Lift Height, Tire Size, and Wheeling

[smoverland]

Hey all,

It seems there are multiple threads discussing what tire size can fit with what lift, but very little information about what tire size should. I'm hoping this thread can be a one-stop-shop for those wanting to fit tires and wheel.

For example, if you're going to run 37" tires and do substantial off-roading, should you go with a 2.5" lift and fender chop? A 3" lift? All the way up to a 4.5"?

Thanks in advance!

-SMOverland

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[Yellow1098]

Great questions....I hope the thread gets rolling

 

[Gobi Wan K]

While I am sure a good bit of the experience people have with the JL so far will carry over I believe this is uncharted territory. It is also a huge topic. I wheeled a TJ with 37s on a 4 inch lift. Most people would have said you needed 6 for 35s on a TJ. I didn't want that high of a CG. So this is a very dynamic subject. I suspect that a Rubicon JT with 35s stock will be rubbing during hard off roading. Depends on how much rubbing you can live with. So this will develop as people start getting off road experience with the JT specifically.

 

[Hemi]

Hey all,

It seems there are multiple threads discussing what tire size can fit with what lift, but very little information about what tire size should. I'm hoping this thread can be a one-stop-shop for those wanting to fit tires and wheel.

For example, if you're going to run 37" tires and do substantial off-roading, should you go with a 2.5" lift and fender chop? A 3" lift? All the way up to a 4.5"?

Thanks in advance!

-SMOverland

If you are going to wheel, you have things to consider besides tires and wheels. But let's start there.

Wheels is easy. 17" rims. Larger rims will diminish your offroad performance. If you are wheeling then you will want to air down your tires to something around 12 lbs psi. This will soften the tire, allowing it to contour to the ground and you get more traction. It also cushions your butt when going over bumpy things, which in a day of wheeling matters. It also cushions the rig from the bumps, wear and tear is less.

Another reason you want sidewalls is that they also can be used for traction against vertical objects, and larger wheels would only take damage. Well, more damage; all wheels get nicks.

So 17' rims are the ticket. You'll see a lot of old timers on jeeps running 15" rims to get more sidewall, but the JT has large brakes and 17" rims is the smallest you can fit.

Also you will want some form of onboard air so you can air up after a day of wheeling. Jeeps that wheel carry air compressors, ARB makes a nice one that can be mounted or in a portable kit.

For tires you need to figure out your priorities. Do you use it as a daily driver, and does road noise matter. This will factor into how aggressive a tire you want to buy. There are a lot of good ones on the market, and there is no consensus on one brand. BFG makes good ones, so does Nitto and Cooper, and Falken. And Toyo.

Size of tire has it's own considerations. What can you clear with your fenders and bumpers. 35" is a good size, but I have seen guys run Pritchet Canyon in Moab on 33s. If you go over 35", you may need a way to carry a spare (it may or may not fit in the slot). And you will have to beef up your axles to handle the extra weight. They will need to be trussed and or sleeved, and possibly chromoly shafts. 37's put a lot of stress on the axles. You will probably want to regear with 37s; the loss of power from the extra weight is huge. I regeared my JK with a Pentastar 3.6 to 4.88. 3.73s and 37" will be sluggish.

For lift you want the smallest one that will clear your tires. More lift means higher center of gravity, and more instability. The JT has deep wheel wells, 2"-3.5" will clear 37s. Pay attention to the bump stops.

If you don't have a Rubi, you will want manual axle disconnects, which are relatively cheap. JKS are top quality for about $150. Keeping all 4 tires on the ground and getting your maximum articulation is the single most important thing you can do to jack up offroad performance. Lockers don't do diddly with wheels in the air.

Recovery is something else you will need to consider. You will want a bag of recovery equipment in your jeep, tow straps and shackles. It is both good manners and smart to carry your own, and do you really want to trust someone else's tow straps to pull your rig?

First aid kit

Fire Extinguisher

Insect Repellent

A good jack

Toolkit

CB radio is a must. Jeep Jamborees will even turn you away without one. You should never wheel alone, and in a group it is vital to communicate. And often you will be out of reach of cell towers on trails.

The best advice I can give is to start with a 2" Mopar lift and a good set of 33s, disconnects, aired down, and you won't believe what you can do. This rigs are so capable, and with 33s you will have good power. There are few obstacles you will run into that need bigger tires, and you are doing some serious wheeling if you run into those. I have had many trail guides at Moab running a WJ with 33s.

