Stuffing Tires on a Leveled High Tide

[aus10dixon]

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have a 2025 High Tide (mainly Sport specs) and have been looking at what I can do with the stock 17x7.5 wheels. I like them, but they don't give you a ton of options with the 12.50 tire width being out of spec. I'll be adding a leveling kit—leaning toward the Rough Country 2.5" kit at the moment. After a lot of research, I'm looking at pairing that with 35x11.50R17 Nitto Recon Grapplers. I'm also considering 37x11.50R17s. Even with a Jeep, I like more of a stuffed tires stance as opposed to a larger fender-to-tire gap. That brings me to a few questions.

• Should I consider any other leveling kits?
• Does anyone have experience with 37s (11.5 width) on a Sport model using stock rims? I'd certainly regear at that size, but I'm wondering if the narrower tire rubs with the leveled stance.
• Should I blow it all up and go with some aftermarket 20s?

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[Camaroboi13]

Consider a daystar .75” rear spring spacer if you’re going to 37s, they’re pretty cheap. I found with 37s I would rub on big dips while the bed had a little weight in it. Not much, just scrubbed the fender liner. My wife’s JLU has 37s on stock wheels, and I used 1.5” wheel spacers because it was rubbing on the LCAs. Mind you they were also 12.5” wide so I can’t speak for 11.5s but you’ll probably still rub just a hair. The RC level is just fine, it’s just spacers brackets and end links, hard to screw those up.

 

[aus10dixon]

Thanks for the tip on the rear spacer. I wonder if a 3.5" kit would work out better.

I'm hoping the 11.5" width would keep me away from wheel spacers. I'm still researching that.

 

[Sandman 4x4]

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have a 2025 High Tide (mainly Sport specs) and have been looking at what I can do with the stock 17x7.5 wheels. I like them, but they don't give you a ton of options with the 12.50 tire width being out of spec. I'll be adding a leveling kit—leaning toward the Rough Country 2.5" kit at the moment. After a lot of research, I'm looking at pairing that with 35x11.50R17 Nitto Recon Grapplers. I'm also considering 37x11.50R17s. Even with a Jeep, I like more of a stuffed tires stance as opposed to a larger fender-to-tire gap. That brings me to a few questions.

• Should I consider any other leveling kits?
• Does anyone have experience with 37s (11.5 width) on a Sport model using stock rims? I'd certainly regear at that size, but I'm wondering if the narrower tire rubs with the leveled stance.
• Should I blow it all up and go with some aftermarket 20s?

Do not go with any wheels larger than the 17” you have now. Lower profile tires, even in 37” won’t have the off road advantage of any of the same overall diameter tires on a smaller 15, 16 or 17” wheels. The bigger wheels and tires are more expensive and heavier. Also in most instances the narrow tires have better dynamics on an off road especially in rain.

 

[aus10dixon]

Thanks for the feedback. I pivoted on the leveling kit and went with 1.5" Daystar pucks. I came across a video on YouTube of the truck below, and that stance is exactly what I'm looking for. It's almost perfectly level with just a hint of rake, and the wheels fill up the fender wells a little better than they do with the Rough Country kit.

Also, I'm going to roll with the 35s. There are about eight different options to choose from in 35x11.50R17, so that's my next decision. I want white letter tires. Only Venom Power offers those in that size, and I've been recommended to stay away from that brand. I'll have to get a couple of paint pens to take care of the letters myself.

 

[Jaxmax]

I’m a raised white letter guy , I’m one of the few at work with raised white letters on my company truck, be careful of what you decide, I’m almost 69 and wheel more now then I even did with my 46 CJ2A, meeting up with others on this forum has been great, but raised white letters and wheeling are not compatible. I also went from factory 11.5” tires on my Mojave to 10.5” tires love the steering feel , lighter weight and they do fine wheeling. This picture shows what some wheeling in New Hampshire was like, look closely you will see my wheel scratched up by the round now shiny rock , my wheel is a better Badge of Honor then the ones on side of my truck. Nice looking Glady you have going on …..Jack

 

[aus10dixon]

I’m a raised white letter guy , I’m one of the few at work with raised white letters on my company truck, be careful of what you decide, I’m almost 69 and wheel more now then I even did with my 46 CJ2A, meeting up with others on this forum has been great, but raised white letters and wheeling are not compatible. I also went from factory 11.5” tires on my Mojave to 10.5” tires love the steering feel , lighter weight and they do fine wheeling. This picture shows what some wheeling in New Hampshire was like, look closely you will see my wheel scratched up by the round now shiny rock , my wheel is a better Badge of Honor then the ones on side of my truck. Nice looking Glady you have going on …..Jack

The only off-roading I'll be doing is in mud or on flat trails. I shouldn't be doing anything that will scuff up the wheels or tires.

