Added 33's and it feels sluggish
05-18-2009, 03:32 PM
#21
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i have 35's with 3:21's and it's not Horrible it's OK for now but Def going to regear as soon as $$ allows me. and as for being sluggish you can totally be sluggish if you have the 3:21s in the rear like i do.
05-18-2009, 03:33 PM
#22
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to the OP, don't worry man, I used to call my Jeep - car a bunch of time after I got it. You're just used to it so thats that. I'm sure you're not doing it on purpose. Anyway, I can relate to your story as well. I've spoken to a local who also has the 4 door JK like me and both of us realized our loss of power after switching to 33's. I should have gotten 33x10.5 rather than 33x12.5. They're really heavy and on top of that, mine is DC Mud Country tires. I've dropped my psi today cuz I've been having some issues as well, not really the power loss, since I'm used to it now, but its more of it vibrating passed 70mph. Try dropping to 30psi. I've got it on 35 and believe me, since morning when it was 41psi, it seems so much smoother. Though I still have the vibration. Which I'm just a little worried about since I'm getting ready to drive to FL in a few weeks. Let me know if you're having any vibrating issue passed 70mph? But don't be too alarmed about the jeep feeling sluggish. I have to downshift a lot to get pickup but really, you don't drive jeeps like that anyway.
05-18-2009, 04:19 PM
#23
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First of all, you REALLY need to stop referring to your Jeep as a car. It was funny at first, now it's just disrespectful. 
Now a disclaimer:
If this is the first Jeep you've ever owned (and I'm guessing it is), welcome to the club. A warning however, this is not a club for everyone. If loud rattling, leaky roofs or underpowered engines bother you, sell the Sahara and get a Cherokee with a Hemi. I am saying this respectfully. You'll be much happier in the end and still be able to enjoy long drives on sandy beaches in the Cherokee. The Wranglers are a unique vehicle for a very particular type of utilitarian individual. The 4-door Wranglers have allowed others, who have traditionally been SUV owners (Ford Explorers, Nissan Xterra, Honda Pilots and the like) to have a taste of Jeep ownership and the Jeep "experience". What they usually find is that their previous SUV was far superior in the areas of luxury, power and ride quality on roads.
Jeep people like their Jeeps regardless of anything wrong. We're just happy to be topless, doorless and right-side-up most of the time. It's a Jeep thing. If you don't understand, then go back to your Ford Explorer (respectfully)
.
Now the diagnosis:
I believe what you are experiencing is a perceived lack of power. I am not a fan of the Goodyear Silent Armors. I had hem on my wife's Suburban and took them off 15k as I did not like the way they handled at all. I went to the always-trustworthy BFG A/Ts for the Suburban and haven't been happier. That being said, the tires shouldn't feel sluggish as the rubber compound is no softer than the stock tires you had on before. I ran my wife's tires at 35psi but they were D-load for a heavier vehicle. I would probably run yours with 30-32psi of tire pressure.
The extra inch of tire width gives you more resistance agaisnt the road surface and may lead to better traction on dry roads which may lead to the perception of loss of power, but it would be minimal. A bad air filter and bad gasoline may also contribute to poor performance. I would check it out just in case. Otherwise, welcome to Jeep ownership!
Now a disclaimer:
If this is the first Jeep you've ever owned (and I'm guessing it is), welcome to the club. A warning however, this is not a club for everyone. If loud rattling, leaky roofs or underpowered engines bother you, sell the Sahara and get a Cherokee with a Hemi. I am saying this respectfully. You'll be much happier in the end and still be able to enjoy long drives on sandy beaches in the Cherokee. The Wranglers are a unique vehicle for a very particular type of utilitarian individual. The 4-door Wranglers have allowed others, who have traditionally been SUV owners (Ford Explorers, Nissan Xterra, Honda Pilots and the like) to have a taste of Jeep ownership and the Jeep "experience". What they usually find is that their previous SUV was far superior in the areas of luxury, power and ride quality on roads.
Jeep people like their Jeeps regardless of anything wrong. We're just happy to be topless, doorless and right-side-up most of the time. It's a Jeep thing. If you don't understand, then go back to your Ford Explorer (respectfully)
.Now the diagnosis:
I believe what you are experiencing is a perceived lack of power. I am not a fan of the Goodyear Silent Armors. I had hem on my wife's Suburban and took them off 15k as I did not like the way they handled at all. I went to the always-trustworthy BFG A/Ts for the Suburban and haven't been happier. That being said, the tires shouldn't feel sluggish as the rubber compound is no softer than the stock tires you had on before. I ran my wife's tires at 35psi but they were D-load for a heavier vehicle. I would probably run yours with 30-32psi of tire pressure.
