Hellooo! Freshie here. I 'm thinking about getting 35s for my 08 JKU. I will be getting smaller aftermarket wheels with them too, possibly looking at 35" DT and 16" wheels, will get a 2.5" lift kit. What are things I should know ahead of time before I run my whole 35" plan? Like things I should expect to modify, the ride quality, possible problems, etc.

 

Minimum 4.5" wheel backspace and re-gear to 4.88. What's your budget?

 

If your putting 35s on just to have 35s it's pointless go with what you do most with your jeep. I drive my jeep rarely and have 35s. Get 33s.

 

You will eventually need to re gear. When I went with 35's my jeep became very sluggish. After reading up I quickly found out I needed to re gear. Off road evolution suggested 5:13's. Once they completed the swap, it brought my jeep back to life.

 

I'd look at either 15" or 17" wheels, more tire options. Some 15" wheels require some grinding to the calipers for clearance. Get your C's gusseted, don't expect to use your 4th gear (overdrive) unless you're driving downhill with no headwind, keep overdrive off in the city to minimize shifting, install a transmission cooler if you have an automatic. Look at eventually replacing your ball joints and getting your axles regeared.

 

FAQ's and Thoughts on Lifts - stuck to the top of this modified area.

Auto or manual.
Where do you live.
What type of driving/use.
Which specific components are coming with the lift.

Until you give some specifics, it will be hard to give you any answers besides the very basics. But, start reading as many of the thousand other threads on re-gearing the 3.8's as you can find. You can get by without new gears, but wouldn't be a bad idea to go ahead and set that $2000 or whatever aside for it. Ride quality can depend on the lift company you choose, the components that come with the lift, and even how well the installer does his job. Possible problems will depend on the components that come with the lift, how well the installer does his job, how worn or damaged your current 6 year old components are, etc. Read through a few of the front housing upgrade threads to see which, if any, suit your needs. 15 and 16 inch rims can have clearance issues with the brakes and some of the aftermarket brakes kits and steering components, research it so you know what to expect. The driveshafts should be ok at 2.5", but it can depend on your specific build, so again, research it. Read through a few threads on trimming the pinch seam and chopping the fenders. Whatever else I am forgetting...

 

Thanks a lot for the posts! I'll think about it some more. I was originally going for 33s, but so many people said they regret it and wish they went for 35s, so I was just checking on what I'd be against if I went with the 35 route. Thanks again! Maybe my next jeep I'll hit up 35s! (:

 

I'm running 35's on an 08 with the stock 4.10 gears. Around town and freeway is fine, only see some lack of power in the hills but manageable. If you plan to do any crawling you will want to look at C gussets, chromoly axle shafts and new drive shafts. Pinch seam should be fine, look close but wheel rotates away in articulation.

 

I had 33s and immediately regretted getting them. Then I got 35s. After two years Of having 35s I wish I would have stuck with 33s. I use my jeep as a daily driver and rarely take it off road.

 

My Jeep is my DD, gets light trail rides a couple weekends in the summer. That's about it for now. Should I just stick with 33s ? Are there drastic mpg difference?