To begin Phase-1 of my Project-JK build up, I set out to get my Jeep JK Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited lifted tall enough to clear 35″ tires and to be able to do it on a really tight budget. And, while I was able to accomplish the lift I needed with a TeraFlex 2.5″ Budget Boost, I found it hard to compromise on what kind of wheels and tires I should run. After all, a good set of tires play a huge part in how well your Jeep will perform on the trail and for me personally, I have always been of the mindset that it makes more sense to buy a set of good tires I know I can trust than to buy a set that might be more affordable but will end up leaving me sitting high and dry when I really need them the most. And, to complicate things even more, it would seem that finding a decent set of wheels and tires that will actually fit the JK’s odd 5×5 bolt pattern hasn’t exactly been the easiest thing to do especially since they are in such high demand right now and supplies are so limited.
Anyway, with just a couple of weeks left before the 2007 Moab Easter Jeep Safari, I needed to get some new tires and I needed to get them fast. So, I decided to make a few calls to my sponsoring vendors to see if anyone could help me out and as luck would have it, 4 Wheel Drive Hardware was able to come to my rescue. The only catch was, the only tires they had available in the size I wanted was the brand new Pro Comp Xtreme Mud Terrains. And, being such a new tire that hasn’t had much if any real testing on the trail or otherwise, I have to admit that I was a bit reluctant to go with these at first. But after examining its tread design and doing a bit of reading on all its features, I decided someones got to give them a real test sooner or later and it might as well be me. Need I say, with just a few days to spare, 4 Wheel Drive Hardware shipped over a complete set of five 315/70R17 Pro Comp Xtreme Mud Terrain Tires mounted and balanced on a set of great looking 17×9 Pro Comp Series 8179 Black Powder Coat Wheels that have 4.75″ of back spacing.
So, how have the Pro Comp Xtreme Mud Terrains been performing? Well, I can tell you that since I got them about a month ago, I have racked up about 3,000 miles on the odometer with a good 1,500 miles of that being put on driving out to Moab, Utah and wheeling the hell of the them there. And, I’d have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised as to how much I really like these tires! Although they do tend to sing a bit louder at highway speeds than did the factory BFGoodrich Mud Terrains I was running before, it really isn’t by much and I suppose some of it could just be from the tires being larger in size. But, unlike the BFGoodrich M/T’s, the Pro Comp Xtreme Mud Terrains have a tread design that includes sipping on its lugs and I have found them to offer much better traction on wet/slippery roads. On the trail, I found that the sticky rubber compound used in the construction of this tire provided superior grip on the slick rocks of Moab and helped make my JK to conquer just about every obstical that I could throw at it.
As far as tire wear goes, I am currently running my 315/70R17 Pro Comp Xtreme Mud Terrains at about 26 PSI which I have found to provide a good footprint that allows them to wear nice and evenly. In fact, in the 3,000 miles that I have put on them, I have actually seen very little signs of wear unlike I have seen in the same amount of time on other tires I have run in the past. At this rate, I would hope to see at least 40,000 miles of usable life out of them and most likely even more than that. And at about $250 a piece, every mile you can get out of a tire makes it that much more of a value.
Now, in all fairness, I will have to say that I did loose one tire while I was in Moab and that was only because I needed to back my JK off the trail a bit to let some other Jeeps pass and in doing so, I ended up lancing one of my sidewalls on a short hard and dry 1/2″ thick tree branch sticking out of the ground (yes, I am kicking myself for not opting to get the optional Road Hazzard warranty). And, to be quite honest, I’m not sure if any tire short of a super thick bias ply tire would have been able to resist being puntured as well. Fortunately for me, Jeff from Superior Axle & Gear and Tim from Motive Gear both jumped in to help me to get the tire changed quickly and David from Northridge4x4 was able to succesfully patch it up with a Safety Seal Tire Repair Kit allowing me to still use it as a viable trail spare until I could get it replaced (NOTE: A sidewall plug is by no means safe and should not be used for on-road/highway use).
Without a doubt, I will have to revisit this review once I’ve put on a substantially greater amount of miles on these tires to know for sure what the long term effect really is. But for now, if you were to ask me if I would recommend these tires to you, I would have to give them a resounding YES!
