Colorado Adventures Continued (Punk'n JLR)

[dragoneggs]

You have an auto, it doesn't make as much difference as it does in a manual like Gary's

Yeah I forgot Gary is rocking a manual. I feel like I want to go to 4.56 but jeeples say it isn’t worth it.

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[gek]

Yeah I forgot Gary is rocking a manual. I feel like I want to go to 4.56 but jeeples say it isn’t worth it.

I like the 4.56 in my auto, but I haven't driven a 4.10 to compare it to. I can say it is much better than an auto with 3.45s

But still not a huge difference imo

 

[dragoneggs]

Some Jeeples say skip the 4.56 and go to 4.88. Don’t know if that is the best idea for my situation. Fixed income now says stick with the 4.10s.

 

[grimmjeeper]

Some Jeeples say skip the 4.56 and go to 4.88. Don’t know if that is the best idea for my situation. Fixed income now says stick with the 4.10s.

The Rubicon transfer case puts 4.10s with 35s and an automatic in the "good enough" category for most people. If you don't find yourself really wanting to crawl slower, the change to 4.56 or 4.88 probably isn't worth it.

If you had 3.45 gears and the 2.72:1 transfer case, stepping up to 4.56 or 4.88 is a much more compelling argument.

 

[Krondor]

Some Jeeples say skip the 4.56 and go to 4.88. Don’t know if that is the best idea for my situation. Fixed income now says stick with the 4.10s.

Not having much experience with the auto, I still say it matters a lot less with them. At least from my limited drives and what others say.

The 37's sucked the life out of my manual even with 4.88's. Not that it wasn't able to move them or that I couldn't have benefited off road but the day to day driving was impacted.

In your situation I'd also stick with 35's... because two door.

You don't rub your belly much now and your on a fixed income. But when you need tires, I highly recommend the Mickey's.

 

[yokramer]

Method 703's (again) and 35" Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T's

Shocking I know, but I got another set of wheels and tires already!

The 37's did fantastic in Moab and I love the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T's for their grip out there and through heavy rain. So much better than KO2's, now I'm hopeful they will be better in snow too but we will see.

My initial reservations about stepping up to 37's were justified. In everything else the 37's made the Jeep worse. I could barely hold 4th gear going up to Eisenhower Tunnel and even downshifted to 3rd to hold 40-50mph. Acceleration was nerfed and so was stopping. To the point where I was seriously thinking about replacing the brakes again after just having replaced them?

What had me most was turning. I could NOT turn those big boys in the rocks. A first and it was unsettling. I know ... I know, hydrosteer... Then replace the liners so I stop rubbing, then replace the ball joints because they wore out even faster, then replace the ton steering for 2.5 ton steering with hydro steer...

Nope. Better to take the hit for selling the 37's to another Jeeper with a JLU and auto. He will be happier and I will be happier on smaller 35's.

One day the Jeep will be a weekend warrior wearing 37" mud terrains and look more like a buggy, but not today.

OH, and Wanderer really looks better with bronze to me. YMMV

Shit the amount of money you have spent in wheels and tires in the last 2 months is about the amount you say you need to have a new Jeep discounted ....

 

[Krondor]

Shit the amount of money you have spent in wheels and tires in the last 2 months is about the amount you say you need to have a new Jeep discounted ....

I'm into my current set for $3600 + the $450 I'm down from the 37's and Methods. Selling the unused set for $2300 or even $2000 has me in for $1750 or $2050. So still not near what a new Jeep will cost me.

 

[Krondor]

Tires, wheels, and my thoughts...


I still hold to the thought that tires are the single best upgrade you can do for any vehicle. The Jeep is no exception, though I really think a V8 swap would bring more smiles.

Here are the various wheels and tires that I've tried over the years on Wanderer and my thoughts.


Jun 22, 2018 - Brand New Jeep Day

The Jeep started life with 285/70R17's from BFGoodrich. The KO2's are light and flexible giving them a more comfortable ride while still doing well off road. After many changes I can say that they are not great at any one role but they do well overall.

So well, that I have been back to them after stepping out to others. That said, the down sides are that they are not good in rain and can hydroplane at the worst times. They hold onto little stones that you can hear tapping away until they finally break loose to fly back at an unsuspecting car behind you.

My biggest gripe though as others have found, you best have a lifetime balancing and rotation with Discount Tire because they are hard to balance and go out of balance regularly.

The stock 2018 Rubicon wheels? Well I didn't like the style.


