Extreme Recon Package Worth it for Me?

[treillw]

For one you keep the sway bar connected to not allow too much flex in front. Mine are v-bar chains so they stick out even more. I only have them “just in case” but don’t plan on going snow wheeling. I did use them a bunch of times snow wheeling with my lifted TJ on 35’s and they worked great. For just driving flat road i think they’d be fine on my JL, as long as I wasn’t articulating much.

Is your profile pic the Jeep stock with the recon package? Looks like there is plenty of clearance on the top and for the majority of the back. That bottom fender edge might get close if it gets bumpy while turning.

Would be a bad day if that bottom edge caught a v-bar haha!

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[treillw]

Will bare rubber 37s fit with the XR lift, or is a larger lift required?

If larger is required, do you need an entirely new lift, or can a couple pieces just be swapped out?

 

[aldo98229]

Clearance ceases to be an issue the moment your tire treads stop touching the ground. In deep snow, more than clearance you need the ability to “float” over the white stuff.

Tire height gives you clearance. However, tire width gives you flotation.

A key advantage of 12.5-inch wide tires is their ability to give you greater flotation in deep snow —or sand, especially when aired down.

Here’s a brief article on tire flotation:
https://www.tirebuyer.com/education/tire-flotation

Both 35s and 37s are 12.5 inches wide, but 37s can be a whopping 50% heavier, so they will struggle to give you as much flotation as 35s.

The XR package does sound overkill for your use. If you want lockers and wide tires, I’d get a stock Rubicon and swap the wheels and tires with 8.5-inch wide rims 35s and be done. In today’s terms that should be about $3,500. You can then turn around and sell your OE Rubicon wheels and tires for $1,500, costing you a net of $2,000.

Good luck.

 

[treillw]

Clearance ceases to be an issue the moment your tire treads stop touching the ground. In deep snow, more than clearance you need the ability to “float” over the white stuff.

Tire height gives you clearance. However, tire width gives you flotation.

A key advantage of 12.5-inch wide tires is their ability to give you greater flotation in deep snow —or sand, especially when aired down.

Here’s a brief article on tire flotation:
https://www.tirebuyer.com/education/tire-flotation

Both 35s and 37s are 12.5 inches wide, but 37s can be a whopping 50% heavier, so they will struggle to give you as much flotation as 35s.

The XR package does sound overkill for your use. If you want lockers and wide tires, I’d get a stock Rubicon and swap the wheels and tires with 8.5-inch wide rims 35s and be done. In today’s terms that should be about $3,500. You can then turn around and sell your OE Rubicon wheels and tires for $1,500, costing you a net of $2,000.

Good luck.

But I don't think 35s with chains will fit on a Rubicon without an additional lift, correct?

 

[treillw]

So as I see it now based on comments, the XR package is overkill for me. Therefore, a lift which is better than the XR package (mopar 2", etc, etc) is even more overkill.

It's costing me $3347 for the XR package, which I think is a pretty good deal for all that it includes.

So as long as I can get multiple reports that chains will fit with 35" tires on the XR with no issues, I'm just going to get the XR and I'll be happy with my current aspirations.

The only other question I could have is if sometime down the road I start rockcrawling in this vehicle, can I put 37" tires on it without having to replace the lift? If a 2" mopar lift makes 37s work, it might be worth the initial cost upfront to have that option down the road. I will be keeping this vehicle until it turns into a pile of scrap metal.

 

[RubiXR]

So as I see it now based on comments, the XR package is overkill for me. Therefore, a lift which is better than the XR package (mopar 2", etc, etc) is even more overkill.

It's costing me $3347 for the XR package, which I think is a pretty good deal for all that it includes.

So as long as I can get multiple reports that chains will fit with 35" tires on the XR with no issues, I'm just going to get the XR and I'll be happy with my current aspirations.

The only other question I could have is if sometime down the road I start rockcrawling in this vehicle, can I put 37" tires on it without having to replace the lift? If a 2" mopar lift makes 37s work, it might be worth the initial cost upfront to have that option down the road. I will be keeping this vehicle until it turns into a pile of scrap metal.

Have you considered other options such as an autosock instead of a chain? I bought this and have not used it and probably won't (required to have in the vehicle). Note that that model AL69 states bus and truck but it is the right model for the XR. With the sock you will not have any clearance issue or problems with it breaking and doing a number on the vehicle. It is more delicate in the sense that it is not to be used in dry pavement so it might be questionable in mixed conditions.

https://autosock.com/products/autosock-al69

 

[aldo98229]

I don't believe you can mount 37s with the stock XR suspension. You need at least 2+ inches of lift.

 

[treillw]

Have you considered other options such as an autosock instead of a chain? I bought this and have not used it and probably won't (required to have in the vehicle). Note that that model AL69 states bus and truck but it is the right model for the XR. With the sock you will not have any clearance issue or problems with it breaking and doing a number on the vehicle. It is more delicate in the sense that it is not to be used in dry pavement so it might be questionable in mixed conditions.

https://autosock.com/products/autosock-al69

I've never heard of them, thanks for the idea.

 

[Jeepeto]

So as I see it now based on comments, the XR package is overkill for me. Therefore, a lift which is better than the XR package (mopar 2", etc, etc) is even more overkill.

It's costing me $3347 for the XR package, which I think is a pretty good deal for all that it includes.

So as long as I can get multiple reports that chains will fit with 35" tires on the XR with no issues, I'm just going to get the XR and I'll be happy with my current aspirations.

The only other question I could have is if sometime down the road I start rockcrawling in this vehicle, can I put 37" tires on it without having to replace the lift? If a 2" mopar lift makes 37s work, it might be worth the initial cost upfront to have that option down the road. I will be keeping this vehicle until it turns into a pile of scrap metal.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...-xtreme-recon-build-thread.78317/post-1658524

Here’s a link to my test fit of a true 37” x 12.5” tire with stock XR suspension.

You might be able to get away with chains? It will be close when flexing out. The stock BFG tires are listed at 34.4” and even then I think they run a bit small. I would guess these 37” tires are somewhere around 1-1/4” to 1-1/2” larger (in radius. This means they would stand 2.5 to 3” taller overall) than the factory BFG KO2s that come with the XR.

 

[Mabar]

Very often there is nothing to winch off of. Nothing but fence posts (if you're lucky) and sage brush out on the prairie.

For your application (extremely remote areas with deep snow and no cell service) I would get the Xtreme Recon Package, just for the 35" tires and slight suspension lift. The additional ground clearance may be a game changer in deep snow.

 

[Mabar]

I will have chains. Chains are better than any snow tire I've seen

Absolutely, YES!

 

[marktgorman]

8.5" if you beadlock them

New to the beadlock thing and I am thinking of grabbing a jeep with one of these packages. Can you explain what you mean by 8.5 beadlocked.

 

[Jeepeto]

New to the beadlock thing and I am thinking of grabbing a jeep with one of these packages. Can you explain what you mean by 8.5 beadlocked.

If you mount the bead of the tire in a true beadlock position it rests outside the actual rim and is held on with the beadlock ring. This widens the effective width of the wheel from 8” to 8.5” and brings most 37” tires into spec.

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