I originally wanted to get some 35" x 12.5" BFGs on Crager soft 8's (15" or 16") with a Teraflex 2.5" BB Lift (for my stock JK unlimited X w/ 31"s on 18"s)...but I was told that I would need to get 5.13 gears to finish off the transformation. now this 2000 dollar project is gonna run me anywhere from 2500 to 4000 installed...

I just want some big shoes without going through a series of mods, I don't intend on doing any serious off roading yet anyway...I've been thinking of going down to 34"s or 33"s even so I can skip the lift and gears for now then when I have the dough I can lift it with more then a BB and get the gears.

What are my limitations as far as tire size if I don't want to put gears on (with or without 2.5 BB lift) i mean what is the cheapist way to get on the biggest tires without gears yet...

 

its not that you must regear, its that the ride will suck. say bye to the little bit of acceleration that you have now. getting up to highway speeds to merge and such will be a hassle. maintaining highway speeds up any grade will be a PIA. i have 4.10s in my rubicon and 35s and when we go west for camping and such, i have to downshift into 4th just to stay at highway speeds on some mountainous hills.

theres no such thing as cheap and tires/wheels. if you want a beefy looking tire without the regear, go with a 285/75/16 or similar that will get you around 33"s. lift doesnt matter bc if you dont plan on much wheelin, you can cram 35s on a stock suspension.

 

Start with the FAQ's pasted right to the top of this section. Lots of good info on lift height vs tire height, backspace needed for wider tires, what components to look for when getting the lift, what gears would be a good option for different tire heights, etc.

As wazoo mentioned, you don't 'have' to regear right away. It is personal preference. You get to decide just how much you hate the utter lack of power, constant engine lugging and inability to use 6th/OD. (check the chart in the driveline faq for some rpm numbers with various tire/gear combos...)

 

i have a 2.5inch bb lift with 33s and have stock gears in my Sahara and i did not notice a big difference. i would say if you go bigger than they will need to be replaced.also i have 6 speed i think the auto its more noticeable. i have the rough country lift it was 150 but every one seems to like the Tera lift its more complete. i have no complaints with the rough country, i have had it on for almost a year now.