So here’s the dilema. You’ve just bought a brand new 2007 Jeep JK Wrangler and now you’re wanting to install a set of bigger tires on it. Only problem is, the factory wheels that come on the JK Wranglers have 6.25″ of back spacing and depending on how wide the tires you want to install are, you’ll most likely have some rubbing problems at a full turn up front and a good chance that you’ll get some rubbing of the side walls on the rear sway bar as well.
Typically, your best option would be to get a set of new wheels that have less back spacing on them. However, with the new and uncommon 5×5 bolt pattern that Jeep decided to use on the new Jeep JK Wranglers, you’re left with a slim selection of wheels to choose from. Of course, this is to say nothing about the people out there who love the look of the factroy aluminum wheels and would prefer to keep them. What is one to do?
Well, thanks to Spidertrax Off Road and the high quality wheel spacers and adapters they are making for the new Jeep JK Wrangler, you now have options to choose from. For those of you who want to run bigger tires on your factory wheels, Spidertrax is now manufacturing a set of 1.5″ wheels spacers that will effectively reduce the amount of backspacing your factory wheels have to 4.75″. And, for those of you who are looking to install a set of aftermarket wheels but would love to take advantage of all the other wheel designs available out there, Spidertrax is now also manufacturing a set of 1.375″ wheel adapters that will convert your existing 5×5 bolt pattern to a more common 5×4.5 or 5×5.5 bolt pattern. Need I say, both the wheel spacers and wheel adapters will give you more than enough room to install a nice big tire like a 33×12.50 or bigger… depending on the amount of suspension lift you have of course.
All Spidertrax wheel spacers and wheel adapters have a wheel and hub centric design, are made out of 6061 T6 anodized blue aluminum for corrosion resistance and come with pre-installed wheel studs, lugnuts, and Red Loctite.
Eddie
Special Thanks: I would like to thank Spidertrax and Northridge4x4 for providing this exclusive press release.
FYI: Spidertrax Jeep JK Wrangler wheel spacers and adapters can be purchased at Northridge4x4 and Quadratec.
Would I need to lift my jeep with the 33×12.5 tires? Or will I be fine with the stock suspention and/or bodylift? And I will not be doing any hard off roading. Just driving in the snow.
you should be able to get by without a lift. a 1″ body lift will definetly clear your tires.
G’day Eddie,
I have an ’07 wrangler unlimited rubicon and want to run 35×12.5×17 tyres and am looking at cragar 17×9 rim with 5 inch’s of backspacing. I also have the skyjacker 4 inch lift.
I read that 4.5 is recommended but can i get away with this rim with only 5 inchs of backspacing. Will i have rubbing issues?
Will .5 of an inch make that much difference?
your comments much appreciated
Thanks
Ben
Hi,
I have a 2007 X Unlimted JK, will the 16″ wheels from a 2001 WJ fit it?
I’m ordering an ’09 Unlimited Rubicon JK. I’d like to lift it and put some new bumpers on. Unfortunately, I don’t have the $$ to do everything all at once. Am I ok putting on that extra weight (front bumper with winch, rear bumper with oversize tire carrier) BEFORE I lift my jeep…or will the weight cause rubbing…necessitating me to do bigger tires and lift first?
ben, you should be fine with 5″ of BS.
Billy Jo, i believe that it might as WJ’s should have 5×5 bolt patterns but the BS might keep you from running them.
Jeff, you should be just fine as is.
I have a 2008 Wrangler unlimited x that I have already lifted. I am running 35×12.50 on an 18″ rim with a 2.5″ lift. Due to the slim picking of 18″ tires I was wondering if I can run a 15×10 rim on this jeep.
Thanks
sure you can run a 15×10 but if you plan on taking your jeep off road, you will run the risk of busting a bead when aired down.
I have a 08 sahara with the stock 18″ wheels and tires. I want to put in a lift, i’m looking at the 2.5″ BB and the 4″ rough country lift. Which one would be better to run 35×12.5 tires without rubbing. I don’t do alot of off road but don’t want it to rubb when i do. Will I have to change my drive shafts with the 4″ and I have 3.71 gears will this be ok or would I lose alot of power. Also I’m looking at 15×10 wheels with 3.75 back spacing do to the cost of 18″ wheels and tires. would these wheels work or what would i need to use. I also have the air pressure sensors in the tires factory what do I need to do with this when changing out wheels. Thank you for your info. and time it will help alot of help.
hey eric, if you have an automatic, you might want to stick with the 2.5″ BB. if you go any taller than that, you will end up tearing off your front drive shaft boot on the transmission. also, with 3.73 gears, you will loose some power once you get on your 35’s but for around town, it’ll be fine. on the highway and climbing up long grades, it will suck. as far as wheels go, you might want to consider going with 17″ as they are more common and you will have a better selection to choose from. and, regarding the TPMS, there really isn’t a whole lot you can do about them.
with the sahara 08 i have a 6 speed manual, sorry i forgot to mention that before, does this make a difference? I don’t really want to buy new drive shafts but don’t want problems if i put in the 4″ lift. What gear ratio would you recommend with 35″. The TPMS wont be affected by adding larger tires than, just not sure how it works on new vehicles. I have been looking at the Mickey Thompson ATZ have you heard anything about these or should i just go with the BFG all terrians. Thanks again for your help…
I just got a Sahara 4 dr ’07.I need to know what is the largest tire I can put under it w/out a body lift?
