Its that time agian, tax return season and I have managed to pry some money out of it for the jeep. Now I'm trying to decide between Locking front and rear with lunchbox lockers and staying at 3'' on 31's or boosting up to a 4.5'' lift with longer braided brake lines and RE 4.5 springs up front from serious, boomerang shackles in the rear with my 3'' leaf packs and a double shear track bar fro IRO. I end up wheeling most of the time with a big group of TJ's, Yj's, and JK's all with 33's or bigger and I want to get out with them on some of the tougher trails. I really want both but one step at a time.

 

Hey man, I'm took the lift and bigger tires route and even though it looks bada$$, looking back now, I wish I would have gone the locking route. You'll get more out of your rig IMO. Plus you run into all kinds of random crap when you lift and up tire size. The money just disappears (more so than usual at least lol)

 

I'd go with the lockers. With lockers you can go just about anywhere.

 

Yeah the lockers will get you alot further than 1.5" of more lift. Im also at 3 and 31s, and the only issue with being this low is my bumper is sometimes not high enough for verticle steps. Besides that, what usually stops me from making something is not being locked, to push over stuff.

 

Agree with the lockers. I wish I would have done that first. Like stated above. Going higher really doesn't help. Pick up sole skid plates for protection and you'll keep up with those wrangler boys.

It's more impressive to see a smaller rig on the trails keepin up with lifted rigs any ways.

 

This, people underestimate XJs, I've wheeled with early broncos with serious mods, and when they do an obstacle and I follow them like nothing it really surprises them. Were short enough to make it real hard to high center, but long enough to make most steep climbs look simple. The biggest thing I take into concideration before doing something is if my axels are high enough, if so I make it only been hung up once where I had to back out

 

Lockers > Lift !

MY XJ is on 3.5" lift and 33's with just a rear locker and I can go further then buddys with 6" lifts and 35-37's that have open diffs and I can go up stuff they can attempt but only end up getting winched up

 

Depends on the terrain. If you're always bottoming out, go with the lift. If you aren't, lockers will do more.

 

^^^^^^this. Being lifted doesn't mean you can climb a mountain. A lower cog build is very capable. And its also about driving style. Get 33s and you be where the wranglers are

 

Lockers. Function over form.

 

Hi Tom, I have read your build thread end to end and back again and I love your rig. How are the 33x10.50s on the 8'' wide wheels working for you? Have you had any bead issues? We have a lot of rock up in here mixed in with dirt and mud. NewEngland make for some awesome trail riding. ANYway, You guys now have me thinking lockers for sure. i am a big low cog fan and have a goal of 35's on a 4.5'' lift. but looking at it there really is no point on going taller till I can afford new tires and a regear. I can probably get away with a good cut and fold too when it comes to going to 33's

 

You can run 12.5 on a 8". the narrow wheels acts as a "poor mans" beadlock, I run 10.5 on my 7" stock wheels. And log COG is the way to go, I plan 35 or 37s at arounf 5 inches. The only a bigger/different lift would really benifit is if you went longarm or 4 link.

 

Lock!

 

I think he was talking more along the lines of an 8" rim being a little wide for a 10.5" wide tire.

 

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