Getting a kj lift, wheels and tires. will this work?

I'm getting gifted an unmolested 2003 kj sport with 90k on it next weekend. I plan to keep this jeep as long as possible as my daily high/city driver and once or twice a month weekend warrior. It's the nicest vehicle I've had the privilege of owning and I don't want to mess this rig up. Please help me out by letting me know if the first step in my dream/plan will work.

First thing I'm going to do is get a good ome lift. I've had 2.5" in mind for the past couple months that I've been waiting for the jeep. Mainly because I won't have to do any other modifications a long with it (I'm hoping) and I want this jeep to last forever. Now that it's only a week away and I have a good amount of money saved... I've been looking into new wheels and tires to match the lift. I found the ones I like... Better yet... absolutely need to have the wheels if possible. I wouldn't mind getting a duratrac or ta ko.

Tires and wheels - ProComp Xtreme A/T 31X10.50R-15 on ProComp Xtreme Alloy 7069 .. 15x8 5 on 4.5 3.75BS
http://www.quadratec.com/products/92609_220X_P5_PG.htm

I love the way the 15" wheel looks. More rubber has always looked better to me as well. They clear the calipers just fine from what I've read.

With that tire and wheel... Will a 2.5" ome lift cut it? If not then what will? Keeping in mind that I want to do little to no other serious mods in the process. Possibly a new front and rear bumper and a skid plate in the far off future...but that's it... Mainly cosmetic.

I'm ordering the wheels/tires asap (Mon or Wed) if it's not just a pipe dream and I can get the lift I need in town when they get here.

Thanks in advance for any input

Think over your tire and wheel choices again
Unless you have regearing in the budget you're going to be disappointed in the power you have left and the gas mileage . You need 4.10s for that size tire and extra weight. Stick with a 30 inch tall tire

Wheel wise , with an 8 inch wide wheel and that back spacing the tire is going to sit about 1.25-1.5 inches out past the flare, which will cause rubbing issues in the front wheelwell. 7 inch wide 4 inches of back spacing works best
Also not sure if that wheel will fit, most will not due to hitting the front calipers, steel 15 inch like the Soft 8s etc will but not aluminum

Next on the lift, OME is great but again for that size tire you'll want a little more lift. Adding either a clevis or top plate will give you 1/2 to 3/4 inch more lift and should help clear without needing JBA UCAs

tommudd said:

Think over your tire and wheel choices again
Unless you have regearing in the budget you're going to be disappointed in the power you have left and the gas mileage . You need 4.10s for that size tire and extra weight. Stick with a 30 inch tall tire

Wheel wise , with an 8 inch wide wheel and that back spacing the tire is going to sit about 1.25-1.5 inches out past the flare, which will cause rubbing issues in the front wheelwell. 7 inch wide 4 inches of back spacing works best
Also not sure if that wheel will fit, most will not due to hitting the front calipers, steel 15 inch like the Soft 8s etc will but not aluminum

Next on the lift, OME is great but again for that size tire you'll want a little more lift. Adding either a clevis or top plate will give you 1/2 to 3/4 inch more lift and should help clear without needing JBA UCAs

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Thanks for the information, very helpful... and dissapointing Even if the wheel did clear the calipers, i can't find them in 7w 4bs sigh... I'd be perfectly happy with 30" 245 75r** and up to a 3" lift. Those wheels caught my eyes and i can't find ones that come close in terms of my personal preference. Any similar looking wheels in matte, with cap covers that you would recommend? If i needed to i could go 16x7...

up front I'm running OME springs with Ironman shocks, 1/4" top plate and a 2 ring clevis, giving me about 22" from hub to fender, so about 2.5-3" of lift. With all of that I'm running 245/75r16 Duratracs (basically a 30.5" tire) on stock KJ wheels and I get a little bit of rub on the sway bar. Any less of a lift and I'd be rubbing inner fenders. More importantly, the power loss is enough that I'm really glad I didn't go with bigger tires. Around town it isn't too bad, but I go up to the mountains from Denver once a week and I'm either going 55 mph in the slow lane, or running 65 at 5,000 rpm, lol.

Either way you go (31x10.5's or 245/75's) I strongly consider looking at regearing if power loss is any sort of an issue for you....

Turns out i'm having to settle for the black rock 997 type 8 matte black wheels in 16x7... they are starting to grow on me. Not a fan of the soft edged holes but i want functionality over looks in the end. I had walmart special order some duratrac 245/75 r16 for $167 a piece with no shipping charge. Liberty options are slim and I've been forced to compromise.

I'm going with a 3" full OME lift and should be installing it next week at some point.

I'm hoping the loss of power is very minimal. I'll have the jeep un modified for about 3 days before i start adding to it. I'll try to get a good feel for highway power all stock. Thanks for the input... definitely went this route because i expect to not have to modify any further. Hoping that's the case...:blah:

kjmman said:

Turns out i'm having to settle for the black rock 997 type 8 matte black wheels in 16x7... they are starting to grow on me. Not a fan of the soft edged holes but i want functionality over looks in the end. I had walmart special order some duratrac 245/75 r16 for $167 a piece with no shipping charge. Liberty options are slim and I've been forced to compromise.

I'm going with a 3" full OME lift and should be installing it next week at some point.

I'm hoping the loss of power is very minimal. I'll have the jeep un modified for about 3 days before i start adding to it. I'll try to get a good feel for highway power all stock. Thanks for the input... definitely went this route because i expect to not have to modify any further. Hoping that's the case...:blah:

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Go with TJ Rubicon Moabs those BlackRocks are HEAVY and will effect your performance.

