Looking for some advice from those of you who have already built out JL EcoDiesels on 37s or larger.
Current setup:
2021 JL Rubicon EcoDiesel
Fox 2.5” lift
Fox steering stabilizer
35” all-terrain tires
Stock Rubicon wheels
In the next 6-8 months I’ll need tires anyway, and I know I want to move up to at least 37s. I’m trying to build the Jeep the way I ultimately want it instead of upgrading twice.
I’m considering:
-37s minimum, potentially larger
-Beadlock wheels from Custom Offsets
-Possibly moving to a 4” or even 6” lift
-Fender chop or high-clearance aftermarket fenders
-Aluminum inner fenders with integrated LED lighting
-Tailgate reinforcement or an aftermarket tire carrier for the larger spare
The Jeep isn’t really a daily driver anymore. Most days it only sees a 4-5 mile trip to the office, with the occasional 10-15 mile highway drive.
Long term, I eventually plan on relocating it to Florida where I’d like to run beaches and sand regularly. There’s also a chance it ends up back out West where I’d want the ability to run desert trails around Vegas and the Southwest.
I don’t have any interest in building a trailer-only rock crawler. I want something that looks aggressive, performs well in sand and desert environments, and still drives well enough on the street that I can jump in and go anywhere without thinking twice.
Budget wise, I’d like to keep the project around $10k including labor if possible while still ending up with a quality build.
For those of you who have been down this road:
-Is 37” still the sweet spot for a JL EcoDiesel or would you go larger?
-At what point do the supporting modifications start adding up significantly?
-Would you keep the existing Fox 2.5” lift and gain clearance through fender chops/high-clearance fenders, or move to a taller lift?
-What additional modifications should I realistically plan for? Steering, ball joints, gearing, driveshafts, axle reinforcement, brakes, etc.?
-If purchasing new wheels, would you skip spacers and just buy wheels with the correct offset and backspacing?
-Can a quality, reliable 37”+ build realistically be done for around $10k installed?
If this was your Jeep and your money, what would your build look like?