Wanting 40s (1 Viewer)

[Alvaro]

Guys, please share your thoughts and knowledge, been using 37s for a year, I like them a lot but want a little more so I'm seriously thinking on 40s (Maxxis Creepy Crawlers (40x13,5R17), already upgraded gears to 5.29, have aussie lockers rear and front (love them) and have sagged J springs (now with spacers) and still good L shocks, dont't want to go much higher with lift, questions:

1. what would you choose: trimming or moving axles back/forward?
2. what else would you suggest changing/upgrading?

Here's how it sits now with 37s, I think there's room in the front, but not the same in the rear:

Thanks.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

40's on an 80?

Get out the Sawzall and install stronger axles. I recommend you stay with the 37s if they are working for you.

 

[Duiser Offroad]

Trimmed fenders, body lift, more spring height....you'll need room to articulate.

Why do you want 40's? For more ground clearance? Depending on the type of driving you do, you'll have broken axles.

IMO, 40's are too big unless you are doing arctic, dune stuff. Otherwise, I'd air your 37's down for less rolling resistance and call it good.

I've got 38.5 on our "predator" project and have every intention of staying put or going down to 37's.

 

[jertiffauk]

Trimmed fenders, body lift, more spring height....you'll need room to articulate.

Why do you want 40's? For more ground clearance? Depending on the type of driving you do, you'll have broken axles.

IMO, 40's are too big unless you are doing arctic, dune stuff. Otherwise, I'd air your 37's down for less rolling resistance and call it good.

I've got 38.5 on our "predator" project and have every intention of staying put or going down to 37's.

Agreed. I just put 37's on mine and I cannot imagine going any bigger, they are a perfect fit. For the 1.5" or so of ground clearance you'll gain, you'll have a lot of other work and $$ into it. Especially if you don't want to lift it anymore...

 

[allan man]

Ive got both!! a 40 and 37

 

[TexasJack]

Reconsider. At what point does a larger tire make your vehicle a more effective off-road vehicle? At what point does it start to reduce effectiveness by simply making your vehicle "tippy"?

I would question the need to go beyond 35s on an 80 series. If you want to go beyond 37s, you need to build a buggy. An 80 isn't your best choice for a rock crawler. It is simply to big and heavy. Start with something smaller and build a dynomite crawler if you want to crawl. You will likely just tear your 80 up.

I didn't even mention your birfs and that is another serious consideration. Birfs were never designed for a tire that large on a vehicle as heavy as an 80.

I know they guys in Iceland run 80s with HUGE tires but they are mostly wheeling in ice and snow, not rock.

 

[js93cruiser]

Reconsider. At what point does a larger tire make your vehicle a more effective off-road vehicle? At what point does it start to reduce effectiveness by simply making your vehicle "tippy"?

I would question the need to go beyond 35s on an 80 series. If you want to go beyond 37s, you need to build a buggy. An 80 isn't your best choice for a rock crawler. It is simply to big and heavy. Start with something smaller and build a dynomite crawler if you want to crawl. You will likely just tear your 80 up.

I didn't even mention your birfs and that is another serious consideration. Birfs were never designed for a tire that large on a vehicle as heavy as an 80.

I know they guys in Iceland run 80s with HUGE tires but they are mostly wheeling in ice and snow, not rock.

Unsprung weight, 80's have heavy bodies and the more weight lower on the cog the better, my 40" iroks will be here in the next week or so and I need them. I upgraded my axles accordingly so I'm not worried about it. Bigger tires also help getting over bigger rocks with less throttle

 

[akarilo]

Action Jackson used to wheel the crap out of his truck and it had 40's towards the end. You should try and contact him and get a realistic picture of what else might need to be done to make 40's realistically work. I'll have to admit I was surprised that axles started twisting and birfs blew up right after going to 37's. I can only imagine that 40's would only multiply the carnage.

I'm thinking that sticking with 37's is the logical choice.

 

[Alvaro]

Thanks all for your opinions, so far it seems like staying with 37s is the best choice, part of the decision depends on getting a good deal selling the 37s which are still in very good shape, that would help pulling the trigger for 40s, we'll see.