Special Thanks: Again, I would like to thank 4 Wheel Drive Hardware for all their help and support. If you’re looking for a set of wheels and tires for your Jeep JK Wrangler, these guys have one of the biggest selections to choose from.
50 Comments
Thanks man! Also, I forgot to ask yesterday. Do you know that sharp end piece of the body that juts out into the rear wheel well? Does this have to be trimmed off? If yes, what would be the best way to go about it? Or, would a 1″ BL do the trick?
Thank you much! You have created a fantastic resource for all.
with just 35’s, no, you should not need to trim the pinch seam. but, if you do trim it, a hack saw will do the trick just fine or sawzall will do it in seconds.
Remember guys if you put bigger tires and do/do not re-gear, buy a Pro Comp – Accu Pro to re-program your odo/speedo + if you have a Auto Trans, it will adjust your shift points!!!!! $$217 at 4-wheel Parts. It is worth the $, instead of burning up your trans.
marty
have 08 jk sahara 2 door with manual trans. want to go 35″ tires. looking at the 2.5″ bb and i hear that some 15″ steel wheels with 3.73 backspacing will work. Is this correct? Also with this lift will i have to do any other mods. to make it handle correctly? thanks for you help.
yes it should work and no, with just a 2.5″ bb, you should not need anything else to make it handle well.
I have a 2008 Sahara Unlimited (Canada version no JK), 4dr. (STOCK 255 75R18)
I want to put 17 x 9 in wheels with 285 70R17 BFG KM2.
Do I need a lift? Will I need to replace TPMS sensors or will I go crazy with lights and beeping on the dash.
Coops
you will not need a lift for 285’s but, a small 2″ budget boost will compliment them nicely. as far as tpms goes, you can have your factory units removed and installed in your new wheels.
teraflex bb with shock or shock adapters what is the best
getting the new longer shocks is the better way to go especially if you plan on offroading your jeep.
Do you think I could fit the same size tires and rims on a 3.5″ or 4″ lifted without rubbing?
you can fit the same size tire on a 2.5″ budget boost. 3″ would be better and 4″ will look too tall.
what things about this combination teraflex bb 2.5 + 1.5 body lift
what things about this combination teraflex bb 2.50 + 1.25 body lift rought country
I have a 98’jeep wrangler tj with 4inch sky jacker suspension lift.. can i fit 35/12.5/15 mickey thompsons with no rubbing
not likely, more like 33″ tires. maybe if you add a 1″ body lift, you can squeak in 35’s
I have 09 JK Unlimited, 6 speed, 3:21 gears. I have stock 255/75/17 Wrangler SR-A’s(specs say 32.1″ diameter). I am thinking about going with 305/60/18(specs say 32.4″ diameter and 12.2 wide) Nitto Terra Grapplers on 18×9 wheels. The reason I am planning on going with these is I want a wider tire but do not want to go much taller because of the 3:21 gears. My questions are:
What width wheel would I need for a 12-12.5 inch wide tire (8 or 9″)
Would the backspacing be different for an 8″ wheel as opposed to a 9″ wheel.
What is the tallest and widest tire I can clear without a lift.(can I go 33″ with stock suspension without driveability suffering too badly}
Will the driveability suffer greatly because of the larger diameter tire and the 3:21 gears.
Lastly, Would I be better off going with a 17″ wheel due to the better selection of tires in 17″. If so do you recommend a good 17″ wheel and what back space should I look for.
Sorry for all the questions. New to the site. Thanks.
for a 12.50 wide tire, an 8″ or 9″ wide wheel will work just fine. i personally prefer 8″ as the narrower width helps to hold a bead better when aired down for the trail. as far as back spacing goes, you will need 4.5″ or less in order to prevent any rubbing issues. the tallest tire i would recommend you get without any lift is a 285 or 33″ tire (please note that a 33″ tire will NOT measure 33″ but rather, will be a lot shorter in reality). last but not least, i would definitely go with a 17″ wheel.