The extra inch of tire width gives you more resistance agaisnt the road surface and may lead to better traction on dry roads which may lead to the perception of loss of power, but it would be minimal. A bad air filter and bad gasoline may also contribute to poor performance. I would check it out just in case. Otherwise, welcome to Jeep ownership!
couldnt have said it better.
05-18-2009, 08:51 PM
#24
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Now someone with 3.21 gears might not feel the same way and if I had 35" tires I would probably be craving new gears... The Rubicons have the easiest time upgrading tire size because they come stock with the 4.10s which leaves you a little more 'wiggle room' (for lack of a better word). Some have told me that they have had 35s and 3.73 gears and didn't mind it at all, but they also had manual transmissions which makes it much easier to control. There are a lot of factors to consider when you talk about the 'proper' time to regear, but there really is no such thing. As with everything else, it comes full circle back to personal preference. If you can live with it (or can find a temporary solution like I did), then don't worry about it 
05-19-2009, 01:35 AM
#26
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It's pretty subjective based on the driver, and also your local terrain will prove to be a factor (elevation, mountains & hills or flat). I think for the most part it's safe to say that you can do 33's with minimal negative impact. IMO, 35's would require a re-gear, but others run with stock gears and are tolerant of it.
05-19-2009, 01:39 AM
#27
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Hey Guys,
I am a total newbie to this site and was hoping to find some help here. I recently replaced the stock tires with new Goodyear Silent Armor 33's on my 4-door Sahara with a manual transmission and ever since the car doesnt feel right. The car seems really sluggish and acceleration has really suffered. It's almost as if the first gear is too strong and accelerating from a stop is not smooth anymore, it feels really jerky and the engines revs up a lot. Do i need to install new gears? When I first got the car it was such a smooth ride and now its a bumpy, crappy, jerky jeep full of rattles.
Also, when I really push hard on the gas in first or second gear, this high-pitched rattle-like sound appears. Why?
I probably did a horrible job a explaning the issue but hope that someone out there may know what I am experiencing.
Thanks guys!
Robin
Long island, NY
I am a total newbie to this site and was hoping to find some help here. I recently replaced the stock tires with new Goodyear Silent Armor 33's on my 4-door Sahara with a manual transmission and ever since the car doesnt feel right. The car seems really sluggish and acceleration has really suffered. It's almost as if the first gear is too strong and accelerating from a stop is not smooth anymore, it feels really jerky and the engines revs up a lot. Do i need to install new gears? When I first got the car it was such a smooth ride and now its a bumpy, crappy, jerky jeep full of rattles.
Also, when I really push hard on the gas in first or second gear, this high-pitched rattle-like sound appears. Why?
I probably did a horrible job a explaning the issue but hope that someone out there may know what I am experiencing.
Thanks guys!
Robin
Long island, NY
05-19-2009, 02:15 AM
#28
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I felt really no power loss going to 33"s i mean nothing noticeable at all and i went from 29s too 33"s It feels better maybe your wheels are not balanced right.
12-05-2022, 12:45 PM
#30
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Hey Guys,
I am a total newbie to this site and was hoping to find some help here. I recently replaced the stock tires with new Goodyear Silent Armor 33's on my 4-door Sahara with a manual transmission and ever since the car doesnt feel right. The car seems really sluggish and acceleration has really suffered. It's almost as if the first gear is too strong and accelerating from a stop is not smooth anymore, it feels really jerky and the engines revs up a lot. Do i need to install new gears? When I first got the car it was such a smooth ride and now its a bumpy, crappy, jerky jeep full of rattles.
Also, when I really push hard on the gas in first or second gear, this high-pitched rattle-like sound appears. Why?
I probably did a horrible job a explaning the issue but hope that someone out there may know what I am experiencing.
Thanks guys!
Robin
Long island, NY
I am a total newbie to this site and was hoping to find some help here. I recently replaced the stock tires with new Goodyear Silent Armor 33's on my 4-door Sahara with a manual transmission and ever since the car doesnt feel right. The car seems really sluggish and acceleration has really suffered. It's almost as if the first gear is too strong and accelerating from a stop is not smooth anymore, it feels really jerky and the engines revs up a lot. Do i need to install new gears? When I first got the car it was such a smooth ride and now its a bumpy, crappy, jerky jeep full of rattles.
Also, when I really push hard on the gas in first or second gear, this high-pitched rattle-like sound appears. Why?
I probably did a horrible job a explaning the issue but hope that someone out there may know what I am experiencing.
Thanks guys!
Robin
Long island, NY