I'm currently looking to get a 3" lift and 35"x12.50" Dick Cepek Mud Country on my stock 17" rims. Does anybody know exactly how much backspacing is needed and could you also combine a 2" coil spacer kit with a new 3" lift? I'm just trying to get some ideas on which lift to get and if I need to get new wheels also, before I go and order anything yet.

 

Hey ponpeta, welcome to JK-Forum!

To answer your questions, to clear 12.50 wide tires, you should either install a set of 1.5" Spidertrax wheel spacers or get wheels with less back spacing. The factory wheels have 6.25" of back spacing which is too much for tires that wide. If you go with aftermarket wheels, I'd say you should be okay with 5.5" of back spacing or less.

As far as lifts go, you do realize that 3" + 2" spacers would put you up at 5" of total lift, right? At that height, you could probably install 37"-40" tires. If you're just looking to do 35's, all you need is a 3" lift total. So, the real question should be, how much are you willing to spend?

 

You'll save yourself a lot of headachs if you don't add the spacers on top of the 3" spring lift. By adding the spacers the rear axle moves forward in the wheel opening and the only way to fix that is new longer control arms.

 

Oh thanks for the answer. I was wondering the same thing. In fact I thought about buying wheels this week but couldn't narrow it down and was afraid to pick the offset blind... Then I thought the same as Ponpeta about keeping my rims... Sweet.

 

ponpeta,


Are you planning on re-gearing?

 

That's my dilema, I don't want to regear, don't want a dawg, but want 35's.

 

Thanks for all the help that does clear up a lot of confusion. I will stay with the 3" lift now just trying to find the right 3" lift and not break the bank. Im not planning on new gears yet I want to see how it handles with 35"s first and by the way I dont even get to drive it that much it's the wifes, until she deploys then it's going in the MUDD.