I have an stock 07 Jeep Wrangler X Unlimited (4 door). I want to put 18″ wheels on it and plan to put goodyear wrangler duratracs (around a 33″ tire i believe) on those wheels. Do I need to lift my jeep at all or will it be fine as is? If I do need to lift it what are your recomendations?
you can get away without a lift but you will most likely have some rubbing at a full flex and depending on what tire make you get, at a full turn as well. i would recommend that you at least install a set of 1″ coil spacers or 1″ body lift to help out. teraflex makes good coil spacers and performance accessories make an affordable body lift.
Have a stock 09 Unlimited with the 17″ GY SRA’s pretty bad in wet and any weather under 32desgrees. Looking to get something with nicer tread and much better all weather grip. Will be using stock 17″ rims ,no lift and don’t do any off roading. Lookig at Firestone destination M/T 285/70 R17, or perhaps Goodyear Wrangler MT/R. Like to know your opinion on these or good substitute. Guessing there wont be any rubbing issues or need for spacers consindering my use.
while i like my mt/r’s and think they do well in wet weather for an mt, you may want to look at an all terrain tire if wet/bad weather is something that concerns you most.
I have a question about the pro comp 8179’s. I you had originally posted that they were 17×9 with 4.75″ bs. Then in an early reply to another post you stated that they were really 17×8. I have been looking everywhere for them in 17×8 and just can’t find them. Any light on this matter would really help out.
sorry, probably just a typo on my behalf
Hello,
I’m seeking some technical advice on tire width. I have a 2010 with Sport package.
What I would like to confirm if it is possible to mount a 12.5″ tire (something like the BFG KM2) on the JK, stock, without any lift? And what backspacing I need (probably 4.5″; maybe a spacer too?) to accommodate that? And I’m guessing more than the stock rims give?Anyway, I will qualify my question(s) as well with the following: My aim here isn’t to go taller, per se; although I realize that taller is probably a by-product of going wider. Also, since I’ve purchased this Wrangler for my GF (it’s got 3.73 gears) and we’ll hardly ever be taking it off road. It’ll basically be on-road only, except maybe for some light beach/ dune work; so rubbing at full flex isn’t really a concern. However, I don’t want to sacrifice turning radius during daily driving. Any information will be greatly appreciated. Many Thanks in advance!
Cheers, Tom
to run 12.50 wide tires, you’ll want to run wheels with about 4.5″ of back spacing. you can do this with a set of 1.5″ wheel spacers (that’ll get you to about 4.75″). if you don’t want to lift your jeep, you shouldn’t get a tire that is taller than 33″.
Thank you, the insight is very much appreciated. I may get into lifting the jeep down the road, but out of the box, right now, it’s just not worh it. I was thinking BFG KM2 305/60/18 (believe that works out to about 32.5 x 12) on Pro Comp 8069 18×9 which have 4.75″ of back spacing. In that set-up, the spacers you mention are still needed though? Very sorry to ask again, but I want to be certain I understood you properly.
Cheers
305’s are on the big side and without any lift, you’re more than likely to see some rubbing of the fenders. 285’s would be a better fit without any issues.
285s with spacers on the Pro Comp wheels then?
Cheers
I have a 07 unlimited X four door. I plan on getting 18×9 HD Rockstars with 35×12.5 tires. What lift is needed to clear with no rubbing? I only off road a few times a year. Mainly my daily driver. Does anything else need to be done to maintain ride quality? I’ve heard people say you need alignments and steering stabilizers.
a 2.5″ budget boost will get you to clear 35’s and even with that, you’d probably see some minor rubbing when flexing on the trail. add a 1″ body lift and you’d be good to go.
I just bought a 2010 JK Rubicon. onroad to off road use is 50-50. Most off road is mud and sand. I want a black wheel. At any price what in your opinion, is the best wheel/tire brand and size combination. No lift. Thank you, RS
Hi Eddie, great site with tons of helpful info! I have an 09 Rubicon 2 door, I’m going to do the Teraflex 2.5″ budget suspension lift you did. I want to use the stock wheels, but I’m going to use Swamper LTB 34×10.50-17 tires. Do you think I’ll need use wheel spacers for this? If so, what thickness? Do you have any opinions on these tires, this will be for daily driving (short distances, mostly less than 10 miles) and extreme offroading in northern New England.
