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33'' tires with my stock gears

B

Beachmonkey6

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Dallas, Texas
I have a 1990 Cherokee with everything stock right now. I am about to install a 4.5'' lift and am wondering if i should keep my stock wheels and get 31" tires or if i should buy new wheels and get 33s? But if i got 33s would i have trouble excellerating because i have stock gears and all? And if i just went with the 31s would my jeep look weird?
 
go with the 33's, I asked myself the same question when I put the 4.5 on my rig and I went 33's. I know now I would have so regreted 32s or 31s. Your going to have to do some fender trimming to be able to stuff 33's without cuts or dammage though. as far as power goes it's not really that bad with 33s the 4.0 is a really torquey motor and it didnt make that big of a difference except going up hill on the freeway. I now have 4:56 gears and I actually got better milage with the 3:55s If you dont go wheelin much you could probably get away with no fender trimming and 33s
 
oh ya deffinatly get some aftermarket wheels stock ones wont work good with 33s because of the backspacing. I just got cheep black steel wheels, it was like 145 bucks for four 15 X 8 black rims in california, not sure if you are into function or looks though.
 
I would definately go with the 33's to, my wife and I run a lodge in the Cohutta Wilderness District here in Georgia and last winter, I had to asist the fire department (I'm a volunteer) get an ambulance crew up the monuntain after a good snow. The departments truck (Ram 2500 w/35 inchers) just had to much wheelbase and kept bottoming out, if I hadn't had the 33's on my jeep I couldn't have put them to shame. (Lesson all the horsepower in the world, can't compensate for shorter wheelbase, and smaller tires)
 
My 97 has 33's and stock gearing. Its not bad. There is a noticeable power loss but it doesn't make it a gutless wonder. Under normal driving conditions the biggest difference is going up hills it will want to downshift more. But on the freeway and such I still get into OD and cruise right along. In fact on the freeway going about 70 there is plenty of power.
 
Beachmonkey6 said:
I have a 1990 Cherokee with everything stock right now. I am about to install a 4.5'' lift and am wondering if i should keep my stock wheels and get 31" tires or if i should buy new wheels and get 33s? But if i got 33s would i have trouble excellerating because i have stock gears and all? And if i just went with the 31s would my jeep look weird?
Click to expand...
Depends on what gears you have now. Is it a 5 speed or auto? if it is a 5 speed i would start savin money for gears because even with 31s you will be doggin it on the highway. Dont even think of 33s with 3.07 gears.
 
Yeah, itll suck alittle but ive had 33's with 3.07's for about 4 months now. im only just now regearing. Aside from the fact that i need to ride in the slow lane i have no complaints...u need to use 4lo on the trails tho
 
Beachmonkey6 said:
alright i guess ill go with the 33s But if i do then would it be ok to keep my stock gears? or would i have to buy and install diff ones?
Click to expand...
Stock 3:55 gears are good for tires up to 35's. HTH!
 
i run 33's with 3.50's with an ax-15 and it drives like 235/75's with 3.07's


i porbably lost 1/2 a gear on the highway - 5th doesnt pull as hard, but 4th runs a higher RPM than it used to...

do you have an auto or a manual?
if you have a manual -- run to a junkyard and grab some axles from any XJ and they will either be the same or an improvement...

if auto, buy a bigger tranny cooler and check ATF more often, sae cash, but i wouldnt worry about it all that much....
 
Beachmonkey6 said:
I have a 1990 Cherokee with everything stock right now. I am about to install a 4.5'' lift and am wondering if i should keep my stock wheels and get 31" tires or if i should buy new wheels and get 33s? But if i got 33s would i have trouble excellerating because i have stock gears and all? And if i just went with the 31s would my jeep look weird?
Click to expand...
31's on 4.5" lift looks fine with stock wheels. Very slight rub at lock on the LCA and both the front and rear stuff well. If you ever leave the mall you still have a functional low range. I just mounted 33's on my 3:54 axles after running the 31's for a few years, it sucks. I only swapped them to get a jump on the fender trimming before new axles and gears.

If you want the larger tires for looks then by all means go with 35s, 4" bump stop extensions and never pass 3rd gear. IF you wan't to improve your drivinig skill and still have two usable ranges in your TC go with 31's. It's pretty amazing what what an XJ @ 4 1/2" on 31" tires will do, even with open diffs. Even in the snow ;)

Crawl, walk, run.

IMHO,
TIM
 
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