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HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? - LIFT & TIRES

CherryOnTop

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So, now I have a 2019 JLU Rubicon. It's my daily driver - but I am absolutely determined to make sure it earns it's Rubicon badge. I'm planning a couple of extended trips out west to do the actual Rubicon trail, and to hit as many of the other acclaimed trails as we can along the way. (It's a bucket list thing) I'm looking for advice from those of you who have actually run some of these trails in a JLUR as to what mods you would consider necessary, while keeping my ride a practical grocery-getter. I've seen where some have taken their stock JLUR on these iconic trails - but my experience on some local trails has shown that while the stock JLUR is a really freaking capable vehicle, it still has room for improvement. It seems to me like the western trails require more of an emphasis on clearance and articulation - am I right? To get to the point - will a 2" Mopar lift , 35" tires and full skid plates get it done? Oh, and I really don't want tires to extend outside the fender flairs, so what about using stock wheels and no spacers? I love the YouTube channels about Jeepin' on those western trails but some of these guys make it seem like you're in for a world of hurt if you're not on a 4" lift and 40" tires with bead locks. I feel that putting a huge lift and monstrously large and heavy tires on this vehicle would ruin it's street-ability. I came to own a Jeep after 30 years of driving 4WD trucks and have experienced the loss of ride comfort and handling when you cross that certain threshold. Looking for comments - but please stick to actual trail & street performance and don't bring looks into the conversation. Also know that my interest in running these renown trails is about completing them. I want to get from start to finish but have no interest in putting my jeep at risk of rolling over just to challenge my ability to navigate gnarly obstacles. (although I have a history of being drawn into taking on some nutso challenges).
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rickyrobert

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I've heard bad things about the mopar lift. No first hand experience with it, but heard bad things.
 

rustyshakelford

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When built “right” the ride, handling and road manners should at a minimum stay the same as stock but my goal is to improve it significantly. A stock rubi can complete the rubicon trail using bypasses too. We’re going out there next year and our jeeps have 3.5” lifts and 37s. Mine has full under belly skids too. A 2.5” and 35s is a very capable set up as well.

For lifts, I’d suggest Metalcloak or rock krawler

Brett
 

UDUBJL

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So, now I have a 2019 JLU Rubicon. It's my daily driver - but I am absolutely determined to make sure it earns it's Rubicon badge. I'm planning a couple of extended trips out west to do the actual Rubicon trail, and to hit as many of the other acclaimed trails as we can along the way. (It's a bucket list thing) I'm looking for advice from those of you who have actually run some of these trails in a JLUR as to what mods you would consider necessary, while keeping my ride a practical grocery-getter. I've seen where some have taken their stock JLUR on these iconic trails - but my experience on some local trails has shown that while the stock JLUR is a really freaking capable vehicle, it still has room for improvement. It seems to me like the western trails require more of an emphasis on clearance and articulation - am I right? To get to the point - will a 2" Mopar lift , 35" tires and full skid plates get it done? Oh, and I really don't want tires to extend outside the fender flairs, so what about using stock wheels and no spacers? I love the YouTube channels about Jeepin' on those western trails but some of these guys make it seem like you're in for a world of hurt if you're not on a 4" lift and 40" tires with bead locks. I feel that putting a huge lift and monstrously large and heavy tires on this vehicle would ruin it's street-ability. I came to own a Jeep after 30 years of driving 4WD trucks and have experienced the loss of ride comfort and handling when you cross that certain threshold. Looking for comments - but please stick to actual trail & street performance and don't bring looks into the conversation. Also know that my interest in running these renown trails is about completing them. I want to get from start to finish but have no interest in putting my jeep at risk of rolling over just to challenge my ability to navigate gnarly obstacles. (although I have a history of being drawn into taking on some nutso challenges).
I don't know if this is allowed but watch LiteBrite on Youtube. (I'm sorry if I can't say this, let me know and I won't do it again.) They started stock. Then went with a cheap 2" spacer lift and 35's. They accomplished alot with just that lift. Oh and a winch and recovery gear. Check them out. It has helped me alot.
 

fat_head

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You don’t need a lift or bigger tires to take it off road. Go drive the trails you want to drive and start figuring out what you need based on the trail difficulty you like driving.
 

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CherryOnTop

CherryOnTop

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I don't know if this is allowed but watch LiteBrite on Youtube. (I'm sorry if I can't say this, let me know and I won't do it again.) They started stock. Then went with a cheap 2" spacer lift and 35's. They accomplished alot with just that lift. Oh and a winch and recovery gear. Check them out. It has helped me alot.
UDUBJL - Way ahead of you there. My wife says I'm addicted to their channel (for all the wrong reasons). She's partly right - lol. Love the channel. I have followed where they did some incredible things with the stock vehicle, and progressed through minor mods. But now I wonder that since they are basically full-time wheelers that review products for profit that they've gone way overboard. I mean, hemi v8, 40" bead locks, etc. ? I'm sure Exxon and BP would love if every one of us made these mods but I'm not thrilled with the 18MPG my stock Rubi is getting. Can't imagine what their mpg is?
 
