Hey everyone, Just looking for some thoughts or maybe confirmation in my ideas on overall lift/tire size direction with my TJ.
I've seen a few of you guys say "if I did it all over again..." that you'd stick with a small lift and 31's. Well that's where I think I'm at, after years of going back and fourth, back and fourth..... you know how it is. I "need" big tires right? "Everyone" has at least 33's right? I can't possibly do any wheeling unless I have at least 33's.... etc.
The thing is, I pretty much love my Jeep on 31's, like the look, like the simplicity. I've had it since '08 and it went from DD to now just a toy that might get 1k miles a year, so I can go either way, it just seems to me that 31's does everything I need and maybe the challenge on some trails is just more fun than if I breeze through it on big tires?
So I bought the Zone combo lift (with intention of 33's or 34's), never installed it, now I'm pretty sure I don't want to. I also bought a used Dana 44 on craigslist that I'm pretty sure is fried and will need to be rebuilt if I use it.
So reading here and thinking more and more, it seems I shoulda gone with the OME 2", buy new 31's (current are pretty worn), re-gear to 4.10 and call it done!
Or should I not be a pussy and install/fix the Dana 44, put on the bigger lift, regear, 33's, etc etc etc?
I just got back from a 2 day trip and ran 2 trails, Pardoe's (AKA Carson Emigrant trail, Squaw Ridge) and then Strawberry trail on the way back. For anyone in the area that knows them. Everytime I take it wheeling on these types of trails I convince myself that I just dont need to go big and that it's more fun the way it is. I was with my buddy in his stock Rubicon JK 4 door by the way and he didn't get through anything any easier than I did (except for when he used lockers), those things high center so freaking easy...
Now, Strawberry was very challenging and there was plenty of scraping & rock stacking, but I dont really care if I have to do that 1 or 2 times a year. And when I scrape, 90% of the time it's the stupid shovel, 10% is the gas tank skid/rear bumper. 2.5" of lift would help that.
Lastly, I'm just not interested in hard core rock crawling, not my thing. Trail riding, exploring, camping, hunting. But being in the Sierra's....I'm going to be in the rocks sometimes, so far being small and narrow on 31's gets me through though.
So long rant but:
1) OME 2", new 31's, regear stock axles (maybe Tru Tracs)?
2) Bigger lift, 33's, swap in Dana 44 and have it rebuilt, and regear as well?
p.s. as you can tell I'm a big fan of smaller/simpler Jeeps and smaller tires in general, maybe just because I've gotten through all kinds of stuff over the years in a totally stock TJ with 3.07 gears, no lockers, no lift, no sway disco. no special fenders, etc. Just a set of good 31" M/T's and maybe good (or lucky) driving I guess.
I've seen a few of you guys say "if I did it all over again..." that you'd stick with a small lift and 31's. Well that's where I think I'm at, after years of going back and fourth, back and fourth..... you know how it is. I "need" big tires right? "Everyone" has at least 33's right? I can't possibly do any wheeling unless I have at least 33's.... etc.
The thing is, I pretty much love my Jeep on 31's, like the look, like the simplicity. I've had it since '08 and it went from DD to now just a toy that might get 1k miles a year, so I can go either way, it just seems to me that 31's does everything I need and maybe the challenge on some trails is just more fun than if I breeze through it on big tires?
So I bought the Zone combo lift (with intention of 33's or 34's), never installed it, now I'm pretty sure I don't want to. I also bought a used Dana 44 on craigslist that I'm pretty sure is fried and will need to be rebuilt if I use it.
So reading here and thinking more and more, it seems I shoulda gone with the OME 2", buy new 31's (current are pretty worn), re-gear to 4.10 and call it done!
Or should I not be a pussy and install/fix the Dana 44, put on the bigger lift, regear, 33's, etc etc etc?
I just got back from a 2 day trip and ran 2 trails, Pardoe's (AKA Carson Emigrant trail, Squaw Ridge) and then Strawberry trail on the way back. For anyone in the area that knows them. Everytime I take it wheeling on these types of trails I convince myself that I just dont need to go big and that it's more fun the way it is. I was with my buddy in his stock Rubicon JK 4 door by the way and he didn't get through anything any easier than I did (except for when he used lockers), those things high center so freaking easy...
Now, Strawberry was very challenging and there was plenty of scraping & rock stacking, but I dont really care if I have to do that 1 or 2 times a year. And when I scrape, 90% of the time it's the stupid shovel, 10% is the gas tank skid/rear bumper. 2.5" of lift would help that.
Lastly, I'm just not interested in hard core rock crawling, not my thing. Trail riding, exploring, camping, hunting. But being in the Sierra's....I'm going to be in the rocks sometimes, so far being small and narrow on 31's gets me through though.
So long rant but:
1) OME 2", new 31's, regear stock axles (maybe Tru Tracs)?
2) Bigger lift, 33's, swap in Dana 44 and have it rebuilt, and regear as well?
p.s. as you can tell I'm a big fan of smaller/simpler Jeeps and smaller tires in general, maybe just because I've gotten through all kinds of stuff over the years in a totally stock TJ with 3.07 gears, no lockers, no lift, no sway disco. no special fenders, etc. Just a set of good 31" M/T's and maybe good (or lucky) driving I guess.