Doing some upgrades to my TJ, looking for some input

You wont "like em thick" commuting that kind of distance. Regardless of what gear ratio you end up with that wide of a tire is GOING to kill your fuel mileage. They are extremely heavy and MT's are not the best idea for commuting as they create a LOT of drag. I realize looks matter to a lot of people but I would suggest going with a narrower A/T tire for commuting back and forth. Think 10.5 or 11.5 wide...
No sir!!! As I stated before I like em thick !! I’ve had that size tires for the past couple years and haven’t had any complaints.