7" with shims no SYE or TC drop, only got vibes cuz my u-joints are brand new lol.

 

Yess back on topic!!

 

This is how I wheel . I wanted a 3" lift I got a zone AAL but my jeep has upcountry PKG. I have a 1/2 difference front to rear right now. I will drive it and let it settle before I add shackles or spacers to get it level. Right now Im dealing with wobble. I have a slight vibration at 35-40 mph then it is gone. I will lower the Tcase (until I get my yoke to do a sye.) Part of me wanted a 4.5 RC but I decided on the Zone and it was an early christmas present from my wife she pays good attention to my wants. LOL

 

Stock heigth You dont need 6 inches of lift where I wheel (Gilmer Tx. Barnwell mountain trails had 3-4 diamonds on them) I trapse along slow and steady. I took note of what I hung up on and will modify. in my case the stock t case skid needs to be cut and moved up. I will do the skids for the front control arms too.

 

Ok... To clear things up... like some pictures have illustrated, yes, you have more ground clearance with 4.5". No your axles aren't higher, but if you know how to pick your lines, you already made sure the tire rolled over the highest point of the rock your crossmember is about to hang up on if you're still at 3". Now I don't think higher is always better, 6.5" is pushing it, anything beyond that is just way too much. No, you don't NEED long arms... but it SURE as hell helps. And buddy, I hate to tell you but I have 4.5" RC springs, and I have buddies that wheel with me on their 3" RC springs, the 4.5" are stiffer, their 3" ers are alot more tippy. Especially when they start regretting they went 3" and throw 2" spacers on top of those soft coils. If I'm not going to run anything bigger than a 33, I'm not going to lift at all, I'm going to trim. If I want that monster articulation, then I'm going long arms or drop brackets... which there isn't much of a market in until you hit 4". Me? I'm not contect staying with mini mud tires. 3 more months and I'll be running 35's. The higher the center of the wheel, the more obsticles it'll roll over easily. It really depends what you're gonna do. If you think the dirt road on the way out to your aunt B's is moab, then 3" is too much for you, stay stock.

 

I was thinking about going 8.

 

there are some mud holes I know where you need 8 inches of lift LOL


I tend to hit the trails more. Where I wheel its tight narrow hills on the side of hills. Like out west when I went all the trails were relatively level. Here you are constantly on a slick or nasty off caber and you constantly wonder if you are tipping over. I have often thought of installing some type of roof supports that would handle straps to tie off so you won't roll over.

For my wheeling ideally I want around a 35-36 tire with 2 or three inches of lift. Decent flex like the use of 10-12 in shocks all the way around. And short arms work fine. They work fine because I only have 2 or 3in of lift.

 

^ Capable for sure.

Much of my choice to go 6.5 was simply to be able to keep the factory fender flares and run 33x12.50s.

 

Im guessing alot of folks also add better/longer bump stops?
I too am a fan of keeping the stock flares. I plan on 33x12.50s being all I will run.

 

Bump stops wouldn't have helped. Even with 6.5 inches of lift I needed to shave some of my plastic off to turn my wheels all the way on a flat surface. My build thread has some on that trimming, but you won't notice it from the outside.

Since the wheel wells get wider as you go lower, the only way to guarantee my 33 inch tire clearance is the get the tire somewhere in that sweet spot where the most play room is at the bottom of the wheel well. Otherwise, the flares need to come off and you have to trim metal.

 

I took my rig wheeling and was into the shock towers on 30s . Im looking at some stops maybe hockey pucks. I need to ge flex it and get out and measure some things.

 

I thought you wanted 33x12.50s.

 

I do but my 30s are new and well dont see me replacing them for awhile.
Im new to this jeep deal so im easing into it. I understand there are alot of parts to upgrade once over 3"s so Im starting out small. Right now I dont get to wheel much but the suspension needed some help so I decided to do a 3" lift.

 

Thats backspacing, not bumps. I ran 32's with 2" of lift and slightly was rubbing the shock towers. Added 7/16 wheel spacers which took care of it.

Hockey pucks also they cost 2.50 and raise the bump an inch. I shoo gooed them to the bottom of the spring plates. Work great!

I am bumped 1.5" front and rear. But with a 12.50 tire you probably will have to bump another inch I am guessing.

 

This is stock disco undone. I do not want tires rubbing I have evidence of them rubbing there. I wil need to fix that issue. I will add taller bump stops or pucs.