33" 3" lift on stock running gear?

Finally time to get a lift. I have a 90 xj with a dana 30 & 35 I'm going with a 3" lift from Rusty's and was planning on running 31" tires and was going to put a Lock Right locker in the rear. I know I could fit 33" tires with some fender flares and some wheels with 4.00 backspacing. I don't do serious hardcore off road being this is my daily driver/hunting truck/towing my 4 wheeler around. My question is will my axles hold up under 33" tires with a locker in the rear?

your axles, not for long, get a non disco frt from a 95-99 xj, for the rear get a 29 spline 8.25 from a 97-01 xj then never worry about your axles

x2

you may want to think about re-gearing too tho, i'm going to 4.10 with my '91 i'm putting on 33's

Anyone running them with stock gears? I have a 89 with 31's (great power) bu i have a chance at a pretty good deal on some 33's on rims, buy or pass?

I just finished getting my 4.5" lift on and will have 33's on stock axles/gears. I'm sort of stuck because a couple of years ago I bought a Detroit locker for the rear, and now if I want to go with more appropriate gearing, I'd have to buy another locker. Not willing to do that for a while, so I'll live with a bit less power to the ground.

I did 33s and stock gearing. It sucked. Drive was unusable, always had to be in 3. Power still sucked, and mpg was terrible.

You will hear many people saying different things; some say it sucks, some say it is bearable... no one says it is good. Also depends if you have an auto or 5-speed.

I had 33s on stock (3.07) gearing with my 5-speed. I could deal with it but it was pretty much strictly used on the street, mostly highway, with the occasional trail ride. I never used 5th gear. Just left it in 3rd on back roads or 4th on the highway. Like I said, I could deal with it... but I do not advise it. If you have a manual trans you can at least regear a bit and keep it below the carrier break.. I will leave it at this, stock gearing with 33s is a dog. It takes alot of the fun out of the rig in day to day driving. Yeah it's nice and all, but every hint of performance that the XJ had disappears.

I only bought my 33s because I found a great deal on wheels/tires. Would I do it again? That depends. If I was a poor college kid again and did a majority of my driving on the street... yeah probably. Except for the fact that I would make a VERY strong effort to find a set of 4.10 front/rear axles ASAP. I would rather run 33s with 4.10s and be open/open than run 33s with 3.07s locked. Sell that detroit for a couple $$ and put it towards axles/gears/whatever. Hell, put it towards another detroit after you get geared axles if you so desire.

im on 33's with 3:55's and its going fine so far. Overdrive does kick in on the freeway, and you do have to put your pedal down a little more if your gonna stick someone to the line...

its definitely doable imo

Did the auto's always come with 3.55's and the manuals come with 3.07's?

Mine is an auto if that matters.

What does the OP have in his Jeep?

shortbussrydah said:

im on 33's with 3:55's and its going fine so far. Overdrive does kick in on the freeway, and you do have to put your pedal down a little more if your gonna stick someone to the line...

its definitely doable imo

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There is no sticking it to anyone at the line, period, with 33s and stock gears. My 103 hp Ford Focus was a rocket next to my XJ before getting the gears done. Nothing was slower than me, with the exception of the occasional VW Bus. It's "doable" but so was driving my old 90 Samurai with a dead cylinder.

ive got 3.07's and 33x12.5's and it down right sucks! i get 10 miles to the gallon. i live in a hilly area. on top of my list is a rear bumper but im also looking for a .25 with 4.10's. ideally 4.88's would be amazing!

not to thread jack but ive been thinking about maybe trying to find a set of full width axles with 4.10 or higher gearing. anyone have any ideas?

shortbussrydah said:

im on 33's with 3:55's and its going fine so far. Overdrive does kick in on the freeway, and you do have to put your pedal down a little more if your gonna stick someone to the line...

its definitely doable imo

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x2

x100 for the 3.07s and 33s being a PITA. I'm moving away from the "I can deal with it if it saves me some $ and I can aford to lock them" camp and planning to regear and get a 29 spline 8.25 for the rear (or better). Lockers may just have to wait.

stick with 31s

i'm at 4"'s of lift with 31's and I have to go up through mountain passes all the time and I would never go above 31's without re-gearing. Just too under powered......

my current setup is 3"/31's/3.07's, It's not bad, but 5th gear isn't all that useful.

I'm in the middle of swapping in an 8.25 / non disco 30 with 4.10's, 6" lift and 305/70/17's (33's). i hope it's a little better.

i have an 1989 5spd, 31" tires and 4.10 gearing. perfect for me as a daily driver.

i could go with 33's, but would rather have 4.56 gearing.

on the highway, i run from 60-80 mph with the rpms' around 2600-2850. some feel thats too high, but no need to downshift to pass or go up inclines.


not using fifth gear or D means its not geared proporly for best performance and mileage.

89xj said:

on the highway, i run from 60-80 mph with the rpms' around 2600-2850. some feel thats too high, but no need to downshift to pass or go up inclines.

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Most around here say that's right where you should be. I know I for one drove in 4th at about 2800mph at 75-80mph with my 3.07s and the 4.0 loved it. Fuel economy was great and it only got sluggish on long/steep hills. My XJ is in the shop getting 4.88s right now and with 33's i should be sitting right around 2900-3000 RPMs at 80mph. Should be able to cruise 70-75mph nicely.

The Adam Blaster said:

I just finished getting my 4.5" lift on and will have 33's on stock axles/gears. I'm sort of stuck because a couple of years ago I bought a Detroit locker for the rear, and now if I want to go with more appropriate gearing, I'd have to buy another locker. Not willing to do that for a while, so I'll live with a bit less power to the ground.

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you shouldn't have to buy a new locker if you switch your gear ratio. a detroit locker replaces your spider gears not your ring and pinion gears which are responsible for your gear ratio.

Wynner said:

you shouldn't have to buy a new locker if you switch your gear ratio. a detroit locker replaces your spider gears not your ring and pinion gears which are responsible for your gear ratio.

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I think he's referring to the carrier break