Jeep Wrangler JK 2007 - Present: Performance Upgrades

INTRODUCTION

After 50 years of competitive racing, my wife, Christie, is always kidding me about Mr. Speed Demon having fun in the forest driving at 5 mph. I raced sports cars, open-wheel cars, stock cars, and sprint cars. I also hold the FIA Land Speed Record for diesel pickup trucks driving the Banks Sidewinder at Bonneville at more than 222 mph. Speed demon, indeed!

Although setting lap records, winning races, and nailing down a land-speed record offered incredible challenges, none were more challenging than tackling rock crawling trails in a Jeep at 5 mph. The unique characteristics of off roading require a high level of focus and great deal of skill. I have taught thousands of students racing and high-performance driving through the years, and I have been fortunate to have a great mentor help me learn the often counterintuitive techniques of off roading.

Quinn Thomas, my coauthor and a lifelong off roader, is a highly skilled driver. But more important to this project, Quinn knows more about Jeeps in general and the JK specifically than anyone I have encountered. Quinn and his wife, Heather, make their living building, modifying, and repairing Jeeps at the shop, All J Products, in Big Bear Lake, California. Quinn’s product knowledge is key to making this book an essential resource for new, prospective, and current owners of Jeep Wrangler JKs. Why?

It’s complicated. The Jeep Wrangler JK is the most modified vehicle in the history of the automotive aftermarket. And there are more parts and options available for the JK than for any vehicle ever. In fact, so many types of products are available for the JK we cannot cover them all, let alone every product and brand available. We would need 1,000 pages. The biggest issue facing us when compiling this book was choosing product categories and then specific products as examples.

The selection process is important to understand. Based upon the criteria I’ve established as a writer and magazine editor over many years, we try to choose products that meet specific goals for a build or mild modifications. Then we choose specific products that we have experience with and that we know have the quality and high-level of durability we desire. Although the products we showcase here fit the needs of most Jeep Wrangler JK owners, new products are being introduced almost daily. Within a product category, we only feature products that we know are good; that does not mean there are not other products from other companies that are high quality. On the other hand, we do not promote products that are substandard. We tell you if a product is dangerous, but we have not encountered any products known to be hazardous or dangerous. A suspension bushing may wear prematurely or a light bar may fail early on, and, while annoying, these issues are not dangerous. Where good products may be dangerous to use, such as recovery gear including jacks and winches, we try to offer sound safety guidelines.

Most JK modifications have consequences, often not obvious. Here’s an example: When a JK owner upgrades to 37-inch tires, most owners realize that a gear ratio change in the axle housings is needed. But what about ball joints or power steering? A suspension lift on a JK often means that the front driveshaft may rub the exhaust pipe at extreme travel. We have attempted to provide sound information about the consequences of upgrading in one area and the effect in other areas.

The information in this book will help you regardless of the type of four wheeling you plan to enjoy, except maybe for mall crawling. Before you begin the process of modifying a JK, it is important to know how you plan to use your Wrangler. Keep in mind that all Jeep Wrangler JKs are capable off-road vehicles. A stock Wrangler JK Rubicon can handle about 90 percent of all trails in the United States in good weather. If you want to partake of some mild rock crawling, then some modifications are called for. If you plan more extreme rock crawling and hill climbing, such as the slick rock in Moab, more upgrades will be necessary. If you plan expedition-style overlanding, a different set of modifications will be required. Whatever style of off roading you prefer, you need specific equipment and gear, such as a jack, tow strap, and possibly a winch. The better idea you have concerning your desired use of your JK, the easier it is to formulate a plan.

A budget is just as important. An average off-road JK build costs about $10,000. However, it’s not unusual for JK builds to exceed $40,000, and Quinn has built several JKs at this price level. I have students who have spent more than $100,000, not counting the initial cost of the JK. The joke about what JEEP stands for is no surprise: Just Empty Every Pocket! And the reality is that a Jeep build is never really finished. Jeep Wrangler JKs and the associated builds are not cheap, but the adventures and family fun are worth the cost.

