goofiefoot's 2009 JKUR

goofiefoot

Adventurer
I've been contemplating a different tire/wheel combo for a while, and I've been intrigued with the 15" wheel option for the JK, mostly because I like the look of more tire - less wheel, but also because of the lower cost of each. In my daily browsing, I came across a deal I couldn't pass up in Houston. I contacted the seller, let him know I was interested, and this morning, packed up all the things you need to keep a two-year-old happy, loaded up Sara, and headed to Houston.

The guy was selling 5 MB72 15x8 rims with 33x12.5 Goodyear Duratracs. 4 of the tires were fairly worn, but the spare head not been used. He was asking $400, which I would have gladly paid. I got to the house and started visiting with him, and the wheels and tires were as-described, mainly the wheels being in perfect shape. I pulled out my wallet, and confirmed the price. He told me, "heck, you drove all the way here, just give me $300." Done and done.

The 4 worn tires were unseated, as the seller had transferred the TPMS to another set of rims. I will need to replace the tires more sooner than later, so I will address the sensors when I get new tires. When I got home this afternoon, I re-seated the tires, aired them up, and replaced my stock wheels and 1.5" spacers with the new wheels.

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I LOVE the difference. It's a fairly shallow offset, and a 2" wider tire, so they stick out a good bit. The extra rubber on the wheel looks nice and classic, too.

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I was thinking I would need to have them re-balanced, as they had been unseated, but during my test drive I got up to 75mph and they rode nice and smooth, no shimmies or bumps. Moving to 15" wheels, I was tempted to larger with my tire, but I think this may be a good size for my lift (and my short wife). I'm not sure if I'll stick with the Duratracs, but since I have a basically unused spare, I'd only have to buy 4, rather than 5 of a different tire. I've heard good and bad things about them, so I'm open to suggestion.

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goofiefoot

Adventurer
For my 40th birthday, I took myself on a solo trip into the Carson National Forest near Taos, NM. My Jeep, a fly rod, and some camping supplies - this was an awesome trip. Definitely a nice respite from the craziness of late.

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I'm laughing at myself, reading over the posts from the last two years, especially the last one with my "new tire purchase." I'm guilty of the "if a little is good, more must be better" Jeep mentality. The 33" Duratracs have done pretty well, considering they were worn when I bought them. In considering new tires, I kept longing for something larger. Finally, I pulled the trigger, and ended up with a package deal with new 15x8 Level 8 wheels, sporting the brand new Cooper Discoverer STT Pro tires in 35x12.5x15! I mounted them up last night, and ran them around. Surprisingly quiet for a mud tire, they ride very smooth as well. I didn't notice much, if any, difference in power with the larger tires.

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I really like the stance with the 1.5" lift. I will probably need to trim the fender flares if I do any heavy wheeling, but there I'm nowhere close to rubbing on any corner, and the offset keeps the tires away from components when turning.

I may take a break on upgrades for a while, but I may find a tailgate hinge upgrade necessary more sooner than later. jsherb's kit looks good. Other than that, I'll want to address the crappy headlights at some point.
 

goofiefoot

Adventurer
Thanks! I certainly have tried to keep the upgrades "reasonable" and as as-needed as possible, but I'm a sucker for a good deal. :D
 

goofiefoot

Adventurer
I got the MORRYDE hinges and love them! No more rattles and thunks from the tailgate.

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Most of my off-road usage and exploring has been around the deer lease. At least I got to put the winch to work.

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I hit a milestone

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Fun little mod, since the 35s were blocking my brake light

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I also put the roof rack back on, and I really like having it! I still fit in the garage at home and work, so it's probably going to stay on.

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Pulled the camper out a couple of times, and the Jeep does great! I can certainly feel it back there, as opposed to my F150 that doesn't know it's there. Our daughter loves getting out and camping!

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Last week, Sara was sick for two days with a high fever. When her fever broke the second day, the weather was beautiful, so I asked her to "help" me take the doors off the Jeep so we could go for a drive. That made for a very happy little girl!

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Yesterday, my new headlights were delivered. River City Offroad, here in Austin, was having a terrific sale on the J-Series JW Speakers. I hadn't considered these before because of the price, but took advantage of the sale, and gave my business to a local vendor. I'm really pleased with these!

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I'll probably grab some led fogs and brighter reverse lights next just to round out the white light output.
 

heehawhardy

Adventurering
Looking great Jason! I still haven't got out to New Mexico but glad you did, looks like a great great time was had. That switch to 15's really gives the JK such a classic appeal. Keep up the great work
 

goofiefoot

Adventurer
Thanks! I forgot to add that i got a FlashPaq after rolling with the 35s for a while. It made a great difference with power and mileage. I like the current stance, but will definitely need to trim the fenders soon, as i have been rubbing in the rear and will probably rub in the front with heavy flex. I couldn't be happier with the wheels and tires, though.
 

patsfan

Observer
Hi, what brand and model of car seat is that? I've tried several convertible car seats for my two year old and none seem to fit well or install properly.
 

kojackJKU

Autism Family Travellers!
Did you find a decrease in fuel milage after running the superchips? I am debating paying the money and getting the tunes downloaded into my flash cal.
 

goofiefoot

Adventurer
Hi, what brand and model of car seat is that? I've tried several convertible car seats for my two year old and none seem to fit well or install properly.

It's an Evenflo, and I believe the model is Tribute, but looking on Amazon, I'm not finding the exact model. It's worked out well, and installs easy enough.


Did you find a decrease in fuel milage after running the superchips? I am debating paying the money and getting the tunes downloaded into my flash cal.

No, I noticed a considerable mileage increase with the Flashpaq. I was averaging 12-13 mpg per tank with mixed city and highway driving. I'm now seeing 13-16 mpg, depending on my driving. The biggest increase is on the highway, as I now have the power to keep it in 6th gear more. Even towing my camper I'm still getting 12-13 mpg. I feel the power is back to comparable to when I had the 32" tires.
 

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