34's on Sahara with Rubicon rims

[Shots]

Just showing off the latest modification.
I got some stock Rubicon take-offs from craigslist, and wrapped them in a set of 34" KM2's. Specifically they're 285/75/17.
I've got a 2" Daystar lift and have zero clearance issues with this set up. They ride nice and aren't too loud for a MT. Actually, the wind noise is still louder than the tire noise, so nothing to complain about.
I also put in TPMS sensors that I got off Amazon. Listed as part number 56029398AB 68241067AB 433 mhz. The seller claims they're not compatible with the JL, but multiple responses said they were so I tried them. They worked just fine for my Jeep. $70 for a set of 5 sensors beats the price the dealership charges for them. It did take quite a while for them to show up. Worth the wait though.

Here's a comparison of the wheels/tires. On the left are my Sahara optional Tech Gray rims with the A/T Revo 3 tires. On the right are the Rubi take off rims (standard not optional) with the plus size KM2. Stock is 32.1 and the modified are 33.8

Here's a look at the width. Not a huge difference (about 1"), which is exactly what I wanted. Excessively wide tires suck in the snow, so I was trying to keep it close.

Here it is with the new set actually on it. Really digging the new look. Very Moab like without the black rims. Too bad I don't have the hood.

And of course one from the rear. Just ignore the trailer, I was about to go pick up some lumber and decided to take a photo while I waited for my wife.

As for clearance. No rubbing at all. I cranked the wheels to full lock and I had plenty of room. Here's a few shots of the suspension clearance.

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[jeepster345]

Nice! I'm seriously considering doing that with mine, but I needed to see if it would work well.

Just gotta wait until I see some takeoffs on Ebay or Craigslist.

 

[Arterius2]

@Shots Not to rain on your parade, but KM2's or MTs in general do terrible in snow.
Got a question for you though, for your last photo showing clearance between LCAs, did you hold the steering wheel to full crank and then had someone take a photo of it, or did you crank it, and let it go, then taking a photo, because there is a big difference, the steering wheel bounce back about 2" if you don't hold it, so it would appear to have more clearance than reality. How I know, my 275 holding my steering on full crank has less clearance than your 285..

 

[lightsout]

Keep in mind the Rubicon axles are wider so your wheel offset is to high you need to be in the -12 to-18 range for full clearance. You need to get spacers for those wheels to push them out a bit.

 

[Shots]

No worries Jerry. I was already aware that MT's are worse in snow than AT's, and I was considering KO2's and Ridge Grapplers for that very reason. I ended up getting 4 of these tires with 1,000 miles on them for $600 (also from craigslist). The guy had a huge lift on his truck and decided these were too small after putting them on. Full size truck with something like a 6" lift. I confirmed the approximate mileage on the tires by checking the tread depth. Heck the letters even still had blue on them. I figured at $150 per tire it was worth a shot. I did have to buy a new spare, which hurt a bit. Discount Tire hooked me up, but it still wasn't a cheap. Turns out this is an expensive tire.

As for clearance. That's with my wife holding the wheel turned. Keep in mind that LCA isn't the stock one. My lift came with new LCA's to correct caster. They're also round instead of boxed. I suppose it's also possible they're slightly more bent than the stock LCA providing more clearance? Or maybe the camera angle? Although, if you look at the top photo you can see the LCA clearance too (just above the shock in the picture). If I had to venture a guess though, I'd assume it's because they're round.

lightsout, I think you may have over calculated the offset I need, or I'm over simplifying it. My stock set was +45 with a 255 tire. The new tire is 30 mm wider than stock (15 mm in/out). To push the inner edge of the wheel out to the same location as the stock tire, I would only need to adjust 15 mm. That would mean an offset of +30, rather than -12 to -18. I could be wrong, I'm no tire expert. That's just what the math tells me, and it may be more involved than that.

Anyway, I don't think I'll need a spacer . I have clearance with everything so far. Maybe I'll need more room if the suspension is flexed and the wheels fully turned? I'm not sure, since I haven't gotten a lot of use from them yet but I'll update the thread if I run into any rubbing. At best a 1/2" spacer should be sufficient (15mm is between 1/2" and 5/8") but I'm not going to do that unless I have to. I'm trying to keep the tires tucked under the fenders as much as possible to keep from throwing too much debris on the side of my Jeep (MT's are already bad enough for that). More importantly I've never been a fan of pushing the wheels way out. Some people love the wide stance, but I just don't care for that look.

 

[Arterius2]

No worries Jerry. I was already aware that MT's are worse in snow than AT's, and I was considering KO2's and Ridge Grapplers for that very reason. I ended up getting 4 of these tires with 1,000 miles on them for $600 (also from craigslist). The guy had a huge lift on his truck and decided these were too small after putting them on. Full size truck with something like a 6" lift. I confirmed the approximate mileage on the tires by checking the tread depth. Heck the letters even still had blue on them. I figured at $150 per tire it was worth a shot. I did have to buy a new spare, which hurt a bit. Discount Tire hooked me up, but it still wasn't a cheap. Turns out this is an expensive tire.