I didn't realize it before, but Toyo has a 35x10.50R17 tire. I'll have to consider that one, too. The dealer actually packaged my High Tide with mud terrains, but I need a little more beef on those wheels.

 

[Jaxmax]

Mickey Thompson also makes pizza cutter 35” tire AT or MT , that is liked by many here, gives you the lifted look but not too much poke .

 

[Camaroboi13]

You could really stuff the wheel wells and just go straight to leveled on 37s

 

[aus10dixon]

Mickey Thompson also makes pizza cutter 35” tire AT or MT , that is liked by many here, gives you the lifted look but not too much poke .

I had considered those. They look good, but they're really more like 34s. If there weren't so many options at 35x11.50, I probably would've ordered the Bajas already.

You could really stuff the wheel wells and just go straight to leveled on 37s

That looks amazing, but the more I look into it, the more I don't think I can do that with 37s and the stock wheels. I think I'd have to use wheel spacers, and I'm not a fan of those.

 

[ChrisNLA]

It sounds like you've settled on a look, but my thoughts regardless:

12.50 tires fit fine on stock wheels. It doesn't pass the manufacturers smell check, but they fit. My buddy (and many others) have thousand upon thousands of miles with this setup with no issues. Skinny tires work great though, and don't hurt you on MPG as much - so your choice is legit.

Wheel spacers are perfectly safe. Don't buy cheap ones, only a reputable brand. Our group has collectively put a couple hundred thousand miles on wheel spacers (offroading them as well) with no issues. My previous Jeep had them for 50K miles, and even my Camaro SS has 1" spacers all the way around.

Also there is a large population of 3/4 ton trucks running around the LP with wheel spacers Usually missing the back half of the lift kit.

 

[Stan H]

My previous Jeep

My Precious Jeep


Yeah thats me

 

[Kiwi Jason]

I don't usually post, but it was interesting to see the white Gladiator similar to my own. I was new to Jeeps when I bought my 2021 Sport, but after a while I decided that I looked like a dashund and needed longer legs. I went with 17x9.5 Black Rhino wheels and Maxxis 35x12.5R17 RAZR AT tyres, plus Xtreme Gravel Gear 2.5-inch Pro shocks. We don't have much rock crawling where I am, but I've done almost everything else imaginable in terms of offroading. I learned the hard way that I needed to upgrade the steering components after getting death wobbles when several thousand miles away from home. I went with Metalcloak everything, and decided to get the Undercloak armouring system as well. Then the brakes wore out early and I swapped them with Powerbrake big brakes. I think I'm all sorted now, and haven't had any trouble since. I've seen all the talk about 37s and 40s but have had no trouble with my 35s. I've attached a couple of pictures.

 

[aus10dixon]

It sounds like you've settled on a look, but my thoughts regardless:

12.50 tires fit fine on stock wheels. It doesn't pass the manufacturers smell check, but they fit. My buddy (and many others) have thousand upon thousands of miles with this setup with no issues. Skinny tires work great though, and don't hurt you on MPG as much - so your choice is legit.

Wheel spacers are perfectly safe. Don't buy cheap ones, only a reputable brand. Our group has collectively put a couple hundred thousand miles on wheel spacers (offroading them as well) with no issues. My previous Jeep had them for 50K miles, and even my Camaro SS has 1" spacers all the way around.

Good advice, thanks.

Also there is a large population of 3/4 ton trucks running around the LP with wheel spacers Usually missing the back half of the lift kit.

Brother, don't I know—squatted with the wheel lights.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Brother, don't I know—squatted with the wheel lights.

Was in Hammond the other night - saw a Tacoma with wheel lights. Did such a bad job the wires were dragging the ground.

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