So I got tired of the YJ requiring more than 50 percent of my fun time.  The ratio of work to wheeling was getting out of proportion just to keep it on the road so I could go to work.

I was looking around for a used TJ, maybe 2-3 years old or so, when I found that the local Jeep dealer was having a bit of a problem getting the 06's off the lot.  

Long story short:  new Wrangler SE, 44 miles on it, no options save for the cloth seats.  I took it home for 14k and some change.  I got a new one for less than I planned to spend on used.  It is silver, black soft top, manual tranny, and P215/75r15s.  Anyone need their pizza cut?  

It needs bigger tires and a small lift.  I was thinking tires first.  I have heard that TJs will fit 31s if you have the right offset on the rim.  What is that offset?  what wheel width?  does anyone know?  If not, I will put some 30-9.50s on the stock rims.

Can't help you with the wheel offset, but it sounds like you got a good deal on a great Jeep.  That's always cool!  

I have a 2004 Rubicon, from the factory they come with 31 x 10.5's. I have been told that they come with a little more lift than the TJ but I dont know for sure. If I were you I would get the specs for the rubicon Wheels and use that same backspacing. Your tire shop may have a set of Rubicon tires and or wheels off of some ones rig that changed there's. I also added a Fabteck coil spacer lift, and it works great.

Good Luck

Have fun

My X came with the rube wheels and a 2" spring spacer lift(tera-flex). Might be doggy with the 3.03 gears  

have you guys had good results with the spring-spacer lifts off road?  are there any issues I need to be aware of?  do they create any problems?  is there any one kit to stay away from, or one in particular that is better?

a stock tj can clear 30-31's w/o the spacers, but they allow more clearance to cut down on tires stuffing into the liners off road. No adverse affects. Am told this also clears for up to 32s for a "look".  

I want functionality.  I want the tires to actually be able to  compress and extend through THEIR ENTIRE RANGE OF MOTION!!  You know, like if I were off-roading or something.........

so a spacer lift and 31s would be fully functional?  what adjustments would I have to make?

I've got a question which sort of fits in here. One manufacturer (or seller) of spacer lifts says ignore the bumpstop extension idea. It also seems to me that if you stop one side from going up, you stop the other from going down, so limiting the drop you could achieve with the lift - we know 31s themselves fit on a TJ stock. So although the fenders are further away, you still only have the same axle movement you had before the lift. So if the tires fit OK anyway with no lift, no point to spending the money. Any thoughts on this? If you're not jumping, what's the chances of doing more than the occasional fender rub?   

That's a good question. With even the tame trails in michigan, I bottom out occasionally, but that's with 160lbs of dogs in the back. I know more lift is the key, but the budget doesn't allow it.  

I installed the Fab Teck coil spacer lift because it is adjustable. I set the front higher than the rear so the rig would set flatter with a winch installed on the front. I used this lift because it is an inexpensive way for my  wife to see how she liked the hight before we invest in a better system. Rubicon Express 4.5" long arm, I will put the coil spacer lift on the 31" tires and Rubicon wheels on my ZJ. The long arm lift is on order.

I like the Fab Teck coil spacer lift. I have wheeled this thing in the sand dunes and on tight trails through the trees with rocky sections and it works well.

All I did was heve the Rubicon ligned up front and rear after I installes the coil spacer lift.