"Bruce" the 2014 Jeep JKUR Build Thread

[KlausVanWinkle]

I planned a Utah Traverse trip for my ExPo crew but then couldn't go because my boss didn't want both of us on vacation at the same time. Guess which trip took priority

So a friend and I decided to finish the second half of the Mojave Road trip we started last January. He's an amazing wealth of desert knowledge.



He also switched from a built 100-Series Land Cruiser to a JKUR, and was part of my inspiration to do the same. His build philosophy is very similar to mine if not even more minimalist. It looked our Jeeps were about the same height when loaded. His BFG AT KO2 35x12.5r17 looked perfectly proportioned with the AEV XT 2.5 lift.

AEV informed me that my lift isn't designed to carry weight as well as the 3.5 or 4.5 lifts. They advised I step up to the 3.5 given my build. Which isn't helping my interest in stepping up to the 37x12.5r17 BFG AT KO2s. Still looking into the reliability complications. And I'm eagerly awaiting Jake of NMBR's year one review of those tires in that size.

 

[kojackJKU]

There really is no reliability complications but there is a lot of expense, and you loose drivability for most things besides crawling going with 37s. Hell, even 35's are a stretch.

 

[zigsrig]

It depends on which 37's... My KO2's are much lighter ( and only 35.5") than say nitto trail grapplers n 37"...

Don't believe everything you read on the net


Sent from my Jeep

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

It depends on which 37's... My KO2's are much lighter ( and only 35.5") than say nitto trail grapplers n 37"...

Don't believe everything you read on the net


Sent from my Jeep

That's my current thinking. Although none of us really need 37s. And I don't want to jump the shark or have tires remorse.

 

[MTSN]

It depends on which 37's... My KO2's are much lighter ( and only 35.5") than say nitto trail grapplers n 37"...

Don't believe everything you read on the net


Sent from my Jeep

I followed your lead as you know and bought the same tires, and I cannot say enough good things about them. Not only are they lighter than a comparable 37, they're lighter than a lot of 35s! I put this graph together of some common combos including what I ran, and it shows the 37 KO2 is 12 pounds lighter than a Toyo 35.

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

I followed your lead as you know and bought the same tires, and I cannot say enough good things about them. Not only are they lighter than a comparable 37, they're lighter than a lot of 35s! I put this graph together of some common combos including what I ran, and it shows the 37 KO2 is 12 pounds lighter than a Toyo 35.

Thanks for your chart! You know I love getting as into the weeds on this stuff as you do. So if I got new wheels, I could actually make the 37s weigh less than my proposed 35 plan.

255/75r17 BFG MT KM with Rubicon wheel and Spidertrax spacers: 81lbs per.
35x12.5r17 BFG AT KO2 with Rubicon wheel and Spidertrax spacers: 101lbs per.
35x12.5r17 BFG AT KO2 with AEV Pintler or Quadratec Moab: 95lbs per.
37x12.5r17 BFG AT KO2 with AEV Pintler or Quadratec Moab: 99lbs per.
37x12.5r17 BFG AT KO2 with Rubicon wheel and Spidertrax spacers: 105lbs per.

I doubt weight will be that big of an issue with any of the set ups. They're all substantially heavier than what I run now, but within 5lbs.

I'm most concerned with drivability and reliability. Most of the off roading I do is very remote with the occasional technical trail with a group, or very remote, solo and easier with my wife. Don't want my tire envy to lead to a break down south of the border or anything. And most of the driving I do is stop and go traffic. Or highway speeds up hill. I live at sea level. So all of our destinations are uphill.

Between the reliability, gearing, fuel economy, parking deck height and braking issues the 37s might cause, the rational thing to do is just go with the 35s. But last time I chose a rational tire size, I ended up replacing them 6mos later. Same for lift height, but 3.5 seems perfect in that dept.

 

[MTSN]

Glad the chart helped! As much as I like my setup, I honestly think going with a 35" will be better for application especially with a good wheel like AEV. I'm actually setting up our Yukon XL to tow my Jeep to Moab and anywhere I will wheel hard, so I'm a bit less concerned about breaking than I was in the past when I drove from home to wheel and back. With the weight you carry and the objectives you have, I think the 3.5" AEV lift with 35" KO2s and AEV wheels would be the optimal setup. If you ever wanted to go up a size later, just sell your 35s since that's a size everyone wants, and it's easy to sell. I only lost a couple hundred bucks on my prior setup after using it for a few months and wheeling with it.

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

Glad the chart helped! As much as I like my setup, I honestly think going with a 35" will be better for application especially with a good wheel like AEV. I'm actually setting up our Yukon XL to tow my Jeep to Moab and anywhere I will wheel hard, so I'm a bit less concerned about breaking than I was in the past when I drove from home to wheel and back. With the weight you carry and the objectives you have, I think the 3.5" AEV lift with 35" KO2s and AEV wheels would be the optimal setup. If you ever wanted to go up a size later, just sell your 35s since that's a size everyone wants, and it's easy to sell. I only lost a couple hundred bucks on my prior setup after using it for a few months and wheeling with it.

