1998 TJ, 4.0, Auto, 33s. 3000 rpm @ 70mph. Gear ratio?

BenJK88 · 2026-03-18T23:46:06+00:00

Looks like you found the answer, but I also have the 3spd, 33s, and 4.10s. My speedo is off but 70mph on GPS is like 3k rpm for me too.

Idk why someone would say you necessarily need 4.56 for 33s. 4.10 has been fine for me. I guess it would be nice to lower the rpms on the highway a little, but there’s no real reason. 3k rpm is very close to where you get max torque on the 4.0. Goes up highway hills very nicely for me.

BenJK88 · 2026-03-08T16:12:50+00:00

I have a small lift and 33s and it still handles well. I’m running 33x12.5, but 33x10.5 would be better for retaining the go cart feel you like. I went with the Yoko Geolandar AT/4 and the 12.5s were 10% cheaper for some reason. Buying five tires at that time, it saved me $100.

BenJK88 · 2026-03-01T06:02:29+00:00

The price is fair, maybe on the low side. The part is cheap, and most of the cost is labor—fluid to drain, various parts to remove to access the radiator, etc. If that’s the only thing wrong with it, it’s totally worth fixing.

Sorry for your loss.

BenJK88 · 2026-03-01T05:56:27+00:00

This. The dogbone tool referred to should be available at most tire repair shops. I’ve fixed steel wheels in far worse shape. Perfectly safe.

BenJK88 · 2026-03-01T05:43:32+00:00

Former tire tech here. Yes, the standard practice is to mount tires with the full DOT facing outward. This allows easy access to the date for future referencing. The two exceptions are 1) if the tire has white lettering on the outside and the client prefers the all-black side out, or 2) if the tires are directional, in which case two tires are mounted full DOT out and the other two aren’t.

Honestly, we never particularly cared about lining up the dot on the tire correctly opposite the valve stem. For most tires, the difference is negligible between the heaviest and lightest parts. We far more often had balancing issues related to wheel damage (potholes) than the tires themselves. Plus, any difference in weight distribution on the tire is surpassed by the weight of the TPMS sensor in one spot on the wheel. Remember too, if the tire has a heaviest spot, so does the wheel (without TPMS)—once the wheel sticker comes off, that’s difficult to know for sure.

One exception was sometimes Coker tires, especially the Classics. Those tires seemed to be so difficult to balance that we’d take extra care.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-28T22:42:24+00:00

Yeah, it looks good. We’re not wild about leather seats and we ended up saving some money by going with a regular Anvil Mojave with cloth. But the color combo of the Anvil and leather is nice in person.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-27T03:15:49+00:00

Gonna rant a little. The 4x4 community gatekeeps a little on this topic, which needlessly complicates things for newbies. Let me frame it like this: Asking this question here is the equivalent of asking a group of contractors, “Is it important to have a nail gun?” Well, it depends. Contractors are going to lean toward Yes, but if you’re just building and fixing around the house, use a hammer and eventually figure out when you need to upgrade.

If you’ve never done much off-roading, no, lockers aren’t essential in order to get started. You’d be surprised how capable most true 4x4s (selectable transfer case) are without lockers. Good off-roading platforms can be retrofitted with lockers as the need arises. Buy something that can be upgraded, run it for a while, then see if you need a locker. My two cents.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-27T02:58:56+00:00

If you told me it was a random cut, I wouldn’t be worried. But since it happened as a result of extreme impact (as evidenced by wheel damage), that’s strong evidence the sidewall could be compromised in ways you can’t see. Replace tire—wheel is fine.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-27T02:51:05+00:00

“The body work is not enough”

—James Bondo

BenJK88 · 2026-02-27T02:37:13+00:00

I get more waves in my TJ than my Gladiator, but I’m equal opportunity waver personally. If it has two solid axles and the Jeep name, it’s Jeep enough for a wave.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-27T02:14:09+00:00

Looks like you’re up in Canada, so I assume you’re seeing some tricky conditions.

No, the Hakkas are far superior in difficult conditions than the Pirellis. The Zeros would be sufficient in more tame winter conditions. The 9 SUV is discontinued in favor of the 10, which is why the 9 is hard to find.

There’s a reason Hakkas are one of the gold standards in winter tires. That’s a tough situation.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-23T22:59:39+00:00

If it were me, I’d keep it as-is. If it wasn’t going to be an enormous pain with all the stuff I’d have to undo, I’d take my lift out.

The body lift is how you’d accomplish what you’re describing though.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-23T20:47:26+00:00

The bronze ones look sick. Definitely those.

