Newb Questions

[WayBeau]

I'm entertaining the idea of making some mods to my '08 XLT 4.0 and have some questions.

So, I'm definitely thinking slightly bigger tires need to be put on. I'll lift it if I have to, but would prefer not to at the moment. My biggest concern with putting larger tires is the ability of the engine/gears (and all other mechanical parts which are involved) to handle them. A memory from back in my younger days is of a friend who put bigger tires on his Cherokee only to have this engine burn out because it couldn't handle the stress. That is obviously not something I want to have to worry about.

Are there other mandatory mods associated with the bigger tires, or can I get away with just putting new wheels and tires on it? I need to ease the wife into it, so the less 'stuff' I have to do to it, the better.

Thanks.

 

[Flag Gibby]

Start with just a flash tuner and then go from there... you have to use a different tune and maybe even regearing when you go to larger tires with the 4.0 otherwise it feels even more sluggish and underpowered once that change is made. Lots of info over in the modified section on lifting/tires so search over there.

 

[WayBeau]

Start with just a flash tuner and then go from there... you have to use a different tune and maybe even regearing when you go to larger tires with the 4.0 otherwise it feels even more sluggish and underpowered once that change is made. Lots of info over in the modified section on lifting/tires so search over there.

Thanks. It didn't hit me until this morning that I probably should have posted the question in that section.

But while I've got your ear, what's a flash tuner? I'm new to all this (obviously) and can use all the help I can get.

 

[Flag Gibby]

It is a device that overwrites some of the factory PCM (tune) settings allowing you to program for a greater HP or TQ output, change the speedometer calibration due to larger tires, and stuff like that. You can purchase the units with custom shop tunes or you can purchase ones that have several prepackaged tunes on them that you can select/change to when needed. I personally like to use Superchips for the 4.0 V6 that come with three different in house developed and tested tunes that are not so aggressive that they require 90/92 octane fuel.