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Will this set up rub?

h.curtis

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
I will be installing a 5.5 RE lift on my '96 soon. I have stock 7" rims with the 5.5 backspacing. Currently I have a 4" lift with 31's with no problems at all other than adjusting my steering stops. I am thinking I want to put 33X10.50's on my stock rims when I put the new lift on, or soon when I save some money. With stock backspacing and only a 10.50 will I need to trim?

Is my idea of these 33X10.50's with this 5.5 lift ok, or should I be looking at new rims (hoping not) with 4.5 backspacing. Why does everyone go with two inches of wider stance? Is it safer when up higher? How about a 9.5" tire, is that a crazy choice if I am at 5.5 and don't want to cut much?

Any help on this would be great. I have the '96 Grizzly wheels and really like them, but I want to be safe on and off road. I am not a rock crawler here in PA. Hill climbs and heavy snow use.

I am thinking Goodrich's KO's or MT's, if that makes any difference. I heard KO's are better in the snow.
Curt
 
I run a RE 4.5" lift with .75" coil spacers up front and 33x10.50-15 BFG MT's on factory Canyon wheels. No rubbing at all, they stuff perfectly.
 
Renegade Jpr said:
I run a RE 4.5" lift with .75" coil spacers up front and 33x10.50-15 BFG MT's on factory Canyon wheels. No rubbing at all, they stuff perfectly.

I would like to see that. Do you have any pictures? I never heard of anyone running 33's with no trimming at least in the front for steering. That would be encuraging.

Curt
 
We run the same setup you speak of on our Black '99 on the street (BFG AT's...32x11.5 SSR's offroad though) No Rubbing.

h.curtis said:
I will be installing a 5.5 RE lift on my '96 soon. I have stock 7" rims with the 5.5 backspacing. Currently I have a 4" lift with 31's with no problems at all other than adjusting my steering stops. I am thinking I want to put 33X10.50's on my stock rims when I put the new lift on, or soon when I save some money. With stock backspacing and only a 10.50 will I need to trim?

Is my idea of these 33X10.50's with this 5.5 lift ok, or should I be looking at new rims (hoping not) with 4.5 backspacing. Why does everyone go with two inches of wider stance? Is it safer when up higher? How about a 9.5" tire, is that a crazy choice if I am at 5.5 and don't want to cut much?

Any help on this would be great. I have the '96 Grizzly wheels and really like them, but I want to be safe on and off road. I am not a rock crawler here in PA. Hill climbs and heavy snow use.

I am thinking Goodrich's KO's or MT's, if that makes any difference. I heard KO's are better in the snow.
Curt
 
No rubbing on the road - how about at full flex? What length bump stops are you using?

-Brian

Renegade Jpr said:
I run a RE 4.5" lift with .75" coil spacers up front and 33x10.50-15 BFG MT's on factory Canyon wheels. No rubbing at all, they stuff perfectly.
 
Re: Re: Will this set up rub?

TOZOVR said:
We run the same setup you speak of on our Black '99 on the street (BFG AT's...32x11.5 SSR's offroad though) No Rubbing.

I feel confident on 32's, but I was wondering about 33's. It looks like some people are running them with no trimming and stock backspacing and rims. That is what I am hoping to do on my '96.

Curt
 
well, if you like your rims that much, you can always get a good set of wheel spacers. It is safer to set your track width out as you go up to prevent flopping over
 
You guys are stuffing a 33 x 10.50 tire with no rubbing on stock backspaced rims.............um sure you are. The should be rubbing the hell out of your coil pocket and in the rear the inner fenderwell. If you can get full lock out of your steering, try backing up in 4wd and I'll bet you shear off a little rubber on the LCAs.

The point with going wider is that "wider is better". No seriously when you go up in height and raise the center of gravity, if you dont go wider you will loose side to side stability (body roll). For every inch of height you should go 1/2 inch wider to maintain the same roll rate. This is not tire width but track width, or the distance between the tire centers.

Good luck.
 
Ok, if I need to go 1/2" per inch of height I will need no backspacing? I have 5.5 lift, and my tires will be (I think) 4" taller than stock. I see many people running 4.5 backspacing with 33's on here all the time, but they are running 12.50's instead of 10.50's.

I guess I am looking for a safe combo here. My rims may not work out with what I want to do. I really don't want to trim much if possible as well and I want 33's. It sound like it is possible to do this according to Renegade Jpr, but I don't know if it is a good idea. vintagespeed, you don't think it is a good idea. Keep in mind I am not a rock crawler. I go off road, but manily up hills and snow stuff. Over a few logs and whatever. Nothing real major.

Also, I heard that wheel spacers are not safe? I have a set of $500 cast aluminum rims on my Jeep that are 5.5 backspacing and 7" currently. Better quality than some cheap steel wheel. That is why I want to keep them if possible. If not, then I will have to look into rims as well.

If I go with more backspacing I will have to cut bigtime. I mean nothing in front below the bumper. So it seems.

Looking for ideas.

