Do you regret 35s?

I would think for the price of tires vs. most common axle swaps (D44/Ford 8.8 ) it would make more sense to me to do the axle swap first. The only thing that may not make it make sense would be that the axle may need to be regeared.

But you'd probably end up doing an axle swap anyway once you blew up a stocker.

I haven't gone to 35s yet, but I am geared for them. I have an 8.8 rear and an HP30 front. Before going to 35s I plan to get heavier duty axle shafts and a Vanco big brake kit. Good luck, Josh.

I regretted the 35's I had then went back to 33's and now sometimes wish I had the 35's back. 35's are nice for wheeling but makes things too easy. 33's are nice for road and still work for wheeling. If I didn't have the 8.8 in the rear, I'd be happy with the 33's again, but when I do wheel it, the 8.8 is just too big and I drag it everywhere.

If I had to do it again, I'd either just have stayed on 33's with the Dana 35 and stay open, or go 44 and 35's but don't do the 35's on the Dana 35. You will break it.

Just my opinion!

i agree with Brian. When i had the 8.8 built, i also regeared to 4.56 at that point going back to 33's was not a good option. the 35's were too big for daily driving, gas mileage went to crap, and they were loud, wheeling became too easy, and makes you want to do things that might not let the jeep drive home

if/when i do it again...im going with 33's. nice all around combo.

I agree with what was said above about switching to a 44 or 8.8 before going to 35's.

I personally don't regret 35's at all but I guess it depends on your driving style. My commute to work is only 20 minutes and it only gets about 5000 miles a year. With my suspension set-up, gearing, etc., it handles almost as well as stock and fuel mileage isn't horrible.

As far as making wheeling easy, it depends on the trails and the line. (But you will be opening yourself to beating your Jeep up.) I can make any trail look hard with 37's.

Well, take the axle selection out of the picture (since I have 44's), I am very pleased with 4.88's and 35's as my DD. No appreciable loss in performance or gas mileage.

IMHO if 35's make it too "easy" at RC, I think it is time to notch up the difficulty level a tad. I am not saying run trails where damage or rolling is a given, just perhaps some lines/trails that are more challenging. Keep your foot off the skinny pedal and you will see much less breakage. Couple that with a 4:1 TC and you are in business. And as I said, it is my DD and I have to drive it home...

Another factor to consider is what 35's are you talking about? My MTZ balance great and run pretty quiet. Many 35's completely suck in terms of on-road manners. I think tire selection play a huge part in how folks like 35's on a DD.

I was actually considering going to 37's but to me that is a huge step that would lead me to d60's. I think d44's (or equivalent) and 35's is the sweet spot for RC...

I never regreted it. I geared for it and built the 8.8. I had the 8.8 on 33s and never had any issues with dragging it. I just was aware that it was back there.

The D30 can hold up. Look into alloys or get good at changing u-joints/ball joints. They tend to be the items that wear/break faster.

I don't regret it at all, but then again I knew what was needed to do 35's correctly. I knew and planned for regearing, I knew and planned to redo the tcase, I knew longarms were in the future. and I liked it so much I did it again lol

I am in the same boat. I want 35's, I have d44's and 4to1 low, but am concerned that 4:10's might not be great on the road.

I also know that my set up works really well off road, I don't think that 35's are needed offroad, but for some odd reason I still want them.

It is a sickness, I am on the third set of tires in 2 yrs, 31's, 32's, 33's and none of them has had much tread wear, but I have to upgrade.

good luck, oh and it makes it even harder when new BFG KM2's are cheaper in a 35 than a 33!!! it is like I am throwing money away by not buying them ;D

Quote from Chief57

Wasn't planning to go with 35's, but I fell into the deal and am happy with them. I have the stock rear axle on my 98 TJ with 3.07 gears. But, as many of you already know, I'm planning to swap that for a Ford 8.8 axle with 4.10 gears. According to more than one website I've found, for 35" tires the 4.10 give the best fuel economy. I know the difference won't be great, but I was upgrading my rear axle anyway...

Do you have an auto or manual tranny?

I think if you're going to regear, at least 4.56 would be a much better choice.

To build a rear you will be looking at 1800 or so starting from a stock 8.8 and gearing it and all. Just to regear you are looking at $200 or so for labor per axle and then the cost of the gears and install kit.

I would not worry about actually "upgrading" the front until something actually goes wrong with it.

Quote from joo

My thought has always been to upgrade the axle front and rear no doubt...... just was debating on the time to do it.

How much did it cost you guys to upgrade and regear?

My 8.8 came geared. The HP30 cost $95 for master install kit, $25 for gears (compliments of Jerry), $50 for a brand new carrier, and $150 for install.

My 8.8 came setup for a TJ ($790 total), but my brackets will need to be rewelded since 1) they are off and 2) the pinion angle doesn't suit my Jeep. I am waiting to do that when I go to long arms. For right now they are fine. The HP30 cost me $100. Keep in mind I sold my D35 for $150 and my D30 (all banged up) for $100.

The whole arguement that 35s and such make off roading too easy is such garbage. You can take any obstacle and make it more difficult by trying different lines and approach angles, although running big meat, does open you up to more dangerous predicaments that can lead to extensive damage

I have no regrets going to 35's.
Still like them, and still drive it on the road just about daily.
IMHO, Which ever size you decide on (33 or 35) do your axle first.

To me there is not much difference between the two.

the MTZ's are great tires. I like the bigger tires. I had 36X15.50 MTZ's on my rubi unlimited and wheeled it. went down the road smooth as glass. the gas mileage has never been an issue because it just plain sucks in any Jeep. Everyone says "Oh that 35 will never hold up" "You'll break it!" Some people break 2.5 ton axles. just depends on how you drive it. you can break anything. 8.8's are cheap enough but the damn bracket kits are expensive. ofcourse you can make your own.
but if money is an issue (wish it wasnt) wait until you find the axles you want for a good price from someone selling because they need the money. hell you might be able to buy a whole jeep for less than you would have in settiing up some axles.

Here's an apple, how about 34's? Kind of over the limit for the D35 (I'm guessing now) and not to big to really have to upgrade. I've never heard of how people like them yet so I couldn't give you that part. However, everyone is telling me that when I do upgrade from the 32's that I should look @ the 34's X 9.5 which I do plan to do. Not sure if this helps any, you get more lift, still decent roadabilty, and to me a lot less stress on the D 35 as the 34's aren't 11.5 wide...