Newbie with a couple of questions!!

[BLVCKJEEP]

Hey Guys,

Pretty new here. Purchased my first Jeep (2008 JK Wrangler Unlimited) not long ago and as is the per usual want to do a few mods on it. I've just got out of a V8 and was always getting hassled for the usual being too low and tint too dark.

Anyway, i have a few mods in mind and want to run them past you guys as you have more knowledge than me.

Originally i was going to keep the stock 17" wheels and paint them gloss black, put some bigger tyres on and that was it. Since I've been doing a lot of research I've seen a lot of things that tickle my fancy a bit more and am now starting to go a bit over the top for what i actually need.

Im a bit stuck as too which way to go on a few things so bare with me.

Ill start with wheels which is my most simple question. Im keen on 16x8 Pro Comp 98 Rock Crawlers in black. Is there a certain backspacing that is best? And also will these fit over my brakes?

The nest question relates to tyres. I was always keen on 285/70 size wheels no matter what rim size but I've got the bug to go bigger. Possibly 305/70/16 or 315/75/16 Summit Mud Hogs. Whats the main problems I'm going to have with going bigger? Im not going to do doing a lot of 4wding as I'm only new to this but it is more for the aesthetic look at the moment and as you know most of the time, bigger looks better. But then comes the tyre carrier issue. Have heard a lot of people have had issues with too much weight with bigger tyres and have cooked their tailgate.


Looking at a simple 2.5 AEV Lift Kit as a possibility depending on whether i go bigger tyres or whether it will just look a lot better higher up.

Cant wait to get stuck into this but just need a little guidance to start with to get me going in the right direction.

Cheers, Ash

[wranglertj]

If keeping stock flares go no more than 5" of BS in a 17x8 otherwise they will push outside your guards and you will then need to get some wider flares.

But if you want to go 35's down the track then you will need 4.5" BS and you will require wider flares for tyre coverage. Flat fenders are awesome and generally give you an additional 100mm of extra guard clearance. Bigger tyres requires to look at bump stops as well and best way to flex up and find out where it starts to hit things and take measurements.
Larger tyres will make your gearing taller so you need to take that into account if that bothers you. The 33 tyre you are originally considering want make a massive difference but a 35 will

[redfox355]

35's might look nice, but the change in gearing is really going to affect driveability. Generally to fit 35s under, you will need rims with less back space (like the pro comps you've mentioned), lift kit (AEV 2.5 should be good if that's what you have in mind) and wider flares. That's before you do the diff gears. Oh yeah, and to keep it legal you'll need to get it engineered (although that's debatable depending on what rims you choose). So it's a pretty costly exercise all up to make your truck look aesthetically pleasing. With that said, a nice set of 33in MTs with a 2.5in lift still looks really nice in my opinion.
Regarding the tailgate issues you mentioned, you can get a teraflex heavy duty tailgate hinge. That will fix your tailgate woes if you decide to keep the spare on the door instead of a separate swing away carrier.

[The Beard]

Going down this road at the moment and it's not cheap. Currently I've got the following sitting in my shed in boxes - 4.88 R&P's, install kits, HD ball joints, HD unis, front axle sleeve and c-gussets. Next step is to order the lift kit and find the cash to get it installed. (Though I got a very reasonable quote on the labour)

Next up is aftermarket rims and then finally, the tyres themselves. (With aftermarket flares to consider)

While ordering some of the kit from overseas saved a chunk of cash, I'm unlikely to finish the work for much short of 10K. If I was to have it engineered (which I probably won't for a 2.5" lift and 34-35" tyres) it'd be a lot more.

Plus insurance is going to be an issue and I'll probably get sphincter twitch everytime I see a police car in my mirrors...

[Das_Colonel]

No point going big if you're not going off road often. Also depends on the work it's going to be doing. Don't go stupid with a 4" lift and huge tyres, armour, sliders etc. if it's sand work, as you'll just tip over quicker.

The guys that do that often have a specific thing in mind, rock crawling.

I'm happy with a 2.5" lift and 33s. Anything above that you start getting into an expensive category, where you might be better off spending the money on other things.

[warnabrother]

to keep it legalish and cheap.. 285's and 2.5" lift..

[redfox355]

Originally Posted by The Beard

... and I'll probably get sphincter twitch everytime I see a police car in my mirrors...

Ah yes, I know that twitch...