Thanks
Rob
there are a lot of wheels available in black and if money is no object, you can even have an aluminum wheel powder coated black so really, it’s up to you as to what you want to get there. as far as tires go, for mud/sand, the bfg km2’s are a good option that can be found just about anywhere. mickey thompson mtz are a good choice as well and work very well in mud.
Great site man…Pleaseee help me with this question because this will be the first jeep and the first vehicle ever lifting. I have a 2010 wrangler sport and want to put on the 7″ skyjacker lift with 20″by 10 rockstars. I do almost no offroading and this will be a daily driver. What other mods will i have to do because i am being told that this kit has almost everything in it and i wont need to modify anything else. My concern is that i want this done right with no problems down the road. Can you give me some pointers and tell me what you think about this setup? thank you so much…
by the way its a 2010 wrangler sport 4 door Automatic…i guess that would help..lol
if you’re being serious, i can tell you that 7″ is a lot of lift. what size tires are you planning to run with this? 42’s?
I’ve got a 2009 Unlimited running factory 255/75R17’s. I plan to swap the factory rims out for a set of Helo Black Maxx 17×8’s and stick with the factory tires for now. Eventually my plan is to go to the Teraflex 2.5 BB once its time to change the stock tires and go to a 315/70R17. See any issues with this? I think I have researched this to death, but any insight would be great. Thanks.
Hi wayoflife,
Great site keep up the kickass work. I have a 2008 4dr rubicon I am putting the teraflex budget boost on, I have 1.50″ wheel spacers on will this be enough for the lift? Also I was wondering if I can keep the Mud Terrain tires and switch out the stock wheels to black wheels, the tire still has a lot of tred left to it. I just can’t figure out for the life of me how to check the size of the wheel to make sure it matches up to the correct size for the tire.
Thanks a lot!!!
Toph
you don’t need wheel spacers for the lift but you will need them to clear wider tires. assuming you have a rubicon, you have 17″ wheels.
Eddie,
first off nice site. You answered some backspacing questions I had a few weeks ago so thanks for that. Anyway, I have a 07 sahara JK with 18″ factory rims. I went to order some 16″ black rock steel wheels from quadratech and the guy on the phone told me that because my factory wheels were 18″ I had bigger brake calipers than normal and 16″ or 17″ wheels would not clear them. I find this hard to believe and was wondering if you had ever come across anything that would validate this guys claim that 16 or 17 inch wheels will not fit on a jk that left the factory with 18’s. I appreciate your time.
trust me, you have the same brake caliper as any jk.
thanks, thats what I thought. What about 16″ steel wheels clearing the calipers?
yeah, pretty much all 16″ wheels clear if not all
Eddie, i just bought a 2010 JK Unlimted X (base model)… it sounds like i could throw on some 17×8 wheels and 285/70/17 A/T tires without having to having to make any mods or doing a lift? there may be some rubbing on full turn but that’d be the only issue?
Thanks
for the most part, yes, you shouldn’t have any problems with 285’s. if you do, it will only be minor rubbing at a full turn. installing a set of wheel spacers will help out with this. off road, you may see some minor rubbing at a full flex but a 1″ body lift or coil spacer lift will take care of this.
sweet. how big a spacer would you suggest – 1.5″? and would a spacer also work for getting the spare on – I assume it wont fit as is?
yes, you’ll want a 1.5″ spacer and yes, you will need an extra or some kind of relocation bracket to mount a full size spare. you will also want to pick up a set of daystar isolators as they will keep your spare from jiggling around. failure to do this can cause your tailgate to start breaking.
wow, good stuff man. much appreciated!
Just been reading over all the comments and reviews, just wanted to confirm that with a 2.5″ coil/shock lift on a 09 JK Rubicon 2-door, that putting on the same tires and wheels I wont need any spacers with the 4.75″ BS on the wheel. Also i know someone asked before but you said the wheels are 17 x 8 which i could not find, found only 16 x 8 or 17 x 9 can you confirm what you are running again please and thank you. Heading down to the US to pick these bad boys up this weekend! Great website by the way!
you are correct, the wheels are actually 17×9 and no, you won’t need wheel spacers with these wheels.
