Fender to tire clearance/gap on stock XR with 35s?

[GrayWolf.Overland]

Folks who are on stock XR suspension (Rubicon or Willys), stock 35s, no-lift, and no-rub.
Can you share your top-of-tire to bottom-of-fender clearance height. I am trying to see how much space is needed to clear a true to size 35s - your responses will hep me decide considering adding a 0.5" to 1" spacer to avoid fender rub.

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[dstevens]

With XR factory suspension and stock KO2s there is about 1.25" clearance tire to fender front and rear under flex. It gets a little hard to accurately measure because one side will sit on the bump but not fully compress the rubber. I'm working on measuring this more accurately this weekend because so far my measurements show that you can take out the 1" bump stop spacer front and rear and still have both fender clearance and shock travel remaining.

It is a spacer issue? To me it is bump stop sizing. More spacer will raise the ride height but not change the jounce position.

 

[ArmyRN]

I don't have a bump stop spacer up front, just the factory longer bump stop.

 

[ArmyRN]

Ok, trying to be precise here. I took a straight edge and laid it across the top of the tire. Then I put a weight on top of the straight edge with the weight centered on the tire. Then I measured from the bottom of the straight edge to the bottom of the fender lip extension.

Jeep is a 23 JLU Willys XR 2.0T with a half-inch TerraFlex spacer lift on all four corners. Stock BFG 35 inch tires.

This what I got.

Again, mine has a half inch spacer lift front and rear, so take that into consideration.

 

[John Benoit]

Folks who are on stock XR suspension (Rubicon or Willys), stock 35s, no-lift, and no-rub.
Can you share your top-of-tire to bottom-of-fender clearance height. I am trying to see how much space is needed to clear a true to size 35s - your responses will hep me decide considering adding a 0.5" to 1" spacer to avoid fender rub.

Just do what Jeep is doing on their fake Extreme Recon package. Make the front bump stops 1 inch away from the front axle. No spacer needed.

 

[ArmyRN]

One reason I put the 0.5 inch spacers all around was to put a little more space between the front bump stop and the axle pad.

 

[dstevens]

I don't have a bump stop spacer up front, just the factory longer bump stop.

You are correct. For some reason I thought I had bump stop extensions front and rear but it is only at the rear.

 

[GrayWolf.Overland]

Ok, trying to be precise here. I took a straight edge and laid it across the top of the tire. Then I put a weight on top of the straight edge with the weight centered on the tire. Then I measured from the bottom of the straight edge to the bottom of the fender lip extension.

Jeep is a 23 JLU Willys XR 2.0T with a half-inch TerraFlex spacer lift on all four corners. Stock BFG 35 inch tires.

This what I got.

Again, mine has a half inch spacer lift front and rear, so take that into consideration.

Lovely! this is exactly what I was looking for. Looks like I need to claw back 0.75" all around to get the same stance as you. I am going to just go add 1" teraflex spacers front and rear and I should be at 7 3/4" all 4 then.

 

[GrayWolf.Overland]

Just do what Jeep is doing on their fake Extreme Recon package. Make the front bump stops 1 inch away from the front axle. No spacer needed.

Thinking I'll do both.. 1" spacer and 1" bump. Restores suspension travel to stock, can run shocks that are 1" longer than 26.5 when compressed. Compensate for fender clearance lost and restore uptravel back to 4" stock.

Thankfully don't have to deal with longer jounce bump tubes like XR.. phew

 

[GrayWolf.Overland]

35s went in. Front fender gap is now at 6.5" and rear fender gap at 6.25"

That's about 0.75" loss of clearance compared to stock.

 

[GrayWolf.Overland]

After measuring the fender gap on a bunch of 2024 XRs and a 2023 392 XR, It looks like about 8" of clearance all around is the most you get on 35s and stock XR stance. Interestingly, the ones that were closer to 8" were the ones that came with steel bumper and tow package.

Given that I scraped a copious amount in a medium-hard trail with 35s on stock, I decided to go with the below combination.