As for clearance. That's with my wife holding the wheel turned. Keep in mind that LCA isn't the stock one. My lift came with new LCA's to correct caster. They're also round instead of boxed. I suppose it's also possible they're slightly more bent than the stock LCA providing more clearance? Or maybe the camera angle? Although, if you look at the top photo you can see the LCA clearance too (just above the shock in the picture). If I had to venture a guess though, I'd assume it's because they're round.

lightsout, I think you may have over calculated the offset I need, or I'm over simplifying it. My stock set was +45 with a 255 tire. The new tire is 30 mm wider than stock (15 mm in/out). To push the inner edge of the wheel out to the same location as the stock tire, I would only need to adjust 15 mm. That would mean an offset of +30, rather than -12 to -18. I could be wrong, I'm no tire expert. That's just what the math tells me, and it may be more involved than that.

Anyway, I don't think I'll need a spacer . I have clearance with everything so far. Maybe I'll need more room if the suspension is flexed and the wheels fully turned? I'm not sure, since I haven't gotten a lot of use from them yet but I'll update the thread if I run into any rubbing. At best a 1/2" spacer should be sufficient (15mm is between 1/2" and 5/8") but I'm not going to do that unless I have to. I'm trying to keep the tires tucked under the fenders as much as possible to keep from throwing too much debris on the side of my Jeep (MT's are already bad enough for that). More importantly I've never been a fan of pushing the wheels way out. Some people love the wide stance, but I just don't care for that look.

Thanks, that cleared it up!

 

[Shots]

So a few observations after being out today.
This is probably the biggest tire you can fit on the back without having to get a spare tire relocation kit. The tire makes the slightest amount of contact with the bumper when you close the hatch. I guess that's kind of a plus, so the extra 17 lbs can be supported by the bumper too, instead of just the tailgate.
Also to add on to the initial review. They are a bit surprising in regards to noise. Up to about 40 mph they're every bit as quite as the Revo 3 that I had on it before. At 45+ they start to make some noticeable noise, but nothing to bad. They're no so loud that you need to raise you voice to have a conversation, and don't need to turn up the radio, but they're loud enough that you notice them. For an aggressive tire, that surprises me.
As for the ride. They're really smooth. I expected them to be harsh with the E load range, and the shop putting 39 psi in them. I figured I'd have to let some air out to soften the ride a bit, but no need. I know extra side wall helps, but I really figured the firmer construction would negate that but it didn't.
Again, these are still pretty much preliminary observations. More to follow as I get some use out of them. Until then, here's another photo. Finally, one out of the driveway.

 

[tommyboyii]

Shots.....I am where you were a year ago. do I lift or not? I also feel 2 inches is about the right height.

Your posts and thought process was logical and though-out. i.e. multiple options were considered against other options taking into consideration that someone elses opinion what is a rough ride or not varies from person to person.


I am still running on stock suspension. no wobble, no noise, no vibration. 20+ MPG's. zippo issues. I am not going to update / change out to 35's as l like the feel and look of my "lowly" BFG KO2 33's. I like the "ride" as is.

however, with so many stories of death wobble, vibrations, weird noises, other issues (i.e. caster, pinion etc.) after lift installs on here. I DO NOT want to make a rabbit hole mistake and start chasing down 'fixes'. I am still considering 3 options right now: 1. no lift and keep at stock or options 2 & 3. a lift of no more than 2 inches narrowed down to two choices --- Zone Offroad 2 inch lift or BDS 2 inch lift.

http://zoneoffroad.com/zone-offroad-products-2in-suspension-lift-kit-jeep-wrangler/j30n
http://bds-suspension.com/product?ma=7&mo=32&ty=110&yr=2018

....no rock crawling; just mud and trails and street with be the limit.

It feels like LCA's (or geometry correction brackets SEEM necessary) even at 2 inch lift. that being said I did sit down and speak at length with my install shop; then I was able to drive a few that had been lifted 2.5+ by them without LCA's. most had 35 inch nittos. all were non-rubi. I didn't notice any issues. I drove at highway speeds on (I-95) also a bit of mud and some pot hole filled roads. no wobble, no bump steer. they didn't feel 2 inches was a tipping point. but they have done installs forever in this area.

Did you install the LCA's on your JL at time of kit install? or did you run it at all without them? trying to get a feel -- if I just go with the Zone 2 inch spacer - whether I should just order brackets for $175 and have them install on the day of. (install to happen next Monday).

 

[IronScott]

Shots.....I am where you were a year ago. do I lift or not? I also feel 2 inches is about the right height.

Your posts and thought process was logical and though-out. i.e. multiple options were considered against other options taking into consideration that someone elses opinion what is a rough ride or not varies from person to person.

...

I'll let Shots answer your specific questions but I have a Sahara with a RC 2.5" lift. No new LCAs. Running 315/70/17 KO2 tires (34+) tires. I've noticed no change in handling. No wobble or wandering. I have the 8S auto and 2.0L turbo and haven't noticed any lag, though I'm sure there is a bit - I just didn't drive it stock for long. I have gotten almost 22mpg on a long trip but mostly 17-18mpg in town and I'm still not completely broken in (~2k miles).