When planning a JK build, keep in mind that not everything needs to be done at once. You can use this book to develop a plan, prioritize modifications and product installs, and then build your JK. In addition, you can use a shop that can guide you in the right direction. A JK build can be done in stages, but it is important, as previously mentioned, that all parts needed for a stage of a build be done at the same time; for example, going to taller tires may mean you need a lift kit and/or flat fenders. You may also need an axle gear ratio change. You may want to add air lockers at the same time to avoid doubling the labor. Proceeding in stages can make the sticker shock a little less daunting. Some Jeep dealers offer modified JKs for sale, or they can build your JK when you purchase it. Often, the entire build can be financed. But keep in mind, the dealer may not offer the best products for a specific application. Consumer awareness pays big dividends when buying and modifying a JK.

Our goal is to guide you down the right trail so that you can enjoy the adventures and family fun that a Jeep Wrangler JK can provide. As life becomes more stressful, a Jeep becomes more important as a way to enjoy the beauty, solitude, and adventures offered in the backcountry. This book helps achieve your goals.

CHAPTER 1

WHEELS AND TIRES

Tires are the most common and most important performance modification to the Jeep Wrangler JK, and an off-road JK needs tires for a specific application, such as trail driving, rock crawling, or mud. Even if you start with the Rubicon model, changing to a larger tire is often the first upgrade to a new Jeep. If you start with a Sport or Sahara, you should upgrade to a true off-road all-terrain or mud-terrain tire. All-terrain and mud-terrain tires offer a more aggressive tread pattern, softer compounds, and much improved performance when you wheel off road. But there is a downside.

Mud-terrain and all-terrain tires use a softer rubber compound. Softer tread compounds accelerate tire wear and increase rolling resistance, thereby reducing fuel economy. The more aggressive tread designs of mud and all-terrain tires increase road noise. This is most notable on mud-terrain tires. The larger tread blocks on a mud tire also increase tire squirm on the highway, which reduces handling responsiveness. Off-road performance improves dramatically, however. Moreover, the more aggressive look of the all-terrain and especially the mud-terrain tires is an integral element of the Jeep persona.

Tire selection is crucial to realize the best performance from your JK, and you need to take lift, suspension setup, and, of course, application into account.

All-Terrain Versus Mud-Terrain

Which is better, an all-terrain or a mud-terrain tire? It depends upon which side of the fence are you on. While there has never been a clear winner in this argument, among the many factors to consider are highway versus off-road miles, weather conditions, terrain, and road surface, to name just a few. But with the launch of two new all-terrain tires, the Falken WildPeak A/T3W and the Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ P3 All Terrain Tire, the line between A/Ts and M/Ts is blurred. These new-generation A/T tires offer more aggressive tread patterns and sidewalls while retaining a smaller void ratio for reduced noise on the highway and harder rubber compounds for better tire wear.

Mud-terrain tires, such as the Falken WildPeak M/T tire (left), are generally preferred for serious off-road JKs. The large tread blocks and softer rubber compound provide increased grip on soft terrain. They also look more aggressive. All-terrain tires, such as the BFGoodrich All Terrain T/AKO2 tire (middle), appeal to milder off-road use due to better wear and a quieter ride on the highway. Although the A/T tire may have a harder rubber compound, the increased tread area due to a smaller void ratio allows most A/T tires to perform with the equivalent M/T tire in most off-road conditions. The Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ P3 (right) all-terrain tire blurs the line between mud and all-terrain tires. More of a hybrid, the ATZ P3 features large tread blocks, a smaller void ratio, numerous sipes in the tread blocks, and a rubber compound softer than a typical A/T tire but harder than an M/T. Many tire companies have introduced this style of hybrid all-terrain tire. This new category is often called extreme all-terrain.

The void ratio is the area of tread blocks versus the area of the gaps between the tread blocks (white in the illustration). All-terrain tires use a small void ratio, meaning more rubber is on the ground. Mud-terrain tires use much larger void ratios, meaning less rubber on the ground but more ability for the tire to grip a surface, especially soft surfaces such as mud, sand, and snow. Larger void ratios also create more noise on the highway.

Tread Design Differences

The most obvious difference between the all-terrain and mud-terrain tire is in the tread design. A mud-terrain tire has more aggressive tread blocks and a larger void ratio. The void ratio is the percentage of the total tread block area in comparison to the area of the total tire tread. The tread blocks on a mud-terrain tend to be larger and thicker than on an all-terrain tire. The thin slits in the tread, called sipes, allow the tread to flex and the edges to better grip hard surfaces such as rocks. Sipes are used in both all-terrain and mud-terrain tires. Generally, an all-terrain tire has more sipes. This improves grip on hard surfaces. The new, more aggressive all-terrain tires create as much or possibly slightly more grip than the same size mud-terrain tire.