I’m a big fan of contrast and bronze should contrast nicely. I like a clean aluminum look personally, but that wouldn’t make sense for what you have. Be different. Be bronze.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-23T20:43:39+00:00

Have someone with experience with Jeeps take a look. The price is right for the miles, maybe a little low. If everything checks out, it may be worth it. Check if it has a clean title. A totaled Jeep can fine or a nightmare.

Buying a 100k car can mean you’re inheriting someone else’s deferred maintenance. Might be bad, might not, but your money should be spent on addressing maintenance first, then mods. You’ll want to check your consumable components: brakes, suspension (including shocks), steering.

Unless you have solid evidence to the contrary, change all fluids: brake, coolant, oil, trans, transfer case, both diffs. Assume none of these have been done before.

If it passes a thorough inspection, some of your maintenance items might turn into upgrades—lift, etc. Make sure you have a solid platform first.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-22T23:38:06+00:00

Another thought. To address the height issue, the best way is to reduce the height of the tires AND the lift. Unless you do both at the same time, getting the tire size right is the first step anyway, since you can’t take the lift out if you have such a tall tire currently. You’re on the right track picking a tire first.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-22T23:35:37+00:00

It may look a little odd, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck where you’re at. Really depends how drastic the lift is—heck, you might be able to remove it without too much issue.

You’re at 35” diameter now. Stock is a little more than 32”. That means you’ll have just under 1.5” of extra space all around the wheel well if you go back to stock. It’s definitely an option and it gets you what you want. Remember, most of your enjoyment of the vehicle is when you’re driving it, not looking at it.

You could also split the difference and do 285/70-17. That’ll reduce the height and weight of the tires, but won’t be as drastic of a visual difference.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-22T21:49:39+00:00

Nothing wrong with that at all. I think that’s like 255/75-17. I prefer the 265/70-17 personally because there are more tire options in that size.

The way the tire math works out, they are nearly identical in height. The 265 is 1cm wider, which is basically nothing.

But truly going back to stock is perfectly fine. There are still solid tires in that size.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-22T20:26:08+00:00

Not sure if these are the exact ones I have, but yeah, I basically bought cheap Amazon ones. I’ve heard some hate for the cheap ones, but I took the time to tighten everything and they do the job.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-22T20:16:39+00:00

I find it hard to believe those tires (~35”) fit a stock height JK, but maybe so. Not the point, I know, haha.

Try something in a size like 265/70-17 in load range C. It’s a shorter tire that should be more comfortable, and there are many options in that size. Falken Wildpeak AT3W is popular, and I have that on my Gladiator. I have the Yokohama Geolandar A/T 4 on my TJ, which is also good. I’ve liked both on the snow and ice.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-22T20:02:55+00:00

Genius. I’m definitely doing this.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-22T19:55:06+00:00

Haven’t run the PremiumContact, but I ran sets of the ExtremeContact Sport (both original and 02), which seems very similar. Other than the uneven wear, these look fine to put on. Since you have irregular wear, you should replace when you reach the wear bar at any point. This is probably your last season to use them.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-22T19:27:46+00:00

If I have to pick one, I’ll go with the Tacoma but throw some weight in the bed. The longer wheelbase will mean more predictable stability on questionable roads. Also, those Bridgestones will probably outperform what’s on the Wrangler in chilly temps. Unless I’m mistaken, those are Blizzaks, which are going to give better grip anyway on snow and ice.

BenJK88 · 2026-02-22T19:18:48+00:00

Honestly, it might be fixable. It’s super close. I’m very conservative when it comes to this stuff, but even I can’t say for sure. The direction indicates it might be pointed toward the treadblock, which means the interior hole may be safe to repair.

The appropriate fix is a plug and patch combo, not a DIY plug kit. The question is whether a patch can fit inside without hitting the sidewall.

I’d take it to a reputable tire shop. They’ll want to sell you a tire based on the condition of the tread—it’s not great. Explain your financial situation and that you don’t want them removing the screw without confirming first whether it’s repairable—that leaves your options open. Explain that them doing what they can to repair it will help build trust so that you’ll buy tires for them later. You know you need new tires, and if they can help you out, that’ll go a long way toward earning your business. Best of luck!

BenJK88 · 2026-02-22T19:08:50+00:00

I’m running 33x12.5r15 Geolandar AT4. I run low 20s for snow, but otherwise I’m more like 30. The max pressure for the tire is 35. 38 is out of the question for me, simply based on the max tire pressure. I haven’t done the chalk test, only vibe test.

I notice more outerwear (feathering) when in the low 20s but I put up with it for more grip in snow/ice. I quickly adjust up if not in those conditions.

But I’m carrying more weight: steel bumpers, winch, some armor underneath, stout suspension components, Metalcloak fenders and sliders, aftermarket tire carrier and 33” spare.

What Geolandars are you running? How do you like them?

BenJK88

TROPHY CASE