best 2.5" lift for less than $1000

[Bacon]

I have the Rancho 3" Sport lift with 9000's and 315/70/17 Duratracs. At full stuff I do get some rubbing on my front fenders but nothing too bad. You get some funny looks from onlookers as the tire lugs catch the plastic. This would be solved if I trimmed my fenders but I don't really want to. I initially got about 4" up front which necessitated control arm brackets and a flip kit to sort out the very flighty steering. If you want a 37" or 315/ tire you'll need at least 3" lift. With that much lift you'll need to make adjustments everything you just fucked up by going to 3". It's just not gonna happen for less than $1000. The lift and shocks, maybe. But that's it. Figure at least another grand (realistically, more) to make it all work/handle right. Or go with a 2.5" lift and 35" or 305/ tires. 305/70/17 is actauuly a really nice size tire and will do well with your 4.56's. Or you go with rhe 2.5" lift and 37" or 315/ tire and be prepared for lots of rubbing, even while connected.

After all that, I highly recommend the rancho 3" sport and 9000 shocks. Very comfortable smooth ride. It just nets more than 3" which leafs to another round of mods.

Good luck!

 

[JKWrang]

Ill double check when I can - maybe I measured wrong but I could have sworn I was measuring in at 33.5

Is this measuring from road surface to tread top or to the center of the wheel x2?

 

[wayoflife]

Okay so im a little confused. I have a 2.5" Teraflex coil lift with 315/75r16 Mud Grapplers and uncut stock fenders. No rub at flex.

Am i missing something? Im DEFINITELY not running 37s. I have 35s (as stated - measuring 33.5 mounted under my 4 door).

I know I have 35s because NoRoads 37" Terragrapplers are visibly larger than my tires side by side. Youngfire's 35" Terrgrapplers look the same as mine in height side by side.

According to the above posts my information is inaccurate. What am I missing?

As I had stated before, the numbers are +/- as in, approximate sizes. I had also stated that a 315 would measure up to a "small" 37 as in, not all tires measure the same size and some are bigger and some are smaller and a lot of this is dependent on wheel size. I see that you are running 16" wheels and this will make a difference. The 315's I've run have been on 17" wheels and that will make for a taller tire - the one I've measured came up to 34.5 which is just shy of 35" - what an advertised 37" tire would be.

 

[wayoflife]

Ill double check when I can - maybe I measured wrong but I could have sworn I was measuring in at 33.5

Is this measuring from road surface to tread top or to the center of the wheel x2?

Sorry, I hadn't read what you had posted closely enough and see that you only came up with 33.5" and that you only have 16" wheels. Make, wheel size and percentage of tread will make a difference.

EDIT: I just went outside to check my 37x12.50s and see they measure just shy of 35" but of course, they are not new.

 

[JKWrang]

Ohhh okay. If you look at what I quoted a page or so back it said 16s which I see is updated now in the original post and I was soooo confused LOL

It makes sense that the overall rim diameter makes a difference and explains why people tend more towards 17s than 16s.

 

[wayoflife]

Ohhh okay. If you look at what I quoted a page or so back it said 16s which I see is updated now in the original post and I was soooo confused LOL

It makes sense that the overall rim diameter makes a difference and explains why people tend more towards 17s than 16s.

Sorry, that was my fault and I should have made sure to make things more clear.

 

[JKWrang]

Sorry, that was my fault and I should have made sure to make things more clear.

All good

Got me to thinking though. The Nitto tires only go up to 315/75r16 for trails and Mud Grapplers jump to a massively wide 385/70r16 which is never going on my Jeep lol.

The hunt for options in 37s begins

EDIT: I said never, didnt i? We all know how that works.

 

[wayoflife]

All good

Got me to thinking though. The Nitto tires only go up to 315/75r16 for trails and Mud Grapplers jump to a massively wide 385/70r16 which is never going on my Jeep lol.

The hunt for options in 37s begins

It really helps to be running 17" wheels as there are a lot more options and when running 37's, you'll have less sidewall flex - a real benefit when on off camber situations.

 

[JKWrang]

Quick search turns up nadaaa so I think i'll be on 35s for a few sets of tires thanks for the clarification eddie!

 

[dannymalkin]

It really helps to be running 17" wheels as there are a lot more options and when running 37's, you'll have less sidewall flex - a real benefit when on off camber situations.

Would you even consider 35s on 15s then? Or would they be the same way?

Honestly the price point works for me and I won't be going to 37s, so I didn't think there would be any negatives.

Sorry for the sidetrack question!

 

[wayoflife]

Would you even consider 35s on 15s then? Or would they be the same way?

Honestly the price point works for me and I won't be going to 37s, so I didn't think there would be any negatives.

Sorry for the sidetrack question!

35's and 15" wheels were what everyone was running back in the ol' TJ days but 17" wheels have really become the standard now.

 

[CanadianJK]

:sigh: Ummm, I'll try this yet again. Shopping for metric tires IS NOT THE SAME AS shopping for standard inch based tires. To put it simply, if you are wanting a 315, that is NOT the same as wanting an advertised 35" tire...
...NO YOU HAVEN'T gotten anything and still don't. A metric 315 tire has an actual measurement of 34.8" but it's inch based equivalent is closer to an advertised 37" tire.

I caught on a little while ago, but this was all news to me today, so thanks for sharing it! I can't believe this has never come up...

Edit: as I read more of this 'advertised size' info my head hurts more and more...

 

[whispike]

So, what you're saying is that you really wanting to run a 37" tire or slightly taller. That is after all what ALL tires that have 37" written on the sidewall measure up to in reality or even come up just a bit short. Being that's the case, you really need to be looking at a 3" lift or more and you should also be looking into new gears to help make up for the loss in power and a new front drive shaft. Of course, this is to say nothing about the components that you will really want to help keep your Jeep handling well on the highway. Are you adding up the dollars here?

Now, if you're wanting to run an advertised 35" tire, as in, that's what it says on the sidewall but will have an actual measurement of about 33", you could definitely get away with a 2.5" coil lift especially being that most will yield over 3". Even at this, you will ruin your front drive shaft the first time you go off roading if you don't install exhaust spacers and even if you do that, the CV joint will fail sooner than later due to the extreme angle that it will sit in. Also, at 3" of lift or more, your Jeep will feel flighty at highway speeds unless you buy parts to address your caster.

I could go on but before I do, is this really where you are wanting to go?

Eddie, could you clarify what the "other components" are to making a well handling Jeep on the highway? I also want to move to 37's from 35's but want to make sure everything is right. I'm currently running 35's with 4.88's, 3 inch Teraflex coils, ORE adjustable lower control arms, adjustable track bar, and stock drive shaft. I had the ORE steering correction on my stock axle but switched, to G2 Core 44 and I'm not sure but I think it is built in but not sure. Are there any other components that you would recommend to make things right? This is my daily driver and would like it to handle as best possible as well as handle some moderate trails.

 

[Ah2014jk]

Not to hijack Eddie but the adj lower control arms should be what you new to set your pinion angle to cure that flighty feeling Eddie mentioned at highway speeds. At 2.5" a drag link flip won't be needed but as Eddie mentioned it's a bit low for 37". Any decent lift will have new sway bar links to correct the bump steer you will start to feel with stock ones. It looks like as Eddie mentioned, Fort drive shaft or a band aid approach with exhaust spacers till you buy one ( and you WILL eventually need one )