Honeybadger
Member
I initially had 3.73 gears in a manual 4.0 on 33’s and it worked wells with that setup. 4.10 will be just fine.
Build advice for 03 Khaki TJ Rubicon
- Thread starter Chris G
- Start date
I initially had 3.73 gears in a manual 4.0 on 33’s and it worked wells with that setup. 4.10 will be just fine.
Here is your best advice, if it looks great and drives great and is geared wrong, most of the attention you get is people honking for you to get out of the way.
The TJ will be a blast , the family will love it , and you can all enjoy time together out in it .
My midlife crisis was a KTM 300, and a few times I though it was closer to an end of my life crisis as I was flying over the handlebars .
Side note - nice Mustang.
I didnt know gatekeeping was a thing here.
That’s one expensive test that yet yielded no facts...How much more did the “C” flex versus the “E?” Was there a measurement recorded? Or did you use your calibrated eye?
I’m not claiming to be a tire engineer. And I wasn't claiming you were wrong. I was advocating for facts vs opinion. Which is exactly what you were asking of Chris G.
Surely there is a reason why an E rated tire is manufacutred and there is a reason why a C rated tire is manufactured. I guess I could have just asked that in a more clear way.
I had my hopes up that someone could finally explain it all more in detail.
The reason this quoted post is 100 percent true is that tire , the Cooper STT Pro, doesn’t ride nice in any size or load range. The only way to tell a dramatic difference is remove them . They are as tolerable as a mud type tire gets , but it’s the difference in wiping your butt with burlap or sandpaper...rough either way.
I have them on my 06 in C range, and they don’t hold a candle to my C range KO 2 s on my 03.
The point can be argued infinitely because there is a lot of variation in tires and so forth.
The load C recommendation is generally true ....Note generally ....but not true for every tire brand, type, size or all situations. The heavier and larger the tire....and the more aggressive...the more it affects a little TJ- generally speaking . A TJ is a 1/4 ton vehicle....an e range tire is made for a 3/4 ton or larger light duty class truck or van , especially that tows or carries a load .
If there is anything the Jeep world in general could benefit from better grasping , is scale ..... Larger steering components for larger tires , bigger brakes for bigger tires , etc.
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Another thing to consider about tire load ratings is the unsprung weight. I put 35x12.50R15 BFG KO’s (Load range C) on AR Baja aluminum wheels on a previous 03 Rubicon and that combo of wheel and tire was about 5 lbs LIGHTER than the stock 245/75R16 MTR’s on Moab rims.
More of a butt dyno type of testing. It was clear, very clear, when aired down 8 psi vs 8 psi, you could visually see the C had a larger foot print and looked flatter than the E.I didnt know gatekeeping was a thing here.
That’s one expensive test that yet yielded no facts...How much more did the “C” flex versus the “E?” Was there a measurement recorded? Or did you use your calibrated eye?
I’m not claiming to be a tire engineer. And I wasn't claiming you were wrong. I was advocating for facts vs opinion. Which is exactly what you were asking of Chris G.
Surely there is a reason why an E rated tire is manufacutred and there is a reason why a C rated tire is manufactured. I guess I could have just asked that in a more clear way.
I had my hopes up that someone could finally explain it all more in detail.
This goes back to if someone wanted to argue that C provided better traction off road, I totally agree. Now is it very significant? For these two tires, not night and day differences. For this reason of off road usage if the STT Pro was offered in a C in any size I would purchase them. I don’t want to mislead someone saying this tire rides better in a C rating than E beacause it’s very unnoticed. If they want the best grip off road that’s when I would suggest a C in the case a C is available in their size.
Andy the only other tires I have to compare are the Goodyear MTR Kevlar, in 35x12.50r15. I don’t bring this up due to they were used tires, chunking badly, mfg date was 6 years old and unbalanced. For these reasons the tire road terribly. I am very interested in trying a new set of MTR. Four wheel parts currently has these tires (maybe all Goodyear’s) save $200 when you buy 4.
STT Pro is a fantastic tire that I’ve had no troubles with chunking, grip, balancing, puncturing, it’s quite for a MT, and overall rides nicely.
