35x12.50s on stock axles

Hello everyone,

I know this is a dumb-dumb question, but none of the people I run with have an XJ. My "short jeep" friends, and the XJers I meet on the trails, give me conflicting answers. I have been away from this site for several years, so I tried the search feature on this forum, but came up with nothing. The "Has this already been asked?" option didn't help either. So here goes.

Most of my off roading is on rocks. I don't have a roll cage and I need to be able to drive my jeep home and to work the next day. I have a 2000 XJ, with the 4.0 and auto. I am now running 32X11.50s on 15x8s with 4" b.s., with 4 1/2" of lift and minor fender trimming, on the stock D30 and Chrys 8 1/4", with 4.56 gears and ARB lockers.

I need new rubber and would like to move up to 35x12.50s on 15x10s, instead of 33s.

My question: are the axles and gearing upto it, and if so what b.s.? More fender trimming is OK, I would like to keep the 4 1/2" lift.

Thanks for the help.

Jim

first of all, I'm still kicking myself for putting my 35x12.50s on 10" wide wheels, go 8s for a 12.50 tire!

if driven gently, yes, they will hold up. lock those ARBs and step on the skinny pedal, get bouncing or wedged, and stuff will blow. You will be more reliable, better gas mileage, better gearing, and 95% as capabe on 33s though, so I would recommend that. 4.5" lift will easily work on 33s, but will take some real trimming work and/or big bumpstops to work with 35s.

there is no trail in Northern California that can't be run with 33s and 2 lockers, as Jes has well proven. even most of the Hammers trails can be run with 33s and lockers with some good driving.

with the strongest c-clip rear alxe made in the cherokee - id say you would be ok...

running the same thing but 33's (30/8.25/4.56/ARBs) i did upgrade shafts in the back and carry spares for the front but so far (disney/attica/superlift) ive been ok. would i go 35s on the 8.25, no, id get a 8.8/9"/44 but i know people that are running it and get away with it.

as for the 4.56s, everyone i know running 30/8.25 is running the 4.56 (thats it for the cryco) with a 30/44 most are running 4.88s+.

15x10s on 12.50s, dont have to that ive ever seen. ive run several brands of 12.50 wide tire all on cheap azz 15x8 steel wheels, no probs. actually seen 15x10s loose the bead when aired down too much. dunno, id stick with 15x8s.

any reason you want to run 35s? are you going to street it at all?

-

Thanks Brett

By pulling up your response, I got access to a two year old thread where the exact same thing was asked. 22 people responded and most said, more or less, the same thing you said. I will go with the 33s.

good choice, and check out the Sierra Chapter section and come on some of the trail rides.

peace

XJClyde said:

Thanks Brett

By pulling up your response, I got access to a two year old thread where the exact same thing was asked. 22 people responded and most said, more or less, the same thing you said. I will go with the 33s.

Click to expand...

Good decision......you'll be happier with the 33's and actually being able to wheel and have fun rather than working on your rig all the time. Looking at how you're equiped, with the 297x axle joints in front and the 29 spline 8.25 in back, you should be fairly reliable with 33's. On the trails that you'll run, you'd gain very little, if anything, with the 35's.

im runnin 36's on a d30 with 297x's and a 29 spline 8.25 and after 3 wheelin trips still have no breakage. it will work okay if you arent a jackass with the throttle. you have to know when to back off the gas and with bigger tires on stock axles, that point is a little sooner than people turning 33's

I've been running 35 MTR's on my 6" lift '96 4.0/auto/231/d30/chr8.25 with STOCK GEARING for 3 years. (I know...I know...) anyhow, no problems and love the ground clearence.

Gears are in the budget for this winter finally, possibly an 8.8 swap prior to it though. I've been building this on a VERY tight budget since '99 and haven't broken anything major yet. A light foot and common sense go along ways!