Looking to the future. Upgrades to the Jeep for the next few years

jorgelrod

Hooked
So I've had the jeep for four years now. It's been growing slowly but surely and I already have some ideas where I want to go with it. Some of them I'm pretty set while others I'm still on the fence and this is where this post comes in. Let's take it from the top.

In less than six months:
Jumping from 2.5" to 3.5 in the lift department. I'm practically sold on the JKS J-Spec 3.5 J Kontrol lift. I already have Metalcloak adj. control arms and they should sync sweetly.

In about two years:

Pro Rock 60 FF rear and move to 37's. Here's where most of the request for advices come in. I already have a PR44, and I see myself running close to where Rubicat was at one point running FF rear and spacers in the front to match bolt pattern and width. What are my best options in this regard in terms of what I want to ask Dynatrac on that rear axle.

PR 44 Question. I currently run Dynatrac's 30 spline shafts, will this suffice for 37's or is moving to 35 splines a must?

Wheels: what options do I have once I make the 8 lug jump?

Wheels bring another question. Tire Carriers, I've always been in love and have fantasized about the AEV tire carrier, is moving to the different wheel pattern an automatic elimination of the AEV TC, or is anyone running FF axles with the different wheel pattern running one of these.
 

wjtstudios

Hooked
I can’t help much in the axle end, but for the tire carrier, the AEV mount that holds the tire on the carrier can be swapped out for an 8 lug. Just email AEV and they can help you out with that. They state the carrier can only hold up to 37” tires. I have the gas tank on it and there is no way you could fit a 40” and the tank. But 37s are no problem. So if you hope to grow in the future, that tire carrier may limit you.


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Buster3479

Member
I'm going to give my opinion based on my personal experience, take it for what you want.

If I was going to 37's, or staying with 37's, I would not upgrade to a full float 60 rear. I did and regretted it. I ran a PR44 front, and a Dana 44 rear with 37's for 2 years, and my rig was in a sweet spot. It drove great on road up to 80mph, and was super capable offroad with tons of clearance. I bought the hardcore 60/60 set intending to stay on 37s and bullet proof my rig, and regretted every minute of it. I hit things on the trail I never hit before due to slightly reduced ground clearance. My rig never drove as well on road, and I acquired an instance of death wobble where I never had it before during 4 years of long road trips and wheeling with 35s and 37s on the 44s.

I've since moved up to 40's to get back my ground clearance and actually GAIN some capability. Keep in mind I lost capability with a major axle purchase going from 37's to 37's due to ground clearance reduction. I still hate the way my Jeep drives on road, and it's cost me several trips this year. If I could do it all over again, I'd go back to a PR44 front, and a stock rear with an ARB and stronger flange shafts. The cost to do so at this point is the only thing holding me back.

The AEV carrier will hold and is rated for a 40" tire, but you can't run it with the fuel caddy. I bought a pre-drilled custom fab plate, cut off the AEV plate from the square tube, welded the new plate on then pressed in 9/16" studs in the new pattern. After some rattle can work, it looks like it came from AEV that way. You CAN run the tire carrier and fuel caddy with a 37, but only if the backspace is a number greater than 4.5", I have done so successfully. You can't run the fuel caddy with a 3.5" backspace in any pattern. I'm also not sure if you could recess the 8x6.5" steel disc required for the pattern into the fuel caddy's recess, I haven't tried, though it should work nonetheless.

Plenty of others on this very forum are running 40's on Dynatrac 60's, doing it daily at high speeds, and love the way it drives. After months of troubleshooting, I'm still not sure what my problem is. Despite that, I stand by what I said, if you're running 37's, you don't need a 60 full float rear. I contend you'll hit more things with it on the trail.

If you discount all of what I just said, don't discount this last part. If you're planning on running an 8x6.5 rear with spacers in the front, there are no trust-worthy spacers from 5x5 to 8x6.5. When Eddie and other's have done it, they ran 5x5 to 5x5.5 Spidertrax spacers. Look around for a good American made 5x5 to 8x6.5 spacer that isn't some crazy 2 piece design, you won't find one.
 
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jorgelrod

Hooked
I'm going to give my opinion based on my personal experience, take it for what you want...

This is exactly the type of response I was looking for in terms of taking advantage of all the knowledge in the forum, you've certainly given me something to think about...
 
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