Tire size and clearance 97 - 06

There have been numerous threads about what tire sizes can be mounted with no lift, 2" lift, and 4" lift, etc. Maybe it would be helpful to have one thread to document what people have.


New Wranglers can be purchased from the factory with either 30x9.5R15, or the Goodyear MT/R 245/75R16. Doing the math, the MT/R comes out to 30.46x9.64. This is without suspension modification.

If you have a larger tire and/or lift, post here so others can have a reference.

I'm running 33x12.50R15LT ProComps with a 4" lift on my TJ, and I have about 7" of clearance between the top of the tire and the bottom of the fender flare. Plenty of clearance for me.

I've got 31" x 10.5" on a stock TJ(Sahara). I get some tire rub with steering close to lock, and the tires get close to the fenders when flexed. No rubs on the rear tires at max compression.

I am running the same as JeeperRich, 31x10.50's on a Sahara with no lift, just a little rubbing when turning sharp, so I just don't do it and it's fine.

I'm running 33x12.5 on my 1995. I have a 2.5 in suspension lift with 1 inch shackles. I'm running 15x8 wheels with a depper offset to avoid rubbing. I have almost 5 inches from top of my fender to tire and I took off my rear flares. No rubbing anywhere no matter where I drive.

I run 31" x 10½" on a stock 97 Sahara. The fronts did rub during tight turns, so I shimmed the turn stops with two washers and now they don't rub at all...still very good turning radius. No rub on the fenders, front or back. This is a great setup, especially with the 4.0L!

I am running 33x12.5x15 TrXus M/Ts on AR 767 wheels with 3.75" backspacing on a 2004 Jeep TJ with a 2" budget boost and a 1" body lift without any issues at all. Even under full-flex with the front swaybar disconnected I can stuff the tires and not rub whatsoever.

When I bought my 98 Sahara, it came with 33x12.5x15's without a lift (it was used), don't shoot me, I didn't know any better at the time. Let's just say I had no turning radius, and curbs gave me troubles. They're most likely the reason why my stab arms went out. On the plus side though, I got free miles since my spedo wan't recalibrated either.

Well, I got rid of those tires and now have 30x9.5x15's, and I have no troubles.

I was running 31x10.5x15 on a 2002 TJ with no rub at all. Clearance during flex was a problem. In stalled 2 inch left no problem.

Just found this reference......

http://www.800-923-jeep.com/techCorner/tires.cfm

:thumbsup:

I am running a 31 10.50 on my wrangler with a 2 in coil spacer lift and I have no problems, clearance is good under flex

At the beggining of the year JP did an article in which they stuck 35" 12.50"s under a factory no lift TJ. It was a 2 piece article, very interesting.

:naughty: 95 YJ 3.5 BDS lift ,m.o.r.e. 1/4 in boomerang shackle on rear and BFG 33x12.50 AT .
No problem with this setup....33s are the biggest I'll go right now, due to the dana 30 & 35

im running 31 x 10.5's on my stock 1990 wrangler yj no rubs at all

I running BFG AT KOs 31x10.5 with a 2.5 Rubicon express lift and 1" body lift. Still have stock rims so I had some rubbing at full turn, added a couple of washer to my steering stops to fix that til I get new rims
:biggrin:

I've got a 2000 TJ with 4" lift. I had 33x12.5 on 15x8 rims with around 3.5" of backspacing and no rubbing anywhere. I just switched to 35x13.5 on 15x10 rims and same backspacing. I trimmed the front fenders, increasing the arch where the tire was hitting and keeping the reflector at the front corner and now have no rubbing at all front or back.

I'm running 33x12.5x15 with a 4" lift on a '99 TJ. Some rub on fender flares in extreme flex situations, otherwise no problems and great clearance.

There have been numerous threads about what tire sizes can be mounted with no lift, 2" lift, and 4" lift, etc. Maybe it would be helpful to have one thread to document what people have.


New Wranglers can be purchased from the factory with either 30x9.5R15, or the Goodyear MT/R 245/75R16. Doing the math, the MT/R comes out to 30.46x9.64. This is without suspension modification.

If you have a larger tire and/or lift, post here so others can have a reference.


I have a 98 Wrangler TJ with a 4" Super Lift. I was able to put 33 X12.5
BF Goodrich M/T with no problems.. I was told that if I wanted to go with the 35" tires I would need to put a 2" body lift also.

