Lift with no other goal than clearance for deep snow?

[ShadowsPapa]

I guess an independent front end would give you more clearance in the snow.

Sort of........ guess what extra parts I have to clean bugs off of when going to a big car show with my SX4 against the lower slung vehicles - my skid plate and front differential.
I'm telling you it's NOT FAIR! They clean the top of the car, bumpers, valance, maybe a bit under the car, I have to totally clean bugs and crud off skid plates, differential cover and certain other parts, taking a lot longer. Oddly, the judges don't care, they still look to see it's all spotless. I've got a lot of extra parts to clean vs. a Camaro or AMX or Mustang.

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[RHINO79]

If you do tires, remember that the so called 32s are 32.1 inch 255 75 17. And the so called 33s are 32.6 inch.285 70 17

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If you do tires, remember that the so called 32s are 32.1 inch 255 75 17. And the so called 33s are 32.6 inch.285 70 17

Yeah, he needs to go to
discounttire.com
tirerack.com
or
tiresize.com
and find the true sizes.

That's how I determined what I wanted when I was digging around for replacements for my stock Overland H/T tires - I didn't want to gain in diameter, just width, and move to an A/T tire for our snow and crap winters.
I tried the H/T tires for a winter and even in 4H it stunk - could hardly make it up the hills IN TOWN in Pleasant Hill (some of the hills aren't real pleasant unless you are a kid with a sled)

What I found on one of the above tire sites for the Falkens -
Falken Wildpeak A/T3W 285/70R17
diameter 32.8", width of 11.3", mounts on a 17" rim 647 revolutions per mile
weighs 50 lbs, max load of 2755/2535 lbs, maximum air pressure of 50 psi, tread depth of 14/32" should be used on a rim width of 7.5-9"

There's a ton of calculators out there as well as those that show the revolutions per mile and so on to see the impact on the odometer/speedometer.

Mine is within about .2 to .3 mph and pretty much spot-on for the odometer in my testing.

 

[CampThree]

As someone who was born and raised in New England and am Arctic trained in the military, the mere sight of snow makes me feel nauseous.

 

[johnchabin]

Have you considered a Rubicon or Mojave take-off suspension? They seem to go pretty cheaply.

Also, my experience is tall, skinny tires are best in snow. Like MT Baja Boss LT255/85R17.

This combination should work well together. IMO.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Also, my experience is tall, skinny tires are best in snow.

And that's one of the top reasons I didn't go wider than I did - I went wider than the stock H/T tires, but not as wide as the Falken Rubicon tires.

Have you considered a Rubicon or Mojave take-off suspension?

Rubicon springs, depending on WHICH Rubicon springs, could gain about 1". On my 2020 they gained me almost 1" but then I had a pair of the lighter Rubicon springs.
Skip the Rubicon shocks if they are Fox shocks. As far as "Rubicon suspension" - the only difference is the springs and shocks, the other stuff is the same, so really we're still talking only a spring swap.

I have a set of Rubicon springs (and Fox shocks - too bouncy for me) I'd give away - local pickup or pay actual shipping.
On a Sport, even the lighter Rubicon springs should gain an inch.

 

[GI Grandpa]

I have an essentially stock 2021 Sport. I don't do serious off-roading. My main concern is getting down the driveway at the cabin after a big snow.

I often get bogged down as the snow packs under the frame.

What is the easiest way to add an inch or two without causing drivetrain issues? Not looking for bigger tires or any serious mods.

Thanks!

Here you go!
https://images.app.goo.gl/1RjCHeABJCHcSc5MA

 

[BourbonRunner]

Also, my experience is tall, skinny tires are best in snow. Like MT Baja Boss LT255/85R17.

Pizza cutters are the best for snow by far, and I'll echo @ShadowsPapa - General makes an outstanding tire. I ran skinny Grabber 2's on my '04 Tacoma for years and got 50K out of them without any issues. I switched to Goodyear Duratracs because the Grabber 2 went out of production and I needed new rubber one year heading into the winter in a pinch. They were good but nowhere as good as the Grabbers.

 

[ross neill]

I have an essentially stock 2021 Sport. I don't do serious off-roading. My main concern is getting down the driveway at the cabin after a big snow.