Jul 9, 2018 - Upgrade Rubicon wheels: black with silver lip.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...entures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-281448

So when I found a set of upgrade Rubicon stock wheels and tires on Craigslist, I decided to swap. Selling my set for $1,200 after I bought these for the same leaves the deal a wash for an option that would have cost over a grand from the factory.

I liked this style wheel much better, but it was still only 7.5" wide and fairly close to the hub with +44 offset.


Dec 11, 2018 - Upgrade Rubicon wheels with White Letter KO2's

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...entures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-480808

Five months later I found the stock size KO2's for sale cheap. Got them for a bargin and after having them mounted and balanced and then selling the original KO2's for a bit more than I bought the white letter set for I was again at a wash, if not ahead a few bucks.

I liked the look of the white letters but there was no real gains with stock tires and wheels.


Mar 21,2019 - Method MR701 Wheels

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...entures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-618141

Mar 22, 2019 - Milestar Patagonia M/T Tires!

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...entures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-619852
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...entures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-620250

The first real step up in tire size and better wheels, I got Method MR701's that were 8.5" wide and 0 offset to hold 315/70R17 Milestar Patagonias. An MT, the Patagonias were more of a hybrid that did fair in the snow but much better in the rain and off road than the KO2's did.

The added tire size was immediately an improvement off road because I scraped a lot less and with the Method bead grips I dared go down to 10 psi. SO much more comfortable and grippy.

Inspiration for Bronze Wheels

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...entures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-624782

I went bronze because I had bronze wheels on my Subaru. I just grew to love them so much that I wanted them on my Jeep. Another reason for the Methods was that I had seen them take a beating in King of the Hammers races and was truly impressed.


Jul 27, 2019 - Sport Wheels

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...entures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-780937

While the Patagonias were fine in the snow, I still felt like KO2's were better. So when I found a stock set of Sport wheels and KO2's I had to try two sets. The return to 285's did bring back a lot of pep that I'd lost with the bigger and heavier set.

Jun 24, 2020 - Method 702's with BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains LT315/70R17

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ntures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-1164379

Another chance find on Craigslist was a set of Method MR702's with BFGoodrich KM3's in 315/70R17. Though they were listed as the same size as the Pat's it was apparent that the KM3's were smaller.

The KM3's had the best grip off road so far of all my tires. I enjoyed their ability to grab and hold especially when aired down to 10-15 psi. I got up hills I had no business trying, but they pulled me right through every time.

Then the snow flew, and by that time I had already sold the 285 KO2's on Sport wheels and 315 Pat's on Method MR701's.


Dec 16, 2020 - Method MR703's wrapped in BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2's (LT315/70R17/C 113/110S)

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ntures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-1347579

After a few close calls on the MT's, I decided a set of KO2's was a better bet. I really liked the 315 size, but also missed the bronze. So new MR703's and KO2's had to be done.

KO2's won again for their ability to track well on road as well as off, and they would do much better in snow. Larger, they still held rocks and didn't like standing water when driving through the rain.


May 31, 2023 - Street Wheels Mopar Gear Wheels & Nitto Ridge Grappler 35x12.5R17LT

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ntures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-2370256

Again I found another sweet deal on tires and wheels. The Mopar Gear wheels were the classic 5 spoke design I loved and I'd never tried Nitto Ridge Grapplers before.

The Gear Wheels are 8.5" wide with +12 offset. So they were a bit closer than the Methods but I could use the stock lug nuts.

The Ridge Grapplers were fairly old and worn. As such, the rubber was hard and so was the ride. Load E rated, they felt like they had no compliance at all even at 15 psi. On the streets I tried airing down to 30 psi and they still road hard. Grip wasn't there in wet or off road at this point. (5-7/32nds tread depth.)

So now I'm thinking I need two sets on hand again.


Sep 7, 2023 - Nitto Trail Grappler M/T 35X11.50R17 LT 118Q C1 BSW (73lbs)

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ntures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-2468636

Before going to Moab, I wanted MT's again. This time I bought into the "pizza cutter" idea and got 35x11.5R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers.

As with the KM3's, the Trail Grapplers were better off road than on. They had great grip in the dirt but not as good on the road. I found them to be louder than the KM3's were as well. Moab proved to be a mixed bag in that they were great in the sand but not as good crawling up on that sandrock the KO2's seemed to stick like glue.

They were not as hard as the Ridge Grapplers because they were new, but they were not as comfortable as any of the BFGoodridge tires or even the Pat's.


