I went to the dealership to test drive a four door rubi, they had none so they gave me an x model unlimited with a 2inch lift and 33inch mickey thompson mudds on it.
Well when I drove it I had great difficulty getting it to accelerate up a very small hill that wouldn't even bother a geo metro. I was running about 35-40 mph in third gear when I came to this small hill(no more than 15foot elevation change). At the beginning of the hill I gave the jeep about half throttle and it accelerated maybe 1-2 mph by the top of the hill. It felt just like my xterra does when your smoking the tires, It will pull power and cut fuel to regain traction. That is what this jk felt like when I tried to accelerate up this little hill.

Is this normal for the jk or is this an example of to tall gearing with larger tires?
Would it run like this if it were a rubi with 4.10's

 

It would have no problems with 4.10's. Stock Rubi's run 32" tires with 4.10's and they run OK. These things aren't quarter mile cars, though.

 

since this was not a rubi, I bet it has a very high axle ratio, that's the problem. And it ain't cheap to upgrade the axles. Tell the dealer to find another X with at least a 3.73 if not a 4.xx, and then lift that with the mudders.


Kurt

 

was it manual? It prob has the 3.21 gears.

 

yeah, it was a six speed. I am glad to hear it was probably the gearing. I seemed to have no options in it at all. Just lift and tires.

 

I put 35's on my Rubi shortly after purchase and I really didn't realize how bad it was until I got the 5.13's in this last week. It's a night and day difference, a whole new vehicle. I'd hate to imagine a X on 33's with 3.73's or worse!

 

my unlimited with 3.73 LSD and the 32's climbs extremely well, got to be the gears and tires.

 

MY unlimited X with 3.73's and 35's runs great. I have decided I will not regaear until the jeep is paid off. yes my mileage went down, but my stock tire packaged weighed 50lbs, now its at 100lbs. I do a mix of city and highway (mostly highway) driving. Now on the highway I do have to turn off OD and the rpms sit about 2200. With the stock tires, I was turning 1900rpm.

 

With 3.73s, juice tranny and 33's, it's not bad but it definately is no speedster. It holds it's own though.