The ultimate setup for 33 inch tires?

[jjvw]

The base for an ultimate 33 build is one that raises the frame and skids as high as is reasonably possible. That means a 4" spring and a small body lift. There really isn't much difference been this and a solid 35 build.

One thing I know is that if you build to get the most movement from 33s the body can stay intact. But in order to add 35s to that existing setup, the body needs to be cut and moved away. The end result should be a very good build on 35s.

The rest of the fine details and refinements are pretty universal to any good build.

 

[rasband]

The base for an ultimate 33 build is one that raises the frame and skids as high as is reasonably possible. That means a 4" spring and a small body lift. There really isn't much difference been this and a solid 35 build.

One thing I know is that if you build to get the most movement from 33s the body can stay intact. But in order to add 35s, the body needs to be cut and moved away. The end result should be a very good build on 35s.

After experiencing one built this way, I’m pretty convinced this is the way to go if offroad performance is the target. 2-2.5” (+BL) is an acceptable middle ground that doesn’t break the bank as you amass the rest of the required parts.

 

[bobthetj03]

Better brakes, beefier steering, and well placed, quality under armor with a 3ish" lift, 1" MML, 1" BL. A TT of some sort will help with the clearance you lack. Or, @jjvw 's build pretty much is the quintessential build for 33's.

 

[jjvw]

.... Or, @jjvw 's build pretty much is the quintessential build for 33's.

With one important caveat. If 33s really is the stopping point, absolutely stay with short arms. That missing inch or so of clearance from not having 35s is about as annoying on the control arms as it is on the diffs.

 

[Jesse Marquez]

Thanks for all the replies. I definitely understand the importance of a TT, regearing, lockers. I was mainly trying to hear input on suspension setups. I always read in the form about 4 inch suspension lift, but one if the other mentor's on my robotics team preaches going with a low lift and highlines. And how that's what he would do if he was able to redo it. He had a CJ on 37s and a TJ on 33s. But I was just starting this up because I wasn't sure if people just went with a 4 inch lift because it was easier than a lower lift and highlines or if it was just plain out better.

 

[Jesse Marquez]

Also I just like to pick people's brains. Just because something's always been done a certain way doesn't mean it's the best way to do it. But I also understand not reinventing the wheel and just going with what works and is proven lol

 

[Kevin Bright]

Thanks for all the replies. I definitely understand the importance of a TT, regearing, lockers. I was mainly trying to hear input on suspension setups. I always read in the form about 4 inch suspension lift, but one if the other mentor's on my robotics team preaches going with a low lift and highlines. And how that's what he would do if he was able to redo it. He had a CJ on 37s and a TJ on 33s. But I was just starting this up because I wasn't sure if people just went with a 4 inch lift because it was easier than a lower lift and highlines or if it was just plain out better.

My opinion is as long as you can keep at least 4 inches of up travel you are golden. Raising the Frame as high as you can only raises your center of gravity and does absolutely nothing to get your control arm mounts at the axle, steering and differentials out of the way. A 2.5 SL, 1.25 BL and a 1inch MML with the required track bars (F &R) and extended sway bar links will take you everywhere a 4 inch will. The only thing that you will really want is the extended travel shocks to allow more droop (Then you run into extending the brake lines anyway.

A 2.5 SL, 1.25BL and highline fenders will get you to fit 37's in the front. So High Lines aren't needed for 33's. In the rear you will really want to stretch the axle back 5 inches to stay close to factory specs and keep your departure angle small. Doing a High clearance skid will also keep your break over angle reasonable.
37's with the 2.5SL and 1.25 BL and high lines
37;s with cut and chop rear and front diy high lines.
So in my personal experience. The taller SL isn't required at all compared to a smaller SL, BL and MML,
This is the 2.5 SL and 1.25 BL on 33's and there was never a time I wish I had a Taller lift when I took the 33;s through the same trail as posted above when I ran the 37's and DIY high lines.

So in my opinion from daily driving my jeep and rock crawling with it, a Smaller lift with Highlines would be the same as a Larger SL. The larger SL all you are doing is raising up your Center of Gravity and improving your Break over angle. You aren't raising your catch points which is steering, diffs and brackets on the axle. If you keep getting high centered and catching your frame and skid on rocks. Means you probably just aren't picking the best line through whatever obstacle you are trying to get through.

 

[jjvw]

Thanks for all the replies. I definitely understand the importance of a TT, regearing, lockers. I was mainly trying to hear input on suspension setups. I always read in the form about 4 inch suspension lift, but one if the other mentor's on my robotics team preaches going with a low lift and highlines. And how that's what he would do if he was able to redo it. He had a CJ on 37s and a TJ on 33s. But I was just starting this up because I wasn't sure if people just went with a 4 inch lift because it was easier than a lower lift and highlines or if it was just plain out better.

Your mentor is an LCoG guy. LCoG tends to focus heavily on a couple specific goals at the expense of the whole. LCoG also tends to have many misguided and misunderstood concerns over stability and how to create it. The result is a build full of odd limitations and compromises. But these limitations and compromises often don't matter because the Jeep never gets put into place where these things become a problem.

 

[Jesse Marquez]

My opinion is as long as you can keep at least 4 inches of up travel you are golden. Raising the Frame as high as you can only raises your center of gravity and does absolutely nothing to get your control arm mounts at the axle, steering and differentials out of the way. A 2.5 SL, 1.25 BL and a 1inch MML with the required track bars (F &R) and extended sway bar links will take you everywhere a 4 inch will. The only thing that you will really want is the extended travel shocks to allow more droop (Then you run into extending the brake lines anyway.

