Stock height XJ largest tire

scrubber3

scrubber3

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2009
Location
Fayetteville, NC
First let me preface this with the fact that I will not be doing heavy rock crawling or technical trails with this. I will however encounter slick mud and water crossings with a little trail run here and there. Also, my search-foo is weak.

Looking for the biggest size tire I can run on a stock height XJ 4 door 4x4. I don't mind cutting but would like to know my options. Need mud tires obviously. This is my first Jeep period. I've done the offroad scene before with a different manufacturer.

Your help will be much appreciated! Happy new year!
 
235/75-15 - no rubs @ stock height
30x9.5 - light rub
31x10.5 - rub heavy and will rub control arms with stock wheels. Offset wheels or spacers will remedy the CA rub. If the rear is sagged, it will about rub at ride height.

That's best I remember.
 
Go on Facebook and check out club xj. You'll get all kinds of good XJ info there..
 
Jeff B said:
Go on Facebook and check out club xj. You'll get all kinds of good XJ info there..
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I would but I don't Facebook. The only social media I do is on forums.

Im thinking about how I could run 33 12.5 15s stock with appropriate offset rims, adjusting/ cutting body as needed. Or at least 32s..

I would absolutely love to fit 35s as I feel it would look gnarly. Since this is not my DD, I don't care about gas mileage or cutting it up a bit. Though, the interior is in excellent shape with working AC, no leaks, new radiator, alternator, starter, engine seals, and stuff.

Having said that, the springs, and shocks all need replacing. As well as the entire rear axle assembly since it has bad pinion bearing and carrier bearings. So I guess I could run a lift and just do it right.

Not looking to spend a whole bunch, but I do need a new rear end and I'd like to fit fat tires on it.
Just thinking out loud here... collective ideas and stuff...

The picture below isn't mine of course but I don't mind cutting into mine like this. I like the look of this one and think with enough cutting and using the lowest lift possible to fit at least a 35, I can get it close.
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scrubber3 said:
I would but I don't Facebook. The only social media I do is on forums.

Im thinking about how I could run 33 12.5 15s stock with appropriate offset rims, adjusting/ cutting body as needed. Or at least 32s..

I would absolutely love to fit 35s as I feel it would look gnarly. Since this is not my DD, I don't care about gas mileage or cutting it up a bit. Though, the interior is in excellent shape with working AC, no leaks, new radiator, alternator, starter, engine seals, and stuff.

Having said that, the springs, and shocks all need replacing. As well as the entire rear axle assembly since it's a D35 with bad pinion bearing and carrier bearings. So I guess I could run a lift and just do it right.

Not looking to spend a whole bunch, but I do need a new rear end and I'd like to fit fat tires on it.
Just thinking out loud here... collective ideas and stuff...

The picture below isn't mine of course but I don't mind cutting into mine like this. I like the look of this one and think with enough cutting and using the lowest lift possible to fit at least a 35, I can get it close.
5f8515e36638ab89236de50a067f4c8f.jpg
Click to expand...

In my opinion, the terms running 35s on an xj and not looking to spend a whole bunch dont really go together.

Not saying you have to spend a fortune to do it, just lots of factory parts that wont hold up to abuse with that size tire......
 
Parents have a '97 XJ to run around the farm...stock wheels, suspension, etc...235/75/15 tires fill the fenders pretty good w/o any rubbing. 31's would be pretty snug stock...FWIW
 
72Rockcruiser said:
Are you familiar with the science of metals?
Click to expand...
If you're asking if I can weld and do a little fab, the answer is yes. I got out of the army after 8 years and turned wrenches for over a decade after. Do I understand the limits of metal? Yes. Metal fatigue? Yes. The science of metals? Sure. Im aware I'd need larger axles and lower gearing.

Experience trumps all as we know and I have little expertise when it comes to jeeps in general. If this was a toyota or Mitsubishi, I'd be all over it.
 
Having owned many, many toyotas and lots of other Japanese trucks over the years......

I guess what I was trying to say, was that the jeep wont handle the largest tires you can stuff under it like most Japanese trucks will.
 
