As far as I know, I did not win the lottery on Saturday night SOoooooo yes, money will be an object. One thing at a time.

: : Take a look at Bill's video. The KJ got stuck because of design limitations : and driver inexperience. The passenger rear tire spun because it had little : traction and the standard differential will allow the tire with less : traction to spin freely and the tire with traction to remain still. You can : 'remedy' the open differential by applying the brakes while giving it gas. : The resistance from the brake will often trick the differential into : thinking both tires have equal traction. If you were just ordering the KJ : now you could add the posi-traction option that does this automatically. It : is not as good as a true 'locker' but is much better than nothing. The : driver should also have been further to the left, ALWAYS select your line : when given the chance. : : While you are at it get a set of substantial rubber floor mats to replace : the carpeted ones that came from the factory. Your KJ isn't like your old : CJ where you could just go to the carwash with the top off to clean the : interior.

Those were the days aye! Rubber mats. Yup, for mess making that would be the thing to have. Good idear ya got there.

: : I am not sure how many people in this newsgroup have experience with the

3.7 : liter V-6 engine as it is fairly new but I am sure some of them know where : to look and call for good information

I have spent a little time googling the Liberty, have not found much out there yet.

Thanks for the input!

Kate

2O|||||||O5 Liberty

: >

: >

: >

: > Ok, then I will need steps, cause I am not that tall, but that's ok! : >

: > new shocks, : > but, but, but these ARE new. : > Why do you say that AND what setup do you think is good and why? : >

: > sway bar discos : > HUH ?? I know what a sway bar is, but I thought disco was dead! : >

: > and a set of Goodyear MT/R's, : > I have GoodYear tires on it now, why the MTRs ? : >

: > : you'll do OK. : > Thanks! : > :¬D : >

: >

: > -- : > Kate : > 2O|||||||O5 Liberty : >

: > : > After about ten years of driving Mustangs traded off my 98 Cobra drop : > top : > : > for a 2005 Liberty Limited 4x4 . : > : > I traded in my California car for something more regionally correct. : > : > The swap down about 100 horses will be something of a stutter for a : > bit : > : but : > : > I will get used to it. : > : >

: > : > In earlier days I have owned two CJs and this time chose the Liberty : > for : > : > comfort, style and versitility. : > : > I am looking forward to trying out that last color option - Mud and : > doing : > : > some exploring. : > : >

: > : > I'm really interested in what modifications folks are doing with their : > : > Libertys, particularly in power, but I do plan to take it out and go : > : > exploring this beautiful part of the country. : > : >

: > : > Oh! : > : > I should add - I am a chubby, 40 something, outspoken, opinionated, : > Irish : > : > woman who is the mother of three, grandma to one and a usually a : > : republican. : > : > I have been around cars and trucks all of my life for fun and sport : > and : > : > worked in the automotive industry for many years. : > : >

: > : > Looks like there is a lot to learn in here! : > : >

: > : > -- : > : > Kate : > : > 2O|||||||O5 Liberty : > : >

: > : >

: > : >

: > : : > : : >

: >

: :

I love curmudgeons, pinkos.. well.. I just dunno ... thanks for the welcome!

Well Jenn... It all started as a business trip, on the trip home I saw this lake bed... it was right there beside the highway. It called my name.

It was in my 74 Chebby 4x4 pickemup truck. It was a good ol truck, would pull and push and man it loved the mud.

I was goin like hell, mud flying everywhere when someone hollered "Whatever you do don't...." I let up off the gas to hear what he was saying and he finished with "..... let up off the gas"

Glub

I could have told him I KNEW that, but it was too late. Of course, since it was HIS fault, HE had to help dig her out.

So you have winches on both front and back then? I mean... when you go face first into the swamp how do you pull yourself out?

Do you carry 2 x 100+ pound winches around town while commuting back and forth to work?

Hey Kate - I am glad to see that you took the advice and found this group. I also see that you have made a bunch of reliable friends already - these are the folks that actually know what they are talking about. If folks post bad info here it is corrected promptly by these who know, so you are in safe advice hands here. See you around, Tomes

Kate,

It is a Jeep thing AND you are expecting too much. When I went from an A6 to a WJ is was culture shock in the handling department. You can't take off-ramps at 70 mph anymore.

I'm not sure about the amount of increased articulation you can get with the disconnects on a KJ. I think Bill has more of the information on that.

I have a front mounted winch on my Jeep. If I can't pull myself forward, I have a friend pull me out with my tow hook in the rear. I commute often in my Wrangler. 100lbs is less than a typically passenger.

I'm just saying that a receiver winch can be really hard to use when you need it.

Carl

middle-of-your-doors-deep

opinionated,

So long as I know it's supposed to be that way, I'm ok with it. I knew there would be concessions.

The disconnects, do you just disconnect and leave it that way or only when you are off road. This is a whole new thing to me