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CherryOnTop

CherryOnTop

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You don’t need a lift or bigger tires to take it off road. Go drive the trails you want to drive and start figuring out what you need based on the trail difficulty you like driving.
FAT HEAD - I've done some trailing on my stock setup, and have watched plenty of videos of folks doing the trails out west that I want to do. That's the great thing about a Jeep is there is such a huge community to share information with. Based on what I know and have been able to learn from others I feel that my vehicle would be better able to tackle the trails I want to run with a lift and bigger tires. I'm trying to figure how far to go with those changes whilst maintaining the daily driver aspects. Completely get the JUST DO IT! suggestion - I just want to feel a little more capable for the trails I'm heading out to.
 

UDUBJL

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UDUBJL - Way ahead of you there. My wife says I'm addicted to their channel (for all the wrong reasons). She's partly right - lol. Love the channel. I have followed where they did some incredible things with the stock vehicle, and progressed through minor mods. But now I wonder that since they are basically full-time wheelers that review products for profit that they've gone way overboard. I mean, hemi v8, 40" bead locks, etc. ? I'm sure Exxon and BP would love if every one of us made these mods but I'm not thrilled with the 18MPG my stock Rubi is getting. Can't imagine what their mpg is?
I agree the channel has lost a little of its luster but still entertaining. It seemed better to me when they were doing Average Joe stuff to their Jeep. I'm not hating on them at all it is great they have put themselves in the position to be where they are now. It's just that I am not. I'm still the budget lift, 35's, and building slowly.
 

HealthRebel

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Keep in mind that the stock Rubicon wheels are only 7.5" wide. The majority of your 35" and 37" tires call for a minimal width of 8.5" Although there are a lot of folks out there running their larger tires on stock wheels (with no problems) that are too narrow (based on the manufacturer's specs), according to who you speak with, it may void your warranty. I spoke with 2 different reps from Nitto and was inquiring about the 35 X 17 X 12.5 Ridge Grapplers. The aforementioned information is what they told me.

I don't know about you but I sure as hell don't want to run a wheel/tire combination that if something happened (like you had a blow out from a faulty tire and lost control and killed your passengers, etc.), the tire manufacturer's attorneys come back and argue that their tire was mounted incorrectly, therefore they are not responsible for your loss. Not to be paranoid here, but just don't be ignorant either. Pony up another $1200-$1500 and get you a new set of 5 wheels that properly fit the tires you want.

The real problem here is that Jeep didn't supply us with 8.5" width factory wheels on our Rubicons!
 

word302

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37s and a 3.5" Metalcloak or Rock Crawler lift. You'll thank me later. The Rock Krawler lift will require a little less backpacking as the arms are bent for ground clearance, not in for tire clearance. I know you said you want to keep the tires tucked in but it sure is nice having them stick or a bit to keep the trees/obstacles off your paint.
 
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scrape

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It really comes down to how much scraping, body damage, and cable pulling you're comfortable with.

People forget that the hammers trails were broke back when 35s were gigantic tires, equivalent to what 40s are now. Not many people ran them, the vehicles that broke those trails were cjs and toyotas on 31s and 33s.

The rubicon dates back even further, and the first vehicles that went through wouldn't have much in common with a modern jeep. Cadillac hill is about halfway through, imagine making it that far in a 1920s/30s cadillac.

So for the question, "what do I need for X trail?" the answer is always: a winch, recovery gear, and a friend. Doesn't matter what trail. A winch and something to hook to will get you through it.

So what you're really asking is, how much can you build up a modern jeep in general before livability is sacrificed, and that's a very subjective question. A lot of people on this forum are building glass cannons with 37s on stock axles and a bunch of lift without much else. I wouldn't want to daily drive OR wheel those rigs. But that's their preference and I have mine. It's just something you'll have to find out for yourself. You're in PA, you have access to awesome parks like rausch and aoaa, keep making incremental improvements to your jeep until you hit the point of "too much", and then back down a notch. Whatever that point is, as long as you've built a well-rounded rig and struck a good balance with your performance mods and your supporting mods, and you have a good recovery setup, you will be able to go anywhere.
 

Goin2drt

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Well really only you can decide. There is no answer here only opinions. So if you just want a bunch of opinions great and I guess it makes for entertainment.
Honestly you can do it all in stock Rubicon set up. My opinion and what I did to keep the Jeep a nice DD was 2.5” lift, skid plates and 35” tires. Once you go to 35 you will never not be extending past the fender a little and if you did it would look stupid anyways.

Good luck on your adventure
 

broncoguy

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We did a poker run at the Rubicon this past summer. Took our stock JLUR through the trail with lots of scraping on the belly. That being said it performed amazingly well. The trail leader thought we were nuts to take our new rig though it but we did good.

Since it was just a one day poker run we did not do the whole thing so I can't comment on parts of the trail we did not do. But, going forward we do plan on running it again and, before we do, the plan is a 2" lift, 35's and skids.

Like yours, it's a DD so keeping it mild but very capable is important.
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