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37 is the new 35?

86K views 179 replies 76 participants last post by  CSFJ 
#1 ·
So I think everyone agrees that 35 is the new 33... but any more it's getting to be where 37 is the new go to tire; and people have no issue jumping right in.

Do you see any issue with the rate noobz grow in this sport? Dangerous? Beneficial? Don't care?

Just trying to start a disccusion :thumb:
 
#2 ·
i guess it makes your total build cheaper instead of upgrading over time and buying tires 2 or 3 times before you are at 37

but theres going to be alot more trail breakage i would imagine with d train parts

cant you fit 37's on a jk with 4 inch lift now
 
#31 ·
cant you fit 37's on a jk with 4 inch lift now
yes, with the right back spacing. I have 315's on mine w/ 2" spacer, 1" body and steel wheels.


No doubt that 37 is the new 35. The fact that you can relativley safely run 37s on stock axles after upgrading the shafts has many people going this way.

Warning: Broad Generalization ahead:

I dunno if it makes it any less safe. The times I've seen people with "too built for their skill level" jeeps at parks, they usually shy away from the harder obstacles. I find they are usually the ones that are the most afaid of getting stuck, so they stick to what they know they can make.
I concur, I also agree that yes, with a mild built rig I think one is going to have more carnage w/ a 37 over a 35.


For the type of wheeling I enjoy, 39.5"s are a blast and I started out with 29".


Who makes 40's?
 
#3 ·
What is more confusing to me (and what I expected this thread to be about) is some 35=33.5 and some 37=35.5 etc... This makes it hard for newbies to know what to buy. I am looking for tires and trying to decide which size to go with, building a new rig.
 
#4 ·
ive got 33's and thought they were nice when i first got em but shortly realized that i couldve gone 35's with a d30 and 44 both open and would have been fine. no big deal cuz i planned an axle swap anyway, well now i still have the 44 w/alloys and 9 inch rear both detroits so i would really like bigger tires (38s) but just cannot afford them right now. i guess i kinda did things ass backwards from most people around, i couldve been running 38's on an open d30 but didnt much see it necessary. just my.02.
 
#5 ·
I'm admittedly an example of what your talking about. I've only "seriously" wheeled for 2 years yet I'm putting a cliche' TJ together with 60/14B linked, ect. I enjoy building the rig almost as much as wheeling it but look to go south and west with it once complete too. I keep "expanding my knowledge" with my XJ but I'll be that guy that goes from a bolt on lifted, locked xj on 33's to a linked caged TJ on 40's. Probably not a good step to take but I've seen others spend much more money to progress along slower only to end up with "cliche' TJ" and would just assume spend the time to put it together with end result in mind. Dangerous, not sure, mistake, I hope not. I've debated running a 37 until I get familar with the new rig then stepping up but they don't give tires away either and I'd like to set the suspension ect set up for a certain range tire size. I'll be paying attention to this "discussion" :thumb:
 
#6 ·
Seems to me that the magazines are influencing this alot. In years past their feature vehicles were running 35-37" tires. Now, you hardly ever see a featured vehicle with tires under 37". Same with axles, not many featured rigs show 30/35 let alone 44's. So, that's what the newbie is going to think is where he should start.

I really don't think it's a bad thing. No matter what level you start at, it's pretty rare to do it perfect the first time around. So, carnage will happen no matter what. As far as getting in over their heads, it's kinda like quads. Put a newbie on a 400mx motorcycle & he can't get too far before he has to learn more. Put him on the same size quad & he can get in over his head quickly.
 
#7 ·
So I think everyone agrees that 35 is the new 33... but any more it's getting to be where 37 is the new go to tire; and people have no issue jumping right in.
I agree with that statement above.

I have not been wheeling long and I currently have 35's that are for sale because 37-38's are in my near future!!!!!!! It is to the point where 33's have a real hard time at some parks getting around, 35's are almost min these days.

My $.02
 
#8 ·
Not really.

Just difficult for newbies to get around on, and experienced wheelers usually move up to 38-42s. Just because.

I make it a point to go back to an open diffed, 31-33" tire rig every couple years, just to keep in practice. Remember- you aren't supposed to be able to walk every obstacle due to your rig's ability. The point is to be challenged. Winches are meant to be used, and if you make it through everything in one try, you aren't learning anymore.
 
#11 ·
No doubt that 37 is the new 35. The fact that you can relativley safely run 37s on stock axles after upgrading the shafts has many people going this way.

Warning: Broad Generalization ahead:

I dunno if it makes it any less safe. The times I've seen people with "too built for their skill level" jeeps at parks, they usually shy away from the harder obstacles. I find they are usually the ones that are the most afaid of getting stuck, so they stick to what they know they can make.

A funny thing is that I was cleaning out the computer room recently and cleaned out a bunch of JP magazines from around 1998-2002. There was a trail ride and most of the pictured jeeps had 33" tires, with the hardcore having 35s or swampers instead of radial M/T tires. The hot ticket seemed to be a CJ with AMC V8/T18/D300 and Scout 44s; that was probably 75% of the vehicles pictured. The biggest jeep in the article was Sam Patton's and he was on 39.5 Swampers and they called his jeep huge.
 
#12 ·
I got jump in on this one, I built my XJ with the idea of running 35's, So looking to buy tires and found a good set of 37's that I couldn't pass up So I figured why not being to me that seems to be the minium tire size to be in that "Big Jeep" group, and run those wicked trails I see in the jeep videos. I've been seriously wheeling maybe like a year, the other three was trying to build up something capable of wheeling these trails you see at the bigger parks. I'm running a d30/8.8lsd with 4.10's, not exactly a combo for for 37 mtr's but why not I thought, So i've been out a few times with great results, but I sure in the hell i'm working on a new axle setup for sure, but I have the suspension and the tires, so now just need the axles and gearing. But This way I'm learning to be gentle and drive better in a avoidance of breakage, I put my 33's back on and they were to tiny so not going back once I been to 37's.
All in all I say bring what you got and build your shit around 2 sizes up from the tire size you want to run, once you run em you;ll want bigger.
 
