Suggestions on running 38" or bigger...

[ArcticXJ]

Thanks, Guys for all the input! Keep it coming.
As far as my lift height, no I dont plan on going any lower. And if you focus on the title " 38" or BIGGER ", youll see what i mean by not wanting to go any lower.
Someone asked why it is necessary to have anything more than 37's, as they are the ideal size, and anything bigger makes the trails too easy. Well, with all due respect to the individual who stated this, Im assuming you havent been wheeling out in ALASKA lately. The trails here are unlike any i have come across in the states. Many guys are running firestone and Goodyear Terra Flotation Tires up around here. It's a whole 'nother world, and 38"s are basically just getting you in the door to hit the extreme trails that AK has to offer.
But as I said, THANKYOU!!! You guys are providing some really good input, and it DOES make my plans go smoother to have you fine jeepers throwing in your tips and hints.

 

[Ramsey]

could you tell me alittle more about these terra flotation tires

 

[ArcticXJ]

Terra tires? Sure.
The common terra tire up here is the 46" x 20something" x16.1" rim diameter, yes 16 point 1. Many of them can be found on Firestone's agricultural site. There are guys running the 53's and even some in the 60's. Look around on line at agricultural tires and you'll see some cool stuff. most of the tires look like big balloons with alternating paddle shaped lugs. Almost all of them (as a downside) require a specially made custom rim, or at least some fabwork to a stock tractor rim.

 

[ArcticXJ]

make sure you have 35 spline axle shafts in them 60's

You bet, Wouldnt do it any other way!

 

[Wiley Coyote]

Do you have the Red XJ that I’ve seen running around base? You’re not selling that one on the Lemon Lot are you?

 

[Beezil]

are you really gona need 35 spline shafts for 38.5s or 39.5s? i mean i already got them but i figured you could run them in there but nothing tooooo radical. am i correct?

YES.

why are you going that big anyway????

dude, you need to spend a couple YEARS where you are at.

PU-LEEZE don't do the xjguy manuever and try to fast-track your way into a big jeep you don't need.

you need mucho practice on the small rocks.

I know you wanted to follow our leads in paragon, but it wasn't just big jeeps on those rocks.

DO YOURSELF a FAVOR. put the dana 60 in the corner for a while. Besides.....its not a 100-dollar axle......not even close.

 

[bgcntry72]

No offense meant, but you can't just do steroids alone in a garage for years, and then emerge into the sunlight and walk onto an NFL team.
The guys you want to run with, they worked their way to that point.
My couple of cents.
HTH.

 

[MuddinXJ]

yes i know this. i have been running w/ other people(not taking mine out) and watching how they set their lines and spotting and stuff. Beez my rear 60(which i did pay 100 for. LoL ) and soon to be front 60 arent going in till I get it built the way I want. 35 spline shafts, new hubs, discs, arb/detroit, trussed, 5.38s and such. i still have yet to design my rear suspension(4-link w/ coils). i will just be ridding shot gun for awhile till it is all designed. tryin to wheel this thing w/ stock axles and 35s blows(u-joints that is). yes i know I have a lot to learn. that is why i'm on here seeing what mistakes people make and tryin to avoid them. I'm just getting my rig setup the way I want and getting myself to the point to where I can drive it the way it is set up and mean to be driven. this is one reason why I will be going to Winterfest rig-less(anyone got any open spots).

 

[ArcticXJ]

Do you have the Red XJ that I’ve seen running around base? You’re not selling that one on the Lemon Lot are you?

There's two of them. One is on the lot, that one belongs to Kevin. Short arms, about 6 or 7" of lift, bottom half rhino lined. Mine is the one with the spare on the roof, longarms, bout 10 or 11". You wont see it on base anymore for the next 3 or 4 months though. Got a LOT of work going on with it.

 

[BIGWOODY]

Oh and by the way, does anyone have any tips on methods to push the rear axle back a few inches, for more wheel base and better "front of the rear fender well" tire clearance? Ive looked at ORD's "zero-rate" leaf with the 1.5" w.b. increase, but was wondering if anyone else has ideas...

Idea.....107"WB What's a"fender well"?

 

[jmop]

Oh and by the way, does anyone have any tips on methods to push the rear axle back a few inches, for more wheel base and better "front of the rear fender well" tire clearance? Ive looked at ORD's "zero-rate" leaf with the 1.5" w.b. increase, but was wondering if anyone else has ideas...

