Hello, i have a 2000 tj 4.0 with a 2.5 inch rough country kit and after market fenders, it has 31s on it but there is a ton of room in the wheel wells, is it safe to run 33s as a daily?
Can I run 33s on my TJ?
- Thread starter Asher Desoto
- Start date
Ideally you'll want 4.10 gears. So I suppose it depends on what gears you have in there now.
Either way, you're going to want to re-gear at some point.
Agree with this. 2.5" would probably be ok if you don't take it offroad and disconnect the sway bar. If you do want to take it offroad, then the 1.25" would be advised.
Common advice for 33" + offroad is 4" total. If you're close, you can trim, larger bump stops, etc.
KennethS
TJ Addict
"Stock" gearing can vary. Look at the tag on your rear diff to see the factory gear ratio.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-do-i-determine-my-axle-gear-ratio.72/
fyi...bfg (and a few others) make a 32" a/t m/t.
may (or may not) be worth looking at if you dont want to go body lift route.
let me know if you want pics (though im running stock fenders).
may (or may not) be worth looking at if you dont want to go body lift route.
let me know if you want pics (though im running stock fenders).
I'm gonna say you could clear 35s depending on how cut out those fenders are. 
I've wheeled some pretty big trails on pizza cutter 33s and roughly 2.5" lift. Blanca Peak, Holy Cross, Steelbender, Golden Spike and easily cleared some slightly less big and less known trails. Not the biggest trails on the planet and I did scrape on a few obstacles, but still got em done. The 1.25" body lift isn't a make it or break thing with 33s IMO, especially if you go with the pizza cutters (255/85 R16) or 285/75R16 or 33x10.5 or x11 R15s instead of the 12.5s most pick.
Technically alot of tires we call 33"s are actually around 32.4" - 32.6" and there are 32s. It gets kinda weird.
I've wheeled some pretty big trails on pizza cutter 33s and roughly 2.5" lift. Blanca Peak, Holy Cross, Steelbender, Golden Spike and easily cleared some slightly less big and less known trails. Not the biggest trails on the planet and I did scrape on a few obstacles, but still got em done. The 1.25" body lift isn't a make it or break thing with 33s IMO, especially if you go with the pizza cutters (255/85 R16) or 285/75R16 or 33x10.5 or x11 R15s instead of the 12.5s most pick.
Technically alot of tires we call 33"s are actually around 32.4" - 32.6" and there are 32s. It gets kinda weird.
I'm gonna say you could clear 35s depending on how cut out those fenders are.
I've wheeled some pretty big trails on pizza cutter 33s and roughly 2.5" lift. Blanca Peak, Holy Cross, Steelbender, Golden Spike and easily cleared some slightly less big and less known trails. Not the biggest trails on the planet and I did scrape on a few obstacles, but still got em done. The 1.25" body lift isn't a make it or break thing with 33s IMO, especially if you go with the pizza cutters (255/85 R16) or 285/75R16 or 33x10.5 or x11 R15s instead of the 12.5s most pick.
Technically alot of tires we call 33"s are actually around 32.4" - 32.6" and there are 32s. It gets kinda weird.
The more one is willing to compromise the build, the less needs to be done in the interest of making things work well together.
IIRC all 4 banger TJ's came with 4.10 gears, go 4.88's or better. My personal opinion is 33's are to much for the 4 banger if your gonna use it on the highway. 5th will be useless for sure unless your going down hill or have a 100 mph tail wind.
He has a 4.0 with the NV3550. Still, 4.88's would be the prevailing suggestion for 33s.
Geez...I guess Im still asleep. My brain was still seeing the post about more HP from a 2.4 TJ.
Look at the photograph of your jeep and what you see and describe as "a ton of room in the wheel wells". Then think about the question you are asking which is, said another way, can I safely use one more inch of that room to accommodate a larger tire.
Put the stock fender flares back on and that will fix the illusion of "a ton of room in the wheel wells." It will save you from regearing and buying new tires too.
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I run 33s. M/T. 3" Teraflex lift. Upgraded gears a few years ago: 4.56 from 3.73. Yukons + EATON 912A569 Trutrac limited slip diff in the rear.
The fun returned — a substantial performance boost for the dinky 2.4L.