Spacer lift - target fender to tire clearance of 7.75 to 8"

• Front 1.5" spacers
  • TeraFlex JL / JT EcoDiesel 1” Coil Spring Spacer - SKU: 1155100
  • TeraFlex JLT/JT Front Load Level Kit - SKU: 1155110
• Rear 1.5" spacers
  • Use the rear spacer from - TeraFlex 1.5" JL Wrangler 4 Door Spacer Kit SKU: 1165200 (I have this already as take-off from FB marketplace)
• Front 1.25" Bump Stop
  • Clayton 1.25" Front Bump Stop - SKU: COR-1409101
• Rear 1" Bump Stop
  • Clayton 1-2" Rear Bump Stop - SKU: COR-1409201

Shocks

• FOX 2.0 Performance Series - Remote Reservoir
  • Front - SKU: 885-24-183
  • Rear - SKU: 985-24-184

Sway Bar Links

• Front :
  • Mopar 2" lift front sway bar links (MY2024+) - 68640455AA
  • (if mopar is not available) Rancho RS62139 OR AEV front sway bar link from their 2" spacer kit. Need to be used with a steel sleeve (Bore 12mm, OD 14mm) for MY2024+
• Rear :
  • Mopar 2" lift rear sway bar links - 68306982AA

I am hoping to get away with not needing to centre the axles. Given that 4xe's sit about 1" taller and I am adding 1.5" spacers, I am wary that I might need to add the below components optionally.

Center Axles, Fix Roll Center & Geometry/Caster Correction

• Adjustable Front Track Bar
  • Any reputable brand - Prefer Clayton Off-Road or JKS with maintenance free joints.
• Rear Track Bar Relocation/Raise Bracket
  • Synergy Rear Track Bar Tower Bracket - SKU: 8856-01
  • (OR) AEV rear track bar tower (if we can procure separately)
• Front Caster / Geometry Correction
  • Rancho Geometry Correction Brackets - SKU: RS62118B
  • (OR) Mopar Front LCA from 2" lift - SKU: 68322798AA

Cost estimate of just parts
Spacer, bump stops, sway bar links, shocks - $1950 USD
(+) optional components for geometry correction and center axles - $792

All in - $2733 out of which cost of shocks are $1537, $404 for spacer and stuff, $792 for geometry components.

 

[Gmanjeeper]

After measuring the fender gap on a bunch of 2024 XRs and a 2023 392 XR, It looks like about 8" of clearance all around is the most you get on 35s and stock XR stance. Interestingly, the ones that were closer to 8" were the ones that came with steel bumper and tow package.

Given that I scraped a copious amount in a medium-hard trail with 35s on stock, I decided to go with the below combination.

Spacer lift - target fender to tire clearance of 7.75 to 8"

• Front 1.5" spacers
  • TeraFlex JL / JT EcoDiesel 1” Coil Spring Spacer - SKU: 1155100
  • TeraFlex JLT/JT Front Load Level Kit - SKU: 1155110
• Rear 1.5" spacers
  • Use the rear spacer from - TeraFlex 1.5" JL Wrangler 4 Door Spacer Kit SKU: 1165200 (I have this already as take-off from FB marketplace)
• Front 1.25" Bump Stop
  • Clayton 1.25" Front Bump Stop - SKU: COR-1409101
• Rear 1" Bump Stop
  • Clayton 1-2" Rear Bump Stop - SKU: COR-1409201

Shocks

• FOX 2.0 Performance Series - Remote Reservoir
  • Front - SKU: 885-24-183
  • Rear - SKU: 985-24-184

Sway Bar Links

• Front :
  • Mopar 2" lift front sway bar links (MY2024+) - 68640455AA
  • (if mopar is not available) Rancho RS62139 OR AEV front sway bar link from their 2" spacer kit. Need to be used with a steel sleeve (Bore 12mm, OD 14mm) for MY2024+
• Rear :
  • Mopar 2" lift rear sway bar links - 68306982AA

I am hoping to get away with not needing to centre the axles. Given that 4xe's sit about 1" taller and I am adding 1.5" spacers, I am wary that I might need to add the below components optionally.

