Dave Warner replies:
Darren, you bring up very good points. I have 31's and a 4.5" lift on my
Cherokee and find that I can make it over 99.8% on the stuff I have run
into. The problem is that I have a serious mental condition that there is no
cure for. This mental condition is called CLWEA (Can't Leave Well Enough
Alone). There is that 0.2% out there that I can't make it over. This 0.2%
has always been ruts where my diffs high center due to trucks with larger
tires making the ruts. What's a guy to do? The only option I see is to go to
a taller tire so I won't have to drag or winch my diffs across the ground.
Yes you have to beef up your rig to handle the larger tires. Is it worth it?
Who knows? But for me, finding that extra clearance to fit those taller tires or
getting that extra inch of wheel travel is what the hobby is about. It's kind
of like fast cars: who really needs them when the speed limit in most places
barely goes over 100 kph? Overbuilding everything is the fun of it.
As for people saying you can't go because of the small tires, I use it as a
challenge and surprise them when my truck makes it up an obstacle and
theirs doesn't.
