Eric Rawson

Hey all,

I want to try and keep this as short and clear as possible but I have some questions.

So, I've been looking at Wranglers for a while now and I am weeks if not days away from purchasing one. I am looking at a 2016 Sahara with 31k miles on it. However, I looked up the build list and I notice it has 3.21 gear ratio which is making me second guess whether it is the right pick for me. They have a 2015 Sahara for about $2000 less with 41k miles but it has the 3.73 gear ratio. I plan on modding the jeep over time and I have been doing a lot of research on it to try and plan out what I want to do and find out a rough estimate of pricing for it all. I want to get a 3-3.5 inch lift and 35 inch tires.

My first question is; Would it be better to buy the 2015 with the 3.73 because it has the higher gear ratio? I know regearing can be expensive and I would prefer to not spend the extra money to re-gear when I want to get new tires and a lift kit. A side note is that the 2015 Sahara has the 7 spoke rims which I am not a big fan of so I would prefer to get newer rims and tires sooner rather than later.

My next question is a little more involved, but I basically want to know all I would have to do to get bigger tires and a lift on. I know there are issues that arise when lifting so I want to get a better idea of what type of work would have to be done other than installing a 3-3.5 inch lift and 35 inch tires. I know there has to be adjustments for certain geometry, the driveshaft might have to be replaced, exhaust clearance issues etc. I also know that tires are heavier so I'm not sure if I will also have to buy a beefier tire carrier to not put unnecessary stress on the hinges. So basically I want to figure out all the possible things I would have to do to safely and thoroughly to build my Jeep without running into issues down the line.

I hope this was clear and I am open for discussions regarding my questions. A disclaimer is that I am not the most "mechanical savvy" person so I am learning as I go and am doing a lot of research to help myself learn more about Wranglers. I appreciate any help that I can get and I hope I can make a decision that is best for me.

nthinuf

There are a couple threads stuck right to the top of the Modified Tech area, start with them. (FAQ's and Thoughts on Lifts)

2012+ has the 3.6L engine. For 35's, most folks seem to suggest 4.56 gears. So while 3.73 will be less gutless on 35's than 3.21's would be, guess what? It probably won't matter which of those ratios you choose as you willl likely find yourself wanting to regear anyway. Another option might be to talk your self into a rubicon and find one that left the factory with 4.10's.

Eric Rawson

I definitely have a lot to learn. I knew there were some issues when lifting a wrangler but there are definitely a lot more than I thought. It seems like re-gearing is less important than a driveshaft replacement for example. Cost is definitely something that comes into play so I have to determine which modifications are more important to do earlier on.

I will keep researching and hopefully feel a little better and confident about this whole process.

Thanks for the advice

nthinuf

There are definitely a lot of issues that 'might' come up when you lift and slap on bigger tires, it's all about the research you are doing right now so you have a better idea of what to expect. You are on the right track here, much better than the typical first couple posts we see to the effect of (I couldn't be bothered to do any research whatsover and slapped on the cheapest lift I could find --> why does my jeep drive like crap now????)

Driveshaft before gears? Gearing is something you will notice 100% of the time you drive it. That front driveshaft? Hit or miss. Some folks have had issues on shorter lifts and after only a few months. Others have gone a decade or more on a 4+ inch lift on the stock shaft. Personally, I would think about the specific lift components long before I worried about that front driveshaft. (if/when it starts spitting grease, just pull it off. No issues at all to drive without it.) A driveshaft problem varies by lift height, actual onroad vs offroad use, luck, etc, etc. Something like Caster Correction (that may or may not come in the lift) is another of those 100% of the time items like gears. At taller lift heights, steering correction (draglink flip / high steer / drop pitman) is another issue that will affect your driving 100% of the time. Not that you 'must have' any or all of them, just that after you do more research and see what they are, you might feel that a new driveshaft gets moved further down your list.

This is where it gets into personal preference and wants/needs. Caster correction and/or Steering correction gives better handling all the time, but you can't go into 4wd if you ignored the grease spitting out of the front driveshaft and it seized. Isn't this fun ...