Center Axles, Fix Roll Center & Geometry/Caster Correction

• Adjustable Front Track Bar
  • Any reputable brand - Prefer Clayton Off-Road or JKS with maintenance free joints.
• Rear Track Bar Relocation/Raise Bracket
  • Synergy Rear Track Bar Tower Bracket - SKU: 8856-01
  • (OR) AEV rear track bar tower (if we can procure separately)
• Front Caster / Geometry Correction
  • Rancho Geometry Correction Brackets - SKU: RS62118B
  • (OR) Mopar Front LCA from 2" lift - SKU: 68322798AA

Cost estimate of just parts
Spacer, bump stops, sway bar links, shocks - $1950 USD
(+) optional components for geometry correction and center axles - $792

All in - $2733 out of which cost of shocks are $1537, $404 for spacer and stuff, $792 for geometry components.

Have you installed everything yet? If so, have you been off road to see how everything is working? I just added 2024 JL Rubicon x take offs (wheels and BFG 315s) to my JLR. Looks great and everything fits with no rubbing side to side or up and down - on pavement. Fender gap with OE tires and wheels was pretty close to 7” at all four corners. (Many say two door has a nose up rake but mine has a Mopar steel stubby bumper added and this may have done away with the nose up stance). New fender gap with rubicon x take offs is now pretty close to 6” at all four corners. I suppose I have to now add at least 1/2” or probably 1” spacers at all four corners? I wonder if I can take it to a shop to have it flexed out to determine if 1/2” would work. I do not want to go higher than necessary for light to moderate off roading.

 

[Gmanjeeper]

Have you installed everything yet? If so, have you been off road to see how everything is working? I just added 2024 JL Rubicon x take offs (wheels and BFG 315s) to my JLR. Looks great and everything fits with no rubbing side to side or up and down - on pavement. Fender gap with OE tires and wheels was pretty close to 7” at all four corners. (Many say two door has a nose up rake but mine has a Mopar steel stubby bumper added and this may have done away with the nose up stance). New fender gap with rubicon x take offs is now pretty close to 6” at all four corners. I suppose I have to now add at least 1/2” or probably 1” spacers at all four corners? I wonder if I can take it to a shop to have it flexed out to determine if 1/2” would work. I do not want to go higher than necessary for light to moderate off roading.

Will probably also have to add new bump stops, perhaps TF’s progressive bump stops.

 

[GrayWolf.Overland]

Have you installed everything yet? If so, have you been off road to see how everything is working? I just added 2024 JL Rubicon x take offs (wheels and BFG 315s) to my JLR. Looks great and everything fits with no rubbing side to side or up and down - on pavement. Fender gap with OE tires and wheels was pretty close to 7” at all four corners. (Many say two door has a nose up rake but mine has a Mopar steel stubby bumper added and this may have done away with the nose up stance). New fender gap with rubicon x take offs is now pretty close to 6” at all four corners. I suppose I have to now add at least 1/2” or probably 1” spacers at all four corners? I wonder if I can take it to a shop to have it flexed out to determine if 1/2” would work. I do not want to go higher than necessary for light to moderate off roading.

take a look at my build thread for updates post lift. My springs have settled down well by now. With mopar lift springs and 1” teraflex spacers all around (37s) I am currently at 7 3/4 on front and 7 rear.

i would recommend adding bump stop extensions and about 0.5 spacers since you are running 35s

4xe Rubicon Custom 2.5" Lift on 37s and Fox Reservoir Shocks - Flexing Test Off-road

 

[Gmanjeeper]

take a look at my build thread for updates post lift. My springs have settled down well by now. With mopar lift springs and 1” teraflex spacers all around (37s) I am currently at 7 3/4 on front and 7 rear.

i would recommend adding bump stop extensions and about 0.5 spacers since you are running 35s

4xe Rubicon Custom 2.5" Lift on 37s and Fox Reservoir Shocks - Flexing Test Off-road

Thanks. i had a shop flex it out (reminder: stock JLR on rubicon x take off wheels and tires, including BFG 315 KO2s) and at full stuff my RR tire was off the ground and my LR tire was just barely touching the fender lip. Since I do not do hard core stuff, I could probably leave the suspension as is. However, just to be safe I will probably do 1/2“ spring spacers either all the way around or just in the rear. I have been told that either set up will work and that I will not need new bump stops. Since my wife and I are neither young nor tall, I am strongly leaning towards the spacers just in the rear. My Jeep sits fairly level now and so this may result in a slightly nose down look, which I do not mind. Plus, I am assuming that this would mean that my alignment, steering, etc would remain as is?

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