New wheels + tires = rubbing :(

Hey folks -

'96 XJ with a 3" Rancho lift, 31x10.5 BFG AT tires. I was using stock aluminum wheels (the ones that look like someone went crazy with a hole saw) and everything was fine, except they rubbed the Rancho control arms at full lock.

I went out and bought some Cragar soft 8 wheels because I hate the way the stock ones looked, and put some brand new Treadwright tires of the same size on them. The new wheels are 15x8 (stock is 15x7) with a 4 inch backspace (I think stock is 5.25?)

Anyway, now they rub bad. I did a little bit of wheel well plastic trimming for the front tires, and they're not bad, but the rears rub quite badly towards the outside of the wheel well whenever I go over a moderate bump. The rear lift is sagging a little and I need new leafs, but I seriously doubt that will be enough to fix it.


Long story short: the offset makes the wheels too wide to the body. I don't like my stock wheels, and they rubbed the control arms. Is there a happy medium that can be found between the two or am I better off with stock wheels and control arm rubbing?

(Cragar doesn't make a Soft 8, V, or D window 15x7 with a 4.75-5.25" backspace to my knowledge)

have you cut and folded the body panel inside the wheelwell?

You're going to have to bumpstop or cut up the fenders. With the stock wheels you tucked the tire up inside the fender, not that you've pushed them out another inch and a half they hit.

Search TJ flares for the front. Will let you open up your front fenders. Search cut and fold in the rear.

I fit 34" supser swampers on 3" of lift. Get friendly wit hthe cut off wheel.

Second the cut & fold in the rear. You should gain roughly 2 extra inches of around the wheel well, and you can keep your flares. There is a nice tutorial on here if you search fender cut.

I'm guessing you're talking about this thread?
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1047016&highlight=fender+cutting


Would that kind of trimming be enough? Take a look at the photos I just took - first picture shows rub damage, which is inside of the fender trim on the rear side:
http://imgur.com/a/WnHeX#0


Second photo shows how the tire doesn't exactly slip inside:
http://imgur.com/a/WnHeX#1

cut as much as you're comfortable with, bumpstop appropriately to keep the tire out of the fender.

Just pull the plastic crap out and use a board and hammer to fold the edge in a little bit more .I used a hook knive to cut the inside off of my stock flairs to clear my tires
I did no cutting on my quarters but on my fenders and I cleared 31-10.5 on a stocker no lift but had good springs and before I folded but not chopped it RUBBED BAD .

if you don't want to cut again try bumpstops

wow. seeing those pictures just made me realize how much i cut out of my front fenders.

i've got 33x12.5 rollers with 3in springs right now and there is a ton of room. granted it hasn't left the garage to see if it will rub at full lock, but i don't think it will...

just go nuts with the cutoff wheel