Not a xj but I ran 34x11.50x15 on stock zj with a lot of trimming, did run into having tires rub inside fenders etc tho can always add 2”pucks up front and shackles in rear to clear 33 nicely if not going hardcore and it looks good imo!
 
a_kelley said:
235/75-15 - no rubs @ stock height
30x9.5 - light rub
31x10.5 - rub heavy and will rub control arms with stock wheels. Offset wheels or spacers will remedy the CA rub. If the rear is sagged, it will about rub at ride height.

That's best I remember.
Click to expand...

That is good detailed info IMHO!

scrubber3 said:
Having said that, the springs, and shocks all need replacing. As well as the entire rear axle assembly since it's a D35 with bad pinion bearing and carrier bearings. So I guess I could run a lift and just do it right.

Not looking to spend a whole bunch, but I do need a new rear end and I'd like to fit fat tires on it.
Just thinking out loud here... collective ideas and stuff...
Click to expand...

I would highly suggest going with a 3" lift at least if you want 35's. a 12.50 tire almost rubs the leaf springs on a stock rim and does rub in the rear on flex and the control arms when turning. You will break stock axles with 35's eventually too. So with 35's you are looking at cromo shafts front and rear a traction bar if you dont want to break things in the axles and driveshafts all the time. Again Just my .02
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm thinking maybe I should run 32s and raise it maybe an inch.
 
Thread is worthless with out pictures lol

First picture: top is 3.5inch lift with jk rubi tires and wheels with g2 wheel adapters. Fenders un touched. Bottom picture of the same jeep stock tires. 225s I think

Second picture: fenders cut and folded.

Third picture: driver front and passenger wheel stuffed.

Before i removed my fender flares and cut folded my fenders they would rub the flares extremly badely on the sightless uneven ground but they do not rub control arms or leafs.

Hope you found this helpful
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31x10.50 MTRs, 3 inch lift and it took a ton of cutting to clear them properly. You can see the front cut and there's no structure left in the rear inner fenders.
 
Bone stock worn out suspension and 31x10.50r15 on stock 15x7 wheels. Lots of cutting. I trimmed just above the highest fender lip for the flares. I had to move the rear inner fender up and weld it back to the quarter panel. Tires rub the control arms and a part of the unibody up front. Rears rub the inner fenders when stuffed on one side and drooped on the other. Spacers would fix the rubbing. Could probably fit a skinny 32 or 33 but it would be tight.

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Thanks for all the replies! All very helpful. Just pulled a nice C8.25 from sandhills pick and pull. I have to replace all springs and shocks so I'll likely end up going with a 3-4 inch lift, 15 inch wheels with a 4" offset, 33 10.5s. Or 32 12.5. Gonna cut the fenders and remove the front bumper ends until I can find a good winch bumper.
 
I would recommend rubicon express 3.5 super ride. That's the lift I'm running and it comes with everything you will need with or with out shocks.

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Thinking about going with rubicon Express 3.5 lift. 33 13.5 15 Interco STS back spacing of 4.5 inches. Cutting fenders and hammering what needs it. Then go from there.
 
The 13.50 will need a shallow backspaced wheel to stay off the control arms

With blown out front coils and 1.25" spacers (essentially stock height), my 235/75s rub both the control arms and the swaybar. And I can cram them into the trimmed fenders that I about 2" off of the whole radius of the fender line.
 
scrubber3 said:
Thinking about going with rubicon Express 3.5 lift. 33 13.5 15 Interco STS back spacing of 4.5 inches. Cutting fenders and hammering what needs it. Then go from there.
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Super ride or super flex? Only difference are the control arms I believe.

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scrubber3 said:
First let me preface this with the fact that I will not be doing heavy rock crawling or technical trails with this. I will however encounter slick mud and water crossings with a little trail run here and there. Also, my search-foo is weak.

Looking for the biggest size tire I can run on a stock height XJ 4 door 4x4. I don't mind cutting but would like to know my options. Need mud tires obviously. This is my first Jeep period. I've done the offroad scene before with a different manufacturer.

Your help will be much appreciated! Happy new year!
Click to expand...
Is it 1999 again?!

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