Last word of advice is pay attention to your payload. A set of 35s can add 200 pounds to the rig. Sliders are another hundred pounds. Front and rear steel bumpers another 200 pounds. That's 500 pounds.

I should have mentioned sliders. The rockers are very exposed and prone to damage, they need protection. The Rubi rails are great protection, but there are plenty of options here. The Rubi rails are horribly over priced, take offs would be great. Don't wheel seriously with the mopar steps or nerf bars, they will fold like paper into the body if they hit a rock. You will take less damage with nothing then with them on the rig. I am looking at the Rock Hard and JCR Offroad sliders as they both provide protection and act as a step.

I know I covered a lot but if you are planning to wheel, there's a lot to consider besides wheels and tires.

 

[smoverland]

While I am sure a good bit of the experience people have with the JL so far will carry over I believe this is uncharted territory. It is also a huge topic. I wheeled a TJ with 37s on a 4 inch lift. Most people would have said you needed 6 for 35s on a TJ. I didn't want that high of a CG. So this is a very dynamic subject. I suspect that a Rubicon JT with 35s stock will be rubbing during hard off roading. Depends on how much rubbing you can live with. So this will develop as people start getting off road experience with the JT specifically.

That's what I'm looking forward to -- real-world experience. I'm personally leaning toward 37s with 2.5" of lift and a fender "chop" on my Sport S w/ max tow (two-piece fenders).
It may work, it may not... Only one way to find out!

PS. Please share a picture or two of that TJ. It sounds like a beast.

 

[smoverland]

If you are going to wheel, you have things to consider besides tires and wheels. But let's start there.

Wheels is easy. 17" rims. Larger rims will diminish your offroad performance. If you are wheeling then you will want to air down your tires to something around 12 lbs psi. This will soften the tire, allowing it to contour to the ground and you get more traction. It also cushions your butt when going over bumpy things, which in a day of wheeling matters. It also cushions the rig from the bumps, wear and tear is less.

Another reason you want sidewalls is that they also can be used for traction against vertical objects, and larger wheels would only take damage. Well, more damage; all wheels get nicks.

So 17' rims are the ticket. You'll see a lot of old timers on jeeps running 15" rims to get more sidewall, but the JT has large brakes and 17" rims is the smallest you can fit.

Also you will want some form of onboard air so you can air up after a day of wheeling. Jeeps that wheel carry air compressors, ARB makes a nice one that can be mounted or in a portable kit.

For tires you need to figure out your priorities. Do you use it as a daily driver, and does road noise matter. This will factor into how aggressive a tire you want to buy. There are a lot of good ones on the market, and there is no consensus on one brand. BFG makes good ones, so does Nitto and Cooper, and Falken. And Toyo.

Size of tire has it's own considerations. What can you clear with your fenders and bumpers. 35" is a good size, but I have seen guys run Pritchet Canyon in Moab on 33s. If you go over 35", you may need a way to carry a spare (it may or may not fit in the slot). And you will have to beef up your axles to handle the extra weight. They will need to be trussed and or sleeved, and possibly chromoly shafts. 37's put a lot of stress on the axles. You will probably want to regear with 37s; the loss of power from the extra weight is huge. I regeared my JK with a Pentastar 3.6 to 4.88. 3.73s and 37" will be sluggish.

For lift you want the smallest one that will clear your tires. More lift means higher center of gravity, and more instability. The JT has deep wheel wells, 2"-3.5" will clear 37s. Pay attention to the bump stops.

If you don't have a Rubi, you will want manual axle disconnects, which are relatively cheap. JKS are top quality for about $150. Keeping all 4 tires on the ground and getting your maximum articulation is the single most important thing you can do to jack up offroad performance. Lockers don't do diddly with wheels in the air.

Recovery is something else you will need to consider. You will want a bag of recovery equipment in your jeep, tow straps and shackles. It is both good manners and smart to carry your own, and do you really want to trust someone else's tow straps to pull your rig?

First aid kit

Fire Extinguisher

Insect Repellent

A good jack

Toolkit

CB radio is a must. Jeep Jamborees will even turn you away without one. You should never wheel alone, and in a group it is vital to communicate. And often you will be out of reach of cell towers on trails.

The best advice I can give is to start with a 2" Mopar lift and a good set of 33s, disconnects, aired down, and you won't believe what you can do. This rigs are so capable, and with 33s you will have good power. There are few obstacles you will run into that need bigger tires, and you are doing some serious wheeling if you run into those. I have had many trail guides at Moab running a WJ with 33s.