To compare this tire to the ride of an AT is apples to oranges. It’s commonly known the further from a MT, the better the ride is.
Is the the best riding MT out there that for the ride quality offers the best grip, durability and overall performance, I can’t answer that. It’ll go back to a individual purchasing other tires to test rather than believing what they read on a forum.
Thanks. That’s my friend’s (pictured getting in it). It’s been in his family since new. It’s an awesome ride.
Well said -It is a fantastic tire and it's the reason that I chose it for my mud tire ... But it's not going to be the kind of tire that you can tell a lot of difference in load range performance .
"C" is generally a good recommendation but it's no more correct across-the-board than D or e, but probably a safer route for your best ride when you look at the overall tire market.
A good example in this conversation is that load range difference may be more noticeable with all terrain tires.
I think one of the values of forum knowledge is "common experience", which isn't far from "groupthink".
I try to avoid hard positions here and touchy subjects , for a number of reasons ....a good example is Load Range E on the Cooper may be someone's dream ride and someone else's nightmare.
I like the tire a lot, as much as I can a mud tire. None of them make great road tires.
With that said, I've been looking at the S/T Maxx because of the thicker sidewall and Cooper's better stopping than the KO2. When I went from the AT3 to the KO2 I felt the difference. Also, Coopers are supposed to handle and stop better on pavement in the rain.
A lighter rate spring will allow easier movement of the suspension. But will compress more at ride height. A stiffer rate spring will resist compression and movement more. But will compress less at ride height.
In other words, a softer spring will give a less harsh ride feel. But it w mayill also allow more movement of the suspension. This can be a good thing on a light rig, or a bad thing on a heavy rig. This is why OME offers different rate springs.
To look at it another way...
Assume you have a leaf spring pack (like a CJ or YJ). Remove one of the leaves in the pack and you have a lighter rate spring pack. This will allow the bumps to feel softer. But it can also get overwhelmed if too much weight is being supported.
If you add a leaf to the original spring pack this will allow more resistance to movement allowing a harder ride feel. But can also carry a heavier load without over flexing.
This is the important part!
Notice I used the words can, might, could, etc. Because the spring is only 1 part of the suspension on a vehicle. And one of the less critical parts as far as ride feel is involved. Your choice of shock absorbers and tire selection and psi will play a much larger role in how your suspension works and feels.
In other words, a softer spring will give a less harsh ride feel. But it w mayill also allow more movement of the suspension. This can be a good thing on a light rig, or a bad thing on a heavy rig. This is why OME offers different rate springs.
To look at it another way...
Assume you have a leaf spring pack (like a CJ or YJ). Remove one of the leaves in the pack and you have a lighter rate spring pack. This will allow the bumps to feel softer. But it can also get overwhelmed if too much weight is being supported.
If you add a leaf to the original spring pack this will allow more resistance to movement allowing a harder ride feel. But can also carry a heavier load without over flexing.
This is the important part!
Notice I used the words can, might, could, etc. Because the spring is only 1 part of the suspension on a vehicle. And one of the less critical parts as far as ride feel is involved. Your choice of shock absorbers and tire selection and psi will play a much larger role in how your suspension works and feels.
Scroll back and read post #16. My LJ with winch, a bag of tools, and spare tire weighs in at 4980 lbs. At that weight I needed heavy rate springs. I found a recycling center to weigh my Jeep.
Jesus dude, is that loaded up for a trip!?
I have a TJ, full doors and soft top, armor and bumpers, winch and I’m at 3800 with me in it. Truck scale.
Just curious if wouldn’t mind posting up how you got there!!
The LJ Rubi weighs a bit more. I can't remember what stock weight is. You're right. That's the Jeep with some basic gear in there and a full tank. A lot of the weight is from a larger 24 gal gas tank w/ 3/8 steel skid, 50 lb trans skid plate from belly tuck, engine skid, dual batteries, warn 9.5ti w/ steel line, steel front and rear bumpers. Oh ya....aftermarket roll cage and hard top. That's probably the bulk of it.
Gotcha. Now I see, makes sense! Thanks, our overlanding rig is heavy. It’s funny how it adds up.