i was wondering what's the best size tire for the 17" SE S/C wheel with a 2.5 inch lift. I dont want anything huge just a bit bigger than stock

265/70-17 is a nice size, pretty much a 32x10.50. It'll fit with little to no accomodation needed.

265/70-17 is a nice size, pretty much a 32x10.50. It'll fit with little to no accomodation needed.


so a 33" is too big then?

285/70-17 would be a 33x11.50 but you said you didn't want huge, just a big bigger than stock. Expect a fair bit of trimming.

285/70-17 would be a 33x11.50 but you said you didn't want huge, just a big bigger than stock. Expect a fair bit of trimming.


well i didnt know that 33" was considered huge. Im running 265/65-17s' right now and they look small. Do i need to worry about gear ratios as o go up in size as well?

Anything over 32" is "big" for an Xterra ;)
There's a guy running 36" tires w/ the same gears and a non-supercharged engine, and a few others running 35" tires. Re-gearing is highly recommended for 35s, but you can manage 33s with stock gearing without much suffering.