I need the Expert JK forum members advice.....Please dont respond if you have just returned from Happy Hour or your significant other is pissed off at you for emptying the Bank account for your JK!
2011 JKU, Sahara, 4 Spd Auto w/3.73. It is our DD. To and from work and every other weekend chasing the local Salmon/Steelhead/Pheasant/Chukar population. The other vehicle is a 7.3L Ford 1-ton crew cab, Long box on 35" Duratracs. (LandYacht) Once the stock shoes are gone. It will begin! Starting plan was to run on 33's with a TF 2.5 coil lift. No Drama. Straight forward bolt up the lift, slap the new shoes on and start shopping for bumpers. But I want to run 35's!!! If I go that route. 3" coil lift, 35's.........Now it gets ugly. Will I expect to see a total nightmare in performance if stock gears are left alone? How deep should I put my hand in my pockets to properly run 35's? How long can I put off gears? Any advice from those who have been there & done that will be appreciated.

 

You will probably hate the way your jeep drives on the stock gears and 35s, lplus you can kiss all your mpgs goodbye. Mine was sluggish on the factory 4.10s and I could only deal with it for about a month....the upgrade to 5.13s was the best mod I have ever done to my JK. Im even up to 17 mpgs now. There are hundreds of threads on the site regarding gearing, so do a search and be prepared to spend DAYS reading

You might as well get 35s now, since you will want them later on anyways.

cost of gears...about $1000-2000 depending on where you ge them done. The complete overhaul gear kit alone is about $550, plus the install.

Good luck !

 

Kinda in the same boat on deciding 33's vs. 35's. With an auto and 35's you will want to regear and need a Procal to change speedo, and then I would add EVO "C" gussets if I go with 35's. But, I am leaning towards 33's and new front bumper/winch, then later a rear bumper, gusset's, skids, etc. and then when I have all the add on's I will get gears and 35's. And by that time I can retire it as a dd.

 

I've spent weeks reading the Threads. Your response is exactly what I wanted. Need to know what Im getting into. (Plus a plan of attack when the wife gets all bent about how sluggish the Jeep got)

 

X2 gun dude, Im doing kinda the same thing. New set of thirty threes on, time to start upgrading the drivelines bumpers etc. first. Of course like you said, shafts gussets gears, THEN maybe 35s even 37s!

 

I have 33s on my jeep now with a 2.5" Tf coil lift. I have had them for a couple months and next week I am going to 35s. The reason why I didn't go 35s right away is because I didn't have the time to regear when I put the lift in. So if you can ha e gears installed around the same time as tires go 35s you should also consider getting sleeves and gussets for your front axle. I ordered the Tf sleeve and gusset kit from northridge it was $120 shipped and I ordered it Thursday night and received it today.

 

My vote goes for 33"s on 2 Dr's and 35"s on 4 Dr's.

 

X2 I have a jku

 

I've got 35's with 4.10. I avg 16.4 MPG. My friend has 33's with 4.10 and averages 17.6 MPG. Not sure if this helps, but thought I would toss in my 2 cents.

 

I went for 33's with a 2" BB and now this week I am switching to a 3.25" Rusty's lift and 35's. If it needs regeared then I will tackle that later. The 35's look better I think. I am putting the 2" BB and 33's on my wifes JKU since hers is her everyday driver, mine aint'.