36iroks vs 35 km2

[mossyoaktj]

i have a set of 36 iroks i will be putting on the jeep. but i while i wait on all the parts to come in over the next few weeks i figured i would post them up to see what people had to offer. the only thing i find myself pondering about is the lack of size of a km2 to a irok, i know that one is 36 and the other a 35 but when it comes to the irok its closer to a 37 and the km2 is closer to a 34. kinda a big difference. i have also read that on a tj i could probably squeeze 30k out of the irok, not sure how true that is.

i m looking to clear the iroks with as little lift as possible to keep the center of gravity lower, so far i have factory flares in the rear and hood line tube fenders up front, i will be installing the hp30 and a built 8.8.(8.8 is supposed to give you and extra .75 lift due to axle tube size) and i already need to put a 3/4 spacer up front. the research ive done so far i like the stance of a tj with 4-5 of lift with iroks.

so the question comes down to do i keep the iroks or go for the km2s. note the jeep will hav eto be somewhat of a daily for a while due to my giving my truck to my mom until she can get another car from where she was hit head on in a car wreck. any thoughts.

if someone has pics of the 2 side by side that would be great.

bryan

[KennyTJ]

I have an '06 TJ with 4" lift and 1"BL, so 5" total, factory flares. I run 36" Tsl SXs offroad on beadlocks, you'll need to extend bumpstops front and rear or you'll rub when flexing. On the street I run 35" BFG ATs and runs great, ride 75mph keeping up with I75 all day no issues.

I run the HP30 and 8.8 as well, for about 3 years now.

FYI.. I hear A LOT of KM2 get cut sidewalls!!! not sure I would run 'em in the rocks.

I know a couple guys who run the 37" Pitbull Rocker Radial and love them.

[blazerbrad]

The 36" Irok runs pretty big compared to many other tires advertised as that tall. The 35" BFG's seem to run comparable to most other 35" radial mud tires. A better comparison would be a 37" BFG vs. 36" Irok.

In any case, a guy in our club runs 37" BFG's on a YJ with basically zero lift. He limited uptravel and the rear factory flares have been moved up to they sit almost flush with the top of the tub, and stock front fenders that have been trimmed...though the average person probably wouldn't notice any significant changes in the fenders. Previously he ran the typical spring over so about 5" of lift or so.

As far as the KM2's getting cut, he has ran them for years including a few trips down to Slade without cutting one. I will say he doesn't run trails a lot, but good luck so far. He did cut a KM years ago and switched to the KM2's.

[coachholland]

Offroad, it's no contest. Irok wins hands down. Tough sidewalls (even on their radials). Hook up really well in the rocks, don't do quite as good in the mud as a TSL, LTB or SX but still quite good. Wears *decent* on the road, but not great.

BFG, I wouldn't own one. I'm in the industry and have seen them cut too many times. A KM2 is great when it's working, but the sidewalls leave plenty to be desired and as mentioned, they run small. If you want a tire that performs well on the street and will give you plenty of miles, but is still a hell of a trail tire, look at the Nitto Trail Grapplers if you're running 17's. If you're running 15's then go for a **** Cepek Mud Country. Nice aggressive tread for the trails, pretty good on the street and tough sidewalls. I ran their Crushers when I was on 35's and loved them.

[mossyoaktj]

i decided to stick with the iroks, i got two of them mounted yesterday and added 14ounces of airsoft bb's to help with balancing, i will be moutning the other two next week when i return from ohio with the jeep and rims. i am hopefully picking up my 8.8 this weekend as long as chase over at ECGS finishes up with it.

i heard the 8.8 gave an extra 1/2 to inch of lift for the rear so im probbaly goin to have to get a set of 3/4 spacers for the front. im so much worried about the front clearing since i have the hoodline tube fenders. although bump stop i need to get as well, have to figure out a way to get the broken bolt out of the old one.

kenny do you have a pic of the way yours sits with the sx's on there

[KennyTJ]

This was at Slade...



Hope it helps.

[itbrokeagain]

Just ask Robert about the km2

[nshefbuch]

I will never buy a km2 strictly from what that gentlemen has said on here about trying to get a 35" to replace one of his. I mean come on, 35" the most common size mud tire and it's on back order? I passed this info on to my brother who's shopping for mud tires now.

Before I'd buy iroks though, I'd research some and you will find they run on the smaller size and the side walls have a bad rap for having a weak side wall. Plus about a year and a half ago super swamper was in some trouble and cut several of the major tire options out. In the end I went with pitbulls which they just asked me for some pics to use my jeep in ads.

Only way I'd get iroks is if it was a great deal on them. The deal on km2's would have to be almost free for me to run them. Just MHO

[mossyoaktj]

looks good kenny. i also got offered 36x12.5 tsl sx with roughly 85% life for the iroks.

[tjrider]

Originally Posted by KennyTJ

I have an '06 TJ with 4" lift and 1"BL, so 5" total, factory flares. I run 36" Tsl SXs offroad on beadlocks, you'll need to extend bumpstops front and rear or you'll rub when flexing. On the street I run 35" BFG ATs and runs great, ride 75mph keeping up with I75 all day no issues.

I run the HP30 and 8.8 as well, for about 3 years now.

FYI.. I hear A LOT of KM2 get cut sidewalls!!! not sure I would run 'em in the rocks.

I know a couple guys who run the 37" Pitbull Rocker Radial and love them.

I'm glad to see somebody not bashing a 30.... that's the setup I'm going for. Next set if tires will be 35" pitbulls

[KennyTJ]

Originally Posted by tjrider

I'm glad to see somebody not bashing a 30.... that's the setup I'm going for. Next set if tires will be 35" pitbulls

Not to thread steal.... I rebuilt the HP30, welded a truss the entire length, beefed up the upper and lower CA mounts, installed Moog balljoints and unit bearings, so all is pretty good. I do not have any front locker and pretty sure i would kill axle shafts if I did. With the beadlocks running 4psi it diggs in and don't spin in the rocks. I have had to replace u-joints every year or so, thought about welding the caps.

If you don't thrash it you won't trash it!!!!



P.S. I am building up 2/3 ton 8 lug D44HP and D60 so I can go 37" Pitbull Rockers and building my own long arm....
It's never done!

[timido]

Are you guys running irok radials or bias? I would like to run 35" pitbul radials with my rubicin 44s but the weight is about 80lbs a tire.

[mossyoaktj]

the iroks i have are bias ply

[KennyTJ]

Originally Posted by timido

Are you guys running irok radials or bias? I would like to run 35" pitbul radials with my rubicin 44s but the weight is about 80lbs a tire.

The 36" SXs in the pics weigh 72lbs each and with steel wheels, beadlock rings, (32) 3/8 x1.75 bolts washers and locking nuts, and 13oz of BBs in each wheel to balance 'em these bad boys are over 100 lbs. each.

Other than the larger ring n pinion, my axle is identical to your Rubicon 44.

You may start going through axle shafts with those pitbulls and the locker 'on' but no better time to go chromo's or even RCV!

[timido]

I have 10 factory axles 4.56 gears Trusses and inner C's gussets. I have steel D windows with 35" MT's

[tjrider]

I didn't do any spacers when u did my 8.8 swap. You can't even notice the difference