Ok so if i read this right I am going to get new tires in a week or so and Im thinking about getting 31 x 10.5's I should be ok with a stock 01 for moderate offroad?? I have american racing rims are they better than stock? Or should I go with 30's to be safe? I am getting a 2.5 or 3" lift soon after will 30's look funny with that lift?

Yes they will fit but they could rub under flexing and tight turns. i would put a 2 inch coil spacer lift on if i were you cause then you would have good clearence on the tires on and off the road. i had 31 1050 on mine when i got it with stock hight and it went down the road fine but when i was wheelin i was getting all kinds of rub i thought i was gunna rip the fenders off. so if you plan on going off road you need the 2 inch lift if not going off road with them go for it. This is my advice
By the way the coil spacers are not hard at all to install a monkey could do it.
~Justin

Ok so if i read this right I am going to get new tires in a week or so and Im thinking about getting 31 x 10.5's I should be ok with a stock 01 for moderate offroad?? I have american racing rims are they better than stock? Or should I go with 30's to be safe? I am getting a 2.5 or 3" lift soon after will 30's look funny with that lift?

If you get 31s, with no lift, you are better staying with the stock wheels. The backspacing on most aftermarket wheels kick the tire out too far and it will rub the flare while flexed. Ideally you want about 5" of back space on an 8" wheel to run 31s with no lift. 31s and no lift shouldnt rub the flare with stock wheels. They may rub the lower control arm a little but thats an easy fix by adding a washer under the steering stop.
I think it will look funny with 30s and a lift. The 31s may even look funny with 3" of lift.
I agree with the post above about getting a simple spacer lift to run with the 31s, not because of the rubbing issue, but because a spacer lift looks nicely proportioned with 31s and for moderate wheeling, it does very well. If you like wheeling theres no doubt you will eventually want to run 33s, then you can step up to a nice 3 or 4 inch lift and tackle all the problems related to that.

If you get 31s, with no lift, you are better staying with the stock wheels. The backspacing on most aftermarket wheels kick the tire out too far and it will rub the flare while flexed. Ideally you want about 5" of back space on an 8" wheel to run 31s with no lift. 31s and no lift shouldnt rub the flare with stock wheels. They may rub the lower control arm a little but thats an easy fix by adding a washer under the steering stop.
I think it will look funny with 30s and a lift. The 31s may even look funny with 3" of lift.
I agree with the post above about getting a simple spacer lift to run with the 31s, not because of the rubbing issue, but because a spacer lift looks nicely proportioned with 31s and for moderate wheeling, it does very well. If you like wheeling theres no doubt you will eventually want to run 33s, then you can step up to a nice 3 or 4 inch lift and tackle all the problems related to that.


Thanks for the advice very helpful I think I am going to go with the 31's for now I need tires asap (I popped one the other day offroad) as far as the coil spacers What do you think about these? http://www.4wd.com/newsite/shop/productdetail.asp?pid=910325 or http://www.rocky-road.com/jeepbudget.html

Is that what you are talking about? Or is there something better. I kinda need to be cheap right now until I can get a real lift. Those tires are going to take a pretty big chunck out of my wallet too!!

Ok I just checked on the rims I have and it looks like I have about -1". They are A.R. Outlaw II's 15x8. Thats not enough to run 31's stock huh? I have a 2" coil spacer on order from rocky road also, so that will help right?


http://www.americanracing.com/wheels/details.asp?wheelid=8&name=Outlaw%20II&style=62&desc=1-piece%20alloy,%20clear%20coated&section=ORT#

Ok I just checked on the rims I have and it looks like I have about -1". They are A.R. Outlaw II's 15x8. Thats not enough to run 31's stock huh? I have a 2" coil spacer on order from rocky road also, so that will help right?


http://www.americanracing.com/wheels/details.asp?wheelid=8&name=Outlaw%20II&style=62&desc=1-piece%20alloy,%20clear%20coated&section=ORT#

With that offset (back space of 3.75) I dont know what size tire you have now but I'll bet a 31X10.50 sticks out past the edge of the flare. When flexed with the front sway bar disconnected, theres a good chance it'll catch the flare.
Nothing wrong with 4WD or RR stuff. Here are the things you will need in a spacer kit. Obviously the spacers, extended bump stops but only if you stay with 3.75 BS wheels and longer shocks or shock extentions (ie. RR kit). Another item some kits include is a rear trackbar relocation bracket. This isnt needed but is a nice feature. Even if you use stock, or close to stock BSed wheels, you may consider extended bumpstops because they will save your stock springs over the long run, not a big deal if you will be going bigger in a while anyway.

QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS: I currently have 31x10.50 BFG All Terrains on my YJ. I put bigger shackles on when I got the tires but they only give about an inch and I really want to put a suspension lift on. My question is, should I go with a 2" (or 2.5") lift? Would a 3" or 4" look goofy with 31x10.50 tires? I'm definitley not going any bigger on the tires because I only have a 4 cyl engine with a (gag!) automatic transmission. I'm cool with only a 2.5" suspension lift but for some reason they seem to be a hundred or so dollars more than what I can get a 4" for--probably since the 4" is much more common. What do you guys think? And if anyone happens to have any photos of a 3" or 4" lift with 31x10.50's I would love to see them.

hey ratpack what is your e mail ill send you pics of 31:1250's with a 2.5 lift

Heres my YJ back when it had 31s. It this pic, its got between 4"-5" lift. brand new RE 4.5" extreme duty lift on it.


http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f13/bnrhuffman/February1720063.jpg

Hey Macdad 626, my email is [email protected] and I would love to see those pics. Thanks man.

And Ray H, thanks for the pic. That lift looks pretty nice, and it looks like you got a green and tan Rio Grande just like I do. Thanks again man.

I have 33 x 12.5 on my 01' Wrangler. I don't have any lift kit (don't go off roading so it's not an issue). The tires rub when you turn the wheel full clock, which is only really in tight parking space situations.

I just threw some Mickey Thompson Baja Belted 34x11.50 R16's on my 05 Rubicon's factory 16x8s. I'm runnin4.5" coils, it scrubs at full lock, and when I disconnect the sway bar.

I have a 97 TJ Sport
2.5" rancho lift and I have 33x12.50x15 tires on stock sport rims. I had to put a 5/16" spacer on the rears to keep from rubbing but other than that, they are perfect. Even when aired down to 10lbs with swaybar disconnects and even under full suspension compresion I get hardly any rubbing

:naughty: 95 YJ 3.5 BDS lift ,m.o.r.e. 1/4 in boomerang shackle on rear and BFG 33x12.50 AT .
No problem with this setup....33s are the biggest I'll go right now, due to the dana 30 & 35


i think 33's are even too big for the 30 and 35. last night my friend with a 94 yj with a 3" lift and 33's snapped his axle under moderate acceleration. i always thought 31's were the biggest you should go with those axles.

2006 LJ with an R.E. 4.5 SA Super Flex kit and running 33x12.50's on 15x8 3.75 black steelies.

Lift actually gives me about 5" and the Procomp XTerrains are a full 33" not 32.25" like a lot of tires.

I have no problems with rub even at full stuff and the R.E. kit works incredible.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l207/kreationkrawlers/Trail-Runs/2006-sep-30_Tacos-test-run/DSC09305-640.jpg

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l207/kreationkrawlers/Trail-Runs/2006-sep-30_Tacos-test-run/DSC09386-640.jpg

I own a 2000 TJ SE(?) with a 2.5L engine
I bought it used with a 2" body lift, 2" coil spacers, and 30x9.50r15 bfg's (small)

I have many questions, but these stay on topic:

I want to put 35x12.50r15 on it, how much more lift do I need to get them to fit?

Are they going to eat my fenders (or tires) if i dont add more?

What kind of offset do I need in the rim?

I'm trying to keep it cheep and efective.

I've yet to do any "real" 4wheelin, and other then the one trail up at Courtwright Reservoir (CA), I've been to Pismo Beach (CA) to hit the dunes :)

I hope to get in a club or something soon cause none of my friends have 4x4's (though im always reminding them they need to buy a wrangler lol)

Just a little advice. If you want to keep it "cheap and effective" dont put 35s on it. That 4 cyl wont be worth a darn with the stock gearing and 35s. You will not be happy with it unless you regear it, (read, no longer cheap). You will be pushing the capabilities of the stock rear axle with 35s (no longer cheap).
My point is , theres alot more to building an effective and usable Jeep then throwing big tires on it.
To answer your question, you can probably buy some 3" lift springs and clear 35" fine with the 2" body lift. Keep in mind, your Jeep will be all show and no go (literaly) if you dont take the drivetrain into consideration. I know thats not waht you want to hear but Im affraid is you slap some big tires on it and thats all, your Jeep will be for sale shortly after because it just wont be any fun to drive. Ive seen it before, people think they can put tires on and its ready to go, they find out that its not worth a crap and its no longer fun to drive, then its in the classifieds before the tits wear off the tires.
Whats the history on the Jeep? If you bought it lifted, is it possible its been regeared on has something other than stock axles? Or is this a case where someone stuck the cheapest lift they could find on it and big tires only to find out that it didnt work, hence, For Sale

