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What lift fits?One thing you need to realize is that the marked size on the tire is often not the actual size of the mounted tire. Additionally, varying rim widths will change the mounted height as well. Typically, a wider rim will shorten the overall height of the tire by fractions of an inch. My focus will be on what tire size will fit and allow good performance off-road. Typically, one size larger can be used on-road but may rub severely off-road. Most Jeeps are actually good off-road vehicles in stock form; you don't have to put a mega-lift and large tires on to enjoy some excellent four-wheeling capability. I wheeled my 89 XJ stock all over Arizona for years. That's the best way to learn the vehicle and how to drive it anyway; once you learn what you can't do it's easier to spend money on what you need and it helps make you a better driver anyway. NASCAR drivers don't start at the top, running in Winston Cup races; they had to move up through the ranks from dirt tracks and such, all the while learning the subtleties of racing. Four wheeling is the same way. While you can throw $50,000 at a new rig and make it 'bulletproof' that means nothing if the driver doesn't know how to actually drive the rig. This damages not only the vehicle, but more importantly can ruin the trail and even lead to it being shut down from damage, real or perceived.
I've seen this question a few times and decided to come up with a short answer.
Want bigger tires? It's time for new axles and other modifications. In 96, the NV231 transfer case had a redesigned output shaft. The new design prevented leaks when you were forced to remove the rear shaft, but introduced a design more prone to vibrations when lifted. See my slip-yoke eliminator writeup for more info. Many Up-Country models with a 1" lift from the factory had vibrations, and a TSB was performed to add a transfer-case drop to the Jeep. Because of that change in 1996, XJ owners who install aftermarket lifts almost always have vibrations, and I can't tell you how many people I have run across who have spent countless hours trying to eliminate the vibrations through numerous means. The one fix that always works is a slip-yoke eliminator (SYE) and longer driveshaft. Of course, for every nine Jeepers that ultimately fix their vibes with an SYE, there's always one joker who doesn't need to use an SYE. More power to 'em, but you have to watch out for the length of the driveshaft as a problem then. The stock XJ driveshaft is fixed-length (see images) and a lift will reduce the amount of splined surface in contact between the output shaft and the slipyoke. Under some power, it's more possible to twist an axleshaft that way. SYEs not only reduce the length of the output shaft and therefore reduce the leverage on the internal bearings, but the reduced length is made up by the longer driveshaft. This longer driveshaft reduces operating angles on the u-joints, extending their service life.
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e-mail Jim
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Modified June 6, 2008
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