ALI is supported by its readers. When you purchase via links contained here, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Installing a Lift Kit, Wheels, and Tires on our Jeep Wrangler JL
So, you buy a new or used Jeep Wrangler and are wondering what customizations you are going to do first. If you are anything like us a lift kit is the first thing that comes to mind. We started searching questions like what are the largest tires that will fit on a Jeep Wrangler without a lift kit and what size lift kit do you need on a Jeep Wrangle to fit 35″ tires. I have always liked 35″ tires on a vehicle that I want to take off road but still want it to drive good on the highway. Many will argue that 37″ tires, or even larger, will still drive fine on a Jeep Wrangler but for me 35″ tires is the sweet spot. After researching maximum tire sizes for the stock Jeep Wrangler we decided to put what ever lift we would need to run 35’s.
After tons of research we decided to go with the 2.5″ Rough Country Lift kit that comes with the N3 shocks. We do not do any severe off-roading and felt that this RC lift kit would be perfect for our Jeep Wrangler JL as we wanted to clear the 35″ tires. CLICK HERE or in the link below to read our entire review of the 2.5″ Rough Country Lift Kit for the Jeep Wrangler JL. Next, we had to settle on a set of wheels for the Wrangler. As a Jeep owner you probably know that you typically go with a theme or a color when customizing your Jeep. We wanted to go with blue accents on our Wrangler so we were very excited when we found the blue Hardline Wheels by Fuel. They have the exact color blue we were looking for. Also, we were looking for something that not many people are running and we have only ever seen one other set of these on a Jeep Wrangler. CLICK HERE or on the link below to read all about the 18X9 Fuel Hardline wheels we went with.
Lastly, we had to pick a set of 35″ tires for our Jeep. Like a said earlier, we want to be able to comfortable drive our Jeep on the highway and still be able to do some off-road riding as well. I knew we wanted 35″ X 12.5″ tires and we wanted All Terrain (A/T) so we started searching around. We researched many brand and model A/T tires for the Wrangler. Some strong contenders included the Toyo Open Country, Michelin Defender, Goodyear Wrangler, and Nitto Trail Grappler. When it was all said and done we went with our old standby, the BFGoodrich tires. We got the 35″ BFG A/T KO2 tires and man have we been happy with them. We have used these tires several times over the years and have never been disappointed. CLICK HERE or the link below to see our complete review of the 35″ BFG A/T KO2 tires.
We decided we wanted to purchase five wheels and tires and carry one of them on the back of the Jeep. Being oversized you must run a Jeep Wrangler Spare Tire Relocation Bracket on your Jeep Wrangler to be able to carry your new wheel / tire in the original spare tire location. CLICK HERE for how to do this and a review of the Spare Tire Relocation Bracket that we went with.
2.5″ Rough Country Lift Kit for Jeep Wrangler JL (67730)
- Includes N3 Shock Absorbers
- Maintains Factory Like Ride and Levels Jeep
- Lifetime Replacement Warranty
18″ X 9″ Black / Blue Fuel Hardline Wheels for Jeep Wrangler JL
- Bold Design / Color
- 4.53 Backspacing
- Durable Finish
35″ BFGoodrich All Terrain KO2 Tires for Jeep Wrangler JL
- Quiet On Road / Capable Off Road
- 35X12.5R18
- Amazing Reviews / Many Happy Customers
Smittybilt Spare Tire Reloaction Bracket for Jeep Wrangler JL
- Allows Carry of Oversized Spare on Jeep Wrangler
- Smittybilt Quality
- Carry 35" or 37" Spare Tire
When considering upgrading a Jeep Wrangler, or any other vehicle, with a lift kit, wheels, and tires make sure that your follow the manufacturer’s instructions completely. Also, if you are not comfortable installing these types of accessories on your Jeep, hire it done. A professional wheel alignment is always required after completing a project like this. Have fun installing the lift on your Jeep Wrangler JL!!!