John3seventeen said:

Go with TJ Rubicon Moabs those BlackRocks are HEAVY and will effect your performance.

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EEEK! Those are $260 a piece vs $70! I love the Moabs... but i'm thinking I shouldn't spend over $150 or so a wheel. Any other suggestions?

You're looking at the knockoff Moabs which are weaker anyways
Get the real thing,( 04-06 Jeep Wrangler Rubicons) can pick up 4 for 250-300

tommudd said:

You're looking at the knockoff Moabs which are weaker anyways
Get the real thing,( 04-06 Jeep Wrangler Rubicons) can pick up 4 for 250-300

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Doh!Any place other than craigslist that they can be found for around that price? I've found a set of five in my area with M/T tires for $900... but they're painted black.

kjmman said:

Doh!Any place other than craigslist that they can be found for around that price? I've found a set of five in my area with M/T tires for $900... but they're painted black.

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They run about $100 - $120 a piece at a Junkyard

It's settled, I'm getting the Moabs. Now I just need to find a clean set of 5 that don't cost me an arm and a leg. Thanks to all for helping me out and pointing me in the right direction . I'm as green as they come and no matter how much research I do I'm liable to screw something up and make a bad choice on my own.

kjmman said:

Doh!Any place other than craigslist that they can be found for around that price? I've found a set of five in my area with M/T tires for $900... but they're painted black.

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Paint em silver

i run 16x7 black rock d's with 4'' of backspacing and 245's i have never had a problem with rubbing except on the pinch weld, i also have ome 927/948's with two extra rear isos and a top plate in the front, i like the way it looks and performs with everyday driving, along with its offroad performance

ChristianKline said:

i run 16x7 black rock d's with 4'' of backspacing and 245's i have never had a problem with rubbing except on the pinch weld, i also have ome 927/948's with two extra rear isos and a top plate in the front, i like the way it looks and performs with everyday driving, along with its offroad performance

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Nice looking jeep, how's your mpg highway/city?

245/75/16 on 16x8 Moab's and yes painted silver to hide the scratches! :happy175:

And I've had two sets of the 16x8 black wheels - Black Rock 997 & Cragar Soft 8's - I like their looks but not their weight. Sold both sets. When I put the Black Rocks on with no other changes it dropped my mileage 3mpg.

I'm sticking with the moabs for sure... Can't sacrifice that much mpg for a daily driver. Off topic, but I didn't want to start another thread in the lift section.

Calling #%@&* 4x4 yeasterday, I talked to a guy and scheduled to have a 2.5 ome lift put on next week. He said to go with medium and he could have the kit in by Friday. I call them today and talk to another person to clear some things up and a little confirmation. He tells me he has no idea about the job... No notes no nothing... And by the way, ome only sells a 1.5 lift and the 2.5 the other guy was selling you doesn't exist. My blood pressure rose a bit and confusion started setting in.

If you guys could clear this up for me before I go in and talk to them after work that would be great. The guy said skyjacker sells a 2.5 kit... But I see everyone saying the 2.5 ome that doesn't exist is the way to go lol.

kjmman said:

I'm sticking with the moabs for sure... Can't sacrifice that much mpg for a daily driver. Off topic, but I didn't want to start another thread in the lift section.

Calling woodys 4x4 yeasterday, I talked to a guy and scheduled to have a 2.5 ome lift put on next week. He said to go with medium and he could have the kit in by Friday. I call them today and talk to another person to clear some things up and a little confirmation. He tells me he has no idea about the job... No notes no nothing... And by the way, ome only sells a 1.5 lift and the 2.5 the other guy was selling you doesn't exist. My blood pressure rose a bit and confusion started setting in.

If you guys could clear this up for me before I go in and talk to them after work that would be great. The guy said skyjacker sells a 2.5 kit... But I see everyone saying the 2.5 ome that doesn't exist is the way to go lol.

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OME 927's front OME 948's rear will net you about 2 1/2" of lift. The box says 1 1/2" due to Austrailian insurance regulations.

kjmman said:

I'm sticking with the moabs for sure... Can't sacrifice that much mpg for a daily driver. Off topic, but I didn't want to start another thread in the lift section.

Calling woodys 4x4 yeasterday, I talked to a guy and scheduled to have a 2.5 ome lift put on next week. He said to go with medium and he could have the kit in by Friday. I call them today and talk to another person to clear some things up and a little confirmation. He tells me he has no idea about the job... No notes no nothing... And by the way, ome only sells a 1.5 lift and the 2.5 the other guy was selling you doesn't exist. My blood pressure rose a bit and confusion started setting in.

If you guys could clear this up for me before I go in and talk to them after work that would be great. The guy said skyjacker sells a 2.5 kit... But I see everyone saying the 2.5 ome that doesn't exist is the way to go lol.

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Okayy the OME is a 1.5 *wink wink* for insurance purposes. It will give you 2.5 by the time you are done with clevis, a top plate and rear isolators. Also consider the OME HD if you plan on adding skids and/or anything else on the front.

CzarKJ said:

Okayy the OME is a 1.5 *wink wink* for insurance purposes. It will give you 2.5 by the time you are done with clevis, a top plate and rear isolators. Also consider the OME HD if you plan on adding skids and/or anything else on the front.

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If you add top plate, clevis etc you'll get 3.5 to 4 inches of lift
2.5 inches just springs and shocks