I am new to overland camping. I purchased a 2013 rubicon unlimited. I plan to do some camping and trail riding. Curious what would be the easiest/but best lift /wheel combo to keep good highway performance, but would work great on fire roads and some moderate off roading. Tire size/ style, wheel size and style/beadlock? Lift type and how high is needed for the tire style/size recommended. I have about 4K to spend on the combo
2013 jk rubicon unlimited tire/suspension questions
- Thread starter chadjodi
- Start date
Offbrandkris
New member
I did mine, AEV 3.5 Goodyear Duratrac 315/70/17s, was a bit more than 4k but I also did a teraflex rear tire carrier and hinge. I feel like it actually runs better on the highway than it did before the lift. Haven't gotten her off road yet, that's for Saturday so I can report back if you want. Also, I did the install my self so I saved some money there.
picture is mid install after we got got it off the jacks.
*editing to say, I still get 20 MPGs but I baby the hell out of her.
picture is mid install after we got got it off the jacks.
*editing to say, I still get 20 MPGs but I baby the hell out of her.
tarditi
Explorer
You already have a Rubicon running 32s... how big do you want to go?
You can go to 33s with minimal work (could just get flat fenders!)
Can run 35s with a few inches of lift, can run 37s with 4+ inches of lift.
Anything will adversely effect your MPG and change your center of gravity - that said, there are some more reputable brands than others.
True beadlocks have trouble with DMV in many states; relegated to "off highway use only - most of the ones you see are decorative. That said, you only need beadlocks when airing down a lot... you can get down to teens of PSI in regular radials with little threat of unseating a bead for the most part.
You can go to 33s with minimal work (could just get flat fenders!)
Can run 35s with a few inches of lift, can run 37s with 4+ inches of lift.
Anything will adversely effect your MPG and change your center of gravity - that said, there are some more reputable brands than others.
True beadlocks have trouble with DMV in many states; relegated to "off highway use only - most of the ones you see are decorative. That said, you only need beadlocks when airing down a lot... you can get down to teens of PSI in regular radials with little threat of unseating a bead for the most part.
tarditi,
I guess tire size is really part of the question. I am looking for direction i guess. Are 35's still good on the HWY? I certainly don't want to make a monster truck, but I am trying to avoid trial and error engineering with all of the expertise out there give me your best opinion
I guess tire size is really part of the question. I am looking for direction i guess. Are 35's still good on the HWY? I certainly don't want to make a monster truck, but I am trying to avoid trial and error engineering with all of the expertise out there give me your best opinion
Offbrandkris
New member
naw, it's the cheaper one with the standard shocks, reading up during my research I found that you only really need the reservoir shocks if you are planning on doing fast driving over seriously uneven terrain. not something I'm planning on doing with my rig.. now if I find later that I need that I can always upgrade when it comes time.
If you're not going to get into the harder trails and will only stay on moderate with a daily commuter:
2.5" AEV lift
geo correction brackets
Procal
285 70 17 goodyear wrangler duratrac
AEV pintler or other 17" wheel
If you like your stock wheels, use some spidertrax. The wheel spacers and budget will fit together better than another $1K for wheels.
In staying with 33's, you will not have to change out your tire carrier either. Your mpg's will stay close along with your power.
WininUtah
Adventurer
I went over board with a Teraflex 2.5" Elite lift, Fox Reservoir Shox, Fox Steering Stabilizer, AEV Pintler wheels and 315/70R-17 Hankook MTs. It rides great on the road and is a pleasure on the desert/fire roads that we frequent. I'm no rock crawler, just wanted a capable Jeep for exploring. I had a shop do the work, this is a bit north of your budget. I just did a 500 mile road trip and averaged 17.2 MPG, I was happy!
crawler#976
Expedition Leader
AEV 2.5 XT was our choice for our JKUR. It's a high quality lift that performs very very well on and off highway.
BBailey
Explorer
Decide on a tire size and whether you want to run stock or flat fenders. With that info you can settle on a lift height. And from there, it really depends on what you want to use your JK for which lift you go with.
I've run 37's with flat fenders and a budget boost (took some trimming in the rear at the pinch seam). I've run both 35's and 37's with simple 2.5 inch lifts. I'm currently running coilovers set to about 3 inches of lift with 37's.
I get between 15 and 18 mpg in my 2012 with 37's. MPG is more tied to lift height than anything else. Same lift, with 35's, I got roughly the same MPG. Higher the lift, lower the MPG is a good solid rule of thumb.
If you settle on a budget boost, buy the cheapest you can find. They are all basically the same. You can run 33's with no chance of rubbing with a simple budget boost. 35's can be run with extended bumpstops. 37's can be run with flat fenders, a lot of trimming, and extended bumpstops.