Thanks man! Also, I forgot to ask yesterday. Do you know that sharp end piece of the body that juts out into the rear wheel well? Does this have to be trimmed off? If yes, what would be the best way to go about it? Or, would a 1″ BL do the trick?
Thank you much! You have created a fantastic resource for all.
with just 35’s, no, you should not need to trim the pinch seam. but, if you do trim it, a hack saw will do the trick just fine or sawzall will do it in seconds.
Remember guys if you put bigger tires and do/do not re-gear, buy a Pro Comp – Accu Pro to re-program your odo/speedo + if you have a Auto Trans, it will adjust your shift points!!!!! $$217 at 4-wheel Parts. It is worth the $, instead of burning up your trans.
marty
have 08 jk sahara 2 door with manual trans. want to go 35″ tires. looking at the 2.5″ bb and i hear that some 15″ steel wheels with 3.73 backspacing will work. Is this correct? Also with this lift will i have to do any other mods. to make it handle correctly? thanks for you help.
yes it should work and no, with just a 2.5″ bb, you should not need anything else to make it handle well.
I have a 2008 Sahara Unlimited (Canada version no JK), 4dr. (STOCK 255 75R18)
I want to put 17 x 9 in wheels with 285 70R17 BFG KM2.
Do I need a lift? Will I need to replace TPMS sensors or will I go crazy with lights and beeping on the dash.
Coops
you will not need a lift for 285’s but, a small 2″ budget boost will compliment them nicely. as far as tpms goes, you can have your factory units removed and installed in your new wheels.
teraflex bb with shock or shock adapters what is the best
getting the new longer shocks is the better way to go especially if you plan on offroading your jeep.
Do you think I could fit the same size tires and rims on a 3.5″ or 4″ lifted without rubbing?
you can fit the same size tire on a 2.5″ budget boost. 3″ would be better and 4″ will look too tall.
what things about this combination teraflex bb 2.5 + 1.5 body lift
what things about this combination teraflex bb 2.50 + 1.25 body lift rought country
I have a 98’jeep wrangler tj with 4inch sky jacker suspension lift.. can i fit 35/12.5/15 mickey thompsons with no rubbing
not likely, more like 33″ tires. maybe if you add a 1″ body lift, you can squeak in 35’s
I have 09 JK Unlimited, 6 speed, 3:21 gears. I have stock 255/75/17 Wrangler SR-A’s(specs say 32.1″ diameter). I am thinking about going with 305/60/18(specs say 32.4″ diameter and 12.2 wide) Nitto Terra Grapplers on 18×9 wheels. The reason I am planning on going with these is I want a wider tire but do not want to go much taller because of the 3:21 gears. My questions are:
What width wheel would I need for a 12-12.5 inch wide tire (8 or 9″)
Would the backspacing be different for an 8″ wheel as opposed to a 9″ wheel.
What is the tallest and widest tire I can clear without a lift.(can I go 33″ with stock suspension without driveability suffering too badly}
Will the driveability suffer greatly because of the larger diameter tire and the 3:21 gears.
Lastly, Would I be better off going with a 17″ wheel due to the better selection of tires in 17″. If so do you recommend a good 17″ wheel and what back space should I look for.
Sorry for all the questions. New to the site. Thanks.
for a 12.50 wide tire, an 8″ or 9″ wide wheel will work just fine. i personally prefer 8″ as the narrower width helps to hold a bead better when aired down for the trail. as far as back spacing goes, you will need 4.5″ or less in order to prevent any rubbing issues. the tallest tire i would recommend you get without any lift is a 285 or 33″ tire (please note that a 33″ tire will NOT measure 33″ but rather, will be a lot shorter in reality). last but not least, i would definitely go with a 17″ wheel.