Although a good mud-terrain tread design can keep rocks from lodging between tread blocks, the design must also eject mud and snow. Some designs do this more efficiently than others. In general, the larger void ratio of the mud-terrain is better in soft surface conditions, but the tread blocks need to flex to eject snow and dense mud. Tread design plays a role but so does tire pressure. Lower tire pressure helps when the voids become filled with debris, ice, snow, or heavy mud. And some all-terrain tread designs are better in snow, but lack the ability to keep small stones out of the tread voids.

Here are four all-terrain tire designs.

Top left: The BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 tire has one of the more aggressive sidewall designs. The tire’s siping allows flex for better grip. The ridges between the sidewall tread blocks are stepped to help eject rocks and debris from the sidewall.

Top right: The Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ P3 all-terrain tire has a sidewall design more like a mud-terrain tire, and it grips well on rock edges and the sides of ruts where little or no tread is gripping the surface.

Bottom left: The Falken WildPeak A/T3W has an aggressive sidewall for an all-terrain tire. The stepped ridges on the upper part of the sidewall progressively grip the edges of rocks and slopes for better grip. They also dig into soft surfaces for even more bite.

Bottom right: This A/T tire, the Nexen Roadian A/T Pro RA8, has a conservative sidewall design, but the triangular-shaped scallops on the lower portion of the sidewall provide a surprising amount of grip on loose dirt and large, sloped rocks.

The all-terrain tire has the clear advantage on the highway. Smaller void ratios mean more rubber on the road. Harder rubber compounds reduce tire wear and help with fuel economy. All-terrain tires create less noise with their smaller tread voids. The tread blocks act like pumps or fans creating more airflow. The size and shape of the blocks along with the void ratio determine the noise level. Some mud-terrain tires are loud.

Sidewall Design

One of the most important elements of tire design is the structure of the sidewall. When four wheeling on rocks, in ruts, or on side slopes, it’s critical for the sidewall tread to deliver good grip. If the tires exhibit a lack of grip, the tire can slide sideways off the edge of a rock, the slope on a side hill, or within a series of ruts. Slipping can alter your desired path. Or you can bang a rock slider, skidplate, or bumper on a rock that you thought you could avoid. The tire sidewall needs to be able to flex to conform to the road surface and to have a design that allows rocks and snow to be ejected from the tread pattern. Most off-road tires do a better job of keeping tread voids cleared when aired down to a lower pressure.

In most cases, given equal tire sizes, an all-terrain is better in rain and ice. On snow, tread design and tire pressure play a large role. Either a mud or an all-terrain tire works well in snow. But not all M/T or A/T tires perform equally in snowy conditions, so you need to determine the specific characteristics of the tire you’re installing.

Rubber Compound and Wear

All-terrain tires tend to have harder rubber compounds than mud-terrain tires. Therefore, the mud tire wears more quickly, all else being equal. Even though the all-terrain is harder, it has more rubber on the road or trail surface due to a smaller void ratio. This usually means that the all-terrain tire has slightly better traction on hard surfaces given equal tire sizes. The mud-terrain grips better on soft surfaces. This is best distinguished when the tire is operating in a surface as opposed to on a surface. Think in sand, mud, snow, and soft, loose dirt versus on asphalt, ice, or hard-packed dirt.

Mud-terrain tires have softer tread compounds, but all-terrain tires have more actual rubber on the ground. The ability of the tread blocks to grip and the sidewall lugs to hold on side slopes and rock edges determine performance. Much of this depends on the tread design and siping. The advantage goes to most mud-terrain tires, but the latest more aggressive all-terrain tires, such as the Falken AT03 and the Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ P3 work extremely well in the big rocks.

Off-Road Tire Performance

The advantages of the A/T versus the M/T off-road are less clear. In some conditions, the mud-terrain tire provides a slight advantage. But the differences are minor. The big issue is the type of surface. For the most part, the all-terrain tire is better on hard surfaces. While the rubber compound is a little harder, the void ratio is smaller, meaning more rubber on the ground for equal size tires at similar pressures. The advantage diminishes when the surfaces are wet.

Due to deeper, larger tread blocks, the mud-terrain tire performs at its best in soft surfaces. Mud, sand, loose dirt, and snow are conditions giving the mud-terrain tire better performance. In certain types of snow, especially in slushy, sticky snow conditions, the M/T has an advantage only if the tread design (and lower tire pressures) can eject snow from the tread voids.

