Wheel/Tire Help + Lift advice
 

Hello All,

Finally, after four years, pulling the trigger on turning the JKU into what she deserves.

I am pretty deadset on Nitto Ridge Grapplers, and was looking at 35x12.5x18. I need ANY advice on whether or not these will fit my stock rims because I want to pull the trigger on getting these tires as theres only four in my area and the others arent slated to come in until december! I also have ordered the proper 1.5" Spacers i will need to fit these as well.

That being said I'm also purchasing a lift to install when the rubber comes in as well. Obviously need ATLEAST 2.5'' but I am kind of leaning towards a 3.5" RC as its a killer price ad great reviews. My question here is, not about what brand of lift you think I should get, but is there any additional MUST haves when installing this 3.5" lift. I know exhaust extensions are mentioned which is fine I can get those cheap enough, more or less wondering to daily drive if I will need stirring stabalizers etc.

THANK YOU in advance!

LOPE

Yep, the price is attractive. There are plenty of old threads here about issues with that specific lift, but you aren't interested in those, so...

Consider not installing the drop pitman, and do some research on draglink flips instead.
The stock stabilizer should be fine.
Keep an eye on the front driveshaft joint at the tcase as part of normal maintenance, watch for grease spitting out.

First off thank you for your reply. I am getting anxious trying to get all my ducks in line with my build here. Secondly I believe you misunderstood me posting for being lazy and not finding the discussions that relate to this subject. Thats not the case, I am new here, I find it rather difficult to track down the exact info I am after because there is SO many threads (which is awesome I love how this community works). That being said I did not appreciate how you implied "Im not interested in those". I certainly would be interested in learning about peoples reviews of these lifts especially the shortcomings.

Thank you for the advice with drop pitman and I will def look into the Drag Links!

Now just need some reassurance that a 35x12.5x18 will fit the stock wheel lol. :beer:

Good lord, where are people reading good reviews of RC lifts? This is the #1 top brand for headaches on JKs IMO, bar none. When it comes to suspension lifts, cheap is not the way to go. That is like buying the cheapest pair of shoes to run a marathon in, or the cheapest mattress to spend all of your nights sleeping on. You don't have to spend $5k on a lift, but the little bit of extra money spent on a quality setup is going to be more than worth it in the long-run ownership of the jeep.

nthinuf's comments weren't intended to be a jab, but if you knew the number of threads troubleshooting these damn RC lifts for people you'd understand.

At least cruise over and take a look at a 2.5" lift from Metalcloak for comparison. That will net you more than 2.5" of lift most likely. Keep in mind that higher ain't better, it just makes it more difficult to address everything properly. It doesn't have monumental benefits as far as clearance and the higher COG is worse both offroad and on the pavement. Lift to accommodate tire size.

To answer your question, yes, those tires will fit on the stock wheel, though Nitto likely recommends a wider wheel. That doesn't mean they won't fit, just not ideal. Unless you are in love with the look of factory wheels, you might consider just going to a proper back spaced 17" aftermarket wheel. The tires would be cheaper (17s vs 18s) and you'd not have to deal with 20 additional lug nuts.

Word of advice from those that have come before you......saving a dollar today usually means spending a lot more dollars later. If budget doesn't allow immediately, a lot of times it's better to wait and save a bit until you can do it "right" the first time round. :wink:

I would get new 17" wheels instead of buying 18" tires and wheel adapters. 18" tires will be E rated and stiff sidewalls=rougher ride. RC kits are junk and people end up spending more than buying a quality kit in the end to make it ride decent, they just suck you in with a cheap price but leave out components you need or use shortcuts like a drop pitman arm and camb bolts. Stay away fron drop pitman arms, camb bolts, and drop brackets. 3.5" is too much lift for 35's, keep it as low as possible for a better ride and fewer driveline issues. Look at some of the Metal Cloak 2.5" kits, better quality and a better ride.

The way your post read to me was that you were choosing that specific lift based on the super-low price and the great reviews you found. And, because of those two reasons, you were not interested in hearing any negatives or about any other brands. Correct? Since the decision seemed to be made and all you wanted were comments on that specific lift, that is what my reply was geared toward.

If you do in fact want suggestions for other lifts, you could do a whole lot worse than the 2.5" lift resharp and dirtman mentioned. Or if budget is the main concern, just go for a 2.5" spacer lift, then add some form of caster correction later if you think it needs it.

Lope - you got some good advice there. Hopefully it guides you. I have the MC 2.5" lift these gys are talking about and it has been in over a year and not an issue and still the same as the day it went in.

"Good lord, where are people reading good reviews of RC lifts? This is the #1 top brand for headaches on JKs IMO, bar none. When it comes to suspension lifts, cheap is not the way to go." These should be words to live by when it comes to off road equipment.

I'm not trying to offend anyone or jump into a war but I had a terrible experience with Rough Country. The shocks didn't last 6 months. I was traveling down a dirt road at approximately 12-15 mph, on my way to a jeep trail and hit a small pot hole, it blew out the driver side, rear shock so bad the vehicle was sagging like I had a flat tire. The coil spring was bent over like a banana. After I shoved my eyeballs back in my head, I limped home like a whipped dog, tail tucked. Talk about feeling the burn of cheap parts. I had to start all over, what a headache! And a total waste of $$$.

To save some money depending on how you run your jeep; I not saying you have to go with top of the line but stay away from bottom of the barrel.