New 33's
04-27-2015, 12:58 PM
#1
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New 33's
I think in the coming weeks I will be upgrading to a set of 33x1050 BFG All Terrains. Anyone have any experince/opinions on this with the stock 3.55 gearing? I'm hoping it'll be very similar to my 31's because hills on Long Island are minimal, and that I will be able to get away with not re-gearing for a little bit
04-27-2015, 01:21 PM
#2
Beach Bum
You will be driving in the slow lane and making frequent stops for fuel. Highway driving will be where it suffers.
Otherwise, watch your tranny temps, will need an auxiliary cooler if not already installed.
Otherwise, watch your tranny temps, will need an auxiliary cooler if not already installed.
04-27-2015, 01:25 PM
#3
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This is one thing I can speak personally about of having 3.55 gears with 31's and then 33" tires. My XJ had 31's on it when I bought it but they were crap and the Jeep had no power. After 3 weeks bought 5 new 33" tires then it really sucked till I installed gears (4.56's) and lockers. They mad all the difference in the world on and off road, a 5 mpg increase right off the bat with GPS and speedometer with right gear.
Steve knows about this personally also he's on a 31" tire and fighting with a stock gear till he can change to 4.10's.
Well several things for one if upgrading to 33's why not go to a 12:50 instead of the 10:50 the extra width equals more traction. With the 31's I'm sure that you had the proper wheel a 15x8" with 3.75-4" of BS already, correct?
Even with the 31's I'm sure you noticed what a bit of a pig it was with those gears and for sure poorer MPG no way around that you should have had 4.10 gears. The 33's will help more off road in clearance and if you have the 12:50's a nice wide stance when aired down for better traction when it gets tough going.
If your more of just a DD with little or no off road all you will lose is MPG's and overall performance with the narrow 33's till you re-gear. If you do off road install both lockers when you re-gear and save yourself a bunch of labor.
Steve knows about this personally also he's on a 31" tire and fighting with a stock gear till he can change to 4.10's.
Well several things for one if upgrading to 33's why not go to a 12:50 instead of the 10:50 the extra width equals more traction. With the 31's I'm sure that you had the proper wheel a 15x8" with 3.75-4" of BS already, correct?
Even with the 31's I'm sure you noticed what a bit of a pig it was with those gears and for sure poorer MPG no way around that you should have had 4.10 gears. The 33's will help more off road in clearance and if you have the 12:50's a nice wide stance when aired down for better traction when it gets tough going.
If your more of just a DD with little or no off road all you will lose is MPG's and overall performance with the narrow 33's till you re-gear. If you do off road install both lockers when you re-gear and save yourself a bunch of labor.
Last edited by Fred/N0AZZ; 04-27-2015 at 01:28 PM.
04-27-2015, 02:06 PM
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IMO don't waste your time with those BFG's. Better, cheaper, and better wearing A/T's out there. I agree with the above about 12.50's. You won't regret getting a wider tire.
My rig has 33x12.50's with stock 3.55's. Yeah, it's a dog, but it's not un-drivable. Milage does suffer however. I don't drive it on the street anymore, so it's not that pressing of an issue for me.
My rig has 33x12.50's with stock 3.55's. Yeah, it's a dog, but it's not un-drivable. Milage does suffer however. I don't drive it on the street anymore, so it's not that pressing of an issue for me.
04-27-2015, 04:04 PM
#5
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This is one thing I can speak personally about of having 3.55 gears with 31's and then 33" tires. My XJ had 31's on it when I bought it but they were crap and the Jeep had no power. After 3 weeks bought 5 new 33" tires then it really sucked till I installed gears (4.56's) and lockers. They mad all the difference in the world on and off road, a 5 mpg increase right off the bat with GPS and speedometer with right gear.
Steve knows about this personally also he's on a 31" tire and fighting with a stock gear till he can change to 4.10's.
Well several things for one if upgrading to 33's why not go to a 12:50 instead of the 10:50 the extra width equals more traction. With the 31's I'm sure that you had the proper wheel a 15x8" with 3.75-4" of BS already, correct?
Even with the 31's I'm sure you noticed what a bit of a pig it was with those gears and for sure poorer MPG no way around that you should have had 4.10 gears. The 33's will help more off road in clearance and if you have the 12:50's a nice wide stance when aired down for better traction when it gets tough going.
If your more of just a DD with little or no off road all you will lose is MPG's and overall performance with the narrow 33's till you re-gear. If you do off road install both lockers when you re-gear and save yourself a bunch of labor.
Steve knows about this personally also he's on a 31" tire and fighting with a stock gear till he can change to 4.10's.
Well several things for one if upgrading to 33's why not go to a 12:50 instead of the 10:50 the extra width equals more traction. With the 31's I'm sure that you had the proper wheel a 15x8" with 3.75-4" of BS already, correct?
Even with the 31's I'm sure you noticed what a bit of a pig it was with those gears and for sure poorer MPG no way around that you should have had 4.10 gears. The 33's will help more off road in clearance and if you have the 12:50's a nice wide stance when aired down for better traction when it gets tough going.
If your more of just a DD with little or no off road all you will lose is MPG's and overall performance with the narrow 33's till you re-gear. If you do off road install both lockers when you re-gear and save yourself a bunch of labor.
04-27-2015, 04:08 PM
#6
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This is one thing I can speak personally about of having 3.55 gears with 31's and then 33" tires. My XJ had 31's on it when I bought it but they were crap and the Jeep had no power. After 3 weeks bought 5 new 33" tires then it really sucked till I installed gears (4.56's) and lockers. They mad all the difference in the world on and off road, a 5 mpg increase right off the bat with GPS and speedometer with right gear.
