Lots of good advice. I run 4” lift with 35s with trimmed flares no problem. I was at 5.5” I’d lift but everything works better at 4” of lift. Metalcloak overlines are at the paint shop now then I’m stepping up to 37s, should clear with no issues
How civilized are 35s?
- Thread starter CybrSlydr
- Start date
What kind of suspension travels are you getting and then expecting?
The flares don't restrict clearance, despite what Metalcloak wants you to believe.
Dave Carpenter
New Member
There are two schools of thought regarding lift. One is the lift it to the sky crowd, the other is minimal lift for clearance, but keep it as low as practical to keep the center of gravity (roll center) low. You could go extreme, and put a 6" lift and 4" body lift on it, or stay practical... a 3.5-4" lift with no body lift will fit 35's nicely, and keep the center of gravity lower.
Your 4.10 gears will run so-so on the highway, but will definately be under geared for off road. 4.56's are normally used with 35's, but in the Colorado's might not be enough. Depending on how important road manners are, 4.88 or maybe 5.13 might be a better solution. The 5.38's will have your RPM's on the road much too high.
Your 4.10 gears will run so-so on the highway, but will definately be under geared for off road. 4.56's are normally used with 35's, but in the Colorado's might not be enough. Depending on how important road manners are, 4.88 or maybe 5.13 might be a better solution. The 5.38's will have your RPM's on the road much too high.
The third school of thought is to pay attention to the various limits and boundaries as defined by the vehicle to find the optimal balances between compromises. My Jeep might be an example of that. I disagree with the LCoG philosophy as much as the sky high club, because both sacrifice the larger functionally in favor of a few specific goals.
Which transmission do you base this on? Should one favor off-road gearing over on-road performance? Is it possible that the two are not mutually exclusive?
Starrs
TJ Guru
I have the 42rle with stock 4.10s and 35” KM2s. I have more than enough get up and go still. I haven’t tried other gears either, but why change if it suits me.
On 35s? If that suits you, then you are in the minority. Like we usually say, you do not know what you are missing. I've shown before that compared to all other factory Wrangler transmission and tire combinations, those with the 42rle have the worst stock gearing.
Starrs
TJ Guru
Starrs
TJ Guru
I’ve never had my TJ at 75mph. I can’t imagine driving one of these at that speed for that long and it being very enjoyable. This is my wknd “toy” not my distance commuter.
There is a reason I like to use 75mph. It suggests that a modified TJ (even on 35s) can and should handle common highway driving without much thought.
Dave Carpenter
New Member
That was not based on any specific transmission, but on general driving characteristics. Choice of the "correct" gears is not an exact science, as we all know. Gearing depends on many factors... manual or automatic transmission, tire size, driving style, whether it is used as a daily driver, an off road only machine, or a combination of both, etc. Gearing is always a compromise between different purposes. In the end, it is the choice of the person who owns the jeep, and what they want to use it for.
Starrs
TJ Guru
Even when I bought mine with the factory 31” MTRs it was built with I didn’t drive it up to 75mph. I only went to 65-70 maybe on the 2 hr drive home. To each their own, and this isn’t the first gearing debate. Anytime your in IN come on by and drive my undergeared TJR
You don't know what you don't know. That tire/gear combination would be terrible with a manual transmission. With the 42rle it must be abysmal.
I'll suggest that your suggestions are still not low enough even if we agree that the correct gearing is a fuzzy science.
Starrs
TJ Guru
If it was awful I wouldn’t be driving it? My point that I’m trying to make and keeps getting missed I guess is why spend 2k dollars to fix something in my opinion that doesn’t need fixed? Why on earth would I drive something that was god awful to drive? If it drove like shit I would change the gears....but it doesn’t. Does this make any sense or am I not explaining this right?
Starrs
TJ Guru
Look if my 24k miler need steeper gears I think I would do it lol. I have spent some decent money on my jeep...I just think the money could be spent elsewhere. My jeep runs and drives great!We don't know your tolerance for awful. It might be pretty high.
When I purchased my '06 LJ Rubicon with 42RLE transmission it was equipped with 35" tires and 4.88 gears. The jeep was slightly under geared in gears 1-3 and overdrive was next to useless. I am having difficulty comprehending that 4.10 gears with that transmission and 35" tires would be deemed suitable by anyone.
I re-geared to 5.38 shortly after my purchase and can attest that it is a far better axle ratio than 4.88 for the 42RLE transmission and 35" tires. Perhaps your opinion that 4.10 is suitable would change if you had the opportunity to drive a jeep more appropriately geared than yours.
Starrs
TJ Guru
I’m not going to name drop but there was somebody else that has a Jeep same year and looks similar to mine that said 4.10s auto and 42rle really isn’t that bad. They have 35s also. It’s all about personal preference. I’m not telling you who to vote for and I could honest to God care less what somebody thinks about my gears lol. It’s a toy that I enjoy driving on the wknds haha. This has gotten way more attention then it deserves.