32″ without any modification. 33 will give you a little rubbing at a full flex.
I would love to install the spacers instead of getting new wheels but I’m concerned about safety. What is the correct way to install them and how often do I have to check them.
trust me, they are perfectly safe. i run a set on both my jk and tj and have not had any problems. just make sure that you use the red lock tite that is included, install the lug nuts in a star pattern and tighten them to 95-100 ft. lbs. of torque just like you would your wheels. then, install your wheels on to them in the same manner. check them after about a 100 miles with a torque wrench set at 95 ft. lbs. of torque. none of the nuts should turn but if any do, re-apply lock tite to it and re-install it to the same torque setting. after that, you can check them one a tire rotation.
Hey Eddie…man this site helps a ton!
Got a ’07 4-door Rubicon that I want to upgrade with a 2.5″ Teraflex BB. Will that be sufficient enough to throw on 35×12.50R15LT tires with 18×9 rims (5×5 bolt pattern) with 4.53 BS?
Thanks so much!!!
yes, and with 4.53″ of BS, you will not need wheel spacers.
Hey, Edddie
i love this info Highway for jeeps.
I am probly gonna ask a repeated question to u but i could not find it while reading the forum.
o7 wrangler x unlimt. 411 gears stock
going with 2″ lift and new high end Shocks. would my truck handle 35″ tires i like the pro comp. x a/t’s
curently on jeep is 17″ rims stock .
i read the cragar rims are great are those allum. or steel i should get . and what should i use and will i be ok . ?
for rims size and tires with that lift thank you
hey charlie,
first off, the gears you have are 4.10 and not 11. 😉 2nd, yes, your jeep should be able to handle the 35’s okay but you might want to install a 1″ body lift as you will have rubbing issues at a flex without it. regarding the crager wheels, they are steel and while they are fine, you can always just keep the wheels you have now and run them with spcers like these.
eddie , Thank you
Great on the info .
Thnk you again
will tell you how it comes out when finished ..
I just purchased a 2008 jk 4 door with the 16 inch rims. I am putting the 2.5 inch teraflex budget boost lift kit on the vehicle. I will be keeping the stock rims and putting 295 75r16 Nitto Tera Grapplers on instead. They are 11.73 inches wide. Would I need to use wheel spacers so they do not rub. And a little off subject, have you heard anything about these tires. I will be on road more than off road, but want tires that can handle off road if needed.
i personally would recommend installing a set. without them, you might be able to clear your rear sway bar but it will be tight. also, you will definitely get rubbing at a full turn without them. as far as the tires go, sorry, i have no experience with them so i can’t say one way or another.
I am now considering buying new rims as my stock rims are not wide enough. In a prior post you told someone to get 17 inch rim instead of an 18 inch rim as the tires are more prevalent. What is your opinion on 16 inch rims. I do not want to get a rim that I will have to replace in a couple years because they do not make as many tires in 16 inch as they do now. Also the two rims I am looking at have 4.5 and 4.75 inch back spacing. I won’t need spacers any longer even up to a 12.5 inch width?
personally, i would stick with the 17’s as they are a good size to go with and about the same price range for tires compared to a 16. regarding back spacing, you will not need spacers with 4.75″ of back spacing or less.
Morning , Hey Eddie well the 2″ spacer kit was great moving up now to the 3.5″ Rock Krawler Susp. Kit
Looks like i can finally get my 35″ tires LOL
.. Kit was on sale at 4 wheel drive for 474.00 so fits budget, any reviews on the kit or problems . have you heard of ? couple people tell me that the Rock Krawler kits are top notch and heavy duty meant to last .
Thank you again talk with ya soon .
while i have no experience with their kits, i have seen them in person and from what i can tell, they are good kits 🙂
Ty, Eddie will give update when finished kit should be in this week .. Thanks again .
Hi Eddie,
I’ve just bought a 2007 Wrangler X 2 doors and came with stock 225/75/16 tires, pretty worn-out. I need to get a new set of tires, but I don’t want to modify right now the stock suspension and ratios. I thought that it could be a good opportunity to get something bigger on my Jeep. I don’t discard changing the stock rims.
What would you recommend? I’m new on this offroad thing and I drive my Jeep on daily basis in the city. But I’m planning to hit some easy to moderate trails on weekends in the future.
Thanks in advance
if you want to go a bit bigger but keep things pretty much stock, you can upgrade to 255’s which is essentially a 32″ tire and what comes stock on rubicon and sahara model jk’s.