Oct 27, 2023 - Mopar Gear Wheels & KO2's

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ntures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-2511131

When I bought the Nittos and put them on the Methods, I decided that the KO2's would fit well on the Mopar Gear Wheels for my winter set.

They did quite well and I still love the look of 5 spokes. Classic.


Mar 15, 2024 - Back to Method Wheels & Nitto Trail Grappler M/T's

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ntures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-2645319

As soon as Spring came back around I swapped back to the Nitto's for more exploring. They did well off road and I did like that they didn't collect rocks.


Nov 7, 2024 - Swap back to winter set

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ntures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-2905177

Winter set back in action. KO2's still hold their own all around.


Dec 18, 2024 - Swap Mopar for Method Wheels

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ntures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-2947945

Tiring of the two sets of wheels and tires, I decided to sell the Nitto's and Mopar Gear wheels. The tires sold first and it took some time finding a buyer for the Gear wheels. I guess I liked them more than most out there.

Love my Method bronze wheels, so they got the KO2's for my all around choice again.


Sep 8, 2025 - Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T 37x12.50-17LT

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ntures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-3228549

Moab time again, and this time I wanted to try Mickey Thompson AT's given all the rave reviews they had.

As it happens, NR4x4 had a sale but only on 37" AT's. SO much bigger I was a bit worried when they showed up. I have always stuck to 35's as the best size for two doors. We will see.


Sep 13, 2025 - New Method M703's and 37" Mickey Thompson AT's installed

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ntures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-3230089

I remembered that OnX Elite had some really good deals, and one of them was 25% off Method wheels. So I ordered a fresh set of MR701's in black. I was telling myself that I may want a more neutral color so I can bring them with me to the new four door of whatever color I end up finding.

Moab ended up being a blast on the Mickey Thompson's. I drove through good rain and puddles without any hydroplaning. I crawled some larger rocks with even more clearance. These tires were amazing off road. Fairly good on road. Can't wait to try them in snow.

The down side was exactly as I thought 37's would come with. Heavy, they are immediately noticeable in slower acceleration, stopping, and turning. I had a couple of times gotten locked up where I just could not turn those big tires in the rocks. Driving up to Eisenhower Tunnel saw me having to drop to 4th and even 3rd a couple of times to keep up with traffic.

Didn't I re-gear to 4.88's to prevent that? Anyway, with the manual even 4.88's wasn't enough to move those meats any better than stock up that hill.


Oct 25, 2025 - Method 703's (again) and 35" Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T's

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ntures-continued-punkn-jlr.11524/post-3267080

So here we are, almost full circle again. Love the Method MR703's in bronze. Love the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T's. AND, I love 35's on a two door.

 

[blnewt]

I was telling myself that I may want a more neutral color so I can bring them with me to the new four door of whatever color I end up finding.

Uh oh, tell me this isn't the end of Wanderer as we know it, just another rig for your stable I hope

I bet you've paid for quite a few tools for your "tire guy", or maybe a few exotic vacations lol.

 

[dragoneggs]

How come you haven’t scraped the crap out of your bronze wheels? Go do the Rubicon.

I think my next set will be 35in Boss A/Ts when the KO2s wear out. Weight increase doesn’t look too bad.

 

[gek]

How come you haven’t scraped the crap out of your bronze wheels? Go do the Rubicon.

I think my next set will be 35in Boss A/Ts when the KO2s wear out. Weight increase doesn’t look too bad.

Because he bought new ones!

 

[Krondor]

Because he bought new ones!

Want to swap back? Your 316's are still sitting here.

I could then sell the new ones and keep the ones with all my badges.

 

[Krondor]

How come you haven’t scraped the crap out of your bronze wheels? Go do the Rubicon.

I think my next set will be 35in Boss A/Ts when the KO2s wear out. Weight increase doesn’t look too bad.

I really like the Boss A/T's over the KO2's even with the weight penalty. They grip better off road and on road through the rain. Haven't tried them in snow yet, but they get glowing reviews there too.

I know where you can get them on sale if you don't want to wait till your KO2's wear out...

 

[gek]

Want to swap back? Your 316's are still sitting here.

I could then sell the new ones and keep the ones with all my badges.

If you really want these back, text me and we can discuss you bringing the new ones.

You have to drive to me and pay to have the tires swapped though. I don't have another drive to CO in me this year.

 

[Krondor]

If you really want these back, text me and we can discuss you bringing the new ones.

You have to drive to me and pay to have the tires swapped though. I don't have another drive to CO in me this year.

I'm long overdue to make that trip. Will see what we can do in the warmer months to come.

I'm keeping my current set though.

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