Curt
 
h.curtis said:
I would like to see that. Do you have any pictures? I never heard of anyone running 33's with no trimming at least in the front for steering. That would be encuraging.

Curt

One thing to consider is on the 96 and older the front fendor comes down past the bumper. On the 97+ the bumper caps can be trimmed to avoid rubbing not the fendor. Mine rims have 5" of BS and I had to trim the bumper caps and they do rub slightly on the control arms at full lock just enough to put black marks on them.

fb7e9727.jpg
 
Last edited:
I have an RE 4.5 with a .75" spacer. I have trimmed the front of the fenders to the top of the bumper. I have also extended my bumpstops 2". I also trimmed the rear of the front fender a little bit. With 33x10.50s on 15x8" wheels with 4.5" BS I still rub inside the fender on the driver's side.

In this link you can see my trimming and see the black scuff marks from the tires rubbing the front and rear of the driver's side.

http://www.printroom.com/ViewAlbum.asp?userid=dhmccoy&album_id=144423

Unless the 5.5" comes with much longer bump stops, it doesn't much matter that it sits an inch higher at rest. The uptravel needs to be limited somehow to prevent rubbing.
 
Bear549 said:
One thing to consider is on the 96 and older the front fendor comes down past the bumper. On the 97+ the bumper caps can be trimmed to avoid rubbing not the fendor. Mine rims have 5" of BS and I had to trim the bumper caps and they do rub slightly on the control arms at full lock just enough to put black marks on them.

fb7e9727.jpg

It also looks like youve done some custom fender work!
 
Warning,this is not a Poser pic....

This is with @4.5" of bumpstop on my last trip out!I wishedI had a side shot,it cleared by about 1/8" front/back/top/bumper and thats with trimming!
stuffed.jpg
 
Great pictures. Looks like I am dreaming about something that you can't do. I guess I could put big bumpstops, but that really wouldn't be good. Even with them when I turn the tires will hit anyway.

I guess if you trim to the top of the bumper you will be getting rid of the airdam up front as well. Kind of like the way the tow hooks come through them from the factory. I guess I'll have to think of what to do. 9.5 with 5.5 backspacing would probably be a little to top heavy and be too easy to flip over. They would probably hit anyway due to the hight of them. Those pictures really tell the story well. If I had a '97 it would be much easier, I guess.

Thanks for all the help. Any other pictures or comments to help what to go for would be great. I suspect there is no one that kept the air dam with 33's.

Curt
 
Wheel spacers in PA

"H" if you do decide to go with any type of wheel spacers, just keep in mind that in PA, for some reason you can not pass inspection with spacers thicker than 1/4", I don't know why. Now thats at a by the books place, some of the lick and stick joints may let it go.
Just my 2.5cents,
matt
 
Those pictures really tell the story well. If I had a '97 it would be much easier, I guess.
NO, there is less clearance on the 97+ models. I am running 35x12.40 with 6" of lift and it works fine on my '89 (I got caried away with the sawsall). My backspacing is 5" but thats irrelevant because of my F-150 axles. I wouldn't go with that narrow of a tire with that lift, it's just asking for a role. Just get some new 15x8 wheels with 4.5" BS. Don't be afraid of the sawsall, it's your friend when you go beyond 31's.
 
Re: Wheel spacers in PA

SGT said:
"H" if you do decide to go with any type of wheel spacers, just keep in mind that in PA, for some reason you can not pass inspection with spacers thicker than 1/4", I don't know why. Now thats at a by the books place, some of the lick and stick joints may let it go.
Just my 2.5cents,
matt

Thanks Matt. I haven't heard good things about going with spacers. As much as I would like to put 1/2" or maybe 3/4" spacers (if they make them) on there, I don't think they are a good idea. Not sure, but I haven't read anything good so far.

If PA doesn't allow more than 1/4" there must be a reason. Although this is a pretty conservative state.

Curt
 
CW. said:
NO, there is less clearance on the 97+ models. I am running 35x12.40 with 6" of lift and it works fine on my '89 (I got caried away with the sawsall). My backspacing is 5" but thats irrelevant because of my F-150 axles. I wouldn't go with that narrow of a tire with that lift, it's just asking for a role. Just get some new 15x8 wheels with 4.5" BS. Don't be afraid of the sawsall, it's your friend when you go beyond 31's.

Oh, I thougt '97+'s were easier to stuff the front tires due to the lack of front fender around the bumper.

Curt
 
vintagespeed said:
You guys are stuffing a 33 x 10.50 tire with no rubbing on stock backspaced rims.............um sure you are. The should be rubbing the hell out of your coil pocket and in the rear the inner fenderwell. If you can get full lock out of your steering, try backing up in 4wd and I'll bet you shear off a little rubber on the LCAs.

The point with going wider is that "wider is better". No seriously when you go up in height and raise the center of gravity, if you dont go wider you will loose side to side stability (body roll). For every inch of height you should go 1/2 inch wider to maintain the same roll rate. This is not tire width but track width, or the distance between the tire centers.

Good luck.

Meg is running non Stock rims on the SSR's...4" of BS.
 
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