UP VS DOWN

G

goodwilljeeper

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Pleasanton CA
So i have read almost all the forums on this and none of them are really that helpful/ pertaining to what I'm looking for.

Plus i really just care about sierra chapters opinions at the moment.

So real quick:

I am looking to run 33's on a 3 " lift. however...

Will this look to squatty in your opinion?

is up travel more important then down travel or vice versa?

will less up travel still work great for rock crawling?

I love the way my set up works right now and how it handles, i have been thinking 33's for a while but I'm nervous about loosing what i have. so please give me your input.
 
Less up travel works for crawling. I have about 3 to 4" of up travel at around 5.5" of lift on 35s. I only notice the bottoming out in fast stuff. I had 3" of lift on stock tires for a while and it was nice in the fast stuff with all the up travel. I think 33s and 3" of lift would be an all around good setup. If I didn't have bushwhacker flares I imagine I could loose 2 inches of bumpstop at least. But I don't feel as if I need any more flex. And I only drive fast if I drink too much.
 
you're thinking way too far into it.Honestly. its a simple decision.
do you have the budget for 33s, yes or no? do you have a budget for bumpstopping (you can order prothanes or use hockey pucks or whatever you feel like)

I run 33s and A 3" lift on my MJ. just do it and bump stop. its that simple. I ran 33s for years on a 3" lift on my XJ too.
 
blondejon is right, its whats in the budget and how much work you are willing to put in so that the tires dont rub on fenders. Also, how much you are willing to cut off your fenders is another important thing to decide.
 
You can always add a spacer later if you need more lift. But the the bump stops are definitely a must regardless of how much you lift it. Make sure to get uppers and lowers in the front.
 
I'm on 33s with sagged stock springs right now. Is it ideal, no, but it works and I drive it every day. You can make this super complicated and over think this but it's just like the other guys have said, what can you afford? I have seen a lot of rigs on 33s with 3 inches of lift, and the general concensus is that it's a pretty balanced set up, not too tall, decent travel if set up right, stable, and fairly cheap depending on how it's done. I say lift it, throw those tires on, and wheel the hell out of it.
 
Measure each corner at full droop and compression without shocks on. Find a shock that is as close as you can not being fully compressed or extended with those measurements. You may not need to sacrifice up or down travel. I like my shocks to sit in the middle of the shaft at ride height.

Remember not all shocks with the same travel have the same extended and compressed lengths. Look at more than one brand when shopping
 
XJensen said:
Measure each corner at full droop and compression without shocks on. Find a shock that is as close as you can not being fully compressed or extended with those measurements. You may not need to sacrifice up or down travel. I like my shocks to sit in the middle of the shaft at ride height.

Remember not all shocks with the same travel have the same extended and compressed lengths. Look at more than one brand when shopping
Click to expand...
Thanks dude! That will help
 
Just an fyi sam. Im at 3" with the 35s. I run 12" doetsch baja shocks up front. Way more droop than i need but i use every inch of uptravel. There are way more expensive/better shocks out there but these were only 120 shipped and they work well for me. Im only using some cheap extended bumpstops. I think they are re. And a hockey puck rtv'ed to the stock coil pad. Obiously yours will be a little different with a different size tire. But just saying dont over think. If you feel it works well now as a whole and just want a bit bigger tire, go for it and make adjustments as necessary.

New shoes, bumpstop, measure for shocks, done
 
I am a huge fan of RTVing hockey pucks as bumpstops...been doing that for years. Surprisingly, works well. and you can often get hockey pucks for 1$ each. Also, if you want go bling, drill a hole through the center and bolt them in...
 
I'm also going to be going up to 35's here soon and I'm sitting on a 3"lift. I say do it! Keep that diff further away from the rocks!
 
I am the king overthinker when it comes to my build.

I have a different opinion about this and I am not saying there is a right or wrong way to do it. In my case I prefer not to have to limit my up-travel or down-travel more than I need to. To me it doesn't make sense to always go with the biggest tire you can at the expense of suspension travel. It's kind of the same logic that questions why add a lift and then lower the transfer case...

For you the question really is are you willing to compromise suspension travel, fuel mileage, and possibly ride quality (due to gearing) for the sake of a little ground clearance?

I think its fine if you want to run 33's but so far the only solution to that has been to "just add bumpstops" in order to make that work. No mention of trimming more? (edit: one guy mentioned it: Rudolph)
 
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I agree. It's mostly finding a balance. And being comfortable knowing(or predicting) what your rig can and can't do. Low cog is definitely a good thing to have but there are times when you need a tire high with the other on the ground. whether it's the front up and rear climbing... Whatever the case may be. Bump stopping for low up travel can prevent that although... Maybe not all that often.

Like I said "balance".. dialing in suspension is tough.
I like mine where it's at personally. But you'll figure it out. 33s on 3" is a good start. Get ready for some time and work if you're willing... Oh and money :D :D
 
I went with DT8000 shocks and I love them!! and goodwill you can cut your front fenders more, try and cut them the same amount as me and you should be able to stuff even with a 3in lift (i think our rim back spacing is the same too). And if you trim your fenders enough and dont have to put in hockey pucks, the DTs have built in bump stops.
 
I would deffinately not recommend using the dt8000 as bumpstops. I have the same shock so i do know what you are refering to. The factory shock mounts are not ment to take the load of a bumpstop in the way we use them.

I had to bumpstop just a bit because i had no more room for tire without reshaping the fenderwells. My 35s actually tuck inside the fenders about an inch at full bump.
 
GordoSmasho said:
I would deffinately not recommend using the dt8000 as bumpstops. I have the same shock so i do know what you are refering to. The factory shock mounts are not ment to take the load of a bumpstop in the way we use them.

I had to bumpstop just a bit because i had no more room for tire without reshaping the fenderwells. My 35s actually tuck inside the fenders about an inch at full bump.
Click to expand...

good to know!!
 
Thanks guys. Yeah I do overthinkingit everything ha-ha I think that's the muscle car guy in me.

Well my buddy had the exact same jeep on 6 inch on 33's so we are going to switch tires and mess around with it as long as he doesn't sell it in the next two weeks. I took a measuring tape yesterday and I think I may be looking into 32's...haha what a big step lol but I think they would fit perfectly with no trimming. (I'm comfortable in my body and don't want to trim!)

Anyways thanks for the thoughts guys. If an admin wants to delete this thread go for it. I don't want to clog up the forum with my stuff. Thanks!!
 
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