I have a feeling you're right. I plan to keep the stock wheels for now. But those Onyx Saltas and beadlock Mopars are nice.

 

[Comanche Scott]

I have a feeling you're right. I plan to keep the stock wheels for now. But those Onyx Saltas and beadlock Mopars are nice.

x2 :beer:

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

ROFLMAO!

Man, I can't recommend Photobucket. I have a free account, and it sucks! I'm thinking of finding something else.

I link pictures here directly by:
Going to advanced posting
using the Manage attachments
Add files
Browse to picture folder on the laptop
and uploading.
Then I have them for future reference, when helping someone in another thread.

That's what I've been doing lately too. But that also sucks. iCloud would be nice but they also make you post it to a public website in order to link it. I was looking at smugmug but that's not free.


But more importantly 35 or 37" BFG KO2s? Or some other 35" MT.

 

[Tombstone17]

I love my 35 KO2's, they work well in both dirt and rocks so far. I haven't had a chance to try deep sand yet, just what was it the river bed with the rocks........

 

[Comanche Scott]

That's what I've been doing lately too. But that also sucks. iCloud would be nice but they also make you post it to a public website in order to link it. I was looking at smugmug but that's not free.


But more importantly 35 or 37" BFG KO2s? Or some other 35" MT.

Well, being completely honest, I'm known to be an enabler... :elkgrin:
I am also biased towards more ground clearance. So with the 37" KO2s being 35.5", I'd probably go that way over a 35" or a 315/70R 17, with the stock JKUR rims. The money spent on rims would buy ball joints, steering upgrades & brake upgrade.

No matter which way you go, the ball joints are going to need to be changed eventually, and a brake/steering upgrade is always a good thing.
But unless you plan to do high speed desert, or bash around on rocks with liberal use of the skinny pedal, I really think a 35.5 tire will be fine on the Dana44.

I don't have any first hand experience with the new KO2, and none of my previous KO2s where larger than 33". So, in that aspect all I can say is I really like the idea of a true 35.5" tire.

I'll end up on true 37" tires, because that would allow me to sell another rig. So I am probably a bit biased here, but in just the 500 plus miles of real off-road, that extra inch and a half is pretty meaningful.

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

Well, being completely honest, I'm known to be an enabler... :elkgrin:
I am also biased towards more ground clearance. So with the 37" KO2s being 35.5", I'd probably go that way over a 35" or a 315/70R 17, with the stock JKUR rims. The money spent on rims would buy ball joints, steering upgrades & brake upgrade.

No matter which way you go, the ball joints are going to need to be changed eventually, and a brake/steering upgrade is always a good thing.
But unless you plan to do high speed desert, or bash around on rocks with liberal use of the skinny pedal, I really think a 35.5 tire will be fine on the Dana44.

I don't have any first hand experience with the new KO2, and none of my previous KO2s where larger than 33". So, in that aspect all I can say is I really like the idea of a true 35.5" tire.

I'll end up on true 37" tires, because that would allow me to sell another rig. So I am probably a bit biased here, but in just the 500 plus miles of real off-road, that extra inch and a half is pretty meaningful.

I've heard the 37s are more like 35.3" mounted. The upgrades you mention are the kind of thing I don't really want to get into. Axle housing, gears, brakes, steering components. 37s seem to be the slippery slope that 315s were on the Land Cruiser.

I love my 35 KO2's, they work well in both dirt and rocks so far. I haven't had a chance to try deep sand yet, just what was it the river bed with the rocks........

The red Jeep in my Mojave picture has 35x12.5r17 KO2s. No issue in deep sand. He probably had an easier time than me because his AT tread doesn't dive into ruts as much as mine do.

 

[zigsrig]

So far, nothing but love for the 37" KO2's from me...

Sent from my Jeep

 

[kojackJKU]

I've heard the 37s are more like 35.3" mounted. The upgrades you mention are the kind of thing I don't really want to get into. Axle housing, gears, brakes, steering components. 37s seem to be the slippery slope that 315s were on the Land Cruiser.



The red Jeep in my Mojave picture has 35x12.5r17 KO2s. No issue in deep sand. He probably had an easier time than me because his AT tread doesn't dive into ruts as much as mine do.

You should replace the ball joint NOW. That's given. there's ********** plastic in them things! I ditched mine at 35,000. 4 of them were shot. I installed NAPA gold dana/spicer joints and I have yet to replace one. That is now heavy off roading, and at 185,000. The only thing I would do with anything up front would be stronger Joints on the tie rod and drag link. The front is stronger than everyone says. Now, if you are a nimrod and hammer the bejesus out of it, of course it will break. If you drive like a normal human, it will be fine. NOW, HOW it drives is another story.