Some newbie questions

[captdoogie]

OK, here's the delima. I will never do the exteme off road stuff I see on this website. I do love watching it but I'm not into modifying my jeep to the extent necessary to do this.I just want to make sure I can make it to the top of the 3 mile dirt road run in snow/ice to my mountain cabin in the NC winter and then make it to the ski resorts. I've been told I'll need to put chains on all 4 wheels to get to my cabin in the winter snow/ice, and to get back down safely. I would like to do some light off roading mostly on easy trails and to get to some remote trout streams.
So, I have lousy pattern Goodyear P235/15 tires now. I've pretty much decided on BFG tires as an improvement. Here's the question, finally.
Should I stick with the 235/15 size or go to 31X10.5's? I know the 31's will give me better off road performance but I'm concerned there won't be adequate clearance to run chains on the 31's. On the upside, I'll only use the chains on good gravel roads or paved roads with snow/ice. I do not intend to do anything that will require chains on an offroad trail so not a lot of suspension challenges. From what I've been told, tires alone will not be enough to get to our cabin in the winter. So, chains are a given.

The Jeep is a 2004 YJ, 4 cyl, Wrangler, totally stock. How would you set this up to meet my goals?

Thanks in advance for input.
doogie

[captdoogie]

Uh, excuse me. I guess that would be a "TJ".
And the "non-snow" offroad work on trails and to get to trout streams would obviously be in spring/summer weather, not snow.
do

[Tumbleweed]

If it were me, I would go to a decent all terrain tire-similar to BFG's all terrain tread. Size would be no larger than a 235 or 245.
Keep in mind with chains that they not only help you get going-but help to steer and stop.

[Stu Olson]

I live in Phoenix and don't do snow and ice. (we get very little of it when the winter temps are usually in the 40s)

So I'll go with the recommendations from our Idaho brethren, aka Tumbleweed, as I've heard that part of the country has snow and ice in the winter.

[Tumbleweed]

a decently aggeressive tread like the BFG AT will get you more rubber on the ground than a mud terrain, more mileage, quieter, and be more than sufficient for your type of wheeling. Better in wet and snow than a mud tire. Consider haveing them siped by your tire shop-it is well worth the $10 or so per tire. Amazing difference in your stopping ability on snowpack or ice. Plus your tire will run cooler on warmer days. Snow/ice traction will be a bit better also. Siping is just controlled cuts, razor thin across the tread enabling the tire to move more-kinda like having more fingers to grip with.
I would not go much taller on size due to the 4 cyl and your gearing.

[captdoogie]

Thanks for the input. I don't mind spending the extra $$ for the 31's, but if I can't run chains on the occasions I must have them, I'd rather stick with the 235's. I was thinking the advantages of the 31's in "good" weather would not be enough to give up the chains in the conditions when nothing else would work. Sounds like you agree. Besides, the 31's would only give me another 1" or so ground clearance and I don't think that will be important the way we intend to use our Jeep.
Thanks,
do

[Tumbleweed]

Unless you run a lift or body lift, chains on 31's are going to hit the body sheet metal at times, like a hard bump, especially at full turn.

[captdoogie]

Thanks. That's what I thought. I just don't see the advantage in going to 31's over the 29" 235's in this case. I don't see the 31's being worth the trouble knowing our intended use of the Jeep. And the inability to use chains is a deal killer. I don't want to spend the $$ to do lifts right now.
Thanks again for the input.
do

[captdoogie]

Thanks. That's what I thought. I just don't see the advantage in going to 31's over the 29" 235's in this case. I don't see the 31's being worth the trouble knowing our intended use of the Jeep. And the inability to use chains is a deal killer. I don't want to spend the $$ to do lifts right now.
Thanks again for the input.
do

[mrblaine]

Originally posted by captdoogie
Thanks. That's what I thought. I just don't see the advantage in going to 31's over the 29" 235's in this case. I don't see the 31's being worth the trouble knowing our intended use of the Jeep. And the inability to use chains is a deal killer. I don't want to spend the $$ to do lifts right now.
Thanks again for the input.
do

Were it me in your situation, I'd get the 31" All Terrains by BFG, a very simple budget boost consisting of 4 spring spacers and call it good.

Adjust your steering stops and you'll be fine. The very mild lift will get your undercarriage up a tad higher and might make the difference in how much snow you plow.

[Chris L]

What Blaine said. The poly spacers on top the stock springs is the easiest solution. They consist of 2" poly spacers that sit on top of your stock springs. That would let you easily run 31's. I think their like $100 for four ??? Maybe two? Easy enough though.

[Dan-H]

I would test fit the 31x10.50s and 30x9.50s with chains on them see if they rub. I'd try for that extra 1/2 inch or inch of clearance. its a good thing in the snow.

Are the chains for on-road? the new limited clearance cable chains work pretty well when there is a paved surface under the snow. If it isn't paved, then I would want traditional chains with reinforced cross links. These need more clearance, both height and width.

I had BFG ATs but didn't think they were very good in the snow. They were OK, but nowhere near as good as the Michelin cross terrains I have on my wife's 4runner. The cross terrain is an all season tire, not an all terrain tire so they aren't made for offroad purposes, but they are fabulous in the snow.

[captdoogie]

mrblain..thanks for the input. I hadn't researched how much or how to best increase the clearance for 31's. Keeping in mind we don't expect deep snow (3-6"), but thawed and refrozen snow. Will the 31's make that much difference?

I realize this may be counter to the group's off road culture; but, we don't anticipate putting this jeep into severe or even very challenging situations. I want it to work, but I don't want to over build for what we want to be able to do. At least not for now. Maybe later we'll want to get a little more intense.