Tire Size, Diameters, and Ground Clearance

Increasing tire diameter allows more ground clearance and larger contact patches on the ground. Keep in mind that the low points under any Wrangler JK are the center sections of the axle housing. Suspension lifts raise the chassis/body, but not the axle housing. A suspension lift is installed mostly to gain clearance for larger-diameter tires. Going from the stock 32-inch tire in the JK Rubicon to a 34-inch-diameter tire increases ground clearance by 1 inch.

Increasing tire size increases tire weight, and off-road tires weigh substantially more than the stock 31- to 32-inch tires. Because the tread is the heaviest part of the tire and is farthest from the center of rotation, all the weight when rotating (called rotational inertia) creates large loads on ball joints, tie-rod ends, and suspension components. The inertia caused by weight away from the center of rotation increases as rotational speed (RPM) increases, as the distance from the centerline increases, and as tire weight increases. Wear in steering components leads to shimmy and death wobble on the solid-axle JK. Increasing tire size requires upgrading key steering components to ensure performance and safe operation. In addition, as tire size goes up, it is crucial to dynamically balance the tires (see the wheel and tire balancing section on page 24) to reduce the possibility of shimmy or wobble.

Exceptional tire compliance allows much easier rock crawling by sticking to a slanted rock. This rock has a 60-degree slope. Most of the tread is in contact and the sidewall is contributing some grip as well.

Tire Size and Off-Road Performance

Large-diameter and wide-tread-width tires have a larger rubber contact patch on the ground, especially at low tire pressures. This improves traction. Because taller tire sidewalls can be aired down with a greater reduction in sidewall height, ride quality is better. The downside of larger tires is increased brake and steering system wear. Fuel economy also takes a negative hit.

Tire Compliance Over Rocks and Obstacles

If you use your JK for serious rock crawling or steep hill climbs and descents, especially those with big ruts, tire compliance of the tread over road surface irregularities is extremely important. Tire compliance is the ability of the tire tread and sidewall to conform to the shape of rocks, road surface irregularities, or other obstacles. Both sidewall stiffness and tread design are factors. Tire pressures are key, but tire design plays a factor in how low a pressure you can run, especially without beadlock wheels (see the wheel section on page 22 for an explanation of beadlock wheels).

Siping

Sipes are thin cuts in the tread of a tire. They allow the tire tread to separate slightly, which improves traction on ice and snow. For off-road use, the siping can improve traction when rock crawling. Depending on the siping pattern, they can also increase lateral grip, helping to hold the tire sideways on rocks, side slopes, and ruts.

Lateral Grooves and Crosscuts

Lateral grooves and crosscuts are similar to siping but larger and allow tread blocks to flex and grip soft surfaces and uneven terrain more effectively. At lower tire pressures, grooves and crosscuts can flex to help expel snow from tread voids for better traction.

Left: Sipes are the thin cuts in the tread blocks, and this tire has considerable siping. Sipes allow tread blocks to flex and provide additional edges to help grip the surface. They are most effective on hard surfaces such as rocks and ice. Right: Siping is limited on this tread design. Notice the small ridges in the tread between the tread blocks. They help eject rocks and other debris from between the tread blocks.

Forward and Side Grip

Tread and sidewall design play a major role in how a tire grips in low-traction situations. Good forward traction is critical for climbing and descending large rocks and hills. Side traction is crucial for holding onto side slopes, ruts, bumps, and rocks. Tire designs are a compromise. Different designs are better in certain off-road situations. A lot depends on how you use your JK.

Ply Ratings, Tire Cutting, and Slashing

Cutting or puncturing a tire tread or slashing a sidewall is fairly common off road. Areas with sharp rocks are most likely to cause problems. Two practices help reduce the possibility of serious tire damage: run only load range D or E tires and air-down to a lower tire pressure as described later.

Load range refers to the ply rating. Previously, bias-ply tires used a ply-rating system of up to 10 for light truck and off-road tires. With modern materials, fewer plies are needed to achieve the same strength and puncture resistance. The D rating is approximately the equivalent of an 8-ply bias tire. An E rating is nearly the equivalent of a 10-ply bias tire. Tires with D and E ratings provide the best protection off road.

Sidewall lettering can provide a wealth of information. This Falken WildPeak A/T3W has a load-range E rating, so it’s equivalent to a 10-ply tire. The load range and sidewall