Backspacing on wheels for total clearance???

I am concerned with the back mostly. I have 3" lift and am going with 31x10.5x15. I want to use all my articulation. A friend recently had the same scenario only with 2" and he went with 8" wide wheels with 3.25 backspacing and as you are probably already snickering they rubbed no i should have said mashed on flex in the rear bad. Well and the front, but a die grinder and some time took care of most of that. I am going to as of right now purchase 7" wide steel wheels and i have a choice between 3.75 and 4.5 backspacing. I know i will not rub with 4.5 however i think i would on my control arms. SO i am thinking of going with the 3.75's. That is .5" less plus the 1" inch of rim width less so do you guys think i will be fine at full flex. One of the key things i am after with the 31X10.5 is being able to still stuff them up into the rear fender at full flex. YET i want as much stability and looks as i can achieve. ???????

I know the looks word i should have left that out!!!!
:doh:

I think you'll be rubbing the flares and fenders with 3.75" BS. I'd go with 4.5

when i had 2'' of lift and 32s on 5.25 (stock backspaceing) i rubbed real bad on the lcas, but not much at all on the fenders in front, but i had to trim and bumpstop in the rear. with 3.75 backspaceing in the front i cleared the lca fine, but it hit the body while sitting still! so i had to trim and bumpstop a lot! even though your tires are 2'' narrower than mine i would still go with the 3.75, but you will definetly have to trim the front if you do.

I ordered last night. I went with the 3.75's and stayed with a 7" wheel in order to help with clearance a little. I was nervous i would rubb bad on the LCA's. I found a friend that had a 7" wheel with 3.75 backspacing and a brand new 31x10.5x15 mud tire. We threw it on the back and simply took a large roller jack to that side in order to flex it. It rubbed the worst on the back bumper/flare (whatever you call it). It did rub on the top of the fender well as i had hoped that it wouldnt. I would say that you guys were right the 4.5 would have cleared perfectly. I am sagging in the back of my jeep even though it is a fairly new lift. (coils should have sagged by now probably have 2,000 miles on them including mountains) so i ordered .75 rustys shackles (TNT 1" was just to much lift) to level it and i really think by lowering my pivot point on the axle that when it flexes now it will barely clear the upper fender wells by .00000001 of an inch. (under a perfect scenario such as a RTI ramp)

Just a note for anyone that happens to be searching for advise on rough country 3 inch lifts i wish i had left my overload leaf in my pack in order to be closer to level. The instructions claimed that you may not have enough u bolt length in order to do so after adding the add a leaf however the u bolts wouldnt have stuck out very far past the nuts yet they would have been full of threads plus a thread or two. I realize i would have only gained the thickness of the overload in heigth however i am only about 5/8 inch low in the back and even 3/8 may have been good enough to satisfy me! ( Of course they may hinder flex when you try to invert the springs if you leave them in???)

Just an FYI

If you ordered them last night you may be able to change the order over to the rims you think are better. Worth a shot to do things the way you think is right the first time.

Recieved my wheels and tires today. Threw them on and i do believe that they are going to barely clear on articulation not rear compression. It will be very close. However it hits so freaking hard on the rear of the fenderwell that i cant tell yet. So it looks like i lucked out with the 3.75 backspacing however for those who are searching threads on tire or wheel selection in my case with 3" of lift luckily i stayed with 7" rims and the 3.75 backspacing is going to be ok (trade offs such as a little extra stance yet still will clear) However if i would have went with 4.5 backspacing i would not be laying under it this weekend trimming the front fenders and probably removing my back bumper side panels untill i finish coming up with a plan for a back bumper. FYI I am planning to copy c-rok's rear bumper but if you have ever seen them you will understand i am going to need a prayer or two

cwstnsko said:

I think you'll be rubbing the flares and fenders with 3.75" BS. I'd go with 4.5

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With higher backspacing does the wheel site further or closer to the center of the XJ.

Could have stayed with stock wheels and ran spacers. I think that is what I'm going to do with my OME 3.5 hybrid lift. That would put you around 4" BS.

Very true stock wheels are great since they are 5.25 backspacing however if you were rich i think with out a doubt 4.5's are best. Spacers would be an inexpensive way to go to avoid rubbing on your LCA's
To answer the other question the measurement is taken from the back of the rim to the hub of the rim so the higher the number the less they will stick out. Or should i say a 5.25 will look like a stock wheel flush almost and a 3.25 will be more of a deep dish look. ?? Hope that helps

And again stock rims rule in the jeep world however i am one of those guys that has to take in consideration looks along with performance hence the name 4x4 station wagon or aka baby hauler Sorry i know i am a disgrace to jeeps!!!:tears: