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Help with plans for next summer?

getoffmylawn23

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Bay Area, CA
Right now I have a '91 Laredo with a 3.5" RE Super-Flex lift (AAL), 31" BFG ATs, and 15x8 Rock Crawler wheels with 3.75" BS. Next summer, I want to swith the rear leaf packs with an 4.5" RE pack, and while I'm at it I want to get the RE 4.5" coils too. I know I'll have to get new brake lines, but what else am I going to need as far as the lift goes? I kind of new to this, and it didn't help that I didn't install the lift myself.
Along those same lines, while I'm at it I want to upgrade to 32 or 33" BFG MTs. Will I have rubbing problems if I get Bushwhacker flares?
I've been told that 33" may be pushing it with my D35 rear, will 32" be a better fit? I'd love to hea rthat the 33s would be better, since bigger is always better.
Another thing I know I'm going to swith is the RE discos. Except I'm not going to wat untill next summer for that one.
 
If your going up to 4.5 inches of lift, brake lines are not absolutely necessary but of course would be better than not. I personally have 4.5 inches and dont have replacement brake lines. At full flex they are dangerously stretched out but I havent broke em yet :)

As far as tire size goes, I would stick with 31s and go wider. But that just me cuz I like the look of a wider tire. Im running 31/11 Thornbirds(which are unusually wide already) on a 8inch rim. My opinion is that if you push for too big of tires you ruin the look of it. A guy in town got the same lift as me but went 33s and had to hack his fenders to death to fit them and it doesnt look that great. But from an offroad standpoint thats up to you. I spend just as much time washing and cleaning my jeep as I do offroading in it so the look is important to me.

Besides all that "look" jibberish, you will also suffer more gear-wise if you go with 33s unless you already have or are going to redo the stock gears.
 
I have an 88 with about 6inches of lift. I run 33s and had to cut just a bit off of the front fenders, basically below the crease in the body. it still looks good, and retains the factory flares (or most of them). in the rear I am still basically OEM. the small ammount of rubbing at full droop hasn't even damaged the stock flares, so I'm waiting.
Bushwhacker flares require trimming anyway, and they are expensive to fix if you damage them rubbing a rock the wrong way.
If it were me, I would invest an extra hundred and get the 2inch drop shackles and 3/4inch coil spring spacers for the lift. It may not seem like much, but while you are at it, its going to be worth all the labor ten-fold.. you avoid wedges at the rear axle, and won't have to trim as much out front.
and do the brake lines... I have another jeep with 3inches of lift and the rear restricts droop.
Hope it helps. :skull2:
 
Thanks for the help. I decided to skip the Bushwhackers, and stay with my 31s for a while. The brake lines I'm doing for sure, since the ones I have now are stretched pretty badly right now with just 3.5". Will I have to get an SYE for 4.5"? I have no vibes at all with 3.5", but for all I know 1" could push me over the edge. I was going to order spacers for the front since I'm planning on getting a new bumper which will make the front sag a bit. I heard that the RE leafs net a bit more than 4.5" of lift, right?
 
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