Deep snow 32's thread! Duratracs, & MT's

Mountainman · **Posted:** Thu Dec 26, 2019 2:02 pm

After many miles on 245/75/15 Duratracs, I want more clearance and snow flotation and going to install some 4.10 gears and step up to the 31.7" duratracs. I've found duratracs to be amazing in mud and deep snow. Deep snow (I'm talking jeep trails, steep grades, and over a foot of snow) is my main challenge, but I don't want to step up to mud terrains unless they are somehow as good as duratracs on solid ice roads (gotta get to the trails alive), and I haven't heard of a long lasting mud terrain that fits that. Maybe siped MTs?

Anyhow, I go 40+ miles back in the back country in the spring, and have to drive through messy avalanche fields (thick snow,logs,rocks), and don't want to have CV's snapping like crazy, so I imagine leaving the stabilizer bars connected (less articulation/droop), means that the CVs will be less likely to break right?

Also wondering how many have ran this combo with an OME lift with top plate + clevis plus fender/bumper surgery+JBA lifted arms kept the rubbing down to the point of not being anything more than an annoying sound at full lock? And they just used the 10mm clevis advice?

Also, 3 hockey pucks in the rear plus 2 extra (3 total?) Iso's on top of the springs? The lift thread wasnt clear about 2 total iso's, or 2 additional iso's. I also have the WW diesel rear triangle setup.

Also wondering if there's a good mud terrain option, and if it's a true 32", does it then not fit do to rubbing?

Any advice is greatly appreciated, especially about CV's. I know there a lot of 32" threads, but I didn't find anything so focused on deep snow. I figure you take it easy during major articulation and the CVs will be fine, I hope.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Thu Dec 26, 2019 10:25 pm

touch base with Tommudd - he knows a lot about an KJ modifications and he's in Ohio - so they get real snow.

(I'm okay in the snow - but Austin gets 1/4" every 6 to 7 years and it locks up the city - people go crazy -
so my best recommendation tends to be take the day off and it'll melt tomorrow)

flash7210 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 26, 2019 10:28 pm

What size wheels are you using?

I have 2.5 inch lift all the way around.
235-85-16 tires on stock wheels, 31.8 inch diameter.
No rubbing.

I wanted 265-75-16 tires but on stock wheels the tire would rub on the upper control arm. Wheel spacers would be required and I didn’t really want to have to use spacers.

I have run 255-75-17 tires on stock 17” JK wheels, 32.1” diameter.
5x4.5 to 5x5 wheel adapters were required. Mine were 1.5 inch thick.
Pinch welds were pounded as flat as I possibly could, tires would still occasionally rub.

I would not use more than 3 conduit nuts as a clevis spacer.
I tried 4 conduit nuts and at full droop the CV boot would rub against the clevis.
OME front springs + 3 conduit nuts + top plate = a little more than 3 inches of lift.
Can your CV axles handle the angle, I don’t know. Probably depends on how you drive it.

For the rear, I would only a isolators on the top. ADD no more than 2 per side.
Or.
Use Moog 81041 springs on the rear. Cut 1/4 to 1/2 coil off the top of each and see how it sits.
The problem with more rear axle lift is that you start to loose clearance at the fronts of the rear wheel wells. So, longer adjustable rear lower arms are needed.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Thu Dec 26, 2019 10:44 pm

Thanks for the input.
I have moab wheels.
Wasn't WW talking about some adjustable rear lca's not long ago?

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Thu Dec 26, 2019 10:46 pm

The time's I've seen snow - I was 245/75/16 on the Rubicon Moab 16x8 wheels

I've run 265/75/16 a couple of times - they're great around town
but I'd be a bit hesitant to go off road - I'm still on 3.73 gears.

and I do rub a bit with the 265's

Mountainman · **Posted:** Thu Dec 26, 2019 11:50 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

The time's I've seen snow - I was 245/75/16 on the Rubicon Moab 16x8 wheels

I've run 265/75/16 a couple of times - they're great around town
but I'd be a bit hesitant to go off road - I'm still on 3.73 gears.

and I do rub a bit with the 265's

Hmm, what lift do you have? I'm hoping to have no rub by cutting any offending plastic. Welds are already pounded flat, and the plastic ridge smooshed over as well.

- hopefully the lack of a heavy front bumper plus the other 100 pounds of AC, VH, and mechanical fan stuff I removed will help give me enough clearance

DieselJeepLuvr · **Posted:** Fri Dec 27, 2019 4:14 am

I'm disappointed that a Jeep owner would complain about how much snow he has to drive through. Shame on you!

krb · **Posted:** Fri Dec 27, 2019 7:43 am

I don't know if they come in the size you want but I'm very impressed with Cooper Discoverers in snow and ice.

You can read about my experience with them in an ice storm here viewtopic.php?f=5&t=87712

They are siped pretty well, that may be what helped so much.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Fri Dec 27, 2019 12:50 pm

DieselJeepLuvr wrote:

I'm disappointed that a Jeep owner would complain about how much snow he has to drive through. Shame on you!

I actually seek it out :pepper:

Mountainman · **Posted:** Fri Dec 27, 2019 1:20 pm

krb wrote:

I don't know if they come in the size you want but I'm very impressed with Cooper Discoverers in snow and ice.

