[netlohcs]

Ok folks so I'm a little bored and trying to think about what my "goal" is as far as a jeep setup, so humor me I made this comment in a similar thread but decided to make a different post about it just to get more input from others that may not read all the way through that one.

Lets say there was a competition, and the goal was to be able to travel through the deepest snow possible. The limitations of this "competiton" would be this:
1) The base platform you would begin with is a TJ.
2) the actual body of the vehicle (for arguments sake lets say the lower door sill, but any part of the body would work) cannot be raised more than 3" from stock height.
3) the vehicle needs to be road legal, so fenders, etc still need to be present in some form.
4) the vehicle needs to look fairly factory, I.E. no sawzalling the hell out of everything in the back, or just completely taking off the fenders all together. That would be cheating.
5) the vehicle must use tires, not tracks.

So lets say you were going to enter into this "competition".... how would you set up your jeep? Would you use your 3" by going with the biggest tires you can, or would you run smaller tires and do a small suspension lift?

I'm interested to see some responses from everyone - thanks for playing along

 

[netlohcs]

Nobody wants to play my game with me? Cmon peeps, play along with me, it would be fun. Pretty please?

What if we pretend that the prize for said competition would be UNLIMITED wife approval for any future jeep projects? Haha!!! That prize would make it totally worth it, right??

 

[ggross]

If it is a deep snow competition the best way to go would be get the biggest tires. That will give u more ground clearance.

 

[darkproximity]

Lets see... d60 front, sterling 10.25 rear on portals, 3" suspension lift and 40" tires.

oh wait you said total lift height not to exceed 3"

 

[netlohcs]

DArkproximity you are DISQUALIFIED!!!!

No wife approval factor for YOU!

 

[darkproximity]

okay so i change mine to full width tons (as noted above) with the widest 33s and lowest backspacing possible, and run them at max pressure (thus giving them a little more height) build new fender flares to keep it street legal.

 

[netlohcs]

I would think that tire choice in this competition would probably be pretty darn crucial. Best in slot (sorry thats really nerdy, isnt it? If anyone even gets that... ) would probably be those huge paddle tires designed for sand, or something of the sort. I wonder how small they make those?

Then again, driving with those on the road would be a real treat i bet

 

[Bikerbynature]

I'm thinking the narrower the tire the better, within reason of course. I'm gonna say 33 x 10.5 an a 1" body lift. You didn't say anything about obsticals, so I'm guessing flex isn't a concern. Thin tires = more psi. on the ground. Jus my .2

 

[netlohcs]

You're right, I didn't specify.

I was envisioning essentially flat-landing for this. There would be no major obstacles, hills, or terrain changes. Just nice deep snow

So you really thing narrower would be better? I would have thought you would want wider, to try and get to float over it a little more.

Kind of like in sand, you really want a lot of tire surface area.. but then again you don't sink down through sand, so its definitely not exactly the same...

 

[darkproximity]

thin tires dont float on top of snow, they dig down.. wide tires aired up will disperse more weight.. so if you're say, driving up a mountain and gradually go from no snow to 15 feet of snow you'll float right on top the whole way, vs the guy with skinny tires who digs in and gets buried up to the frame

 

[darkproximity]

Tire ballooning:
Arctic Trucks' Toyota Hilux pickup truck from BBC Top Gear TV show - YouTube

 

[netlohcs]

Those things are so awesome Those must have been test vehicles for pre-production of Top gear (or something) because the ones they used in the show to actually go to the north pole were red. Anyways...

I am so jealous. My fantasy is to set up my wrangler as a mini version of one of those. I noticed that those things don't look like they have all that much room for suspension up-travel. I'm probably in the minority here, but i just LOOVVVE the look of a wheel well that is stuffed full of tire. Mmmmm... yummy....

Also, did the go to an independent rear suspension on those things? Thats an interesting setup....

I would give anything to go snowbashing in one of those for an afternoon. Or weekend. Or month.

 

[netlohcs]

But anyways, back to the "competition"...

Anyone else have some input? How would you set up your rig?? Don't be afraid to be specific!

 

[darkproximity]

ive been up in the mountains in 10+ feet of snow and done fine on 35x12.5s, though im around 8-9 inches of lift.. 11-12 if you count tire size

 

[Umbra0101]

It has to float, like Dark said. There is no other way that axle is going to clear deep snow. Balloon the tires.

I'd install 6" Xenon fenders, the largest and widest tires you could find that would fit, then go with a rim that's 4" wider than the tire to balloon them out. There is a pic of a stock JK with Xenon fenders and no lift running 37's on their site. Air down to 2-5 PSI. If you can't swap fenders, get the widest tires that will fit with good clean out and lots of sipes. If not Duratracs, then get mud tires and sipe em.

Make sure you have Dana 44's at least, with lockers.

Floods on a roof rack, at least 3 fogs up front.

Hard top, heated seats, rough cut planks in the back for traction if you stick it, and a few wide shovels.

2 High amp batteries and 117 alternator.

High bumpers, a winch, a wench, and a monkey to push the Jeep.

Did I forget anything?

Oh yeah! 4 Wheel independent suspension!

 

[timberland]

Years ago I had a 78' CJ5 that I built up with a 450hp small block chevy, muncie 4 speed and 32"Grand Prix' tires...back in the day these were the setup. A friend of mine got stuck in deep snow in a K5 blazer on a down slope hill that te only way out was back up the hill. NO one could pull him back up including my CJ. I went to my Dad's home and got his ol' 74' CJ5 with a stock AMC 360, 3 speed and 28" meat claws for tires......that ol' CJ5 walked right in the deep stuff, snatch strapped the K5 Blazer and pulled that 5000# of pig over the hill. Time and Time my Dad's ol' worn down CJ would pull guys out of the deep snow. So....my vote, smaller tires with deep tread, squared side walls,, no rounded side walls...its not sand you DO NOT want to float of top of the snow or you'll be spinnin'

 

[wepeterson47]

I do great in deep snow. . . . oh wait, i'm running a plow.

 

[netlohcs]

Umbra that's quite the list I think the monkey tops it off... but I bet its going to be hard to find a monkey that likes snow.

Regarding fenders... you wouldn't by any means need to keep them totally factory.. just "streetable"... highline kits aqnd the like would definitely be allowed.

I would love to see a real world shootout between the narrow tire/float it crowd, it would be very interesting imo.

So among the "float it" crowd... you guys are thinking what... studded duratracs?

 

[TJWenatchee]

Quite a few people do well around here in the foothills. Dogsleds. :whistling:

 

[Bikerbynature]

Years ago I had a 78' CJ5 that I built up with a 450hp small block chevy, muncie 4 speed and 32"Grand Prix' tires...back in the day these were the setup. A friend of mine got stuck in deep snow in a K5 blazer on a down slope hill that te only way out was back up the hill. NO one could pull him back up including my CJ. I went to my Dad's home and got his ol' 74' CJ5 with a stock AMC 360, 3 speed and 28" meat claws for tires......that ol' CJ5 walked right in the deep stuff, snatch strapped the K5 Blazer and pulled that 5000# of pig over the hill. Time and Time my Dad's ol' worn down CJ would pull guys out of the deep snow. So....my vote, smaller tires with deep tread, squared side walls,, no rounded side walls...its not sand you DO NOT want to float of top of the snow or you'll be spinnin'

Exactly what I was thinking. Sand is essentially a pebble, and snow is a flake. Very soft n fluffy.