Topic: 33's with stock gears

[OH-YJ]

Happy Friday!  I will be buying a lift and tires next month and I'm still debating between 2.5" with 31's and 4" with 33's. I want to go ahead and get the 4" because I know I will want to get the bigger tires eventually, but I have D35's and will not be putting money (gears/locker) into those axles when I will (eventually) be swapping them out for an 8.8 in the rear and probably a D44 up front. I just want to know how well she will do with the stock gears, because who knows when I will swap axles.

[93yjFirstJeep]

I ran with the stovk gears on my yj for about 6 mos. You can manage fine as long as you dont get on the freeway often. 60 to 65 is about all she'll handle. and your gas mileage will drop substantially. i got about 14 and then when i regeared to 4.88's, i now get about 19

[jason 00 tj]

 I did stock gears and 33's for 8months.
You can forget about fifth gear enless your on a long down hill.
I had to feather the clutch out a bit more from a stop but ya gotta do
what ya gotta do.
 
   If you can pick up a dana 44 front out of a rubicon it's the best way to go the
factory locker works easy and is dependable.
If i would do my jeep over i would have got a rear 44 from a rubicon and had F&R lockers
and been good to go.        just my .02 cents

[BarneyJeep]

i ran 34 LTB for about a year with stock gears
also ran 33" hankooks for the past year

no problems...just cant use fifth and top out at 65MPH

[sharpxmen]

ran 33s with stock axles and stock R&P (4.10 or 4.11 not sure) for 6 years and the R&P gave out this year - true about the 5th unless you're fine cruising like a granny, my top speed was higher though but had a high flow filter and 4.0TB, it did drop significantly uphill and with headwind. Oh, and i did quite a bit of offroading but nothing extreme and did it carefully (no clutch dropping/popping or anything like that).

[Torch_Ind]

do what you have to do but it's nice to re gear.  I ran 33's with the stock 4.10's forget 5th. and it hard on the clutch dragging off the start.

I run 4.88's and it's a little better then being stock rubber but i'm running 33's. honestly I wanted 5.13's but need a different front diff to pull that off.

I might leave my diffs and just do my transfer case to have multiple ratios.

but budget is budget. Plan to re-gear though "future" you won't want to keep it like that esp if you off road with it.

[jagular7]

What is the timeline for the axles? What bolt pattern will the D44 have? Most to all D44s (other than Rubicon TJ) won't have the 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern. If you install the 8.8 and the D44 front, then you can add a wheel spacer on the 8.8 to match the D44 front. Then you will need to get different wheels to bolt on.

If you really need 33's, check your local 4wd/Jeep club and craigslist for cheap used set. Save your money and start putting together your axles. I'd look for the 8.8 and get that installed. Keep it SUA and you won't have much a problem with axel wrap. It will also accept your current wheels as well. I'd also look to convert your 2-pce passenger axel to a single shaft and use TJ shafts as they have the larger u-joint and it should all be able to get done by you in the driveway. Look at r&p and lunchbox lockers choices, unless you want to go to a case locker. Lunchbox lockers are much cheaper and can be removed for resale if you don't like their street action. I'm running Easy locker up front and LockRight in the rear in my TJ for ~6 years.

[chrisfranklin]

The 16 cylinder Bugatti Veyron is an econo car next to my hard-drinking 4 banger

[OH-YJ]

What is the timeline for the axles? What bolt pattern will the D44 have? Most to all D44s (other than Rubicon TJ) won't have the 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern. If you install the 8.8 and the D44 front, then you can add a wheel spacer on the 8.8 to match the D44 front. Then you will need to get different wheels to bolt on.

If you really need 33's, check your local 4wd/Jeep club and craigslist for cheap used set. Save your money and start putting together your axles. I'd look for the 8.8 and get that installed. Keep it SUA and you won't have much a problem with axel wrap. It will also accept your current wheels as well. I'd also look to convert your 2-pce passenger axel to a single shaft and use TJ shafts as they have the larger u-joint and it should all be able to get done by you in the driveway. Look at r&p and lunchbox lockers choices, unless you want to go to a case locker. Lunchbox lockers are much cheaper and can be removed for resale if you don't like their street action. I'm running Easy locker up front and LockRight in the rear in my TJ for ~6 years.

The timeline is this coming winter. After I get the lift and tires, axels are next on my list. As for the D44, I'm not 100% I'll go with that in the front, but I'm certain of the 8.8. I found a great write up on another site http://www.jedi.com/obiwan/jeep/ford88.html which is great for a beginner such as myself. Are there any recomended axels for the front that would have the 5x4.5 bolt pattern? What gears are you runnning? I know you have an 8.8, but is your front axel stock? i appreciate the help and advise.

[aw12345]

As long as you don't want to go over 4.88 gears your stock highpinion axle is just fine for 33's

[jagular7]

Like what I had suggested, you could look into upgrading your current front set of axle shafts and joint size. Upgrade is to use TJ stock shafts and joints. The difference is not significant and probably not really necessary for a 4cyl on 33's, but it does rid of the 2-pce inner shaft and the problematic vacuum disconnect. Another option to rid of the vacuum dependancy is the use of a cable to provide front axle connection.

Since you have a D30R, the pinion is set above the centerline of the axle and this provide clearance under the front ds. You will be limited to the availability of gear ratios and the abundance of locker choices for the set of axles.
Do a review of locker choices and cost before you regear. Since the diffs will be open, you may want to add a locker. Lunchbox lockers are the easiest for the owner of the vehicle. They basically replace some innards and thus can be removed as well without major diff surgery.
Yukon has recently introduced their version of one - Spartan. Aussie and LockRight are others. Not sure if EasyLocker is still available.

[Bill M.]

I just recently got a set of 33x12.5 procomp AT'S.. Great tire... Well I am running stock 4.11s, and I can still run 70-80 on the highway, depending on the wind. That is verified with a GPS. As for power, in town, I have just enough... I'd like a little more on the highway, but it is 100% liveable...

[jfrabat]

do what you have to do but it's nice to re gear.  I ran 33's with the stock 4.10's forget 5th. and it hard on the clutch dragging off the start.

I run 4.88's and it's a little better then being stock rubber but i'm running 33's. honestly I wanted 5.13's but need a different front diff to pull that off.

I might leave my diffs and just do my transfer case to have multiple ratios.

but budget is budget. Plan to re-gear though "future" you won't want to keep it like that esp if you off road with it.

I'll second this opinion; I ran 31's with 4.10, and the Jeep felt underpowered.  Then I regeared to 4.88 with 31's, and fell in love.  Then I replaced the 31's with 33's, and I started wishing I had 5.13's, but I am stuck with 4.10 because of the axles...  Even though numerically, 4.88 and 33's will be almost the same as stock, you need to consider wind and rolling resistance of a bigger and heavier tire (hence why I wish I had 5.13's), so in reality, 4.88 is a little WORSE than 4.10 with stock rubbers.

[Torch_Ind]

I'll second this opinion; I ran 31's with 4.10, and the Jeep felt underpowered.  Then I regeared to 4.88 with 31's, and fell in love.  Then I replaced the 31's with 33's, and I started wishing I had 5.13's, but I am stuck with 4.10 because of the axles...  Even though numerically, 4.88 and 33's will be almost the same as stock, you need to consider wind and rolling resistance of a bigger and heavier tire (hence why I wish I had 5.13's), so in reality, 4.88 is a little WORSE than 4.10 with stock rubbers.

 

and I think he meant stuck with 4.88's cause mine is the same as his the yj won't support 5.13's in the front diff

[jcsanders79]

I wouldn't do it.   I think 33's need 4.88's.