i have a 2007 jeep wrangler x 2 door that i plan on putting arb lockers in front and rear. arb makes a kit with evolution axle shafts and the arb locker. my question is that since eventually i plan on lifting my jeep and running 35's what are the repercussions of regearing to 4.88 while im still on my stock 30's (im guessing they are somewhere around there i cant remember exactly what they measure) untilll the following spring when i can get my lift and larger tires. one way or another im going to have to regear so should i just get the arb kits and hold them till i get my lift and larger tires and just regear and lift all at the same time or should i go ahead and regear now and put my arbs in? any imput would be greatly appreciated. sorry if this is covered somewhere else, i couldnt find it anywhere

 

I'd go geared for the 35" tires right off the bat. 4.88 sounds good for 35" with the 3.8L. Why pay for new gears and labor down the road. The stock tires are 32" so even at 4.88 it will be fine. You'll just be in top gear a lot earlier than normal and your on highway mileage will suck a little more. I'd go break something for experience just before I spent any money first. The experience gained breaking shafts or tearing out lockers is invaluable.

 

If you regear first, you will have the fealing that your running in low gear all the time.

 

As for my lift I was looking at the.skyjacker long arm kit which is 4-5 inches but I only wamt 35" tires.... Is that overkil? Any good lift reccomendations?

 

4-5" of lift on 35's is gonna make those 35's look small

 

so smaller lift or bigger tires? is there a wrong way to go when lifting? id rather spend more money now to lift it properly than to spend money just to find out that i need something else later down the road and have to spend even more money

 

On a two door you really don't need the height. You can fit 35's easily under a 3" lift or even 37's with some trimming. The taller the lift the higher your center of gravity. The taller lift also usually means more parts required like control arms, draglink flip, driveshafts, etc.