Given the budget, scarce dollars... I think you have two good choices depending upon how tight your budget really is:
1.) Do nothing and enjoy your Jeep, but be easy on the Jeep to avoid unanticipated repair expenses which will wreck your budget.
2.) Go with a Tera Flex 2.5" spacer boost. (Raises front ~3.5" and rear ~1.5" to address some but not all rake.) your budget can determine whether you go with shock extenders and run the OEM shocks or get the BB with longer shocks, which costs more. Ride the stock BFG Mud Terrains until they wear out. Get 1.5" Spyder Trax or other good brand hub centric spacers to bring the tires uot to the ends of the flares. Get your 35's when the 32's wear out. That will be something like two to four years. Or save for the 35's and buy them when you can, knowing the 2.5" BB will accomodate them. (Still be easy on the Jeep to avoid those unbudgetted repair expenses.)
My wife's JKU has the 2.5" TF BB and spacers and it drives and rides just like it was OEM, except for a very slight increase in steering wander due to decreased castor, which comes with any lift that doesn't address castor. Looks better with the BB and the spacers, and of course has a bit better approach and departures angles, and more center clearance. Axle off set is minimal and can easily be corrected down the road with track bar relocation brackets or adjustable track bars.
BTW, imo, tall and skinny is good. But 255/85/16's (33x10's) are considered tall and skinny for some vehicles, like rovers or TJ/LJ's. There too short for the JK's imo, and only about an inch taller than the ~32"x10.5" tires already on the JKU Rubicon. 35x12.5's aren't tall and skinny. 37x12.5's get back to near the same height to width ratio as the 255/85's (33"x10.5's.) Perhaps 34's are the right choice? There are several offered in the known M/T and A/T brands (but in the metric equivelent sizes) and they work great - users' opinions, and look good on the JK's -my opinion! With 35's you will want to lower your gear ratio's at some time, less so with the 34's.
As far as Nomadic LJ's comments, well..., he isn't all wrong, but what he advocates doesn't fit within very tight budget constraints. My JK Unlimited Rubicon rides on the AEV 4.5" lift and it runs 37's. If you weren't on a tight budget, I'd be recommending that very complete lift or the Rubicon Express, or the respective 3.5" versions, which I have driven... Ride, handling, all better than stock... but not budget choices.
4.10's will be ok with 34's or 35's, especially with a standard trans until $'s free up in the future. You O/D will become almost moot though until you re-gear (take a look at the gear ratio chart I linked to at the bottom of this post. The chart assumes a 1:1 trans top gear. The JK standard top gear is .84:1 and the auto .67:1, but the fifth gear in the standard and the thrid gear in the auto are 1:1. With 35's you have essentially factory Rubicon performance but one gear lower.) Brakes on the JKU's are fine, even for 37's. Not much difference between my Jeep with 37's and my 3/4 ton Suburban with 265/75-16 tires (slightly larger than stock in width and height.).
Gear ratio chart: http://www.4lo.com/calc/geartable.htm
JPK
1.) Do nothing and enjoy your Jeep, but be easy on the Jeep to avoid unanticipated repair expenses which will wreck your budget.
2.) Go with a Tera Flex 2.5" spacer boost. (Raises front ~3.5" and rear ~1.5" to address some but not all rake.) your budget can determine whether you go with shock extenders and run the OEM shocks or get the BB with longer shocks, which costs more. Ride the stock BFG Mud Terrains until they wear out. Get 1.5" Spyder Trax or other good brand hub centric spacers to bring the tires uot to the ends of the flares. Get your 35's when the 32's wear out. That will be something like two to four years. Or save for the 35's and buy them when you can, knowing the 2.5" BB will accomodate them. (Still be easy on the Jeep to avoid those unbudgetted repair expenses.)
My wife's JKU has the 2.5" TF BB and spacers and it drives and rides just like it was OEM, except for a very slight increase in steering wander due to decreased castor, which comes with any lift that doesn't address castor. Looks better with the BB and the spacers, and of course has a bit better approach and departures angles, and more center clearance. Axle off set is minimal and can easily be corrected down the road with track bar relocation brackets or adjustable track bars.
BTW, imo, tall and skinny is good. But 255/85/16's (33x10's) are considered tall and skinny for some vehicles, like rovers or TJ/LJ's. There too short for the JK's imo, and only about an inch taller than the ~32"x10.5" tires already on the JKU Rubicon. 35x12.5's aren't tall and skinny. 37x12.5's get back to near the same height to width ratio as the 255/85's (33"x10.5's.) Perhaps 34's are the right choice? There are several offered in the known M/T and A/T brands (but in the metric equivelent sizes) and they work great - users' opinions, and look good on the JK's -my opinion! With 35's you will want to lower your gear ratio's at some time, less so with the 34's.
As far as Nomadic LJ's comments, well..., he isn't all wrong, but what he advocates doesn't fit within very tight budget constraints. My JK Unlimited Rubicon rides on the AEV 4.5" lift and it runs 37's. If you weren't on a tight budget, I'd be recommending that very complete lift or the Rubicon Express, or the respective 3.5" versions, which I have driven... Ride, handling, all better than stock... but not budget choices.
4.10's will be ok with 34's or 35's, especially with a standard trans until $'s free up in the future. You O/D will become almost moot though until you re-gear (take a look at the gear ratio chart I linked to at the bottom of this post. The chart assumes a 1:1 trans top gear. The JK standard top gear is .84:1 and the auto .67:1, but the fifth gear in the standard and the thrid gear in the auto are 1:1. With 35's you have essentially factory Rubicon performance but one gear lower.) Brakes on the JKU's are fine, even for 37's. Not much difference between my Jeep with 37's and my 3/4 ton Suburban with 265/75-16 tires (slightly larger than stock in width and height.).
Gear ratio chart: http://www.4lo.com/calc/geartable.htm
JPK
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