35s to Rubicon or not

I see the reasons to avoid 37s in even an LJ. How often do 35s break and wear out stuff with stock Rubicon Dana 44s? If you had a choice between an LJR and an LJ with $10k to put toward aftermarket axles and transfer case to make them similar, would it be worth upgrading an LJ performance and durability-wise or better to start with a rubicon?

To put 35’s on a Rubicon you’d need to regear and add chromoly shafts to the front Dana 44. No different than a Dana 30

LJ vs LJR. The LJR has the stock lockers. Aftermarket lockers are stronger. The LJR has a 4:1, which is great, but with an Atlas you could choose your desired ratio. The LJR has the prestige of being a Rubicon.

In the end, I think I’d buy the LJ, add Chromoly shafts to the Dana 30, lock front and rear with Eaton E-Lockers, and add an Atlas. I could do that for under $10k.

To me, the only build that is better to start with a Rubicon is a 32’s or smaller build because once you go bigger you really need to regear, and the axles are a wash. The 4.10 gears will be acceptable to most with 32’s or smaller for the transmissions offered. In fact, that’s one of my dream builds. My current build is 35’s and I started with an X, and am glad I did. It’s as capable as a Rubicon with lockers and 4:1 t case
 
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To put 35’s on a Rubicon you’d need to regear and add chromoly shafts to the front Dana 44.
To clarify why on that, it's the weak unhardened ears on the shafts that hold the u-joints, whether they're the ears on the 27 spline inner/outer shafts of the TJ or or the 30 spline inners/27 spline outers of the Rubicon. It's their unhardened ears that break or stretch when there's too much load on them, like if you're turning hard in 4Lo and give it a little too much gas as happened to me years ago. When those ears break or stretch, that releases the u-joint where it's free to spin and bust up making some think it was the u-joint that broke first when it's actually the ears that hold them that broke first. Going to aftermarket heat-treated axle shafts stops that from happening.

This is one my previous TJ's ears that broke. That never happened again once I started running aftermarket heat treated axle shafts.

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To put 35’s on a Rubicon you’d need to regear and add chromoly shafts to the front Dana 44.

LJ vs LJR. The LJR has the stock lockers. Aftermarket lockers are stronger. The LJR has a 4:1, which is great, but with an Atlas you could choose another ratio. The LJR has the prestige of being a Rubicon.

In the end, I think I’d buy the LJ, add Chromoly shafts to the Dana 30, lock front and rear with Eaton E-Lockers, and add an Atlas. I could do that for under $10k.

To me, the only build that is better to start with a Rubicon is a 32’s or smaller build because once you go bigger you really need to regear, and the axles are a wash. The 4.10 gears will be acceptable to most with 32’s or smaller for the transmissions offered. In fact, that’s one of my dream builds. My current build is 35’s and I started with an X, and am glad I did. It’s as capable as a Rubicon with lockers and 4:1 t case

Is it worth it to regear, reshaft, add lockers and upgrade brakes on a stock axle, particularly the LJ’s front? (Isn’t it smaller than the 44 and have limited gearing options for example). Some work I could do and some of it is beyond my comfort level and available time. If I’m swapping everything out, I would have to have someone do it. So, I would have to factor that in too.
 
Specifically what do you believe is wrong with the chain-driven 231 and 241OR 4:1? They are known to be relatively problem-free and I've never had a problem with either my previous 231 or current 241OR that have both been used on some pretty damned tough trails.

Have you ever driven a manual transmission with a chain driven tcase in 4low?
 
Is it worth it to regear, reshaft, add lockers and upgrade brakes on a stock axle, particularly the LJ’s front? (Isn’t it smaller than the 44 and have limited gearing options for example). Some work I could do and some of it is beyond my comfort level and available time. If I’m swapping everything out, I would have to have someone do it. So, I would have to factor that in too.
What size tires are you running and are you wheeling on the tougher trails only available outside of FL? And you're running an automatic right?
 
Have you ever driven a manual transmission with a chain driven tcase in 4low?
Of course, a manual transmission is what my first TJ came with. It did some very tough trails including Sledgehammer in Johnson Valley... a far more difficult trail than 99.99% of wheelers have wheeled.
 
Of course, a manual transmission is what my first TJ came with. It did some very tough trails including Sledgehammer in Johnson Valley... a far more difficult trail than 99.99% of wheelers have wheeled.

Not questioning your trail difficulty or anything like that. But all of the manual TJs and XJs I've owned have been clunky in 4Low.
 
Not questioning your trail difficulty or anything like that. But all of the manual TJs and XJs I've owned have been clunky in 4Low.
Clunky? I dunno, I never noticed that at all and it was certainly never a factor in my enjoyment of 4Lo. And definitely no reason to avoid chain-driven transfer cases... they're certainly extremely popular and they work very well.
 
I bought a manual LJR and kinda wish I had an auto LJ. I'm personally not a fan of chain driven transfer cases and would rather have an atlas. My advice is determine your final tire size and plan a rig around that. Although, $10k doesn't get you much in this hobby..

You are correct on the money- plus guys need money for the marriage counseling and divorce attorney. Note I said both. Most counselors say “He’s a jeep guy, I can’t fix this. Here is my bill and a good attorneys card I know”
 
What size tires are you running and are you wheeling on the tougher trails only available outside of FL? And you're running an automatic right?

I’m trying to decide what LJ to buy and have found limited LJRs with manual transmissions (manual is the only thing my wife required). I’m primarily planning to take it out in Florida including watery (primary reason for 35s) and muddy areas but I don’t know what I may end up doing with it in the long run. It won’t ever be a daily driver. While I don’t mind upgrading as I go, i also don’t want to risk breaking something because it’s not up to the task or getting stuck in a swamp to the extent that I can reasonably avoid it.
 
If you never ever plan on going bigger than 35’s, the rubicon can be good for you. The caveat is the 4 liter doesn’t make enough power to clear your tires of mud in 4-hi, and the 4:1 4low doesn’t generate enough wheel speed. So…a standard t case is better in mud and sand, which is the predominate wheeling you’re going to be in

I think I’d look for a Sport LJ and build it with a HP Dana 30. You’ll be fine on 35’s and the tcase will work better for you most of the time.

If you ever plan on 37’s or bigger than you may as well start with the sport cuz you’ll be replacing the whole drivetrain eventually anyway
 
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