#13 ·
well 37's have been the rage since they came out in 01-02' i think?(boggers,MTR's) because they are what i consider a "GREY" area for people on 1\2 ton gear and smaller. i bought 35's for my first truck and shorthly after wished that i had went the 37" route and now with the demand for high quality axleshafts (comp rockcrawling) now its a somewhat affordable option to upgrade to alloy shafts, i seriously want 37's on my jeep but the cost is astronomical compared to the 35's they are on average 125$ cheaper than 37's what gives there?
 
#14 ·
no matter how big the rig or tires, you still go all these places to wheel and were are the built rigs usually? sitting around not doing anything...the guy having the most fun is in his dads pickup with some stockers trying everything.i have had tons of fun driving old beat up stock rigs or my f150. no matter how big the tire is if the person driving isnt willing to push it and try new things...they still wasted money.
 
#16 ·
Good point that many have brought up here, its often more fun to go down a size in tire.

I think 37s *were* the new 35. Just like a couple years back 35s were the new 33, and 33s were the new 31 before that.

I kinda see things plateau'ing/going back a step, for a couple reasons.

I think that experienced people tend to vary, since they've probably done most different tire sizes/ranges. So it often depends on your finances, your mood, and who you wheel with/what they wheel/where you wheel to decide what those guys are using.


I think newer people to the sport are anxious to be on bigger tires, and with the explosion in popularity and number of product vendors and shops, more people than ever found it easy to move up to 37s, which also conveniently are about the biggest you can easily go with a standard long arm and dana 44s that so many Jeeps have.

I just think there was a certain level of it that was 'trend'. Not all, not by far, but I think the numbers were skewed. My personal take is some of these people aren't staying in this long term, and so some of those vehicles are going away. :bdr2:

Then a lot of people now are finding their finances aren't what they used to be, and gas is more expensive and tire prices are more expensive (since the rubber/synthetic material is oil-derived).... I see a lot more small tires in our club compared with 2 years ago, where it seemed 35-37 was where everyone was.


Myself, I've moved from 38.5s to 37s and am eyeing 35s in the future(along with a shift from 6 cyl to 4 cyl power)... I just like the smaller vehicles, lighter weight, lower breakage, less complexity, just getting out and wheeling, :blah: :blah: :blah:
 
#17 ·
I consider myself an intermediate wheeler. I know my alitilies and my vehicle. I have run 33,35,36,37,38,and 40's. I think the 35 - 37's are great.


My new rig has 35x12.5x17 race cut toyo's with d44/9" ARB's F/R. I built it within my skill level and size tire I wanted to run with out destroying my drivetrain , and to stay challenged in the parks I mostly visit. I don't need to conquer everything ,if I need to winch to do it so be it. Otherwise why have all the equipment.
 
#18 ·
I think upgrading tire sizes are kinda like the 2ft.idice that boaters get.

I would like to upgrade My 37's for 37's :sonicjay:
I felt ripped off when I measured my Irocs and they came in at barly 36".

The jump to a 39 or a 40 would tax my 44 up front to much,so probobly a set of real 38's would be my next upgrade unless I find a good deal on a front 60.
 
#19 ·
For me, my goals have been to travel more out of state & run some of the bigger rock parks. We set up my new suspension to run 40's max & I want to give that a whirl for a year or 2. So far, I enjoy being able to crawl over things that I had to work at before. I also like deep snow runs & I like the taller tire for that too. Does this take the challenge and fun out of it for me? Not yet. Maybe in the future.
 
#20 ·
I won't go to four-d's for a long time from now (if ever). I really enjoy running 37's and my toyota driveline. I don't break parts, I run stuff that guys with 39-42's run and don't feel that I need anything bigger.

1 out of the last 6 Jeeps we have put together has run 35's or smaller. Everyone is going to 37's or if they can afford to step up, four-d's.
 
#37 ·
Shows how much I pay attention, I thought you where on 39" Krawlers, not 37's/

I currently have 35's and want a 37" tire, but not sure how I can afford one yet. With a good 37" tire running $300+. Hell anyone look a tire prices in the last month, they have jumped up big time.
 
#21 ·
I was on 36's back in theearly 90/s then went straight to 44's. I bumped my head and downsized to 42's I doubt I will run under that size in my personal rig. But I do have fun in the rigs with 35"-40" that I ride shotgun in.
 
#25 ·
We have all been then. Do one thing then you want more. I started out with a bone stock toyota then 33's - 38's and lockers - 37's and v8- and now i have 44s, double beadlocks, d60s and possible 4link getting ready to put in.

I have my 36" hummer tires that i plan on swapping back and forth with the 44s just cuz none of the people i wheel with have stuff nearlly as done up as me. Just so were doing some of the similar things and to have more of a challange for certin things.

And 37 is the new 35 is so true. Even look at it on the bigger tires. 54s and 49s are the new 44s. Rockwells are the new 60s, 60s the new 44s, and on and on

But in the end i sure wouldnt mind having a samuri or tracker on 33s or 35s to play around with, small, cheap and easy
 
#26 ·
I am probably one of the worst on this site that has built a rig that is far more capable than my driving skills. Slowly my skills are pushing my rig further. I don't regret it and I don't think I have hurt the sport in any way.






Okay! That said... time for some upgrades!!! :brilliant
 
#27 ·
glad you can admit that!!! the only thing you will hurt in this sport is someones ego!!
 
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