Just thinking of weight, would probably reconsider tire choice, found thread below with some useful weight information and the 40 inch maxxis creepy crawlers are really heavy compared with others.

Maxxis Creepy Crawlers 4013.5R17 are 105 lbs each! vs 84 lbs of Iroks 39.5X13.5R17, (basically the Iroks weigh the same as my 37s Maxxis Trepador).

http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/showthread.php?15459-Weight-List-Engines-Axles-Trannies-Tcases-Tires

I know tire/wheel weight is just a part of the equation but how much?

I thought I was going to start breaking sfuff with 37s but has not happened yet after quite a few trails so I am ready to upgrade axles/birfs, so leaving fitting issues aside for a moment, already with 5.29s and ready to upgrade to chromolys what other concerns should I been thinking of with 40s? small 8 inch front diff?

 

[cruiserruf]

you're going to have to trim the fenders and upgrade the axles. The steering would be a good idea to upgrade. I'm not sure about the aussie locker handling the 40s, ARB locker would be a good idea. Another problem would be the 8" 3rd up front, but then again some have had better luck than others.

 

[itbrokeagain]

I'm on 37 Mud Grapplers and before that I was on 37 Boggers. I wouldn't mind 40s but 37s work for me. I have not been stopped by tire size yet

 

[ajax1]

On 6 inches of lift with backspace on the rim at 3.75 we had to trim out the front to prob where your slider is. So bout 3 to 4 inches cut back and had to cut front bumper also. Plus had to cut into where the radiator mount is on the bottom and bigger bump stops that was for the front rear trim out as far as possible doesn't rub to bad it's lot of work and I would run chromoly shafts and hubs got rid of the flanges , which in theory should pop the hub before the diff goes

 

[Alvaro]

Well I pulled the trigger and got some Creepy Crawlers and also upgraded wheels to KMC beadlocks, replaced the OME J sagged springs with new TJM 5" in the front and 4" in the rear, I was surprised to see that the TJM 4 inches were about the same height as the OME Js, so I used some 1 inch spacers front and rear, pictures are without shocks, will be upgrading to Radflos. Rear fenders were both dented so it was time for trimming and painting, the rear fenders were trimmed a bit less than an inch, result didn't work out quite as smooth as expected, front were trimmed about an inch but only the rear fender part, not the whole fender, result was very good, now thinking on upgrading axles before breaking OEMs...

Also need adjustable panhards, thinking on putting adjustable in the front and raising the axle mount in the rear...

Comments and suggestions welcome, thanks!

 

[maxamillion2345]

Hydro assist and beef up steering, arp studs. chromos. duals. arp FF axle flange studs

That's what I'd do anyway

oh and chromo hub gears I'd think

 

[Red Oktober]

That sir is one sweet rig .....

 

[arndog123]

Nice.

 

[Wiscolandcruiser]

37's just are not enough these days. Your rig looks clean as Hell, love the jdm headlights.

Sent from this fast HTC thing using IH8MUD

 

[joker2040]

Very nice! I've took my rig out twice since adding the Michelin XMLs. The first trip I bent the tierod bar into a U shape. Upgraded that and on the second trip snapped a front axle. I would suggest upgrading both on your rig. Just to avoid issues down the road. Sucks to ruin a good day of wheeling to something that could have been prevented.

Little action shot...

 

[maxamillion2345]

That's what I'm saying, with that sized tire he's gonna want hydro assist, beefier tierod and drag link, beef up the knuckle studs, chromo shafts/birfs, and with those selectable hubs, chromo hub gears. In the rear he may be okay but from what I've read I'd look into replacing the axle flange studs with something better or grade 8 cap bolts.

Sounds like without hydro it's pretty possible to twist the sector shaft, let alone those sized tires suck in the rocks without it.

Just my .02

Nice cruisers though either way

 

[Alvaro]

Thanks all for input, I have the tie rod and drag link resolved, also ordered chromo front and rear axles and will order ARP hub studs, will do some research on hydro assist which doesn't sound easy, need some help with chromo hub gears, which ones? have searched without success.