You can read about my experience with them in an ice storm here viewtopic.php?f=5&t=87712

They are siped pretty well, that may be what helped so much.

Entertaining thread, half a pack of smokes and sunglasses lol!

I'll have to edit the original post, as I'm talking about pushing the limits of how much snow I can drive through to get to remote places early in the spring, and late into the fall hunting seasons. Almost all jeep trails.
So, the standard tires are siped super swampers, and other mud terrains. Maybe I'll have to get a second set of tires and wheels for winter!

PZKW108 · **Joined:** Sun Apr 06, 2014 5:23 pm **Posts:** 461

krb wrote:

I don't know if they come in the size you want but I'm very impressed with Cooper Discoverers in snow and ice.

You can read about my experience with them in an ice storm here viewtopic.php?f=5&t=87712

They are siped pretty well, that may be what helped so much.

These tires perform well but they are thin as a balloon !!!!!

With moderate off-road I had 14 punctures in 4 years.....

I switch to KO2 in October, very good so far.

I think the Duratracs will be really hard to beat !!!!! I would keep this brand if I was the OP !

PZKW108 · **Joined:** Sun Apr 06, 2014 5:23 pm **Posts:** 461

If you really want to change your Duratracs

You might want to look at the Falken WILDPEAK A/T3W

They have 20/32 tread in 10 plies version !

Mountainman · **Posted:** Fri Dec 27, 2019 9:37 pm

PZKW108 wrote:

If you really want to change your Duratracs

You might want to look at the Falken WILDPEAK A/T3W

They have 20/32 tread in 10 plies version !

Thanks, I read good things about those, but it sounded like duratracs have an edge in the deep snow (and maybe mud), but the wild peaks were better in other conditions.

gollygeemister · **Posted:** Sat Dec 28, 2019 12:30 am

I run the 235/85 duratracs, with fender wells trimmed, pinch weld pounded, and washer bottle relocated. I have 2.5-3" lift depending who's asking. I loved the duratracs in the snow for the first couple seasons. I could drive through bumper deep snow like it wasn't there (level ground I mean). Once the sipes wear off they are a different tire though. Still good, but noticeably less so in the deep stuff.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Sat Dec 28, 2019 1:02 am

gollygeemister wrote:

I run the 235/85 duratracs, with fender wells trimmed, pinch weld pounded, and washer bottle relocated. I have 2.5-3" lift depending who's asking. I loved the duratracs in the snow for the first couple seasons. I could drive through bumper deep snow like it wasn't there (level ground I mean). Once the sipes wear off they are a different tire though. Still good, but noticeably less so in the deep stuff.

Thanks for the report, I love my duratracs.
Ive been really impressed with them in the snow. The big snow-wheeling crowd says to sipe your tires. So I will sipe my duratracs 2nd or 3rd season. Maybe even the first.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sun Dec 29, 2019 10:38 pm

Mountainman wrote:

Hmm, what lift do you have? I'm hoping to have no rub by cutting any offending plastic. Welds are already pounded flat, and the plastic ridge smooshed over as well.

- hopefully the lack of a heavy front bumper plus the other 100 pounds of AC, VH, and mechanical fan stuff I removed will help give me enough clearance

OME + a couple of conduit nuts on the front (+ ARB)
21 1/4 front
20 1/2 rear

compare fender heights
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=469980#p469980

Mountainman · **Posted:** Mon Dec 30, 2019 12:45 am

ATXKJ wrote:

Mountainman wrote:

Hmm, what lift do you have? I'm hoping to have no rub by cutting any offending plastic. Welds are already pounded flat, and the plastic ridge smooshed over as well.

- hopefully the lack of a heavy front bumper plus the other 100 pounds of AC, VH, and mechanical fan stuff I removed will help give me enough clearance

OME + a couple of conduit nuts on the front (+ ARB)
21 1/4 front
20 1/2 rear

compare fender heights
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=469980#p469980

I'll have to measure mine. Might get away with less lift since I'm considerably lighter. Dont want to start eating CV's!

Mountainman · **Posted:** Mon Dec 30, 2019 12:46 am

ATXKJ wrote:

Mountainman wrote:

Hmm, what lift do you have? I'm hoping to have no rub by cutting any offending plastic. Welds are already pounded flat, and the plastic ridge smooshed over as well.

- hopefully the lack of a heavy front bumper plus the other 100 pounds of AC, VH, and mechanical fan stuff I removed will help give me enough clearance

OME + a couple of conduit nuts on the front (+ ARB)
21 1/4 front
20 1/2 rear

compare fender heights
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=469980#p469980

I'll have to measure mine. Might get away with less lift since I'm considerably lighter. Dont want to start eating CV's!

sota · **Joined:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:44 pm **Posts:** 378

you trying to do an all season? or a dedicated snow.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Tue Dec 31, 2019 12:33 pm

sota wrote:

you trying to do an all season? or a dedicated snow.

Well, I wouldn't go any less aggressive than the duratracs, that's for sure. But, I also want long lasting. I doubt I'll find a better tire...

Deep snow 32's thread! Duratracs, & MT's

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