Steve knows about this personally also he's on a 31" tire and fighting with a stock gear till he can change to 4.10's.
Well several things for one if upgrading to 33's why not go to a 12:50 instead of the 10:50 the extra width equals more traction. With the 31's I'm sure that you had the proper wheel a 15x8" with 3.75-4" of BS already, correct?
Even with the 31's I'm sure you noticed what a bit of a pig it was with those gears and for sure poorer MPG no way around that you should have had 4.10 gears. The 33's will help more off road in clearance and if you have the 12:50's a nice wide stance when aired down for better traction when it gets tough going.
If your more of just a DD with little or no off road all you will lose is MPG's and overall performance with the narrow 33's till you re-gear. If you do off road install both lockers when you re-gear and save yourself a bunch of labor.
Steve knows about this personally also he's on a 31" tire and fighting with a stock gear till he can change to 4.10's.
Well several things for one if upgrading to 33's why not go to a 12:50 instead of the 10:50 the extra width equals more traction. With the 31's I'm sure that you had the proper wheel a 15x8" with 3.75-4" of BS already, correct?
Even with the 31's I'm sure you noticed what a bit of a pig it was with those gears and for sure poorer MPG no way around that you should have had 4.10 gears. The 33's will help more off road in clearance and if you have the 12:50's a nice wide stance when aired down for better traction when it gets tough going.
If your more of just a DD with little or no off road all you will lose is MPG's and overall performance with the narrow 33's till you re-gear. If you do off road install both lockers when you re-gear and save yourself a bunch of labor.
04-27-2015, 08:38 PM
#7
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33s on 3.55s aren't nearly as bad as people like to whine about them unless you do a lot of highway driving or live in mountains.
I've got to fill up once every 10 days or so and I rarely have to do over 2k RPMs and I have a hammerfoot. I do about 1800 RPM doing 45-55 to work in the mornings and 2200 RPM to do 60-65 on the highway and I wasn't a fan of doing over that on the highway stock in an old MJ anyway. Experience was the same in my 92 XJ.
It feels like driving a stock 4 banger. Unless you've got a lot of expendable income it's not worth upgrading gears on that setup imo.
I've got to fill up once every 10 days or so and I rarely have to do over 2k RPMs and I have a hammerfoot. I do about 1800 RPM doing 45-55 to work in the mornings and 2200 RPM to do 60-65 on the highway and I wasn't a fan of doing over that on the highway stock in an old MJ anyway. Experience was the same in my 92 XJ.
It feels like driving a stock 4 banger. Unless you've got a lot of expendable income it's not worth upgrading gears on that setup imo.
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04-27-2015, 08:45 PM
#8
Beach Bum
33s on 3.55s aren't nearly as bad as people like to whine about them unless you do a lot of highway driving or live in mountains.
I've got to fill up once every 10 days or so and I rarely have to do over 2k RPMs and I have a hammerfoot. I do about 1800 RPM doing 45-55 to work in the mornings and 2200 RPM to do 60-65 on the highway and I wasn't a fan of doing over that on the highway stock in an old MJ anyway. Experience was the same in my 92 XJ.
It feels like driving a stock 4 banger. Unless you've got a lot of expendable income it's not worth upgrading gears on that setup imo.
I've got to fill up once every 10 days or so and I rarely have to do over 2k RPMs and I have a hammerfoot. I do about 1800 RPM doing 45-55 to work in the mornings and 2200 RPM to do 60-65 on the highway and I wasn't a fan of doing over that on the highway stock in an old MJ anyway. Experience was the same in my 92 XJ.
It feels like driving a stock 4 banger. Unless you've got a lot of expendable income it's not worth upgrading gears on that setup imo.
04-28-2015, 10:58 AM
#9
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im on 3.55s and 33x10.50 km2. It is absolutely horribly under powered and about as undriveable as it gets. the trans gets hot! but, i live at 5000 feet and there are mountains every where, i drive 20 highway miles every day. i also have 1000 pounds of armor and bumpers. i would recommend 4.56 or 4.88 if you like to drive on the highway.
im just counting $$ until i can afford my gears. it is necessary!
im just counting $$ until i can afford my gears. it is necessary!
04-28-2015, 02:20 PM
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Some don't monitor the temps and don't care or even know to do so I guess.
I bet if you were to ask they hadn't even added a HD Trans Cooler much less a gauge Steve. I guess I'll go "Whine" elsewhere and let the people who know the real deal speak up
04-28-2015, 07:23 PM
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Yeah, it's more of a daily driver/weekend warrior deal, nothing extreme till I get a daily driver some point down the road. But I have 31's on 3.55 and have for the past year and a half and the only real difference I noticed compared to stock was the mileage; I can cruise 70 on the highway no problem currently. And for the 1250 vs 1050; for whatever reason i like the skinnier look on my rig, and I like how 1050 wide are in the snow compared the 1250. I just want to gather opinions because from what I've seen people seem to have different experiences with tires based on circumstances
04-28-2015, 07:34 PM
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I ran 33x10.5 BFG KM2s I never once thought it was horribly under powered. I don't have a 1000 lbs of extra weight though. I have 33x12.5 General Grabber AT2s now and it still feels about the same. It's a fact it's slower and can be bad for the transmission but my fluid still looks fine. Maybe I just have a strong motor.