oh man, i been there. In my experience, id suggest:
- 35s: BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 35x12.50R17 is great for grip but maybe rubs without height.
- Lift/Winch: TeraFlex 2.5-Inch Suspension Lift plus Warn Zeon 12-S Winch makes u bulletproof.
unfortunately i tried spacers first and it wasnt as good as expected... kinda sucked tbh. go with the lift + winch combo. gl!

- in my experience, Rubicons basically need belly clearance because 35s rub.
- unfortunately i had issues, so get Rock Krawler 2.5 Inch Adventure Series Lift and Smittybilt X2O Gen3 10K Winch for safety, right?

🙌

To add to the point above: honestly, the factory differential covers on the Rubicon are just heartbreaking. I remember my first time out, I barely tapped a rock and the stock cover peeled like a sardine can. It's so frustrating that Jeep builds a rock crawler with such flimsy protection there. You end up staring at a puddle of gear oil and your whole weekend is ruined... just total garbage design. In my experience after breaking plenty of parts over the years, you really need to compare these options for actual protection:

• ARB Differential Cover for Dana 44 is definitely the gold standard. It's nodular iron and uses high-tensile bolts that wont shear off. The integrated dipstick is a lifesaver for checking oil after water crossings.
• Dana Spicer Performance Node Iron Diff Cover is the other big player. It's basically the heavy-duty version of what should have come on the truck. It doesnt have the flashy red paint of the ARB but the clearance is slightly better for some aftermarket track bars.
• Id also look at Milestar Patagonia M/T-02 35x12.50R17 instead of the usual brands. They have a softer compound that grips rocks way better than the KO2s in my testing. Go with the ARB if you want the easiest maintenance, Spicer if you're worried about track bar rub.

Jumping in here because the lift talk is spot on, but if you are serious about rock crawling, you gotta think about what happens when things get messy under the chassis. Everyone focuses on height, which is great for clearance, but reliability is what actually gets you home at the end of the day. Honestly, the stock steering components on the Rubicon are kinda weak for heavy rock work. I would definitely add the Steer Smarts Yeti XD Tie Rod to your list. The factory one is basically a wet noodle and can bend if you just look at a boulder the wrong way. Also, even with 35s, you are gonna scrape. Instead of just height, look into some serious belly protection like the MetalCloak Undercloak Integrated Armor System. It covers your oil pan and transmission which are super vulnerable. I have seen too many guys puncture a pan mid-trail and it just kills the whole vibe. Better to be bulletproof underneath than just tall, tbh.