I'm one gear higher throughout the range — highway: used to be at 2400+- RPMs in 5th @, say, 55-60mph — I'm now comfortably cruising in 6th, 2400+- RPMs @ 65+-mph.
True that.
Everything in offroad gear is some sort of compromise and Chrysler/Jeep made a million compromises in building the TJ as a platform. The JK platform reacted to those compromises and the mods TJ owners were doing most often and improved on some while creating lots of new ones of it's own. The JL did that again and whatever comes next will too. There's no free lunch.
Stock keeps the control arms near parallel with the ground which reduces forward/back and side to side movement of the axle with travel. That's as "good" as the 5-link ride is gonna get (shock dependent). But it compromises on limited travel and tire clearance. Everything from there is trading various pros and cons (one of those cons being just empty every pocket).
And the same can be said about all the AT, RT and MT tires we choose to run with these lifted rigs. Every single one is giving up road ride, noise, efficiency, tire life, water handling, snow handling or something to improve offroad traction and puncture/tear resistance.
There's no perfect, just perfect for "something".
Let me translate OG speak for n00bs.
When they say “You cannot run 33s without 4 inches of lift,” what they really mean is: IF you want to keep your full up and down travel and avoid rubbing at full flex then that's what is needed to keep the tires out of the fender. (unless you magically find REAL highlines.)
But here’s what gets lost:
If you’re cool with some rub, less up travel and tweaking bump stops, you can do it.
Not everyone cares about max articulation — some dudes just want their Jeep to look good on 33s and cruise the mall.
It's been repeated a zillion times on the forum that over 2.5 inches adds complexity to your build, SYE anyone, etc bla bla bla
I'm running 2.5 inches now on Skyjacker Dual Rate coils TJ25FDR and TJ25RDR with Rancho RS500X shocks. I KNOW at full compression the tire will eat the fender as the PO installed Baja 33x12.50's and I have not swapped tires or adjusted bumps yet. I enjoy the stuffed look and have some experience running stuffed setups where a little rub is acceptable (to me) with some adjustments on the bumps. I plan to change tires and adjust according by cycling the suspension. I know what I'm compromising here. But for what I'm running and how I want the stance, this is acceptable. I also have a really good idea of when and where I will eat fenders. Not everyone does. But also, not everyone is in the garage cycling the suspension.
Some dudes just wanna look cool. That comes with some compromises.
Now, if I wanted to setup to run the Rubicon on 33's I probably would have just bought the Currie 4 inch coils, but then I'd be down a different build route.
When they say “You cannot run 33s without 4 inches of lift,” what they really mean is: IF you want to keep your full up and down travel and avoid rubbing at full flex then that's what is needed to keep the tires out of the fender. (unless you magically find REAL highlines.)
But here’s what gets lost:
If you’re cool with some rub, less up travel and tweaking bump stops, you can do it. Not everyone cares about max articulation — some dudes just want their Jeep to look good on 33s and cruise the mall. It's been repeated a zillion times on the forum that over 2.5 inches adds complexity to your build, SYE anyone, etc bla bla blaI'm running 2.5 inches now on Skyjacker Dual Rate coils TJ25FDR and TJ25RDR with Rancho RS500X shocks. I KNOW at full compression the tire will eat the fender as the PO installed Baja 33x12.50's and I have not swapped tires or adjusted bumps yet. I enjoy the stuffed look and have some experience running stuffed setups where a little rub is acceptable (to me) with some adjustments on the bumps. I plan to change tires and adjust according by cycling the suspension. I know what I'm compromising here. But for what I'm running and how I want the stance, this is acceptable. I also have a really good idea of when and where I will eat fenders. Not everyone does. But also, not everyone is in the garage cycling the suspension.
Some dudes just wanna look cool. That comes with some compromises.
Now, if I wanted to setup to run the Rubicon on 33's I probably would have just bought the Currie 4 inch coils, but then I'd be down a different build route.
Mudflat
TJ Enthusiast
Here’s what 33” tires look like with a 3” lift.
Assuming you’ve got the 4.0 liter engine, with 33” tires you will want 4.10 gears at a minimum, but I think you’d be happier with 4.56 gears.
Assuming you’ve got the 4.0 liter engine, with 33” tires you will want 4.10 gears at a minimum, but I think you’d be happier with 4.56 gears.
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