With a fresh set of 40x13.50R17...
With a fresh set of 40x13.50R17 Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires mounted up, 4WD&SU's Brute is ready to play. A Rubicon Express long-arm system, paired with a coil-over suspension system from Poly Performance, helps achieve enough lift to fit the 40s.
It wasn't so long ago when our '01 Jeep Wrangler TJ was just another Solar Yellow Wrangler running around town in its factory form. However, after putting a few thousand miles on the odometer, both on-road and on-trail, it began a subtle transformation that would take years to complete. The first mod was a set of Warrior steel corners to cover up a dent received in the parking lot of our office building. The parts trickled in after that, culminating to an all-out cut-and-weld conversion using a Brute kit from AEV. We haven't shut the door on this project just yet. It took a set of 40-inch Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires to reach its latest "finished" form.
Stuffing the 40x13.50R17 tires beneath the Brute was as easily done as said. A 5.5-inch Extreme Duty long-arm suspension from Rubicon Express had been installed five years prior, and along with a 1-inch body lift, was already clearing a set of 37-inch tires. Adding to that a coil-over shock kit from Poly Performance permitted fitment of 14-inch travel Sway-A-Way RaceRunner 2.0-inch remote reservoir coilover shocks up front and a set of 12-inch travel units in the rear. Both front and rear coil-over shocks were fitted with Eibach coil springs and paired with 4-inch stroke hydraulic bumpstops. Once the 40-inch tires were mounted on a set of 17x10 Allied beadlocks, they were mounted on the vehicle to check fender clearance. Although they did fit on the first try, we decided to raise the vehicle ride height a bit for some extra clearance by adjusting the coil-spring position on the shock body.
The Brute has actually been sturdy enough to handle 40-inch tires for some time. It received a set of Dynatrac ProRock 60 axles back when 35-inch tires were considered "big." The Dynatrac axles were fit with 35-spline axleshafts, 4.88 gears, and ARB Air Lockers, front and rear, and also included Dynatrac's heavy-duty steering knuckles, tie rod, and drag link. The steering system also received a ram-assist from AGR, which is a great aid in controlling the heftier 40-inch tires. A relocated track bar from Tri County Gear is another upgrade that assists in vehicle control with the 40-inch tires in place.
 A pickup bedbox never looked...  A pickup bedbox never looked so good. The extended wheelbase of the Brute blends well with the 40-inch tires. Increased clearance up front is afforded by the Poison Spyder tube fenders. |  The 40-inch tire-shod Brute...  The 40-inch tire-shod Brute navigated through rocks with ease. Even with the passenger rear tire in a hole, the vehicle didn't lean over excessively. Suspension articulation was unfazed with the 40s in place and was actually aided by the extra few inches of tire. |  In order to make way for the...  In order to make way for the 40-inch Goodyears, we simply turned the coil adjusters until we achieved the desired ride height. Although we gained a few inches in ride height, suspension travel did not suffer. |