I have an stock 07 Jeep Wrangler X Unlimited (4 door). I want to put 18″ wheels on it and plan to put goodyear wrangler duratracs (around a 33″ tire i believe) on those wheels. Do I need to lift my jeep at all or will it be fine as is? If I do need to lift it what are your recomendations?
you can get away without a lift but you will most likely have some rubbing at a full flex and depending on what tire make you get, at a full turn as well. i would recommend that you at least install a set of 1″ coil spacers or 1″ body lift to help out. teraflex makes good coil spacers and performance accessories make an affordable body lift.
Have a stock 09 Unlimited with the 17″ GY SRA’s pretty bad in wet and any weather under 32desgrees. Looking to get something with nicer tread and much better all weather grip. Will be using stock 17″ rims ,no lift and don’t do any off roading. Lookig at Firestone destination M/T 285/70 R17, or perhaps Goodyear Wrangler MT/R. Like to know your opinion on these or good substitute. Guessing there wont be any rubbing issues or need for spacers consindering my use.
while i like my mt/r’s and think they do well in wet weather for an mt, you may want to look at an all terrain tire if wet/bad weather is something that concerns you most.
I have a question about the pro comp 8179’s. I you had originally posted that they were 17×9 with 4.75″ bs. Then in an early reply to another post you stated that they were really 17×8. I have been looking everywhere for them in 17×8 and just can’t find them. Any light on this matter would really help out.
sorry, probably just a typo on my behalf
Hello,
I’m seeking some technical advice on tire width. I have a 2010 with Sport package.
What I would like to confirm if it is possible to mount a 12.5″ tire (something like the BFG KM2) on the JK, stock, without any lift? And what backspacing I need (probably 4.5″; maybe a spacer too?) to accommodate that? And I’m guessing more than the stock rims give?Anyway, I will qualify my question(s) as well with the following: My aim here isn’t to go taller, per se; although I realize that taller is probably a by-product of going wider. Also, since I’ve purchased this Wrangler for my GF (it’s got 3.73 gears) and we’ll hardly ever be taking it off road. It’ll basically be on-road only, except maybe for some light beach/ dune work; so rubbing at full flex isn’t really a concern. However, I don’t want to sacrifice turning radius during daily driving. Any information will be greatly appreciated. Many Thanks in advance!
Cheers, Tom
to run 12.50 wide tires, you’ll want to run wheels with about 4.5″ of back spacing. you can do this with a set of 1.5″ wheel spacers (that’ll get you to about 4.75″). if you don’t want to lift your jeep, you shouldn’t get a tire that is taller than 33″.
Thank you, the insight is very much appreciated. I may get into lifting the jeep down the road, but out of the box, right now, it’s just not worh it. I was thinking BFG KM2 305/60/18 (believe that works out to about 32.5 x 12) on Pro Comp 8069 18×9 which have 4.75″ of back spacing. In that set-up, the spacers you mention are still needed though? Very sorry to ask again, but I want to be certain I understood you properly.
Cheers
305’s are on the big side and without any lift, you’re more than likely to see some rubbing of the fenders. 285’s would be a better fit without any issues.
285s with spacers on the Pro Comp wheels then?
Cheers
I have a 07 unlimited X four door. I plan on getting 18×9 HD Rockstars with 35×12.5 tires. What lift is needed to clear with no rubbing? I only off road a few times a year. Mainly my daily driver. Does anything else need to be done to maintain ride quality? I’ve heard people say you need alignments and steering stabilizers.
a 2.5″ budget boost will get you to clear 35’s and even with that, you’d probably see some minor rubbing when flexing on the trail. add a 1″ body lift and you’d be good to go.
I just bought a 2010 JK Rubicon. onroad to off road use is 50-50. Most off road is mud and sand. I want a black wheel. At any price what in your opinion, is the best wheel/tire brand and size combination. No lift. Thank you, RS
Hi Eddie, great site with tons of helpful info! I have an 09 Rubicon 2 door, I’m going to do the Teraflex 2.5″ budget suspension lift you did. I want to use the stock wheels, but I’m going to use Swamper LTB 34×10.50-17 tires. Do you think I’ll need use wheel spacers for this? If so, what thickness? Do you have any opinions on these tires, this will be for daily driving (short distances, mostly less than 10 miles) and extreme offroading in northern New England.
