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Need opinions on going 35s with 4.5 lift or not.

Cburb88XJ

Cburb88XJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Purcellville, VA
Im at 4.5 RC lift full leafs in the back, i plan to lift to 6 or 6.5 later and im currently on 31s with 3.73 but here soon im swapping in 4.56 built axles. Its time for new tires anyways so i was going to run 33s but the more i think about it i wish i could squeeze in 35s just to save time and money but im not sure how they will fit.

Im running stock flares but i was gonna remove them for 33s anyways and i plan to run bushwhacker flat flares, im curious if that will clear with little trimming and flatflares. Or should i just go 33s for now and wait to go 35s when i lift more and everything else is done. 4.56s will definitely work fine with 33 or 35s and my xj is a 5 speed. thanks
 
go with 33"s....

you will break less and have more room to stuff a tire.
 
1 you don't need 6.5" of lift for much of anything.
2 35's will fit just fine on 4.5"
3 will your wheeling style/terrain and the axles you are buying handle the 35's? 'built' means a lotof different things to a lot of different people
 
The axles will handle it without a problem, d30 locked,Wj swapped, chromoly shafts, trussed, outer c gussets 4.56 spicer gears, t&j diff cover, control arm mini skids blah blah and rear is a ford 8.8 with 4.56 gears,ORU diff cover, aussie locker trussed and whatnot.

Main reason im going to 6 or 6.5 is because of the shackle im going to be running and everything. I dont really mind trimming but i need to be able to use flares around here, and flat flares are the only ones i really like the look of. Cant really make my mind up what to do.
 
4.5", 33s...
1236785_537410309646723_1894932531_n.jpg


same trail, 35s...
1376533_545783072142780_776610750_n.jpg


i bought 35s after the long crawl destroyed 3 of my 4 cheap master craft MTs. only reason i did is because i wanted them, and im bump stopped. when stuffed and at full lock, the rub pretty hard, frame rail, inner fender, control arms. ill be addressing this this summer, and seeing if i need to do something like TNTs inner fenders. oh, and they were $25 cheaper, saving me $100. there is more to running 35s on a full body rig than just axles.

if flares are needed for legalities, 33s might be the better answer.
 
here is clearance difference for you.

im trimmed 2" past the stock fender in the front
1148904_532555220132232_1151399377_n.jpg


1186042_542440935810327_1767939854_n.jpg


rear is cut and folded
1239500_532555173465570_204291689_n.jpg


12090_542441152476972_1114858921_n.jpg






thats on the bumps all the way around. your setup wont be exactly the same, but similar. its important to note, that MTRs measure almost true to size, while others (including my old 33s) dont.
 
Yea mtrs is what i would have liked to run in 35s...damn id really like to run them, specially with the prices for some reason there is like no price difference on some of the 33 and 35s. But i just might have to run 33s...i DD my jeep a good bit and would need to run a flare setup.
 
4.5 no issues no probs. If your not gonna trim anything your going to have to bump stop accordingly. If its a 88, I dont see why you wouldn't just cut it up & do what you want.....

jfc015.jpg



front fenders just to around the pin stripe. I have 2 fender flares molded together to look like stock....
jfc017.jpg


so just another idea to keep stock look & flares

 
Last edited:
I just set up my 96 on 35s and 4.5" a few months ago. Unless you are going to go ridiculously high you will need to trim to fit 35s whenever you go to them even at 6.5". The tire just won't fit in the wheel well unless you bumpstop alot.
I trimmed the front again (had already trimmed for 32s on 2") and clearanced the inner fender well on the pinch seam and anywhere else it would hit. I think I I will need a hockey puck or two in the front but haven't gotten it to rub yet with some pretty good flex. My rear has the standard cut and fold with going a little wider at the bottom of the opening. I will be removing the factory arch and welding in some filler pieces to gain some more room when the weather gets warmer. It sounds like you will be set up on the axles which is good so make sure to beef up your front frame around the steering box mount and stiffen up your rails. I am really happy with my height and tire size, its a DD and I find it to be a good height. It's not any higher overall than most other SUVs and I find it easy to get in and my 7 and 5 year old can climb in okay.
 
That does look pretty good, those are OEM flares? Doesn't seem too difficult might be doable for me. I have a front bumper with unibody tie ins to stiffen from up some.
 
Just follow you heart. You'll be fine with 4.5" and 35s. But there are so many variables that go into saying its ok. proper bump stopping, cut fenders. I was running 33s years and just slapped 35s on one day and didn't really think much about it. NEver broke on 33s or 35s. California wheeling is different that other states to some extent
 
I would say run the 35's and trim some... i have the same lift, some trimming, bumo stops and 37's so id say you would be more than good with 35's
 
35s since your axles can handle it. Make up some tube fenders from jeeptubes.com

4.5", 35s, prothane bumpstops front, DPG plates in the back



 
Yea looks good, kinda leaning towards 35s now ill just have to cut away then figure out later how im gonna get flares on there without costing a ton or being a pain in the ass. Does seem like 35s take away a good amount of your flex though compared to 33s.
 
another thing that comes to mind... the first time i went wheeling with 35s, i instantly told myself, "i need a power steering cooler and hydro assist." i had steering fade pretty bad. went strait... a lot.

a trans cooler would be a wise investment regardless of what size you choose.
 
Alright, I'm running a 5 speed would it still be necessary? Most guys with coolers run aw4s I thought.
 
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