Who wheels with 31 inch tires?

jazngab said:

FWIW, I’m driving with 31s and 4.56. It’s not too steep and I like it a lot. I almost went 4.10 but I felt like I would be wasting money regearing to only 4.10. Plus I have the option to go 32s or 33s with my next set of tires. I’m very happy I went 4.56. I definitely would have buyers remorse if I went 4.10.

Edit: I also have the NV 3550 5 spd

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Thanks for sharing your experience. The table of recommended ratios here matches your combo with 4.88 recommended for 32-33.

I see you’re running a Truetrac in the rear with a lunchbox in the front. How does that combo do in snow and ice on the street? Do you like it on the trail?

here in Ohio we have a very limited number 4x4 parks, most of which will not even allow jeeps in.
the the limited property we have to share, is mostly soft ground. and with the new age of Jk's stomping around on 37's and XJ's runnin 40's, has made it almost impossible for a TJ on 31's to move within the deep ruts.

Not on a TJ, but 15 years ago when I first got into this mess, I decided on a Toyota truck with independent front suspension (to get a solid axle swap later). Initially, I rebuilt the engine, got all the mechanicals right, and put a set of 32" procomps on it (which measured 31"). bone stock, no lift, no lockers, no limited slips, I did my first trail run up to Calico. Obviously, we skipped the gate keeper, but I made it up and down Odessa and Duran, only getting a strap on the waterfall because I was falling off the edge. I put limited slips in it and ran it like that for another 2 years on all the big bear trails...I had to work for it, but was able to get through mostly anything I wanted to. This setup wouldn't work in Johnson Valley, but for most things less than that, no problem.

I later went to solid axles w/ Detroit lockers and 35s...and none of the trails I'd run in the past took any sort of effort at all anymore. I kinda wished I'd kept it like it was....more fun that way.

Remember, back in the day RWD model Ts ran the rubicon.

RMETeeJay said:

Thanks for sharing your experience. The table of recommended ratios here matches your combo with 4.88 recommended for 32-33.

I see you’re running a Truetrac in the rear with a lunchbox in the front. How does that combo do in snow and ice on the street? Do you like it on the trail?

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I just made the switch to 33s and with the 4.56 it still works great. I liked running 4.56 with 31s. Didn’t mind it at all. I believe @jjvw runs 4.88 with 33s and likes it as well.
I like the lunchbox/trutrac combo. Works extremely well for me on the trails. I don’t do huge rocks (try not to). More trails, small rock gardens, and climbs. It hasn’t let me down yet. I will say I don’t drive it much in the winter so can’t speak on that. From what I’ve read, it’s recommended to get a front selectable locker if you’re going to be driving it in snow a lot . It can be driven with the lunchbox locker in the front but turns must be taken at slow speeds. I have a powertrax no slip and Detroit trutrac and it comes to half the price of getting selectable lockers front and rear. It was an easier pill to swallow cost wise lol.

jazngab said:

I just made the switch to 33s and with the 4.56 it still works great. I liked running 4.56 with 31s. Didn’t mind it at all. I believe @jjvw runs 4.88 with 33s and likes it as well.
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4.88/33s/nv3550

I like that combo a lot on my daily.

Yeah, the $ is why I asked you. I've been calling around for re-gear quotes and weighing my options for the best setup for me. I know I should be doing lockers during a re-gear to save labor costs, but I've never driven with selectable locker(s), so it's difficult to make a rational decision. The most common wisdom seems to be that selectable on both axles for a DD that will be driven in snow/ice. It's only money, right?

RMETeeJay said:

.... The most common wisdom seems to be that selectable on both axles for a DD that will be driven in snow/ice. It's only money, right?

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If snow and ice is a meaningful part of your daily driving, an auto locker might not be a good idea. Otherwise, I like the idea of an auto front, selectable rear for a fair weather daily.

RMETeeJay said:

Yeah, the $ is why I asked you. I've been calling around for re-gear quotes and weighing my options for the best setup for me. I know I should be doing lockers during a re-gear to save labor costs, but I've never driven with selectable locker(s), so it's difficult to make a rational decision. The most common wisdom seems to be that selectable on both axles for a DD that will be driven in snow/ice. It's only money, right?

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Well you’re the only one that can determine if it’s “only money” lol. But yea for a daily driver I’d probably go selectable lockers both axles.

EJD said:

Oh I absolutely love my 31's.

Don't get me wrong I love bigger tires too, but I love the look of a stock-ish TJ with 31's. Obviously your limited to the type of obstacles you can take on but that goes with out saying. I get out all the time on all types of trails and terrain and every time I go out exploring with my Jeep I am consistently impressed with its capability.