New LCAs aren't super expensive, especially compared to many other things, so either drive and determine if you need them or just go ahead and install them for peace of mind. I think you'll be happy whatever route you take. Your rig looks great!

 

[tommyboyii]

Thanks Iron Scott! it seems like its alot of "bad" news re: wobble and caster on here. but in my mind there has to be the other side of the coin....... not all lifts without LCA's can be causing issues. This will end up being my daughters driver when she gets her license....thus the lift height at 2 inches or less. I figure - knowing her - that a jeep can be beat up, driven into (or over things), and it'll still be a jeep. probably look a bit more like one with some dents and rust. I just need to pull the trigger.

 

[Shots]

Shots.....I am where you were a year ago. do I lift or not? I also feel 2 inches is about the right height.

Your posts and thought process was logical and though-out. i.e. multiple options were considered against other options taking into consideration that someone elses opinion what is a rough ride or not varies from person to person..... .....
Did you install the LCA's on your JL at time of kit install? or did you run it at all without them? trying to get a feel -- if I just go with the Zone 2 inch spacer - whether I should just order brackets for $175 and have them install on the day of. (install to happen next Monday).

I'm glad my prior posts have helped. Doing things like that tend to be a good way for me to think it through, while making the information available to others.
To answer your question. Yes, I installed the LCA's the day I did the lift. Based on my research it seems that the 2" or shorter kits shouldn't need them though. I figured doing it at the time of the initial install saves from having to do it later. That said, doing it later really won't be a huge deal. The install was actually surprisingly simple.
The one thing I considered adding later was a track bar, but after putting some miles one it, I'm not going to bother. That was another item my research indicated wasn't necessary at 2" or less, and I agree with that assessment.

 

[Canuck714]

I'm glad my prior posts have helped. Doing things like that tend to be a good way for me to think it through, while making the information available to others.
To answer your question. Yes, I installed the LCA's the day I did the lift. Based on my research it seems that the 2" or shorter kits shouldn't need them though. I figured doing it at the time of the initial install saves from having to do it later. That said, doing it later really won't be a huge deal. The install was actually surprisingly simple.
The one thing I considered adding later was a track bar, but after putting some miles one it, I'm not going to bother. That was another item my research indicated wasn't necessary at 2" or less, and I agree with that assessment.

Reviving an old post, but regarding the track bar, or lack there-of.. Is there a measurable difference side to side of the wheels in relation to the fender? As in, is the axle centered under the Jeep or offset 3/4 of an inch to one side?
Reason I ask, is on my 15 Rubi, with a 3 inch lift, the front axle was pulled almost 3/4 inch to the Left with the stock track bar in place.

 

[Shots]

Oddly enough it's centered now. It really didn't shift very far with the 2" kit though. Measuring before the install the tires stuck out 1/8" further on the passenger side. After the 2" kit they're even. That's the main reason I didn't bother with adding the track bar, even though I had initially planned on replacing it. I don't notice any difference in the way it rides or handles, though I suppose if I did more extreme off-roading it may be different.

FWIW, I also did a write up on the lift install/review https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/daystar-2-lift-install-and-review-on-jl-sahara.19774/

 

[Watchtower02]

Shots.....I am where you were a year ago. do I lift or not? I also feel 2 inches is about the right height.

Your posts and thought process was logical and though-out. i.e. multiple options were considered against other options taking into consideration that someone elses opinion what is a rough ride or not varies from person to person.


I am still running on stock suspension. no wobble, no noise, no vibration. 20+ MPG's. zippo issues. I am not going to update / change out to 35's as l like the feel and look of my "lowly" BFG KO2 33's. I like the "ride" as is.

however, with so many stories of death wobble, vibrations, weird noises, other issues (i.e. caster, pinion etc.) after lift installs on here. I DO NOT want to make a rabbit hole mistake and start chasing down 'fixes'. I am still considering 3 options right now: 1. no lift and keep at stock or options 2 & 3. a lift of no more than 2 inches narrowed down to two choices --- Zone Offroad 2 inch lift or BDS 2 inch lift.

http://zoneoffroad.com/zone-offroad-products-2in-suspension-lift-kit-jeep-wrangler/j30n
http://bds-suspension.com/product?ma=7&mo=32&ty=110&yr=2018

....no rock crawling; just mud and trails and street with be the limit.

It feels like LCA's (or geometry correction brackets SEEM necessary) even at 2 inch lift. that being said I did sit down and speak at length with my install shop; then I was able to drive a few that had been lifted 2.5+ by them without LCA's. most had 35 inch nittos. all were non-rubi. I didn't notice any issues. I drove at highway speeds on (I-95) also a bit of mud and some pot hole filled roads. no wobble, no bump steer. they didn't feel 2 inches was a tipping point. but they have done installs forever in this area.

Did you install the LCA's on your JL at time of kit install? or did you run it at all without them? trying to get a feel -- if I just go with the Zone 2 inch spacer - whether I should just order brackets for $175 and have them install on the day of. (install to happen next Monday).

Did you end up installing the Zone or BDS?

I am looking at this BDS with Fox Shocks for my 2019 JLU.
https://bds-suspension.com/kit-customizer?kid=1435H

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