Topic: to 33 or not to 33?

[omnisi]

Thats what I was thinkin'

[Jeffy]

[beckham388]

I have a 1997 TJ and I am looking at adding 33 x 10.50 Tires on 15x8 Wheels right away and am planning on a RE 3.5 SF upgrade in the spring.

I have installed a JKS 1.25 Body Lift, M.O.R.E. Bombproof 1" Motor Mounts, replace the entire Exhaust system and replaced the stock fan with an Electric Fan Unit. I am wanting to add the 33 Engineering High Clearance Skid Plate before adding the tires and the Suspension lift.

I'm wondering will I have to add and SYE and CV Shaft after adding the Skid Plate? or can I wait until after doing the Suspension lift to add it? I've seen conflicting posts which state the driveshaft angles will be off from the 1.25 BL and the 1" MML.

Thanks in advance

[YjMike]

4. Will I always be looked at as a "little guy" if I stay with 31's?



Yes....

[Jesse-James]

4. Will I always be looked at as a "little guy" if I stay with 31's?

Yes....

Driver skill accounts for a lot. It's always fun to make it through an obstacle with 31's and open diff's after the guy on 35's couldn't do it. The little guy comments tend to stop after that, at least for a while.

[dexetr30]

I'm running 29's and have just as much fun as the "big guys."

[aw12345]

Like it or not 33's make it easier to get over obstacles. I ran the stock 28's the 31's and now 33'd 31's work well but bigger tires make it definitely easier

[Jeffy]

Like it or not 33's make it easier to get over obstacles. I ran the stock 28's the 31's and now 33'd 31's work well but bigger tires make it definitely easier

Especially when aired down.  You lose height as you gain a larger footprint.

[chrisfranklin]

I'd probably build your TJ for the trails you're reasonably going to do now and in the future.   And you probably already recognize that doing bigger tires 'right' may cost you a fair amount of money and time.

People may disagree, but a TJ with 31s, the D44 or similar and lockers front/rear can probably do 90+% of the trails out there.  That's a lot of trails depending on your location.

[dexetr30]

I ran 33 on my 2000 Sport and they do help when it comes to larger obstacles. But, I've also learned a lot about driving since then and the 29's do very well by me. Granted, 33's would do me even better at this point but I have no complaints. I have fun no matter what and getting stuck is fun...sometimes. 

[neale_rs]

I´m running 30s on my stock YJ and the differential hardly ever get hit.  What is getting hit a lot is the belly skid plate and the gas tank.  Sometimes my approach angle is just not enough forcing me to take a bypass.  You may want to try a budget boost and a gas tank skid plate, it will help a lot for less money than some new 33s.

[callenst]

Just go for it, why buy something that you don't really want.   Save yourself the money and buy 33's.  I had 30*9.5 bfg at's, then 31*10.5 bfg mt's, then 32*11.5 gy mtrs' now im back to bfg at's in the 33*12.5.   It runs fine with stock gears and some power mods.  The 33 inch AT's ride better(more power) than the 32 inch MTR's.   They also seem to better in the snow.  Maybe is just that they are new.   Im putting in new gears, (4.88's) and a locker and some 30 splines next week.   But if your wondering if it can be done w stock gears the answer is yes, with no issues other than you lose 5th going up hills.  But you will lose 5th with 31's.  We drive 4 Bangers not highway cruisers.   

[black99tj]

I run 31's on the road. I have 33 X 12.50 Truxs MT's I typically only use on the trail. I drive two hours up the highway to home from school occasionally and don't like chewing off good grip just to look a little cooler.

[might4banger]

I had 30's and went everywhere my buddy did with his Rubicon. (I was open at the time.) Power was fine and the only prob's was hitting the gas tank skid.

If I had to do it all over - I'd stay on 30's and kept the $$$. Guess it all depends on where you wheel.

Nothing like the look on people's faces when you get a near stocker thru some hairy stuff !

[woodie92]

  got 33's on my 92... excellent offroad and bounty hunter knows from jeepz.com i've been asking alot about regearing..... on the road 5th is almost obsolete on even slow grades..... u do 33's better plan on changing gears. offroad they i love them