Yeah 35's are too big ... for now :devil:
Maybe 33's with a good offset rim to fit the 12.50
I need to take it slow and do some wheelin with what I got, thats cheap and effective. lol

I'm starting this thred for my TJ http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=4899822#post4899822

I have a '98 with a 3.5" spring lift and a 2" body lift. I'm running 35's on 15x8 aftermarket steel rims. I don't have any rubbing issues but should I be afraid of snapping axles?

I have a stock 97 TJ with 2.5. Is there any problem running a 31x10.5 on a stock 15x8 rim? I don't plan to take it off road, mostly just tool around town.

http://images.autotrader.com/images/2007/8/23/228/987/2730835087.228987517.IM1.MAIN.240x180_A.240x180.jp g (http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/img_popup.jsp?car_id=228987517)

I have a stock 97 TJ with 2.5. Is there any problem running a 31x10.5 on a stock 15x8 rim? I don't plan to take it off road, mostly just tool around town.

http://images.autotrader.com/images/2007/8/23/228/987/2730835087.228987517.IM1.MAIN.240x180_A.240x180.jp g (http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/img_popup.jsp?car_id=228987517)

No big problems. You will see a drop in power because of the added weight and circumference of the larger tires and the front tires may rub the lower control arms on tight turns depending on what tires you run. Thats an easy fix. Just add a washer to the steering stops.
BTW, the wheels in the picture are 15X7 wheels and not 15X8. My appologies if you have a set of 15X8 wheels you plan to use.

Thanks, I do have a set of 15x8, the pic has the 15x7 and I don't really like the look of them. I may go with a 30x9.5x15 so not to lose as much power and just eliminate any rubbing possiblities.

http://a536.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/79/l_a45ccb1c93cbcbabbde11430ff8e4707.jpg
http://a851.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/114/l_bfe3ee02853a8fae80a6300301146152.jpg
2" coil spacers 2" body and 30x9.50 15's stock rims

http://a490.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/114/l_417b44064be08911bdd849c2e0f1b8d1.jpg
32X11.50R15 on stealies
Rubs hard at full lock.
Can't wait to try them out

Originally Posted by MoDoggie (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=414314)
should I be afraid of snapping axles?
Originally Posted by Ray H (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=380780)
You will be pushing the capabilities of the stock rear axle with 35s I think that it whould be something to worry about

Okay, so I'm gonna add another question regarding tire size capability. I have a TJ sport and I'm really wanting to put a 2" body lift on it and add bigger tires. Start small and work you way up, is what I've learned. I'm running stock with 32's on it right now and it does fine. I haven't been able to go 4 wheelin yet. I, hopefully, will do a lot this summer. How big on the tires can I go and if you want to share some tricks or secrets about installing the lift that would help too. I'm helping a mechanic buddy do the lift install and want to cover anything he might forget, etc.

Just be careful because when I put bigger tires on my 2000 wrangler, it really effected the brakes and I just couldn't stop fast enough often.

Im using 33 x 12.5 in my Wrangler and best too.

Hello does anybody know what other rims fit jeep wrangler like ford, chevy, etc

Explorer is 5x4.5 but I don't think you want those rims lol, you want the whole axle. D35=FAIL, 8.8 FTW

40s on 4" of lift + 1.25" BL?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/flatlander757/Jeep%20stuff/1%20ton%20build/DSCF1451.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/flatlander757/Jeep%20stuff/1%20ton%20build/DSCF1450.jpg

I have a 2005 stock jeep wrangler X that i currently have 31 by 10.50 r15s under and have never had a problem with even while 4wheeling. I bought some 33 by 12.50s online and went to have them put on and they acted like they would never work. I feel that there is enough room short of turning real hard or tough 4wheeling. Does anyone have the same tires stock on their jeep?

I run 33/12.5R15 Goodyear Duratrac and have a 4" Superlift with lots of clearance in fact I could run 35's with the same set up on my 03 TJ.
I might add I have 8" offset rims on these tires