Last word of advice is pay attention to your payload. A set of 35s can add 200 pounds to the rig. Sliders are another hundred pounds. Front and rear steel bumpers another 200 pounds. That's 500 pounds.

I should have mentioned sliders. The rockers are very exposed and prone to damage, they need protection. The Rubi rails are great protection, but there are plenty of options here. The Rubi rails are horribly over priced, take offs would be great. Don't wheel seriously with the mopar steps or nerf bars, they will fold like paper into the body if they hit a rock. You will take less damage with nothing then with them on the rig. I am looking at the Rock Hard and JCR Offroad sliders as they both provide protection and act as a step.

I know I covered a lot but if you are planning to wheel, there's a lot to consider besides wheels and tires.

This is awesome! There should definitely be a thread on this site dedicated to trail safety and off-road education.

I'm running 35s on my JKU with 3.73s right now and it was a bear in the mountains of Colorado and Utah. Granted, it is loaded down with a rtt and a ton of gear and does handle the East Coast far better than the Rockies.

I will say, the 4.10s and 8-speed transmission in the Gladiator make it a totally different animal, but I'll still be keeping an eye on a re-gear when I move up in tire size. The new transmission seems to have renewed that debate, at least to an extent.

 

[Just Schmidtin]

So 17' rims are the ticket. You'll see a lot of old timers on jeeps running 15" rims to get more sidewall, but the JT has large brakes and 17" rims is the smallest you can fit.

This thread is exactly what I have been looking for.

So, 17 inch it is, but what about width?

 

[smoverland]

This thread is exactly what I have been looking for.

So, 17 inch it is, but what about width?

Width will depend on the tire size and there are several different schools of thought on it.

Tire manufacturers will typically provide a wheel width range for each of the tire sizes they offer and some shops will even refuse to mount tires to wheels that are outside of that range. Most people will argue that you can get away with being slightly outside those ranges, however. A "poor man's beadlock," for example, refers to running a wide tire on a narrower wheel, thereby creating a tighter bead (hypothetically).

Wheel width will also affect your sidewall. A narrower wheel will create more of a bulge in the sidewall. Some people like this as a form of protection when wheeling. A wider wheel will create a more vertical sidewall, which many people think looks better. Each option contributes to a particular tire wear pattern as well.

I'm sure I'm leaving things out or am just rambling without actually answering the question, but hopefully someone else on here can provide more information or correct me if I'm wrong!

 

[Gobi Wan K]

That's what I'm looking forward to -- real-world experience. I'm personally leaning toward 37s with 2.5" of lift and a fender "chop" on my Sport S w/ max tow (two-piece fenders).
It may work, it may not... Only one way to find out!

PS. Please share a picture or two of that TJ. It sounds like a beast.

I sold it a couple years ago. It was a combination of not getting out with it and some personal reasons. I built it up from a pile of parts I bought from a guys back yard.

 

[smoverland]

I sold it a couple years ago. It was a combination of not getting out with it and some personal reasons. I built it up from a pile of parts I bought from a guys back yard.

Gorgeous build, man. Looks ultra capable yet still has a little flash. I'll never forget riding around in my brother-in-law's TJ as a kid. I blame those moments for my adult obsession and empty wallet!

 

[Hemi]

This thread is exactly what I have been looking for.

So, 17 inch it is, but what about width?

I'm looking at 8.5" wide, which should fit a 10.5-12.5" tire, and 4.5" or 5.0" of backspace

 

[Yellow1098]

Awesome feedback when it come s to wheeling....how about 17's or 10's with one of these 2inch lifts with 37's on the street?

 

[sass JT]

My extra .02¢

“Sunscreen” always have a bottle around. I burn easy and on the trails in Colorado being so high up it’s worse. Today I was up with the club, fixing Kingston peak trail to get it open, 11k high up...sun out... still got burnt with 3 applications...

“Sunscreen “ always in my ride...
Carry on gents.

-sass

 

[Just Schmidtin]

I'm looking at 8.5" wide, which should fit a 10.5-12.5" tire, and 4.5" or 5.0" of backspace

I was able to snag this while I was at local tire shop. Found it somewhat helpful.

 

[propkillr]

You guys are killing me! The best I can do to lift my Gladiator is to up grade to 265/70/17! Any other type lift and I’ll need a ladder! I have to throw my leg into my JK now, and don’t get me started on my poor 5’2” wife‍

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