Great, thanks a lot Eddie
Hi, I just bought an 07 unlimited sahara. It is completely stock with 18″ alloys and needing new tires soon. I read above 32’s w/o rub and 33’s w/rub at flex is the biggest. What is widest tire I can go without spacers for either 32/33″? and since I want a more aggressive looking stance, at what width tire would you recommend a spacer? Also, would a 2″ or 2.5″ lift require me to change out the shocks? I don’t want to loose comfort nor break the bank. Thank you so much!
Hi, I have a 2009 jk 2 door with a 4″ rough country susp. lift. I also run 315/70/17 bfg on on my factory rims with 1.5″ spacers. My problem is im getting a moderate vibration in the steering wheel and seats at about 45-55 mph. I have had my wheels balanced and road force balanced 4 wheel alignment and still have the vibrations. Is it possible to have an out of round wheel spacer that would cause this problem. I had the factory tires and wheels on right after i had the lift and the 1.5″ spacers installed . I then drove my jeep from the lift kit install right to the tire shop for my new tires. I noticed the same vibrations in my steering wheel with the factory tires and wheels. Please help with this crazy problem. Thank you!
if you have a vibration both in your seat and steering wheel at a higher speed as you have indicated, you most likely have too much caster or a drive shaft that is in need of balancing.
I was thinking about putting Mickey Thompson MTZs on my 2010 JK with the stock 17″ wheels and 4.10 gears. I don’t have heavy bumpers.
If I go with LT285/70R17, which I think is about 33×11.50 and a .75″ front leveling spacer, will I need spacers like these to prevent rubbing?
Is that tire and small leveling basically the biggest I can go without issues and stay close to stock?
Thanks in advance.
There was moderator post earlier referring to a limitation with an auto tranny with a lift. I am looking at ordering a JK Rubicon and I cannot make up my mind on whether to get auto or manual. Other than personal preference, can anyone explain if their is a difference that I need to be aware of from a performance standpoint? In other words, is their an impact if you take the thing offroad? Thanks!
one of my jeeps is a stick and love it BUT, when it comes to off roading, an auto is definitely easier to drive. my auto is like cheating on the trail. needless to say if you’re new to off roading, i would recommend getting an auto.
rob, yes, you should get wheel spacers as if you don’t, the width of your tires will cause rubbing of the rear sway bar links without them.
I purchased a 3.5″ Rubicon Express standard suspension lift for my 07 Wrangler X 2 door. It is a automatic transmision. Will the stock driveshafts be alright. I drive very Thanks!
Sorry, I drive very little off road is what it should say.
on a 2-door, the angle of your rear drive shaft will be very steep and that will cause the cv boots to fail. once compromised, it’s just a matter of time before the joint blows. needless to say, this will need to be replaced sooner or later. being that you have an auto, the first time you flex your jeep on the trail, you WILL tear your spline shaft boot. this is a fact. not as big of a deal but over time, this will cause squeaking as the splines dry out. typically, a new front drive shaft is what i would recommend as they are narrower in diameter and will not give you any trouble.
i have a 07 2dr.will i have any issues with nitto dune grappler 305/70/16 with procomp steel 152 flat black (16×8)
also what will be the difference between a 16×9 and 16×8 and the steel wheel versus the aluminum
thank you
probably not but then, no 2 tire makes measure up the same. a lot will depend on the amount of back spacing you have on your wheels. if it’s around 4.5″ or less, you should be just fine. regarding wheel with, the two are pretty much the same but, if you air down for the trail, a narrower wheel will help to keep your bead on better.
hey i have a 2009 jeep wrangler X and have the 16 inch factory wheels. im wanting to put 285/75/16 on it… would they fit…or should i consider getting 1.25 wheel spacers or 1.50 wheel spacers?
you should be able to get them to fit but 1.5″ wheel spacers would ensure that they would and without any issues with rubbing at a turn or of the sway bar links.
How’s it going? I have a ’08 4dr sahara. I am looking at the teraflex bb 2.5″ with the black rock 16×8 wheels with a 4.25 backspace along some pro comp xtreme tires-LT 285/75 R16. My question is will this set up work smoothly without the rims and tires rubbing against calipers or anything else that could get in the way. Also, I am not looking to have my tires hang way out of the fender wells, if this set up points that way could you steer me in the opposite direction. I appreciate your time.
you should be fine with that setup
Hola – Just got a JK Sahara – thank you for all the information on this cite. I want to put 33’s on it and I understand they will rub without a lift. BUT, I’m not a fan of the look of the JK with 2″ lift with 33’s. Personally, I like that lift with 35’s. I just cant justify putting that size tire on my DD. Any suggestions? Would a 1″ body lift fit 33’s? Would 33’s fit with no lift and aftermarket fenders? Thanks.
just bought a 2010 jk unlimited sahara.. what is the largest tire i can fit on the stock 18 inch rim, with no rubbing…
32″
Will a wheel spacer stop the rubbing on my 33×12.5×17 on my 2010 jk