33x10.5 on 15x8" 3.75BS rims with 2-3" lift and cutting?

Goin' shopping again today for another Cherokee, but if I can't find one locally I'll drive up to San Antonio, and when I'm there pick up some stuff for the Jeep. I've had 31x9.5" TSL Radials on the TJ I used to have and absoloutly loved them, so was thinking of getting 33x10.5(32.7" true size) for the xj. Could I get away with s10 leafpack (3") for the rear (I'll get a SYE if I need too, and if I don't, I'll probably get one anyhow). For the front I was thinking 2" coil spacer and ZJ springs. I was just going to chop and sleeve the trackbar in front to make it longer if need be. I can pretty much build anything from scratch with the little shop I've built (still waiting on a nice price on a mill though). Mostly for mudding, already have some 2x6 3/16" wall tube layin' around the backyard to make bumpers. Heh, what an affliction some of us have. I have a folder on my desktop with the name "Cherokee - to do" with pictures of bumper mounts, bumpers. bumpers with integrated winch mounts, tire carriers, etc.. You bet I'll post lots of pictures here.

I run 33x10.5 on 15x7" 3.75BS rims at the moment with 5.5" lift and no trimming, with trimming I don't see any reason you couldn't fit them on a 3" lift.

Ya, I have a Cherokee folder myself with a "to do" list in it along with pictures and write up of project I want to do. After I get this cage finished I'm working on I got to finish my OBA conversion since i took my electric compressor out.

Good to know. How well do these auto's like 33's and 3.55's? I plan on doing an aux tranny cooler, probably the first day I get it (since I'll do preventative maintenance as I do not know what previous owners did). The only problem I can forsee is that our summers get to 115+ with 80% humidity, and that might put more of a strain on the auto. But we'll see

That is very close to the process I have gone through. I have an 89 4.0 with an AW4 and 3:55 gears. It has an RE 3.5 lift, lockers and 33x10.50 BFG's on stock wheels and cut fenders. My lift had the AAL, but I have since put in an MJ pack. It works great for me! I had even cut and sleeved my track bar at the axle end, but the frame end broke so I replaced it with a Kevin's unit.
I actually kind of like the 3:55's off road. I feel like I get more throttle control, but it is hard on the rig so I will be going to 4:88 soon.
My tranny is showing no signs of trouble, but the gear/tire combo can't be good for it.

Good luck!

Here's 4.5 w/33's trimmed but not higher...

Did you lock the rear 8.25 with 27spline gears, or did you get a lucky Jeep with a D44? The type of offroading I do is mostly clay hills / ditches, with some water crossings / mudding. Not a rock to be seen anywhere around here.

JohnR said:

Did you lock the rear 8.25 with 27spline gears, or did you get a lucky Jeep with a D44? The type of offroading I do is mostly clay hills / ditches, with some water crossings / mudding. Not a rock to be seen anywhere around here.

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I am running a 35 in the rear with a lockrite. I have'nt had any issues yet. The lockrite as been in there for 3 years..

That is very, very impressive. In my TJ I'd go through a rear axle about every 2 months with my lockright and 31" bfg's. But the type of wheeling I do (ravines by the river) it's basically a series of extremely steep clay hills with washouts, followed by narrow crevices full of mud, to hills again. Wheelspin is mandatory

I am also running this tire and but on a 15X7" rim in my MJ. But I am also running with almost 7" of lift and trimmed fenders. So anykind of tire contact is not a problem.

There is a happy medium here...this is a good tire width for the XJ/MJ and with about 4 to 4.5" of BS it will tuck nicely, under the fenders. Much more BS and you risk fender contact. Remember with different width tires...the width is OUT IE the BS is the same only the width changes...mening the extra width moves out. This is why I chose a 7" width rim.

I did alot of testing using different sized tires and spacers to sumulate diff BS rims. Much over 4" BS and 10.5" wide tires on 7" rims, caused contact problems. This was at about 4" of lift. Less lift would be worse and more better.

CW

JohnR said:

Did you lock the rear 8.25 with 27spline gears, or did you get a lucky Jeep with a D44? The type of offroading I do is mostly clay hills / ditches, with some water crossings / mudding. Not a rock to be seen anywhere around here.

Click to expand...

I am also running a Lock Right in a 35. Now, mine is the non-C clip version, but it has not given me any trouble in three years. I mostly run rocky trails, but there is some mud and snow thrown in for good measure.