From there, you're going to find tons and tons of options. Rock Krawler (despite the name), makes some excellent 2.5 inch lifts that work great for expedition type wheeling ranging from a basic spring lift to a mid-arm kit, to a full three link conversion that flexes like crazy. Personally, I'm not fond of their spring rates, but that's more personal choice than anything else (and it's actuall a statement I'd make about teraflex, rubicon express, pro comp, and most other lift manufacturers).
Teraflex also makes a ton of different lifts though I'm not at all fond of their control arms as I've blown out more of their bushings than I care to remember. I've also seen more than a few friends do the same. Hard to recommend one of their lifts based on that alone (assuming you actually intend to offroad your JK).
AEV is great, if you plan to stay primarily on the street or on easy trails. The brackets they use on their kits hang the body side mount of the control arm lower (which is great for geometry correction but terrible for ground clearance). Their lifts also don't flex to the same degree as those from Teraflex or Rock Krawler (in no small part due to their retention of the stock control arms). Again, which lift really depends on usage.
Personally? I'd go with a 3 inch Enforcer lift from Off Road Evolution. Run flat fenders if you want to run 37's. Run stock fenders if you want to stick with 33's or 35's (35's would be my personal choice if I was new and building a general all purpose rig that would see a lot of street miles). If you can afford it, spring for the King remote reservoir shocks (and if you can't, go with Rancho 9000's). Add in the EVO Draglink Flip Kit and you'll have a VERY solid kit that'll go anywhere you point your JK and will ride worlds better on the street. And if you want to upgrade control arms, I'd go with EVO, Currie, or Rokmen (by far, the best available today). I'm actually running the rear plushride springs from this kit on my JK presently (the 4 inch lift versions though given the weight of my JK it sits at about 3 to 3.5 inches higher than stock) and even my wife comments on how smooth my JK runs on the highway as compared to her Escalade.
Wheels? Take your pick. To beadlock or not to beadlock is not a question of DOT legality. Beadlocks are not illegal anywhere in the US and I challenge anyone to show me a statute that makes them so. It's simply urban legend that without the DOT sticker, they aren't legal on the street. I've run them on my daily driver for the last 3 years and have been pulled over in that time period in TX, CO, UT, NM, NV, OK, and AR and haven't gotten ticket number one. In fact, in most instances, the cop has asked if they were real beadlocks and then spent some time checking them out.
Go beadlocks only if you don't mind a bit of extra maintenance and intend to wheel in areas where airing down really matters. Otherwise stick with standard wheels. I have 2 JK's, mine runs beadlocks, my son's does not. We rarely run into instances where it matters.
What wheels to run is purely personal preference though keep in mind that lighter wheels (without sacrificing strength) have a lot of advantages and that generally lighter wheels are more expensive. Personally, I run AEV Pintlers on my daily driver and have a set of ATX slabs for pure off-roading, both are beadlocks (primary difference is the size of the lock ring, much larger on the ATX Slabs, and wheel strength, the ATX, though heavier, are substantially stronger). My other JK runs a set of inexpensive XD series wheels. Choose based on style and usage.
Tires? Wow, world of choices. Personally I'm fond of Nitto and Toyo, primarily because they have sidewalls that don't blow out and I tend to take my JK places that blow out sidewalls (I like to camp in out of the way places and see places that others have trouble getting to). I've also run the Goodyear MTR Kevlar's and while many hate them, I didn't have any bad experiences with them. Chose tires based on the type of terrain you'll be using your JK on. I run Nitto Trail Grappler's on both of mine presently and have no problem with them on the street and love them in the dirt.
I've run 37's with flat fenders and a budget boost (took some trimming in the rear at the pinch seam). I've run both 35's and 37's with simple 2.5 inch lifts. I'm currently running coilovers set to about 3 inches of lift with 37's.
I get between 15 and 18 mpg in my 2012 with 37's. MPG is more tied to lift height than anything else. Same lift, with 35's, I got roughly the same MPG. Higher the lift, lower the MPG is a good solid rule of thumb.
If you settle on a budget boost, buy the cheapest you can find. They are all basically the same. You can run 33's with no chance of rubbing with a simple budget boost. 35's can be run with extended bumpstops. 37's can be run with flat fenders, a lot of trimming, and extended bumpstops.
From there, you're going to find tons and tons of options. Rock Krawler (despite the name), makes some excellent 2.5 inch lifts that work great for expedition type wheeling ranging from a basic spring lift to a mid-arm kit, to a full three link conversion that flexes like crazy. Personally, I'm not fond of their spring rates, but that's more personal choice than anything else (and it's actuall a statement I'd make about teraflex, rubicon express, pro comp, and most other lift manufacturers).
Teraflex also makes a ton of different lifts though I'm not at all fond of their control arms as I've blown out more of their bushings than I care to remember. I've also seen more than a few friends do the same. Hard to recommend one of their lifts based on that alone (assuming you actually intend to offroad your JK).
AEV is great, if you plan to stay primarily on the street or on easy trails. The brackets they use on their kits hang the body side mount of the control arm lower (which is great for geometry correction but terrible for ground clearance). Their lifts also don't flex to the same degree as those from Teraflex or Rock Krawler (in no small part due to their retention of the stock control arms). Again, which lift really depends on usage.
Personally? I'd go with a 3 inch Enforcer lift from Off Road Evolution. Run flat fenders if you want to run 37's. Run stock fenders if you want to stick with 33's or 35's (35's would be my personal choice if I was new and building a general all purpose rig that would see a lot of street miles). If you can afford it, spring for the King remote reservoir shocks (and if you can't, go with Rancho 9000's). Add in the EVO Draglink Flip Kit and you'll have a VERY solid kit that'll go anywhere you point your JK and will ride worlds better on the street. And if you want to upgrade control arms, I'd go with EVO, Currie, or Rokmen (by far, the best available today). I'm actually running the rear plushride springs from this kit on my JK presently (the 4 inch lift versions though given the weight of my JK it sits at about 3 to 3.5 inches higher than stock) and even my wife comments on how smooth my JK runs on the highway as compared to her Escalade.
Wheels? Take your pick. To beadlock or not to beadlock is not a question of DOT legality. Beadlocks are not illegal anywhere in the US and I challenge anyone to show me a statute that makes them so. It's simply urban legend that without the DOT sticker, they aren't legal on the street. I've run them on my daily driver for the last 3 years and have been pulled over in that time period in TX, CO, UT, NM, NV, OK, and AR and haven't gotten ticket number one. In fact, in most instances, the cop has asked if they were real beadlocks and then spent some time checking them out.
Go beadlocks only if you don't mind a bit of extra maintenance and intend to wheel in areas where airing down really matters. Otherwise stick with standard wheels. I have 2 JK's, mine runs beadlocks, my son's does not. We rarely run into instances where it matters.
What wheels to run is purely personal preference though keep in mind that lighter wheels (without sacrificing strength) have a lot of advantages and that generally lighter wheels are more expensive. Personally, I run AEV Pintlers on my daily driver and have a set of ATX slabs for pure off-roading, both are beadlocks (primary difference is the size of the lock ring, much larger on the ATX Slabs, and wheel strength, the ATX, though heavier, are substantially stronger). My other JK runs a set of inexpensive XD series wheels. Choose based on style and usage.
Tires? Wow, world of choices. Personally I'm fond of Nitto and Toyo, primarily because they have sidewalls that don't blow out and I tend to take my JK places that blow out sidewalls (I like to camp in out of the way places and see places that others have trouble getting to). I've also run the Goodyear MTR Kevlar's and while many hate them, I didn't have any bad experiences with them. Chose tires based on the type of terrain you'll be using your JK on. I run Nitto Trail Grappler's on both of mine presently and have no problem with them on the street and love them in the dirt.
MOSDIF589
Axel Adventures
You can check out my build thread in here under Axel Adventure Sloooow Build... ARB OME HD is the way to go, 2.25" lift will sit aprox 2.75"-3" tall and handle like a dream. I started off with 35/12.50-17 but decided to go a little smaller and now run 285/75-17 aka 34/11.50-17...
Just did a 900 mile round trip with the family and the Jeep loaded to the top. I set the cruise on 80mph and got 17.4mpg......!!
klaykrusher
New member
I have a 2014 JKUR that I've had for about 7 months now. First must haves were an engine skid, air compressor, and CB. I'm in the same situation you are, deciding what I need in a lift. I've decided to run it stock and continue to get a feel for what it and I can do. And so far it has done everything I have asked of it from fire service roads to moderate and difficult trails here in the southwest. I actually enjoy the challenge of running the trails stock and figuring out the best lines to take for an obstacle verses just being able to roll over it. So my first recommendation would be to just run it stock and learn the capabilities of both you and the Jeep.
You may find a simple budget boost is all you need if your just going off road a few times a year. You may also find you end up running a lot of muddy trails up there so it may make more sense to go to a 4-4.5 inch lift where you don't need a whole lot of articulation but a lot of clearance to get through the slop. If that is the case I would even suggest starting with a budget boost and good bumper winch combo and run that through all 4 seasons. That will get your front end lifted and help with the added weight. Bottom line, last thing you want to do is invest a few thousand in lift and tires only to find out it doesn't meet your needs or handle and drive the way you expected it to. Been there and done that before....
You may find a simple budget boost is all you need if your just going off road a few times a year. You may also find you end up running a lot of muddy trails up there so it may make more sense to go to a 4-4.5 inch lift where you don't need a whole lot of articulation but a lot of clearance to get through the slop. If that is the case I would even suggest starting with a budget boost and good bumper winch combo and run that through all 4 seasons. That will get your front end lifted and help with the added weight. Bottom line, last thing you want to do is invest a few thousand in lift and tires only to find out it doesn't meet your needs or handle and drive the way you expected it to. Been there and done that before....