I used a late model Ranger main on top of my XJ leaf pack with 2" chevy drop shackles, this moved my axle back about 2.5-3" it also give me a lot better shackle angle then when I just had the XJ main leaf. I also moved the front axle forward about 1" This puts me at ~8" of lift and 106" WB with 38.5" tires. I have cut the rear fenders all the way to the door and heigh enough that I had to use a 5lb hammer to open the fenderwell up enough to weld it back together. I still ended up removing about 1/4 of the rear fender well all together to fit the tires. If it wasnt' my DD I would have cut even more. When the rear stuffs I still get some rubbing.

 

[D70XJ]

I'm running full width 60/70 combo and 38.5 SXs with 7-8" and trimmed fenders. I have enough room to run 42s. Going 10-11" is way too much.

 

[xj_punk]

My xj currently sits at about 10/11" of lift

you're weird

 

[Big Red]

Wow, you guys are really pushing the envelope on the XJ design. I like it.
My xj has 35's and 7-8" lift with re short arms and drop brackets. I'm most likely picking up a 87' xj with a waggy dana 44 5.13 gears 8 lug conv/14 bolt rear welded 5.13 gears and chevy leaf springs front and rear and it ran on 39.5" tsls. I plan on bringing the lift down from the 12" the guy says it has to 9" and run 37" mtrs or 38.5" tsl sx tires. The steering box area has alot of cracks in the frame that I need to address with the C-rok's inner and outer plates.

What are you guys doing to strengthen up the unibody frame rails with these huge axles and tires??? Are you sleeving the rails and especially the steering box area? Are many of you guys still running coils/leafs or did you convert to leafs all around to keep it simple with these extreme setups?
Troy

 

[hjeepxj]

YES.

why are you going that big anyway????

dude, you need to spend a couple YEARS where you are at.

PU-LEEZE don't do the xjguy manuever and try to fast-track your way into a big jeep you don't need.

you need mucho practice on the small rocks.

I know you wanted to follow our leads in paragon, but it wasn't just big jeeps on those rocks.

DO YOURSELF a FAVOR. put the dana 60 in the corner for a while. Besides.....its not a 100-dollar axle......not even close.

Why doesnt anyone understand that anymore?

 

[BIGWOODY]

I guess i made my own "CROK" plate for the steering. I just plated all side of the frame around the steering box with plate, drilled holes to mount and put sleeves between the plates for the mounting bolts to pass through. But with hydro-assit (which you'll need with 37's or bigger) there really isn't much stress on the steering box area at all, most of the turning power is on the axle. And as for the $100 D60, I bought my front 79 hp60 for $700 wich is a good price, after setting it up to go in my MJ (5.13,locker,new shafts,35 spline outters, bracket kit, brake conversion, 5 on 5 1/2 conversion, lock outs, bearings, high steer arms, and assit) I'm approaching the $3000 mark and that's still cheap relatively speaking, considering Dynaripoff (Dynatrac) wants close to $7000 for the same set up.

 

[paul_xj04]

of them XJs

 

[ashmanjeepxj]

Ive got f/r 60's (high pinions with front Kingpin) that im in the process of building. My xj currently sits at about 10/11" of lift, longarm'd. The 35's im running now tuck well, but are much smaller than what i could be running. However, anything bigger will grenade the locked stock axles. The fenders are trimmed back plenty. I can clear 37's fine as is, and was planning on going up another 2" once the 60's are under there (maybe 3 months total) and trying to do at least 38's, if not 40's.

So who all is running a setup with tires/axles of this variety, and what can you tell me as far as what i might need to look out for, or what youve encountered? Thanks in advance everyone for helping this forum newbie out!

Sounds like this guy wants to buy 37s to run on his jeep axles and re-use the 37s on this 60s later on... only issue is rim size= different tires.

15in rims on 60s suck, 3in or less BS to clear the front brakes with a 15in rim is too wide IMO.

Keep the 35s, then get 38s for some beadlocked 16.5in rims when you go 60s. (Ill make my beadlocks this season)

Rideheight depends on the terrain, dount you other guys have switches?

35s are that big:

 

[BIGWOODY]

... only issue is rim size= different tires.

15in rims on 60s suck, 3in or less BS to clear the front brakes with a 15in rim is too wide

my wheels are 15's with 3.75 bs......just make brake caliper brackets and run chevy 3/4 ton calipers, clears with no issues.

 

[XJoachim]

I'm running 39.5 boggers with about 12" of lift with a 60/70 combo and i'm really happy with this combination. I have lots of room for uptravel and there is a lot of droop too. A nice side effect is that my XJ is still recognized as a XJ and it is not cut down to pieces like some other rigs. I like it this way, others may think different.