If it doesn't rub, no problem!

 

X2 on this. I'm running 35" bfg mt's in my 07-2 door x with the 6 speed and I have the air raid cai and thrush glass pack muffler relocated under the drivers side and I never use 6th but it drives well on the highway in 5th and I get up to 75-80 mph and it drives fine around town as well. Sure someday I'll re-gear but I'm not dying cause I got 3:21's in there. I suggest a aggressive all terrain tire since you won't be doing much wheeling. No sense in creating excess drag from the mud terrains. Invest in a cai and if you can maybe a superchips or better exhaust and you'll be fine.

 

Forgot to mention there is also a big difference if you have 2-door or 4-door. The situation that will best tolerate 35's with 3.21's is a 2-door, soft top, six-speed. Basically because it is alot lighter then a 4-door, auto, hard top and you have less parasitic power loss on a manual trans compared to auto trans. I believe the 6-speeds put down 20hp more to the rear tire then the auto's right off the start and you can control the shift points with a six-speed.

 

Good...cause that's exactly what I have... I will regear in the future, just wanted to know if I could put it off a year or so. I'm not too concerned losing my 6th gear, as I've had the jeep for 4 months and used 6th only once.

Thanks all for your feedback!

 

WhAts the difference in 35's in 4Low with stock gears? If you're trying to crawl over a rock, is that gunna be more difficult? /if so.. How?

 

I had 3.21s for well over a year with 35s and I wheeled it hard. It wasn't the best, but it worked. I have a 6 speed soft top 2 door.

First off, I'd say when I am at an offroad park, 95% of my time I am in 4 low. And using it to crawl on rocks was ok, but it certainly didn't crawl like my 5.13s do now. The main thing is just how slow you are able to go with the higher gearing and really pick your line and be careful. I would stall every now and again with the 3.21s and I am yet to stall with my 5.13s. I crawl and actually use the gas pedal. With the 3.21s it was a lot of brake and clutch work, even though the JK basically won;t stall in 4 Low. It will on steep up hills. Plus I would have to use the brake to try to get it to crawl slower.

Nonetheless, it is liveable and I can tell you from wheeling some pretty significant obstacles that it will still work great offroad. Your capabilities with 35s and 3.21s offroad are about on par with a stock Rubi. Its pretty close, except in the rocks, where you might need lockers.

 

I'm not going to tell you how to build your jeep, but I will tell you that having the gear ratio too low or too high can be very hard on all tough moving parts. Here is a link to a chart to help you make the correct decision. Get the tires and start saving for the gears.

http://www.4lo.com/calc/geartable.htm

 

I am pondering this as well. My Jeep scoots about just fine with 3.21s and 33s. I have a hard top during the cold months. 6spd and 2 door here.

Primary concern is - how are the 35s in 1st gear? I feel like I'm already smoking my clutch in 1st to avoid stalling. I grab the clutch at 1,500 to 1,800 rpm. I understand that on highway driving, I will need to downshift. In vermont, I was downshifting to 3rd to hold 65 on the mountain highways.

 

Listen to Red Dog ... everything is working harder (except axles) when you have 3.21 gears ....

Think of a 10 speed bike ....

Imagine all you had was the 10th gear. Your legs are are the engine ... they work hard to get moving .. once up to speed it's OK. Your pedals, crank gear and chain is your drivetrain ... you are putting some major forces on them to get moving aren't ya? When crawling off road at slow speed all those extra forces are constantly on all your parts.

Now upgrading gears does have somewhat of an opposite effect ... everything else turns very easy ... but all that force is multiplied to your axles .... so they become the weakest link ... which is easily correctable.

 

Hell of an analogy!!! As a new Jeeper who is trying to figure all of this stuff out, this definitely helps me understand. Thanks!