Planned mild mods to new Stock JK - 33" tires and 1.25" body lift.
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JK Newbie
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 50
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From: Stratford, Prince Edward Island
Planned mild mods to new Stock JK - 33" tires and 1.25" body lift.
Hi. I just ordered my first new vehicle – a 2011 Wrangler Sport 6 speed with 3.73 gearing and the upgraded wheels and tires (255/75 R17). I'm pretty stoked about it!
There are two rigs that I've always wanted to own: a Toyota 4X4 truck and a Jeep Wrangler. I've had an 87' XtraCab Toyota for the last 15 years and have really enjoyed it. Now it's time for a Wrangler! I live in eastern Canada and the winters here can get pretty nasty. Where I work, the parking is scarce and after a storm, it can be days before a lot of the parking spots are cleared. Bring another storm into play and the times increase. With the Toyota, it usually wasn't a problem – park in the snow banks! I was forever straightening out my lower valence on the front due to snow, but aside from that . . no problems.
Just like everyone else on this forum, I don't want to own a JK called “The Jeep”. I want it to be set up to meet my needs and I want it to be “MY Jeep”!
I've been reading a lot on this and another couple of forums over the last few weeks while feverishly awaiting arrival of my “Blank Slate”. As you are the experts, I would like to ask you to read what I'm planning to do and see if my logic is sound. Sorry to be so long winded!
I have a Smittybilt SRC front bumper (with integrated skid plate) sitting in my living room awaiting the Sport. I also am getting an ORFab rear sheetmetal bumper on back order. Both were purchased from NSOR.com – great company. If I was ever going to be able to afford bumpers it had to be before I started making Jeep payments.
Because the bank owns the majority of my new ride, I won't be off-roading it any time soon and around here there isn't much rock – mostly mud which I don't enjoy anyway. The Sport will be my Daily Drive and I want to keep the center of gravity as low as I can. I don't want to do anything that will adversely affect the stock suspension but I do plan to put 33” GoodYear Wranger Silent Armors under it as soon as I can afford it (read that as “not tomorrow”).
What I'm planning to do is put a Rough Country 1.25” Body Lift on it along with Spidertrax 1.5” spacers for the wheels. The BL will give me a little more tire space and a little more height before I'll get the body hung up on snow. I think it's the best bang for my decidedly limited bucks and should make it look a little better to boot!
While most people have said that you don't need any lift to fit 33s under the JK, a few have stories of some rubbing. I figure that even with the 1.25” BL, the over 3” of added track width, due to the spacers and extra tire width, should actually get me a slightly lower center of gravity than what I started with. I'll still be running the stock suspension with no changes in suspension geometry, so the ride should be as good as stock. Later on if I decide to go to 35”s (not a consideration at this point), a set of flat fenders should garner me enough clearance. I realize that this is pretty tame stuff for most of you, but I'd value your opinions. Have I missed anything?
There are two rigs that I've always wanted to own: a Toyota 4X4 truck and a Jeep Wrangler. I've had an 87' XtraCab Toyota for the last 15 years and have really enjoyed it. Now it's time for a Wrangler! I live in eastern Canada and the winters here can get pretty nasty. Where I work, the parking is scarce and after a storm, it can be days before a lot of the parking spots are cleared. Bring another storm into play and the times increase. With the Toyota, it usually wasn't a problem – park in the snow banks! I was forever straightening out my lower valence on the front due to snow, but aside from that . . no problems.
Just like everyone else on this forum, I don't want to own a JK called “The Jeep”. I want it to be set up to meet my needs and I want it to be “MY Jeep”!
I've been reading a lot on this and another couple of forums over the last few weeks while feverishly awaiting arrival of my “Blank Slate”. As you are the experts, I would like to ask you to read what I'm planning to do and see if my logic is sound. Sorry to be so long winded!
I have a Smittybilt SRC front bumper (with integrated skid plate) sitting in my living room awaiting the Sport. I also am getting an ORFab rear sheetmetal bumper on back order. Both were purchased from NSOR.com – great company. If I was ever going to be able to afford bumpers it had to be before I started making Jeep payments.
Because the bank owns the majority of my new ride, I won't be off-roading it any time soon and around here there isn't much rock – mostly mud which I don't enjoy anyway. The Sport will be my Daily Drive and I want to keep the center of gravity as low as I can. I don't want to do anything that will adversely affect the stock suspension but I do plan to put 33” GoodYear Wranger Silent Armors under it as soon as I can afford it (read that as “not tomorrow”).
What I'm planning to do is put a Rough Country 1.25” Body Lift on it along with Spidertrax 1.5” spacers for the wheels. The BL will give me a little more tire space and a little more height before I'll get the body hung up on snow. I think it's the best bang for my decidedly limited bucks and should make it look a little better to boot!
While most people have said that you don't need any lift to fit 33s under the JK, a few have stories of some rubbing. I figure that even with the 1.25” BL, the over 3” of added track width, due to the spacers and extra tire width, should actually get me a slightly lower center of gravity than what I started with. I'll still be running the stock suspension with no changes in suspension geometry, so the ride should be as good as stock. Later on if I decide to go to 35”s (not a consideration at this point), a set of flat fenders should garner me enough clearance. I realize that this is pretty tame stuff for most of you, but I'd value your opinions. Have I missed anything?
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Stratford, Prince Edward Island
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: Chicago,Il
You can also go the route I went and get the Teraflex 2.5 budget boost and 1.5 Spidertrax spacers. Love the stance it gives my jeep even with the 32inch stock tires. I will be getting a more aggressive tire and think I'll stick with the 32's. Just a suggestion. I have to get a camera so I can start posting pics. 
I know, I know! I feel like I'm stuck in the dark ages. Cheers!
I know, I know! I feel like I'm stuck in the dark ages. Cheers!
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Stratford, Prince Edward Island
Logan1982,
I spent a lot of time thinking that that's the way I'd go, but I've decided to take as minimalistic (cheapest) a route as possible. This way I can do more sooner and my suspension warranty is still in place. I've been impressed with what I've seen of the Teraflex kits and that's what I would have gone with. Will you go with the shock extenders or full shocks? What kind of tire have you decided on?
If you have a laptop with a webcam, you could use that. I've seen video done with a MacBook and it turned out well enough to be used on a PodCast. Some astronomers who can't afford a good camera (can get really pricey) will take lots of pics with a webcam and then use a program to stack them to get a much higher quality image. On a computer, the image doesn't have to be very high quality to look good.
A Curious Guy
I spent a lot of time thinking that that's the way I'd go, but I've decided to take as minimalistic (cheapest) a route as possible. This way I can do more sooner and my suspension warranty is still in place. I've been impressed with what I've seen of the Teraflex kits and that's what I would have gone with. Will you go with the shock extenders or full shocks? What kind of tire have you decided on?
If you have a laptop with a webcam, you could use that. I've seen video done with a MacBook and it turned out well enough to be used on a PodCast. Some astronomers who can't afford a good camera (can get really pricey) will take lots of pics with a webcam and then use a program to stack them to get a much higher quality image. On a computer, the image doesn't have to be very high quality to look good.
A Curious Guy
You can also go the route I went and get the Teraflex 2.5 budget boost and 1.5 Spidertrax spacers. Love the stance it gives my jeep even with the 32inch stock tires. I will be getting a more aggressive tire and think I'll stick with the 32's. Just a suggestion. I have to get a camera so I can start posting pics. I know, I know! I feel like I'm stuck in the dark ages. Cheers!
I know, I know! I feel like I'm stuck in the dark ages. Cheers!