An Array Of Bolt-Ons For The Four-Door Jeep Wrangler JK

Did 35s fit?
So did the 35-inch tires fit this JK with the modifications we installed? Well, after fitting the 35s, we didn't see any tire-to-vehicle contact at the front of the vehicle, either on flat ground or when flexed out on the RTI ramp. However, on flat ground the rear tires were only about 1/2 inch away from the splash shields on the inside of the wheelwells and the lower body lip (Figure 1). When we ran the vehicle up the RTI ramp, the rear tire on the side of the vehicle that was compressing contacted the splash shield (Figure 2), which caused the JK to travel 5.5 inches less up the 20-degree ramp compared to stock.

This made us wonder how 33s would fare, and it just so happened that Punisher Offroad owner Tim Aker was kind enough to let us borrow a pair of 33x12.50 Mickey Thompson ATZs off his JK. With the 33s installed in the rear, and the modifications we made, we hit the RTI ramp again, and at full flex, there were no contact issues (see Figure 3).

Since the install, the owner of the JK says that only once has he had tire-to-vehicle contact issues during normal driving and light off-highway travel with the 35s. It consisted of light rear tire-to-splash shield contact and happened when pulling into an angled driveway approach with a little too much speed.

Bottom line: Even though the 35s rarely contact the rear splash shields, the owner of this rig wants to eliminate that possibility while enjoying unencumbered wheel travel both on- and off-highway. He also wants to keep the rig's center of gravity as low as possible. With that said, he's looking at installing a simple 2-inch suspension lift. He has plenty of options because there are numerous kits in that lift range available for the JK in the aftermarket. As a bonus, they're easy to install and inexpensive.

About Moab Offroad
Moab Offroad in Louisville? Yep, it bears the name of one of the nation's hottest wheeling destinations in Utah, but it's in Kentucky. Sure, there's a story behind the name, but the real story here is what Moab Offroad has going on.

They're a 10-year-old, six-bay shop owned by Max Dollinger and they currently employ five people. About 99 percent of their work is Jeep-related, but they also do quite a bit of Toyota tech. One look around the business and it becomes clear that they're comfortable with everything from simple bolt-ons to extreme custom builds.

So the next time you're in Louisville, go to Moab and say hi.