I'm running 37"s and 5.13s now. However, my next H3 build will be based on 35"s and 4.88s. I love the 37"s but they're a tad un-practical for daily driving. Even though I have no issues with them...the truck feels like a monster driving around, and it barely fits in my garage. I also think that I can go anywhere on 35"s, with the same effort as I do on 37"s (giving up only an inch of GC). On an stock IFS rig, you might notice more performance changes in tire size. But with the solid axle...it doesn't seem to matter much if you have 35"s or 37". With a 4:1 crawl ratio, 5.13s, locked f & r, and 37"s...offroading is whole new experience. Its sometimes difficult to keep the corners of my mouth from meeting at the back of my head! Its hard to compare this to wheeling a stock H3 but, I remember the multiple stages I went thru to get where I'm at now (t-bar crank/Rancho/SAS).
I think the gearing issue is far more important than tire size, and that's what sucks about the stock front axle. There's simply nothing you can do to make-up for the ratio change that large tires cause. Not to mention...the stock front axle is barely adequate for 265 tires, let alone the extra strain 35"s put on it. I've wheeled with many stock H3s and they can go 90% of the places I can. Hell...you should have seen Schwartzy on the rock ledge at the Badlands last year,
and he was on TOTALLY BALD stock Duellers! If he would've had better tread (the same size)...he would've made it!..
My point is, that good aggressive tread can do wonders, even if you keep a relatively small tire size. On any other 4x4, I would probably disagree...because you can always re-gear to compensate for larger tires. But not so on the the H3. Its so under-powered, and the front axle is so weak, that to me...it makes more sense to keep the small end of tire size (285s to 315s). This keeps the motor & tranny in its intended power-band, and also helps you stay within the ridiculously low stress limits of the AAM-7. Given the choice...I'de take a smaller tire with great tread design over the ground clearance and gearing issues of a larger tire. 35"s are great off-road but, they make your 5-cylinder completely nut-less on the highway.