I often get bogged down as the snow packs under the frame.

What is the easiest way to add an inch or two without causing drivetrain issues? Not looking for bigger tires or any serious mods.

Thanks!

A stock gladiator has 31 in tires if you add a 1 1/2 inch leveling kit you will raise the front a 1 1/2 inches with just a coil spring spacer and front end alignment if that’s not enough then you will have room change to a different tire size and a wider tire might help to a 265/70r17

 

[ShadowsPapa]

A stock gladiator has 31 in tires if you add a 1 1/2 inch leveling kit you will raise the front a 1 1/2 inches with just a coil spring spacer and front end alignment if that’s not enough then you will have room change to a different tire size and a wider tire might help to a 265/70r17

No need for alignment other than recentering the steering wheel.

A lift doesn't change camber or toe, it may change caster, but an alignment shop can't change caster without swapping parts - like controls arms or geometry correcting brackets.

No, wider tires don't help - see the prior comments on the topic of width.
There's a reason I didn't go "wide" on tires. Snow.

 

[ross neill]

No need for alignment other than recentering the steering wheel.

A lift doesn't change camber or toe, it may change caster, but an alignment shop can't change caster without swapping parts - like controls arms or geometry correcting brackets.

No, wider tires don't help - see the prior comments on the topic of width.
There's a reason I didn't go "wide" on tires. Snow.

thank for info I add a cheap spacer 1 1/2 inch from ama

No need for alignment other than recentering the steering wheel.

A lift doesn't change camber or toe, it may change caster, but an alignment shop can't change caster without swapping parts - like controls arms or geometry correcting brackets.

No, wider tires don't help - see the prior comments on the topic of width.
There's a reason I didn't go "wide" on tires. Snow.

thanks For info I added a cheap 1 1/2 inch spacer lift to my sport gladiator to compensate for new winch and bumpers I lnstalled and was thinking I need to get alignment check

 

[johnchabin]

And that's one of the top reasons I didn't go wider than I did - I went wider than the stock H/T tires, but not as wide as the Falken Rubicon tires.

Rubicon springs, depending on WHICH Rubicon springs, could gain about 1". On my 2020 they gained me almost 1" but then I had a pair of the lighter Rubicon springs.
Skip the Rubicon shocks if they are Fox shocks. As far as "Rubicon suspension" - the only difference is the springs and shocks, the other stuff is the same, so really we're still talking only a spring swap.

I have a set of Rubicon springs (and Fox shocks - too bouncy for me) I'd give away - local pickup or pay actual shipping.
On a Sport, even the lighter Rubicon springs should gain an inch.

Didn’t know it was just springs/shocks… thx for the info!

I’m a fan of the red shocks, FWIW.

Still a nice way to gain a bit of height on the cheap, and room for you choice of skinnys.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Pizza cutters are best for typical street snow, shallow with either asphalt or at least hard pack a few inches underneath as they cut down to the higher traction surfaces. Deep snow wider is always better as cutting down means dragging axles and eventually sitting on the frame. There's a reason why Icelandic off road vehicles run 19.5" wide or wider massive balloon tires. You need all the floatation you can get when it's deep.

 

[johnchabin]

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...eem-like-over-kill-but-to-each-his-own.51521/

 

[Brucewillys]

I have an essentially stock 2021 Sport. I don't do serious off-roading. My main concern is getting down the driveway at the cabin after a big snow.

I often get bogged down as the snow packs under the frame.

What is the easiest way to add an inch or two without causing drivetrain issues? Not looking for bigger tires or any serious mods.

Thanks!

Ok I'm going to chime in before reading everyone else's replies. I have a very similar situation. 2021 sport Willys. We have a very long dirt driveway that I need to drive through very high snow at times. I went one winter before doing anything. Found out all my snow packs up on the axles, especially the front. So I increased tire size from 32" up to 34". Lifts are not worth it if clearance is all you want. Because a lift will not lift the lowest pieces of your jeep. You can go to a skinny tall tire if your looking to retain factory wheel/tire weight. I did a very affordable Teraflex spacer lift to get the nose up a bit for looks.
Long story short I really believe you'll regret going lift kit when your axles still drag on everything.

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