Backstory: I have a Jeep and I love it (it’s the white one below). In fact, I can’t ever picture myself NOT owning a Jeep of some sort. But I didn’t get exposure to the off-road world until later. As a kid, I grew up around Porsches in FL (back in the 80s when they were cool lol). And I hit my teens/20s right as the sport-compact/tuning scene exploded (pre-Fast & Furious)… so I was fully immersed in that side of car culture. I say all that to say this: In those worlds, a BRAKE UPGRADE is a key component to performance.
Inevitably, my automotive interests expanded…
I got the Jeep bug and well… there’s only one cure for that. So I bought the Jeep. And it exposed me to a whole new, adventurous & life-enriching side of automotive culture – which I absolutely fell in love with. But I noticed that jeepers (and off-road/overland enthusiasts in general) do everything BACKWARDS when it comes to performance lol. They don’t remove weight… they add it. Steel bumpers, spare tires, armor, winches, refrigerators, racks, reinforcements, etc. There’s nothing WRONG with that… it’s just a different interpretation of PERFORMANCE. One that’s measured by capability… not a stopwatch. But…
Adding weight works the hell out of your brakes…
That’s true no matter what (or where) you drive. In the race/performance world, they add bigger brakes WHILE ALSO upgrading to lighter wheels – attacking performance from both sides. Lighter AND more bite. Meanwhile in the Jeep and/or off-road community, they add heavy/rugged 35, 37, 38, and 40″ tires… attached to boat-anchor-heavy wheels. And most wheelers just let the stock brakes ride with no concern about it.
A 37-inch off-road wheel/tire packages can easily weigh 100-pounds on each corner…
Think about how much rotating mass that is once it’s up-&-rolling. And then imagine the difficulty your stock brakes have trying to slow down four 100lb wheels/tires at 60mph… attached to an outfitted Jeep. I’ve seen a friend’s Jeep’s brakes smoking like last night’s campfire coming down a mountain road. So here’s the point (2-fold)…
1) Konig HT1 Wheels
The HT stands for Hyper Trail. These wheels are tough. But they’re also built by Konig, a wheel manufacturer from the performance world who understands that function is the fashion. A good athlete needs to be strong AND lean. And the same goes for your wheels. You don’t want a ‘tough’ wheel that’s an absolute porker. Here’s an example: This Jeep came in on some stereotypically ugly, heavy, dealer-added 20” wheels on 35” tires (pictured below). We went to these 17” Konig HT-1 wheels with larger 37s… and the total wheel/tire package came out NOTICEABLY LIGHTER than the old 35″ wheel/tire package. All while gaining more sidewall, size, functionality… and visual appeal.
2) Wilwood makes front & rear big brake kits for the Jeep…
They’re engineered for the demands of modified Jeeps. Jeeps that have been upgraded with big M/T tires, added weight, accessories, etc. They typically come in red or black. BUT – if you don’t mind waiting an extra week or so, Wilwood will coat the calipers in virtually any color. The owner of this Jeep JLU is Andy Thompson from KnKut premium drill bits. KnKut’s signature color is orange, so Andy ordered these front & rear Wilwood brakes in Sebring Orange.
We had these Wilwood brakes installed at Black Bear Off-Road…
Black Bear is our buddy’s (Jeepin Bubba’s) shop in Buford, GA. The guys had the job knocked-out in a couple hours… and that’s with us hanging around bothering them lol. Wilwood designed these kits specifically for the Jeep, which makes the install pretty straightforward. It’s certainly possible to do it yourself if you’re accustomed to working on cars. The front & rear brake kits are sold separately, so you can upgrade as your budget allows. They’re roughly $2,000 for the front, and $2,000 for the rear.
I wish I had the statistics…
On what percentage of Jeeps end up getting lifted with bigger tires. The Jeep is one of the most modified/customized vehicles in history. With one of the best cultures/communities behind it. Local shops tend to run specials for new Jeep owners, getting you a lift with upgraded wheels/tires. And boom you’re on your way… in one of the most off-road capable vehicles on the planet. Absolutely nothing wrong with that! But it’s not finished… it’s the start.
A lifted Jeep with larger tires is putting the stock steering & brakes in the weeds…
You can get away with it. It’s not necessarily an immediate issue. But you are overworking those components. In order to do it right – bigger brakes & upgraded steering (like Steer Smarts) should really be in your plans. It’ll enable you to enjoy your Jeep (both on & off-road) to the max – without drawbacks, irritations, or any longterm loss of confidence.
