Snowguy

I have a 2000 XJ, and am moving to SF bay area and intend on spending a lot of time around Lake Tahoe, especially in the winter. What would the best tires to have to get through snow? I am considering a 3" suspension lift and 31" tires, would this be appropriate to gain ground clearance and get through deep snow? What type of tread on the tires? Or just keep it stock?

MtnHermit

Just remember there's nothing so stuck as a stuck 4WD. Doesn't matter how good your tires are once your XJ is sitting on the punkins. Above all else, invest in a good shovel.

Can't tell you how many knuckleheads go into the mountains without a shovel. Oh I won't get stuck, "I've got 4WD"!!!

Last time it was a pair of Jesus freaks, lightly clothed, no shovel, 11PM, 11,000 feet, below freezing, wanting a lift into town. I offered my shovel, oh no, too tired and cold now. Praise the lord, sooner or later it'll melt.

884x4

aint that the truth! here in texas when we go mudding i have to remember that if the ruts are deeper than my tires than no go! the other night at 3 am i decided it would be a good idea to go through a hole and i diddnt get 3 feet untill my axles high centered and my wheels were free spinning...bring that shovel my man!
as far as tires and lift go if your just doing snow id maybe go 2 inch budget boost with some decent mud terrains or all terrains
if you want to wheel id go at least 3 inches on 31 inch mud terrains

BKohs

If you're just going to be sticking to light to moderate trails and not wheeling it, some decent AT's will do the job in the snow. However, if you're going there to go nuts, then you'll need some good MT's. I had some General Grabber AT2's on my Tacoma and ZJ and had no problems in the snow and light mud in NC.

Snowguy

Thanks guys! Yeah I am from Minnesota where we have snow, but more ice...so I think I will go with ATs for a less aggressive tread and 2" lift cause I wont really be wheeling as much just light trails and getting through unplowed roads and deep-ish snow cause it dumps up there!

mitchlikesbikes

my $80 bucks a pop goodyear wrangler radials kick *** in the snow really.

like everyone else said, a shovel will be your best bet.


however i have noticed that tires with a lot of siping do well in the snow. i had a toyota tundra on MTs with no siping that sucked a fat one in the snow.

Snowguy

A 2" budget boost thats gotta be a pretty basic DIY? I have tools, space and a but of hands on knowledge with this vehicle done a whole new cooling system, brakes, rotors, and other odds and ends...do you maybe know where I could find more info on getting the parts and the process?
Thanks!

BKohs

here is a link to a bucnch of companies that do lifts and thier sizes.
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/xj...mpanies-76868/

I just pieced my 2-2.5" lift together for less than $150. If you look through the for sale threads on here, you can put it together for cheap. even if you want a really good high end setup you can do it for about $350 with full leaf packs.

And to answer your questions, yes it's quite easy to do just start spraying everything down with PB blaster now cause bolts will break. With a buget boost up front you would do coil spacers, new shocks for 2" lift, and, if you want to, adjustable track bar. In the back you could do either an add a leaf, shackles, new leaf pack or a combo of these and new shocks for 2" lift. Also, though you dont have to, you might want to do extended brake lines just to be safe.