Thanks
Rob
there are a lot of wheels available in black and if money is no object, you can even have an aluminum wheel powder coated black so really, it’s up to you as to what you want to get there. as far as tires go, for mud/sand, the bfg km2’s are a good option that can be found just about anywhere. mickey thompson mtz are a good choice as well and work very well in mud.
Great site man…Pleaseee help me with this question because this will be the first jeep and the first vehicle ever lifting. I have a 2010 wrangler sport and want to put on the 7″ skyjacker lift with 20″by 10 rockstars. I do almost no offroading and this will be a daily driver. What other mods will i have to do because i am being told that this kit has almost everything in it and i wont need to modify anything else. My concern is that i want this done right with no problems down the road. Can you give me some pointers and tell me what you think about this setup? thank you so much…
by the way its a 2010 wrangler sport 4 door Automatic…i guess that would help..lol
if you’re being serious, i can tell you that 7″ is a lot of lift. what size tires are you planning to run with this? 42’s?
I’ve got a 2009 Unlimited running factory 255/75R17’s. I plan to swap the factory rims out for a set of Helo Black Maxx 17×8’s and stick with the factory tires for now. Eventually my plan is to go to the Teraflex 2.5 BB once its time to change the stock tires and go to a 315/70R17. See any issues with this? I think I have researched this to death, but any insight would be great. Thanks.
Hi wayoflife,
Great site keep up the kickass work. I have a 2008 4dr rubicon I am putting the teraflex budget boost on, I have 1.50″ wheel spacers on will this be enough for the lift? Also I was wondering if I can keep the Mud Terrain tires and switch out the stock wheels to black wheels, the tire still has a lot of tred left to it. I just can’t figure out for the life of me how to check the size of the wheel to make sure it matches up to the correct size for the tire.
Thanks a lot!!!
Toph
you don’t need wheel spacers for the lift but you will need them to clear wider tires. assuming you have a rubicon, you have 17″ wheels.
Eddie,
first off nice site. You answered some backspacing questions I had a few weeks ago so thanks for that. Anyway, I have a 07 sahara JK with 18″ factory rims. I went to order some 16″ black rock steel wheels from quadratech and the guy on the phone told me that because my factory wheels were 18″ I had bigger brake calipers than normal and 16″ or 17″ wheels would not clear them. I find this hard to believe and was wondering if you had ever come across anything that would validate this guys claim that 16 or 17 inch wheels will not fit on a jk that left the factory with 18’s. I appreciate your time.
trust me, you have the same brake caliper as any jk.
thanks, thats what I thought. What about 16″ steel wheels clearing the calipers?
yeah, pretty much all 16″ wheels clear if not all
Eddie, i just bought a 2010 JK Unlimted X (base model)… it sounds like i could throw on some 17×8 wheels and 285/70/17 A/T tires without having to having to make any mods or doing a lift? there may be some rubbing on full turn but that’d be the only issue?
Thanks
for the most part, yes, you shouldn’t have any problems with 285’s. if you do, it will only be minor rubbing at a full turn. installing a set of wheel spacers will help out with this. off road, you may see some minor rubbing at a full flex but a 1″ body lift or coil spacer lift will take care of this.
sweet. how big a spacer would you suggest – 1.5″? and would a spacer also work for getting the spare on – I assume it wont fit as is?
yes, you’ll want a 1.5″ spacer and yes, you will need an extra or some kind of relocation bracket to mount a full size spare. you will also want to pick up a set of daystar isolators as they will keep your spare from jiggling around. failure to do this can cause your tailgate to start breaking.
wow, good stuff man. much appreciated!
Just been reading over all the comments and reviews, just wanted to confirm that with a 2.5″ coil/shock lift on a 09 JK Rubicon 2-door, that putting on the same tires and wheels I wont need any spacers with the 4.75″ BS on the wheel. Also i know someone asked before but you said the wheels are 17 x 8 which i could not find, found only 16 x 8 or 17 x 9 can you confirm what you are running again please and thank you. Heading down to the US to pick these bad boys up this weekend! Great website by the way!
you are correct, the wheels are actually 17×9 and no, you won’t need wheel spacers with these wheels.