Sold off my 35's yesterday and made the jump to some 37" MTR's. First impression (only on the road at this point) is that they are quite a bit heavier than the 35's. My poor 2F has to work a bit more to move them around even with 4.88's. The visual difference in size isn't all that much but the truck sure feels taller. I think that 37's are near the perfect size for an all around tire on a truck that sees lots of trail, but a good amount of road use as well.


BEFORE---with the 35's

http://user.netomia.com/Box%20Rocket/pside2.jpg

AFTER---with the 37's

http://user.netomia.com/Box%20Rocket/pass37.jpg

Another old one with the 35's

http://user.netomia.com/Box%20Rocket/dside.jpg

AFTER---with the 37's

http://user.netomia.com/Box%20Rocket/driver37.jpg

Last one---with 37's

http://user.netomia.com/Box%20Rocket/psrear37.jpg

cool :smokin:

Should be pretty cool. We're taking about 20 trucks to Moab in a couple weeks so that'll be the first real test. I've been convincing myself to run Upper Helldorado this time down there.

Last time we run Lower at night and had one guy try Upper that same night with totally stock drivetrain (except for lockers) and 33's:eek: It wasn't pretty but he made it. Looked like a blast, so I think I might give it a go.

Originally posted by adamto
I've been convincing myself to run Upper Helldorado this time down there.




Do it.....

:D

Nice clean rig:smokin:

I am in the process of fitting 37 MTR meats under my SU rig. Did you have to move your rear axle back? With FJ40 springs the rubber will hit the front of the rear wheel well (on my truck). I am going to try a FJ60 spring due to this...just curious.

I know what you're talking about. My buddy just put a set on his SUA truck and the tires are VERY close to the front of his rear fenderwell. With my Alcan springs, I had the centerpin moved 1" rearward and that seems to have been enough. Haven't had any clearance issues at the fenders.

Did you do your rear bumper? Looks pretty close to what I am looking for. Would like a Kaymar, but too much $$.

The rear bumper was basically homemade. Really simple. Just some box channel for the main section, rounded at the corners and added a couple more pieces of box channel for the "legs" that run under the rear quarters. The tire carrier is a bit light for a heavy spare. I need to beef that up some. The round bar stock that runs around the corners is there to help support the uprights for the tire carrier but also provides some suprisingly good body protection. It's saved my tub numerous times. It's 3/4" SOLID bar stock.

If you've got access to a welder, it's a easy bumper to build.

thats one of the nicest cruisers I've ever seen. Nice work!

Very nice 40 ;) I don't have the same tires or amount of lift but just a few thoughts.

I have 4" Skyjacker springs, shackle reversal, 2 1/2" body lift and 37x13 boggers on 15x10 aluminum rims with 3.5 backspacing. Oh yah, and Rancho 9000's.My first run with the tires was on the Rubicon and I tore the crud out of my body with the tires. I had the rear wheel wells cutout as far as possible with the hard plastic type flares and I still tore off about 9" of fender flare off and bent metal in the back. The front part of the rear wheel well did not get hit but again the flare got all torn up. In the front my tire got so tucked up into the fender when the lug grabbed the support bar that goes across the top it pulled my hood latch completely apart.
The inner part of the rear wheel wells also hit the tire right on the seam of the tub. Now my brand new tires have a grooved line on the inside and chuncked lugs on the outside, and the body has almost perfectly polished half moons in the wheel wells.

I tested the articulation and it was good and cleared everything--- that was until it was fully loaded with gear and a passenger. Check it all loaded with everything that you think you would ever take on the trail before you tear things apart like I did. Especially as nice as your Cruiser is. Mine was just primered and a rusting out tub and I still hated having to stop in the trail and borrow a cutoff wheel and sledge hammer.

Adam, that's a sweet looking Cruiser! Looks good.

Joey does make a good point here. You can wait till your neighbors leave, and crawl up on their Honda Civic and check your travel/tire clearence, but when you get out on the trail, your rig will get contorted in ways you never dreamed. I have polished the inner wells of all 4 corners, and I'm 2" wider on the axle at each wheel! I moved the rear axle back about 4" and put TJ flares on it-Room to sink a battleship in there now. The stock rear wheel well opening on FJ40s with stock flares is just inadequate for big tires. As for the front, your SUA, so.........?

i sure like your 40, the paint color and black extras really work well.

Joey, you could put some longer bump stops on it...

Joey: I've checked for clearance and everything seems to fit fine so far. I'm going to get it out on a trail this weekend I think and check for trail clearance as well. I think part of the reason you had so much rubbing was because from my experience, swampers tend to run larger than some other tire makes. I had some 35" swampers on my FZJ80 when we bought it and they only had 1/2 the tread left. I replaced them with some 35" MTR's and the brand new MTR's still measured shorter than the half worn swampers of the same size. The side lugs on boggers stick farther out than a lot of other tires as well which could be part of the problem. I've trimmed my front fenders some already because my 35's were rubbing when I just had OME springs. Since I changed to 5" Alcans, I've run several trails and twisted up pretty good and there was still plenty of room for the 35's so I'm pretty sure I'll be ok with the 37's. I might rub on the inside of the rear fenderwell but.......big deal, I have a reskinned tub that doesn't have the factory rollbar supports that could possibly grab the tires.

Thanks for the head up though.

I figure if there are more problems I'll just lower the bumpstops to keep them out of the body.

Heck Nolen's cruiser really doesn't have that much more lift than my truck, maybe a couple inches and he's running 42's. Granted, his fenders are trimmed a bit more than mine but 5 more inches in tire is a LOT!!! I know he's lowered his bumpstops to keep those mammoth tires out of his body, and it still seems to work fine.

hey can you give us some more shots of that bumper? and details My first attempt at my bumper is not going like I wanted it to

Donald

:rolleyes:

Here's a couple shots of the bumper. Hope these will help you. I probably don't need to say this but don't feel like you need to totally copy mine. If you just get an idea or two you like build one that works for what you need and has the elements that you want it to have.

Anyway, good luck.

This shot shows the hinge mechanism.

http://user.netomia.com/Box%20Rocket/airtank2.jpg

This design works but when I rebuild the tire carrier in the next little while, I think I'll build it using a spindle and cruiser hub as the hinge. I like how it can be locked open in any position and that it offers a spare hub as well.

here's the whole thing from the back.

http://user.netomia.com/Box%20Rocket/rear.jpg