Just love the enthusiasm! Jeez, we took 3 months before we started modding and were considered, well, just a little odd.
On your list:
1. Our AEV rear bar with carrier and caddy has been a PITA. Mostly because it wasnt installed properly. You want someone who has done AEV a lot to get it right. Or do it yourself.
2. That AEV rear + wheel carrier + caddy is a lot of weight. We have had to change the rear suspension to add a 1/2 inch spacer and moved to heavy duty springs. This on a shorty. And now we are looking to another inch in the coils. The shorty will be more sensative, but what this does (in extreme nose up) stuffs up caster (front wheel steering angle). And it is really noticeable when you lift.
3. Doesnt change that we love the 40l extra fuel ( not exaggerated) and the water storage.
4. Micky Thomsons. Honest the MTZ are so good on the road, I personally wouldnt bother with ATZ. Unless you are doing lots of sand. Or desert crossings.
5. Sway bar disconnects. Just do it. Now.
6. E lockers, with your list shoulda started with a Rubicon! Oh OK, not really, but there are some thoughts when playing with the diffs. (Oh, definite yes to the rear locker, front used much less but important if you are getting into deep shite).
7. Diff ratios. OK a Sport has something like 3.6. Rubicon (quite good) 4.10. With 315 R70 (ie 34 inch tyres) it still felt quick in low range crawl. We just updated, jumped past 4.56 to 4.88 ratios. For crawling FANTASTIC! Fuel economy, erm, err. Well. Hmm. Not good for cruising. Its a compromise. Think it through if you are also building a cruiser for over landing.
We might drop back and re-build for desert crossings to the Sport 3.6 ratios.
8. Lift. ATV - so you are in Sydney, right? The're good guys who know their product. AEV. Which is a fantastic US after market jeep shop. One of about three hundred. oK maybe 6 big names. More importantly, when I asked ATV about certification/engineering I got a load of bollocks and ultimately a quote designed to say "dont do it". Ask them who certified their jeeps, how easy it was, and if the relationship will handle a new customer. Basic stuff.
With 3.5 inch lift, on a Sport, certification might be adviseable. The lift is pretty obvious. We avoided it for ages, (rubicon though) but a conversation with Sam from Hills, and his JK, with all bells and whistles, he got cetification. Wow. Worth doing. I was looking for someone who had been through it. Answered.
Both Shents and Hills were able to think about the lift without locking into AEV. AEV will give you drop brackets under each corner of the front suspension. This gives great braking and steering, but comes with a compromise in clearance under those brackets. In a 2.5 inch AEV lift quite understandable. But if you're hitting 3.5 inch lift I dont get it.
Check out Terraflex and Synergy. Hell thats just the start. But you want IMO a build that "get's" how AEV is good, and then looks to do better.
9. If you havent already, join Sydney Jeep Club. Say hi to Dru'n'Kerry. I'm the Dru bit.