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I have 31s on my TJ and I'm going back to stock wheels and adding Sahara flares so that I can get my tires (10.5s) completely underneath the flares just like in your top photo.

RMETeeJay said:

It's only money, right?

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it really is that simple

put selectables in, enjoy the best of the best and don't ever look back

fuse said:

31s all day.

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31”s and highway tires at that. Nice

I’m in Colorado and yes most all of the trails that you will see online can be done on 31” tires especially the scenic ones to visit the old mining towns or high mountain passes. Is it ideal or as comfortable of a ride on the small tires. No. Rolling over large rocks is much easier and more comfortable with a larger tire. There are also a lot of trails that can be done on 33” tires As long as the driver has some experience or has a good spotter. That most would not attempt without 37”+ tires. And then there are trails that are just not Really meant for full bodied vehicles here in Colorado. But you can have fun regardless of tire size. Build your Vehicle for the terrain you want to wheel. Mine is on the verge of too big and overbuilt for what I run most of the time. However it rides really comfortable and I don’t have to worry about breaking it much anymore until I get the itch to go run the trails meant for the buggies that I will occasionally run as well. But it’s taken years to get to this point. I drove on 31”s and a budget boost for a year or so. Then 33”s with a 3” lift then went 4” with sye, and adjustable short arms, then added a 4:1, then lockers and gears in the Dana 30/Dana 44 drove a few more years, then went to long arms and 35”s and chromosomes shafts and a Dana 44 front, drove that for a few years till I started breaking stuff and running harder trails, then put a Currie rock jock 60 in the rear and a genright 4 link and stretched the wheelbase 5” in the rear and added 37”s and have replaced the front axle again with a high pinion Dana 44 aftermarket housing. I’ve added an Atlas 4 speed T case. I will be stretching the front soon and am building a hybrid 60 axle and three link in the next year to hopefully get 40”s as it’s really just a toy anymore. But even with all this crap sometimes I wish I was still on 35”s and even 33”s. It was much more fun to drive. Handled like a Dream. And I drove it a whole lot more often. Point is. Enjoy it for what it is. And you can get to a hell of a lot of beautiful and remote places even with a stock Jeep and some decent tires regardless of the size. Sometimes with the bigger stuff it is no longer fun and challenging. In fact I now try to do all the stuff in 2wd low just to be a challenge

Rescue6 said:

31”s and highway tires at that. Nice

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WildPeak ATs with about half their tread left. The next set of tires will probably be MTs, but I feel like lockers would be more helpful than fancy tire tread.

2” lift, 265/75/26

I run 31x10.5 Mud Claws on 15x7 American Racing 66 rims. Open/open with an uncorked 2.4 6 speed it goes places many larger tired lifted Jeeps get stuck. It is stripped right down with 4.10s and 121hp @4850 at the wheels. Holding 80mph on the highway is a problem if there are hills so 31s are my limit, until my turbo is installed.

JEEPCJTJ said:

I've been running 235/85 R16 Duratracs which are a heavy 31" tall on a stock suspension. I've had no problems off road.

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If I knew how to PM you JEEPCJTJ I would. I have been trying to figure out the specs on a wheel to run 235/85R16 tires on stock suspension. Would you happen to know what wheel or specs on your wheel you're running? Thanks.

Little Sluice in 2001 on 31's, ARBs F&R, 2" lift, and a belly-up skidplate. It hasn't been to the Hammers, of course, but has been through the Rubicon and Dusy-Ershim multiple times. The Dana 35 and stock axle shafts have even trouble-free.

That's my Rubi wheeling with my 31.5's

JMT said:

I think the best budge build is a Rubicon manual on 32’s with 2.5” OME and a small tuck. Take you many, many places.

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That’s what I have and it gets me everywhere I want to go. No re-gear needed, goes as fast as I want and handles well or as well as a jeep can be. I don’t feel the need to impress anyone with it. If you don’t want to wheel with me because I don’t have 33s or larger and a 4” lift I can live with that. Clubs have too many rules and my wheeling buddies just want to go out and have fun.

bucky said:

That’s what I have and it gets me everywhere I want to go. No re-gear needed, goes as fast as I want and handles well or as well as a jeep can be. I don’t feel the need to impress anyone with it. If you don’t want to wheel with me because I don’t have 33s or larger and a 4” lift I can live with that. Clubs have too many rules and my wheeling buddies just want to go out and have fun.

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LOL! That post of mine was back in June of 2019.

Ironically I bought a 2003 Rubi on Sunday.