Lift time!
- Thread starter Smaddox
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
The general consensus is that a 6" lift is LESS useful off road than a 3"...
Looks cooler, but performs worse (due to the drop brackets and such). Plus, 35" tires (to match the 6" lift) are going to really stress the drivetrain.
It all depends on what you'd like out of your FJ - Function or form.
- Brian
Looks cooler, but performs worse (due to the drop brackets and such). Plus, 35" tires (to match the 6" lift) are going to really stress the drivetrain.
It all depends on what you'd like out of your FJ - Function or form.
- Brian
Plenty of people run 35's, but I imagine if they used it hard off road...they'd be wrecking CV axles and/or rear diff's.
And I should say - I'm just posting what I've read, I don't have any first hand experience with breaking anything on an FJ. I did a simple 2.5" front, 1" rear lift with 33s (285/75-16's)...with zero trouble.
- Brian
And I should say - I'm just posting what I've read, I don't have any first hand experience with breaking anything on an FJ. I did a simple 2.5" front, 1" rear lift with 33s (285/75-16's)...with zero trouble.
- Brian
STEP 22 Gear
STEP 22 Gear
Do you really need the 6" lift?? jumping from 33 to 35" tires is really only giving you 1" of extra total lift (from rubber, and all around clearance). With the 6" and 35s are you ready to re-gear, diff drop, added drive train stress, etc.? I have an ICON 3" stage 6 lift and found it seems to do better than a buddy with a 6" lift..... Unless you are going for the look factor... maybe you should consider 3" and get used to the fact that 33" can treat you pretty well???
Southeast Overland
Get lost! Go explore!
You can fit 35's on 3" of lift, In fact our shop truck is setup that way. The pic shown includes our shop truck on 35's on the right, and a customers fj on 33's we built on the left. Our shop truck and the other fj are both sitting right at 3" of lift.
~Jeff
STEP 22 Gear
STEP 22 Gear
hefty body mount chop I presume? How much rub are they getting at full compression with 35s on a 3" lift?
- Thread starter
- #8
Thanks for the responses everyone.
No the 35s won't be a huge difference from 33s. And if I could get the icon stage 6 I would over a 6inch anyday. I was looking at just the stage 2 and 3, and they were as much as the 6 inch lifts.. which was why I started to question why I didn'tsee many of them on here. I guess the next question is do 33s vrs 35s really cause that much stress on drive train? Many questions I know but these lifts aren't getting any cheaper.
No the 35s won't be a huge difference from 33s. And if I could get the icon stage 6 I would over a 6inch anyday. I was looking at just the stage 2 and 3, and they were as much as the 6 inch lifts.. which was why I started to question why I didn'tsee many of them on here. I guess the next question is do 33s vrs 35s really cause that much stress on drive train? Many questions I know but these lifts aren't getting any cheaper.
STEP 22 Gear
STEP 22 Gear
As Jeff said... you can make 35s work on the 3".... I guess it is just a matter of preference of "making something work" How much to you want to have to chop, end up with rubbing, etc. as opposed to choosing a setup that really works great = 3" on 33s
With 35s you are going to definitely want to re-gear... of course many will tell you they didn't re-gear and they do just fine.... again.... how much power do you want to lose, added stress, etc. The steps from 33" to 35" is a big one... and doing it the "right way" on 35s will mean a lot more work/mods for (in my opinion) not enough results (other than the cool factory of saying " I roll on 35s")
With 35s you are going to definitely want to re-gear... of course many will tell you they didn't re-gear and they do just fine.... again.... how much power do you want to lose, added stress, etc. The steps from 33" to 35" is a big one... and doing it the "right way" on 35s will mean a lot more work/mods for (in my opinion) not enough results (other than the cool factory of saying " I roll on 35s")
STEP 22 Gear
STEP 22 Gear
And yes! ICON is expensive! There are other quality options out there for a 3" lift that are lower priced but still great products. Of course you can also to the ICON stages.... in stages! Check out Metal Tech in Oregon. Great prices and they often do 20% sales on ICON.. and NO TAX since you are in CA. ICON is in Riverside. So you can have them will-call your order and go pick it up yourself at the ICON factory (not a bad drive from SD). BAM! You just saved some bucks... and you can check out the ICON factory too!
STEP 22 Gear
STEP 22 Gear
Not sure how to edit a post here... so sorry for multiple posts!
As many will tell you here.... don't just go for the cheapest options... as you'll end up spending more in the long run on re-dos! Yeah... the 6" lifts are cheap.... but doesn't mean the best route to take. Determine what parts you need to get started, maybe just coilovers up front to start... then do rear coils and shocks next.... then follow up with upper control arms and raise it another inch at that point..... etc..... etc...
As many will tell you here.... don't just go for the cheapest options... as you'll end up spending more in the long run on re-dos! Yeah... the 6" lifts are cheap.... but doesn't mean the best route to take. Determine what parts you need to get started, maybe just coilovers up front to start... then do rear coils and shocks next.... then follow up with upper control arms and raise it another inch at that point..... etc..... etc...
- Thread starter
- #12
I have about 4k this go around. But that includes tires. So in reality I have 2500ish. I may just end up doing ome as it served me well on the FJ80, and it'd be nice to replace the rear bumper since that's where Ive seen people take the most damage. Seems like our ass end hangs a little low. And I'll resolve myself to 33s 
I may consider the icon stage 1.. have to see I guess. I'll make sure I drop a thread when its done.
I may consider the icon stage 1.. have to see I guess. I'll make sure I drop a thread when its done.
STEP 22 Gear
STEP 22 Gear
Nothing at all wrong with going OME! Just get the right weight springs for whatever you plan on doing up front also. Always nice to be able to spread the cash for even more mods! Let us know what you end up with!
1911
chupacabra
I'm running a 3" lift, body mount chop and 34" tires on mine. The rear tires rub the inner fender wells at full articulation; otherwise they are fine.
Southeast Overland
Get lost! Go explore!
We are currently running the Total Chaos 2" longtravel setup on the front with the ICON longtravel 2.5" remote reservoir coilovers. For the time being the drivetrain is mostly stock with the addition of the longtravel specific CV axles. We completely clear the 35's with NO rubbing. This was achieved by a body mount mount chop, cutting the front pinch seam, trimming the plastic flares and a bumpstop extension in the rear.
Drivetrain wise it is not terrible, but some more gearing would definitely help. Knocking on wood here, but we have not broken anything or found any real weak link. This thing doesn't get babied either, I have seen it take flight up rock ledges before.
~Jeff
Drivetrain wise it is not terrible, but some more gearing would definitely help. Knocking on wood here, but we have not broken anything or found any real weak link. This thing doesn't get babied either, I have seen it take flight up rock ledges before.
~Jeff
1911
chupacabra
I tried driving mine (on 34's as per above) for a year without re-gearing, but the constant downshifting and inability of the cruise control to function on the highway drove me crazy. Re-geared to 4.56 and it was a vast improvement in drive-ability.
I have 33s on mine (like most people, I guess) and re-geared to 4.56 ... I noticed a performance difference (hasn't affected fuel economy that much) so I'm sure a re-gear if not theoretically required will help with 35s ... in my opinion, a 6" lift is just the beginning as other changes are needed or helpful to compliment it ... to me its cost/benefit ... to each their own of course ...
It can. IMHO before you spend all that money ride around with a local club if you have one with different set ups and see what you like. There are so many variables such as bumpers, what you want to do, gear etc. As someone mentioned do it once and do it right. Good luck.