Eric Rawson

I definitely feel a little lost but I wanted to post this to try and get some help from people who really know what they are talking about. I'm looking at 3-3.5 inch lifts and trying to make sense of the components and if a specific lift seems to have the components that puts me and my Jeep in the best position down the line.

I think I was overthinking the gear ratios and thought it was a more critical component that could cause issues rather than just a performance loss. I'm thinking a lift and tires will come first and then I will decide what modifications need to be made based on performance etc. I mean even a beefier tire carrier for the bigger wheels comes at a decent cost so I have to make sure I am covering all my bases and not putting unnecessary stress on the jeep.

Thanks for the advice and I hope I'm not coming off as an idiot lol. I am new to this but I am trying to learn and I guess I have to start somewhere!

Mr.T

You might think about 33's and 2" lift -- see build link in signature below. There is much less to change (done right anyway). There's less wear and tear, and lower maintenance. For example, ~130K and the original ball joints, drive shafts, etc. are still fine.

nthinuf

Nah, as I mentioned, you're doing this the smart way by asking and researching instead of just pulling out the credit card - which as we see quite regularly would likely have you throwing more and more money at it replacing the same parts multiple times while chasing the poor choices you made. That 'Thoughts on Lifts' thread that I mentioned has some good background info that should get you thinking and asking even more questions. Ask away, there are generally a lot of knowledgeable people around to give opinions and point you in new directions. (but I'd suggest moving into the Modified Tech area for lift and component related stuff)

Just remember that there are no hard and fast rules or answers that are right for every person in every situation. The right gear ratio, (or the need for caster correction, or the need for steering correction, or whatever), for anyone else could be completely wrong for you. So take the opinions you read as just that, opinions, based on that persons specific build/preference/usage/location/etc. (though if you are a betting person, if several people here give you the same advice for a given situation, ya know...)

And not that you asked, but as a suggestion on a lift mfg, MetalCloak is worth a look.

TheDirtman

Issues arise generally when people go cheap and don't understand what is needed. For what you are talking about in real life you will end up spending $8-10K on a properly done 3.5" lift with new wheels and tires. You are basically going to replace the entire suspension and steering links, install some brackets, re-gear, and get driveshafts (at some point). Gearing generally cost $1500-2500 depending on the shop, a jeep with 3.73 gears will not need a new carrier like a 3.21 would, that would be the only savings getting the 3.73. Couple hundred bucks unless you are going to add lockers at the time which is a carrier.

I don't know if this is weekend warrior or a mall crawler but you may be better off getting a 2012+ rubicon with 4.10 gears. This is worth about $3500-$4000 vs aftermarket upgrades you would do on a Sahara and it will have a higher resale value over time. You could also run flat fenders instead of a big lift that would retain the factory ride and allow room for the 35" tires. No suspension work would need to be done and it would give the jeep the look of a 4" lift without the expense and you won't have to climb in and out of a lifted jeep. It does not sound like much but combing into a lifted jeep that is a daily driver will wear on you.

Good luck.

Eric Rawson

Wow I didn't realize I would be in the $8-10k range for just a lift and wheels. I'm definitely still a little confused what to look for in a lift kit to be honest. I don't want to ask for a specific lift kit because that seems to be frowned upon but I would like to see a lift kit that doesn't have enough components vs a lift kit that has a sufficient number of parts to lift properly. I also would be curious to know if I can install a lift kit that I can improve over time and upgrade it as I go.

Also, when you say a jeep with 3.73 will not need a new 'carrier.' What is a carrier? Because all I can think of is a tire carrier. I'm sorry if that's a dumb question but I am unsure what you mean by that.

Thanks for response

Dirt Hammer

For the money I would go with an AEV lift https://www.aev-conversions.com/prod...uspension-2-5/ basically around $1000 and if you can do the work yourself you are golden. This is a good starting point for a 2.5 inch and 35 in tires. They also offer additional heights https://www.aev-conversions.com/prod...sc-suspension/

With the 2.5 lift you can run you stock driveshafts. I run the 2.5 AEV lift with 35 in tires, I have updated some things along the way such as adjustable control arms, Tom Woods drive shaft, 1 ton steering kit, HD track bar, etc. But I ran the 2.5 lift with 35 inch tires for some time before upgrading components.