Second guessing build plan

[St0rmy]

Hi.

I was talking to a local 4x4 shop today about plans for steering and they have me second guessing my build plan. I wanted to get some opinions to see if I'm heading down the wrong path or what.

Jeep is a 2019 JLUR. I installed 3.5" game changer lift with front drive shaft and 5.13 gears. Axles are the rubi axles with RCV one piece shafts in the front and Yukon chromoly in the rear. The issue is I'm running 39" KM3 on this setup.

I was torn for awhile between 37s and 39s. In the end I decided on 39s and a lighter rim to make up for the weight difference. The 39s are 88.8 lbs each with icon rebound rims that are 30lbs each. It actually comes in lighter than the 37s with beadlocks I was originally looking at by 10+ lbs a side.

I was feeling pretty confident about the build until today where he basically made it sound like I was wasting money on these axles and they had no chance of making it with that big of a tire. I am upgrading the steering next month with steersmarts kit so really just worried about blowing up the axles within the first couple outings.

I know a lot depends on terrain and driver. But how would you feel hitting the trails with this setup. What would you upgrade additionally?

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[ChattVol]

Hi.

I was talking to a local 4x4 shop today about plans for steering and they have me second guessing my build plan. I wanted to get some opinions to see if I'm heading down the wrong path or what.

Jeep is a 2019 JLUR. I installed 3.5" game changer lift with front drive shaft and 5.13 gears. Axles are the rubi axles with RCV one piece shafts in the front and Yukon chromoly in the rear. The issue is I'm running 39" KM3 on this setup.

I was torn for awhile between 37s and 39s. In the end I decided on 39s and a lighter rim to make up for the weight difference. The 39s are 88.8 lbs each with icon rebound rims that are 30lbs each. It actually comes in lighter than the 37s with beadlocks I was originally looking at by 10+ lbs a side.

I was feeling pretty confident about the build until today where he basically made it sound like I was wasting money on these axles and they had no chance of making it with that big of a tire. I am upgrading the steering next month with steersmarts kit so really just worried about blowing up the axles within the first couple outings.

I know a lot depends on terrain and driver. But how would you feel hitting the trails with this setup. What would you upgrade additionally?

It depends....What type and difficulty of terrain are you doing and how often are you realistically wheelin?

 

[St0rmy]

It depends....What type and difficulty of terrain are you doing and how often are you realistically wheelin?

Thanks for the reply. I'd say 6 times a year in northeast terrain. I would say on the lighter side of moderate difficulty.

 

[ChattVol]

Thanks for the reply. I'd say 6 times a year in northeast terrain. I would say on the lighter side of moderate difficulty.

A few anecdotal examples supporting the strength of jl rubi axles with bigger tires...I'm running 37s and have wheeled with folks on beadlocks and 38s doing some tougher eastern rocky/loose dirt trails that required giving it some skinny pedal...no issues yet. Also, know a person on 40s with rubi axles/5.13s who wheeled Moab trails rated 5-7 and another guy with 39s/beadlocks on tough trails at Adventure Offroad Park in TN...both were semi tactful in throttle control.

Look at how youtubers Litebrite wheeled hard about every week for a year on RCV's beadlocks/38s before they finally broke teeth on 5.13 rear ring/pinion. Since you've prob already spent $3500ish on regearing/rcv/chromoly, I'd roll with your current setup if your only doing moderate trails a few times a year. If you're halfway responsible wheelin, I wouldn't worry.

With that said, If I knew I was going to run 39s and keep the jeep long term, I would rather sell the stock rubi axles for $3500 and buy ultimate d44s/d60s rather than dump $3500 into rubi axles. That's $7k+ you can put towards stronger axles. Hindsight is always 20/20.

 

[Xtremetj]

I just went through this.

I was running 37’s and wanted to go bigger. Decided to go 39” BFG because they run small and I convinced myself I could build the stock axles for them. Maybe they would have been fine, maybe knot. You have to remember they are still 44’s.

I’ve seen the guy in front of me bust a rear axles shaft on an obstacle. When we went back buy at the end of the day, him and his buddies were just going back together with it. I don’t want to be that guy. It’s not fun. Plus I knew all along my next set of tires would be 40’s.

After some thought and discussion with my better half, she told do it once and be done. Not to spend money building these axles and spend more in a couple years on 60’s when I want new tires and am buying 40’s.

That’s all I needed to hear. I decided not to spend the $5,000 to build these axles for the 39’s. Put that money towards the 60’s, plus the $4,500 I got for my stock Rubi axles. Sure it didn’t pay for all of it but it paid for more than half.

I’ll leave you with this. I talked to more shops that you can imagine and folks that wheel and all but 2 of all of them said... don’t do it. Just go 60’s even with 39’s. As already stated... they are 44’s.

Here’s a look at mine on 40’s.

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