A 2.5 SL, 1.25BL and highline fenders will get you to fit 37's in the front. So High Lines aren't needed for 33's. In the rear you will really want to stretch the axle back 5 inches to stay close to factory specs and keep your departure angle small. Doing a High clearance skid will also keep your break over angle reasonable.
View attachment 120234View attachment 120235 37's with the 2.5SL and 1.25 BL and high lines
View attachment 120236View attachment 120237 37;s with cut and chop rear and front diy high lines.
So in my personal experience. The taller SL isn't required at all compared to a smaller SL, BL and MML,
View attachment 120238View attachment 120239 This is the 2.5 SL and 1.25 BL on 33's and there was never a time I wish I had a Taller lift when I took the 33;s through the same trail as posted above when I ran the 37's and DIY high lines.

So in my opinion from daily driving my jeep and rock crawling with it, a Smaller lift with Highlines would be the same as a Larger SL. The larger SL all you are doing is raising up your Center of Gravity and improving your Break over angle. You aren't raising your catch points which is steering, diffs and brackets on the axle. If you keep getting high centered and catching your frame and skid on rocks. Means you probably just aren't picking the best line through whatever obstacle you are trying to get through.

Thank you for this kevin!

 

[jjvw]

Also I just like to pick people's brains. Just because something's always been done a certain way doesn't mean it's the best way to do it. But I also understand not reinventing the wheel and just going with what works and is proven lol

If mine is any kind of example or template, I can tell you that the Jeep will show you how it should be built if you take the time to understand what it is telling you. Watch the scratches and gouges. Move that stuff out of the way, if you can. Cycling the axles without coils will teach you more than anything else. Understanding the where limits of travel are will remove much of the mystery in building these things. After that, things will fall largely into place.

FWiW, mine is neither LCoG nor jacked up to the sky. For the most part, it is the result of fitting pieces together where they want to be and removing the extra pieces that don't need to be there.

 

[jjvw]

...

So in my personal experience. The taller SL isn't required at all compared to a smaller SL, BL and MML,
View attachment 120238View attachment 120239 This is the 2.5 SL and 1.25 BL on 33's and there was never a time I wish I had a Taller lift when I took the 33;s through the same trail as posted above when I ran the 37's and DIY high lines.

So in my opinion from daily driving my jeep and rock crawling with it, a Smaller lift with Highlines would be the same as a Larger SL. The larger SL all you are doing is raising up your Center of Gravity and improving your Break over angle. You aren't raising your catch points which is steering, diffs and brackets on the axle. If you keep getting high centered and catching your frame and skid on rocks. Means you probably just aren't picking the best line through whatever obstacle you are trying to get through.

What is your frame and belly height?

 

[pagrey]

Okay guys, forget about money for a minute.

The cost of doing 35s right on a TJ sky rocket. (From what I've read)

So the minute is over?

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I don't see why going to 33s vs 35s would be much, if any, more expensive or even different.

It's usually the boundary where people want to upgrade to brakes, chromoly axle shafts, heavy duty steering...can add up to another $3k pretty quick.

 

[jjvw]

It's usually the boundary where people want to upgrade to brakes, chromoly axle shafts, heavy duty steering...can add up to another $3k pretty quick.

There is also something of a functional boundary line between the two sizes. 33s can be made to work with a lot a stock components, while that starts to not go well with a larger tire.

Many use the Zone 4.25 Combo kit to fit 33s. It can get the job done, but it is really pushing the remaining stock pieces to their reasonable limits. To finish what Zone started to get things where they ought to be also gets you really close to being able to fit a 35.

 

[Jesse Marquez]

So the minute is over?

I was purley trying to talk about suspension when I started the thread. mainly a proper Lcog vs a tradional 4 in lift. Not the obvious stuff like lockers, gearing, and TT. But he asked why 33s vs 35s. I wouldn't run 35s on the dana35/30 I have, so their are obvious extra expenses when going to 35s over 33s. while the lift costs would only be marginally different, at least for a short arm lift. I really wasnt trying to be a hypocrite

 

[andy29847]

2004 Rubicon, auyo trans, 4" lift, Currie Control arms, Currie Steering, Currie front track bar, JKS rear track bar, 3/4 spacer on stock skid plate, double carden driveshafts - front and rear, 33x12.5r15 tires, American Racing 15x8 wheels, stock 4.10 axle gears. I've had my Jeep gor almost 3 years. Runs great on the highway, tows great behind my RV, works great on the trails east and west of the Mississippi.

 

[jjvw]

I was purley trying to talk about suspension when I started the thread. mainly a proper Lcog vs a tradional 4 in lift. ...

What constitutes a proper LCoG build? I could drop my 4" lift down to 2", shift the 6" up/6" down to 4"/8" down, but that would actually screw up my rear drive line more than it is, the coils could not support the down travel, stability would actually decrease from the decrease in up travel, the front/middle/rear would get caught more than it does. None of that sounds good to me.

 

[pagrey]

I was purley trying to talk about suspension when I started the thread. mainly a proper Lcog vs a tradional 4 in lift.

Now if you had just said this in the first place I imagine the discussion would have been a bit different.

(It's good you ask at all, just giving you crap, don't take it too seriously)

 

[Jesse Marquez]

Now if you had just said this in the first place I imagine the discussion would have been a bit different.

(It's good you ask at all, just giving you crap, don't take it too seriously)

LOL yeah I need to work on my communication skills

 

[jjvw]

...

(It's good you ask at all, just giving you crap, don't take it too seriously)

It's a fun discussion, I think. There are so many moving parts to a build. Early on, I really liked the LCoG stuff I was seeing. But the more I learned and the more I used the Jeep, the less the idea of LCoG made sense or even looked practical. Once I started getting to the point of fitting things together rather than just bolting parts on the easier it got to just let the Jeep and how I use it determine what it was going to be.