Who's running 115 to 117 inch wheel base

zukijames

Well-Known Member
Location
not moab anymore
If your running it how do you like it?

what don't you like about it?


whats your belly height , cab height, ect

where does it do good?

where does it suck?
 

zukijames

Well-Known Member
Location
not moab anymore
And in my opinion it's the best jeep for having that wheel base but I know before lift and tires there not to great.. What size tires and what is your belly height on your rig frieed?
 

STAG

Well-Known Member
My brother and I are. My brother is 116" WB, belly pan is 26" w/ 42" tires, don't know his cab height off the top of my head, but it clears his garage door which I think is 7'? Maybe 8. Does well in Moab-like trails. A couple areas that it was a bit long for Hanging Tree Trail. Can climb Eagles nest without a winch. Turning radius sucks.

Mine is about 118", havnt wheeled it yet. Belly pan 21", don't know if I'll be able to keep it that low though. 4wheel steering to counter the terrible turning and the tighter trails.
 

zukijames

Well-Known Member
Location
not moab anymore
Get yours done it will be sweet.. I was thinking 23.5 for my frame height. Front link mounts hang below that about 3 inches.. But everything else is above.. It just looks really tall at that height maybe because I'm not used to seeing it in a garage.. Also it will probably go down a bit with weight on the tires and tires not at 35 psi
 

TJDukit

I.Y.A.A.Y.A.S.
Location
Clearfield
I'm running a spacer leveling kit on mine 2" up front and 1" rear on 35's. If I remember right I was at just about 13.5" belly height that might have been before the 35's though, I can't remember.

Since upgrading tires the only time I've had any trouble with the break over angle was on hanging tree and that was only twice other than the waterfall at the end. I've yet to run a trail where the low belly really hurt me. I do drag quite a bit but that's what skid plates are for.

I haven't run into very many situations where the long wheelbase hurt as far as turning radius either.

I absolutely love the stability on steep climbs, stuff that used to scare me a little in my TJ no longer phase me at all. The low belly and long wheelbase really make for a wonderfully stable rig.
 

cjncustoms

Well-Known Member
Location
West jordan
117"wb belly is about 22" on 38's. top of cage I'm not sure. I actually built my cage a hair taller than factory just to have extra head room. I would say its around 6' 4". im going to lower the cage a couple inches though. I love how long mine is. It's very stable especially on steep climbs. I don't really have any regrets or dislikes with how long it is. If turning is a problem I just front dig;)
 

zukijames

Well-Known Member
Location
not moab anymore
117"wb belly is about 22" on 38's. top of cage I'm not sure. I actually built my cage a hair taller than factory just to have extra head room. I would say its around 6' 4". im going to lower the cage a couple inches though. I love how long mine is. It's very stable especially on steep climbs. I don't really have any regrets or dislikes with how long it is. If turning is a problem I just front dig;)


Your rig is kinda why mine is the way it is.. 117 seems great for Moab. Have you had it in st George much? Or boulders ?

Ps 117 loves the far right on suicide hill I know that's not cool since everyone climbs the left side now but 117 can go far right where there is more traction.

I'm running a spacer leveling kit on mine 2" up front and 1" rear on 35's. If I remember right I was at just about 13.5" belly height that might have been before the 35's though, I can't remember.

Since upgrading tires the only time I've had any trouble with the break over angle was on hanging tree and that was only twice other than the waterfall at the end. I've yet to run a trail where the low belly really hurt me. I do drag quite a bit but that's what skid plates are for.

I haven't run into very many situations where the long wheelbase hurt as far as turning radius either.

I absolutely love the stability on steep climbs, stuff that used to scare me a little in my TJ no longer phase me at all. The low belly and long wheelbase really make for a wonderfully stable rig.

yeah I don't have the balls for short wheel base rig on steep climbs.

but I could see a trail like boulder canyon in Colorado eating my rig alive
 
Last edited:

McGhie

O hey there Pard!
Location
SLC
i would say at 116 you want belly at 20 tt 21 with 8" of up travel if your wanting to race with a top of cage heght at around 6'2" to 6'4". My car is 109 with 19" belly and 8" of up and it seams to work good all around
 

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
my '81 had a 117" wb and the belly height was around 22-23" on 37's. It never made it to Moab in it, but I loved how that truck could climb. My double-cab tacos have been 122" with a belly height of about 18" and they still did really well on Moab's more mellow trails (golden spike, potato salad, steelbender, and others). I'd rather have a longer wheelbase in Moab than a shorter wheelbase.
 

zukijames

Well-Known Member
Location
not moab anymore
i would say at 116 you want belly at 20 tt 21 with 8" of up travel if your wanting to race with a top of cage heght at around 6'2" to 6'4". My car is 109 with 19" belly and 8" of up and it seams to work good all around
That's sweet I wish I could have maid mine shorter wb and frame and still got that much up travel. The 1uz oilpan is what's limiting my up travel in the front.
 

STAG

Well-Known Member
His main garage door is 8'. His other door is 10' I think.

Thanks i couldn't 'member. Yeah it clears his main door by about 5". If it were my rig I'd be doing what I could to make it sit a little lower and bring the rear axle in a couple inches forward.
 

camdawg

Active Member
Im running 115 inch wheel base with 24 inch belly pan and I believe my cage hight is around 6'3" on 42" tires I like 5he wheelbase it does really well 8n moab and st geore. I took it to montross colorado 5his last summer and it also did really well there it even made it out of the last obstacle on Boulder canyon with some throttle turning radius does suck sometimes but thats why I have front dig. I think you will like that wheelbase
 

cjncustoms

Well-Known Member
Location
West jordan
Your rig is kinda why mine is the way it is.. 117 seems great for Moab. Have you had it in st George much? Or boulders ?

I haven't taken it down to st George yet. Hopefully this year for sure. I'm sure it will do great down there as well. I'm not sure about boulder canyon though. I may need to crank the coilovers up a bit if I ever go there. What's your oil pan limiting you to? Reverse sump? How much up travel will you have?
 

zukijames

Well-Known Member
Location
not moab anymore
Finally got the front coilovers mounted ended up only running 7 inches of shaft showing .. Plus a 3/4 inch rubber bump , had to lean the shocks back more than I would have liked, but that will give me a little more up.

rear has 8 1/2 of up at the shock but shock is mounted to lower link so I'd say around 11 of up in the back.

This puts the frame at 23 1/4 but that's not putting the weight on the tires at there at 35 psi..

so belly will be around 20 aired down..... Top of cage is 6'3 right now will be right around 6 foot aired down..


it looks super tall very un proportioned but oh well
 

zukijames

Well-Known Member
Location
not moab anymore
Im running 115 inch wheel base with 24 inch belly pan and I believe my cage hight is around 6'3" on 42" tires I like 5he wheelbase it does really well 8n moab and st geore. I took it to montross colorado 5his last summer and it also did really well there it even made it out of the last obstacle on Boulder canyon with some throttle turning radius does suck sometimes but thats why I have front dig. I think you will like that wheelbase


I knew I shouldn't have traded my rear drive line disconnect for NOS
 

sswens1

Active Member
Location
Millcreek
Mine is 116 with 24 under the frame with 42's. I love it, the turning radius is the main downfall. Rear steer is the answer. Most scrapes are on the rockers so I think boatsided would also alleviate some LCG issues. Looking good man
 

AaronPaige

Well-Known Member
Location
Price ut
I'm 116 with 27 to belly and 71 over all on 54s and loved it for Moab but a little big for St. George, the nasty trails we ran down there are tight, the only place I really want more is rocker knocker, 116 just don't catch there for me got to hit it hard.
 
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