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3" or 4.5" lift for dd?

D

dfarmxj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
western WA
Im starting to think about running a 3" lift instead of the 4.5" I had planned on. I plan on using 31" tires and I'll probably get a locker @ some point. The vehicle will be used mostly as a dd and to go hunting and camping and wheeling every once in a while. Is there much difference in performance between 3 and 4.5"?

Thanks
 
Last edited:
personally... im a fan of 4.5", 31s, and no trimming. ive run it for a long time:
182969_104884306232661_100001332774399_36451_4768082_n.jpg


68814_127756823945409_100001332774399_137934_6954581_n.jpg

great for driving, doesnt REQUIRE regearing, my typical use was beach driving to surf or fish and commuting to school.


youll get some rubbing with stock wheels but i never popped a flair off, with a little more offset things fit just right:
41303_111459268908498_100001332774399_75099_2641384_n.jpg


once you trim though... all bets are off. youll want to go bigger:
35256_104886609565764_100001332774399_36482_795848_n.jpg
 
I would go 3". Better/lower COG. Are you planning on purchasing a kit, or custom/budget lift?
 
VAhasnoWAVES said:
personally... im a fan of 4.5", 31s, and no trimming. ive run it for a long time:



great for driving, doesnt REQUIRE regearing, my typical use was beach driving to surf or fish and commuting to school.


youll get some rubbing with stock wheels but i never popped a flair off, with a little more offset things fit just right:


once you trim though... all bets are off. youll want to go bigger:
Click to expand...



I'm going to have to agree with this, I love the looks of 4.5" on 31's for a daily driver and no trimming. If you want to trim, and stay 31's, go with a 3-3.5". I had SO much fun with my 3" lift on 30x9.50's before I stepped it up:

DSC_0567.jpg


DSCF2846.JPG
 
I am sitting at 3.5" right now and was running 31s for years until I trimmed and threw on some 33s. The Jeep is a dog now and really hates the highway but I have wheeled the Jeep in the same areas I went with 31s and the offroad performance was way better with 33s. If I were you I would go 4.5" and run 32s. Great look great height and most 4.5" kits include both upper and lower control arms where most 3" kits will include atmost lower arms. Also should you ever decide to go longarms then 4.5" is usually the beginning height for that upgrade which will dramatically improve ride quality.
 
you could always go 3", and add a spacer and shackles down the line once you've got everything else built up(u + lcas, track bars, etc)

that what I think I'll be doing
 
I loved my 3" and 31's, looked great! Now, had I bought a good kit, not a RC AAL kit, I would keep it, but its saggy and I'm going bigger. Go 3" and buy a good kit, you'll love it.
 
My Jeep drove real good with 30s and 3". Spent a lot of time that way, went all over the place and got 18+mpg avg. Mind you, a lot of the driving out here is highway style. When I disco'd the sway bars, I suddenly ran out of fender room...:D
 
I had the exact same dilemma. I went with a 3" lift with Rusty's with full springs in case I wanted to add spacers or shackles. I can go anywhere anyone else can go with the 4.5" lift & I didn't have to do an SYE, or new d-lines, or t-case drop. Just a lift, and tires, and I was good to go.
 
I have a 4.5 longarm lift and drive mine every day, if you want a quality ride save your$$ and go with a 4.5 longarm. You can run 31's w/o trimming and it looks decent, I run 32's still no trimming but bumpstopped and it looks + rides great and the gas mileage is ok, without gears I would go any bigger than a 32.
 
lowrange2 said:
3" and 31's for the DD and 5.5" and 35's for the toy. That's how I roll.
Click to expand...

I too roll this way. I even wheel my dd a little
I'll say more than lift height, tire selection is far more important
I run GY duratrac's on the dd and they grip just as well as my 35" MTR's w/Kevlar that I run on the big jeep. Very impressed with those tires. I can do more on 3" and 31's than I did with far more lift and 33's of a lesser brand
Oh and I drove 1500 miles to Kansas and back to Colorado springs doing 80 getting 19 mpg with stock 3.55 gears
 
clean4drxj said:
I have a 4.5 longarm lift and drive mine every day, if you want a quality ride save your$$ and go with a 4.5 longarm. You can run 31's w/o trimming and it looks decent, I run 32's still no trimming but bumpstopped and it looks + rides great and the gas mileage is ok, without gears I wouldn't go any bigger than a 32.
Click to expand...
 
Im thinking I'll go 4.5" and 31s and I'll probably end up getting drop brackets for the control arms. I'm curious how its going to change the handling and road manners without the drop brackets. Do the drop brackets really help much? (And what do they help handling wise?)
 
I am very pleased with my setup. (4 inch DPG/OME hybrid and 31s)
IMHO, It makes a good dual purpose rig for driver and still do some off roading.

No trimming and no drop brackets. The ride is really good with this setup.

picture.php
 
I am at 3" with 32's, while its not my DD anymore it still gets driven to the trail. Rides better than my Stock XJ on the highway. I have OME parts on it(OME934 coils, CS034RA packs with an extra leaf, OME nitro chargers) with 400lbs of armor on it. Its kinda doggy right now until I regear it but its not too sluggish.

Here's how she sits(don't mind the goofy kid in the drivers seat, this was his first time driving it, gonna learn him how to wheel it soon):

279610_800786785283_58211899_37658195_3035434_o.jpg
 
crazyjim said:
I'm going to have to agree with this, I love the looks of 4.5" on 31's for a daily driver and no trimming. If you want to trim, and stay 31's, go with a 3-3.5". I had SO much fun with my 3" lift on 30x9.50's before I stepped it up:

DSC_0567.jpg


DSCF2846.JPG
Click to expand...

Jim, what wheels are those? I want some for my DD! :D
 
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