Lift vs higher fenders for 35s?

[Alans17]

I have the same combo.

Max Tow with front Rubicon LE springs, plus a 1" Teraflex spacer on 35s. That gave me 2.25" of lift in the front with the stock plastic bumper. But then I added a steel bumper, winch and sliders.

I'm also going with the Clayton 2.5" lift.

It works fine for me. My off-roading is more reliant on traction versus articulation, so I haven't had rubbing issues.

I'm going with the Clayton 2.5" to give a little more ground clearance, but mainly for the articulation.

OP, I'd just order the OEM springs 340 and 343 part numbers, then the Mopar extended LCAs. Very inexpensive, very easy to install. Completely factory!

How much boost can that provide over Rubi springs? I forgot which part numbers I used. And at what point would you need the lengthen the shocks?

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[aldo98229]

The Mopar lift gives the Jeep an awesome ride and lots of articulation, whereas I don’t particularly like the looks of the high fenders. They look dorky IMO.

Having said, adding a lift and 35s gets you into a never-ending rabbit hole.

In my particular case, I had to:

1. Add an adjustable track bar
2. Replace the OE steering damper with a Fox 2.0 stabilizer
3. Find a dealer willing to do the steering box TSB...and have them do it

On 35s the Jeep is a BEAST on the trails, but the big, heavy tires dropped my MPG from 20 to 14, as the transmission rarely shifts into 7th and 8th gears any more. So I’m now looking into re-gearing, which I don’t really want to do.

I might just live with the atrocious MPG or, if it bothers me too much, I might downsize to 34s...whenever tires in that size become available once again.

 

[j.o.y.ride]

I don't like the factory fenders. Can be ok in Rubicon chopped form but they're big chunks of unsightly plastic hanging off the side.

 

[Alans17]

The Mopar lift gives the Jeep an awesome ride and lots of articulation, whereas I don’t particularly like the looks of the high fenders. They look dorky IMO.

Having said, adding a lift and 35s gets you into a never-ending rabbit hole.

In my particular case, I had to:

1. Add an adjustable track bar
2. Replace the OE steering damper with a Fox 2.0 stabilizer
3. Find a dealer willing to do the steering box TSB...and have them do it

On 35s the Jeep is a BEAST on the trails, but the big, heavy tires dropped my MPG from 20 to 14, as the transmission rarely shifts into 7th and 8th gears any more. So I’m now looking into re-gearing, which I don’t really want to do.

I might just live with the atrocious MPG or, if it bothers me too much, I might downsize to 34s...whenever tires in that size become available once again.

This is all food for thought. My 33s have gotten me everywhere I’ve wanted to go so far. I’ve got probably 30k more miles on my current tires before I have to make up my mind, anyway. I’ve got Max Tow so I’m less afraid of the gearing, but I do expect I’d need an adjustable track bar and a stabilizer seems like an easy add.

 

[Aonarch]

How much boost can that provide over Rubi springs? I forgot which part numbers I used. And at what point would you need the lengthen the shocks?

I gained an inch and a quarter with 340 and 343 springs, those are the last three of the 2020 part number.

340 is driver, 343 is passenger.

If you are worried about shocks, try finding Rubicon take off suspension. I went with Bilstein 5100s, because I wasn't looking for a budget lift, but more of an OEM+ lift. The Mopar LCAs are dirt cheap too, I think I paid $60 for them. They were 1/4" longer and made with thicker gauge steel.

At the end of the day, my lift looks completely factory.

 

[Alans17]

I gained an inch and a quarter with 340 and 343 springs, those are the last three of the 2020 part number.

340 is driver, 343 is passenger.

If you are worried about shocks, try finding Rubicon take off suspension. I went with Bilstein 5100s, because I wasn't looking for a budget lift, but more of an OEM+ lift. The Mopar LCAs are dirt cheap too, I think I paid $60 for them. They were 1/4" longer and made with thicker gauge steel.

At the end of the day, my lift looks completely factory.

I’ve already got Rubi take-offs plus a Teraflex 1.5” leveler up front. I Haven’t gotten around to adding the .75” leveler or Rubi shocks in the rear, but I’ll be keeping my Max Tow springs when I do finally get around to it.

 

[Trailman]

I've got a Rubicon, but your options are putting you in a similar decision point to me.

My plan when tires need changed? 35's with a 2" Mopar lift. Already have Rubicon suspension and fenders, so I don't absolutely need the lift, but I like the wheel wells to have space for flexing and don't like when the tires look stuffed. Also lots of rocks here...

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

You want to be as low as possible with the largest tire as possible. with as much drop as possible. There's more ways than 2 to achieve that recipe.

Not me.

 

[Terminus33]

My vote was higher fenders. I'm a firm believer of only raising the truck only if additional clearance is needed for the tires a full flex. It will keep your center of gravity as low as possible and you can only clear what the differentials will clear anyways and wheel/tire diameter is the only thing that will lift the Diff. Then if you absolutely need the extra bumper clearance should you lift the truck any more.

Of course if the effect is just for looks then no need to ask and just shoot for the sky if that's your thing.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

My vote was higher fenders. I'm a firm believer of only raising the truck only if additional clearance is needed for the tires a full flex. It will keep your center of gravity as low as possible and you can only clear what the differentials will clear anyways and wheel/tire diameter is the only thing that will lift the Diff. Then if you absolutely need the extra bumper clearance should you lift the truck any more.

Of course if the effect is just for looks then no need to ask and just shoot for the sky if that's your thing.

True the diff is the lowest point, but that is why you take good lines when wheeling. You can easily clear things that are taller than the diffs. You just put your tires on them.

 

[Alans17]

My vote was higher fenders. I'm a firm believer of only raising the truck only if additional clearance is needed for the tires a full flex. It will keep your center of gravity as low as possible and you can only clear what the differentials will clear anyways and wheel/tire diameter is the only thing that will lift the Diff. Then if you absolutely need the extra bumper clearance should you lift the truck any more.

Of course if the effect is just for looks then no need to ask and just shoot for the sky if that's your thing.

You make fair points. This doesn’t help the approach, break over, and departure angles, though.

 

[BLK HOLE]

Not me.

With offroading you generally do. For looks, yeah...maybe not.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

With offroading you generally do. For looks, yeah...maybe not.

50/50 split up and down is what I like for off road.

All down travel makes for a crappy ride.

 

[Terminus33]

You make fair points. This doesn’t help the approach, break over, and departure angles, though.

The tire height helps, but if you need to have those angles much greater, then a lift is a must. In reality probably only needed if rock crawling for fun, very rarely would you have to have the necessity for the breakover or approach/departure angles to be extreme because like @Wheelin98TJ mentions those things can be circumvented with a better line.

 

[BLK HOLE]

50/50 split up and down is what I like for off road.

All down travel makes for a crappy ride.

coilovers.

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