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31" tires on stock XJ?

winkosmosis

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Maui, Hawaii
Well I posted this on jeepforum but there probably aren't many people running this size if any... Maybe someone here does.

I bought my XJ with the plan to do a 3.5" lift and use 32" tires, but I'll probably hold off on the lift for a while because:
a) I live in Houston and may be here for a while longer, and I don't want to be a poser who lifts for 99.9% street use (that .1% is the rare occasion that I'd take a trip to a private park).
b) XJs are the only Jeep I think comes from the factory at a height that actually looks good IMO, so unlike a WJ I don't feel like I'm driving a minivan. Well a Volvo wagon is a better comparison for an XJ.

30" and smaller tires are too small though, and if I lift it sooner rather than later they would look way too small. Can I use 31x10.5 tires (on the stock wheels)? Would I need to extend bumpstops and lose suspension travel? How much would I need to trim? I'd do cut & fold + and flare relocation in the front, but the back doesn't have any room to move the flares up... Or would I just need to trim the bumper endcaps?

I searched but only found posts about 30"

Thanks in advance :looney:

Not much sag, almost exactly even.
xjsidesmall.jpg
 
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im sure you can fit 31's on a stock rig you can always trim the fenders or get aftermarket one's. My buddy has 31's on his and it looks good and as for the tires on the rim sure i know someone that has 36's on 15x8 wheel i asked him why and he said better flex sounded like a good anwser to me but i dont know i like to get dirty not play on rocks......... good luck!
 
31's will fit, but you will need to bumpstop AND trim the fenders. Not just a little either...plan on cutting, then cutting more!

A narrow 31 will help too...try to find a 31x9.50
 
The stock rims on my 94 xj are 7" wide witch is enough for 31s but I think you need a minumum of 2" lift . It works on the street with 2 but is barely enough in the rock an roll mode. I've just found out that 265x70x15s are about the same size as 10x31x15
 
30's are PERFECT for an unlifted XJ.
Iam running 31's with 1 3/4 inches of lift.
I had 2 xj's, a 2 dr with 30's and my 4dr with 31's. If I was gonna wheel the 4dr I would swap tires. No longer have the 2dr.
My front tires finally removed my flairs so Iam just gonna leave 'em off and trim.
14.jpg

Heres the 2dr...................
100_1655.jpg

Here it is on a "Street Only" set up (31's and no lift)....
100_1655A.jpg

would rub if I hit a speed bump too fast.


BTW.....
10.50's ARE gonna rub the lower control arms with stock back spacing.
 
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I too can verify that 30 inchers will fit on a stock XJ.

One of my clients from my NAPA employment runs 30's on hisa stock 95 4 dr. No issues except when pulling his trailer fully loaded. The he gets a touch of rub at the rear wheel wells.....
 
31's wont fit all that great on a stock xj. lots of cutting and that doesn't look all that good either. i run 31's on a 3 in lift and still getting rubbing on the control arms but everything else is clear.
 
Hmm so I guess I'd have to lose almost all suspension travel... Which isn't great to begin with. It would be good if a 2" lift actually was budget... But it's not once you factor in an SYE :(
 
winkosmosis said:
Hmm so I guess I'd have to lose almost all suspension travel... Which isn't great to begin with. It would be good if a 2" lift actually was budget... But it's not once you factor in an SYE :(
Some will need 'em ... some wont.
I used a Daystar BB.
spacers and shackles.
The shackles killed my springs after about 1 1/2 - 2 years.
 
31x10.5x15's will fit.... but you will rub the rear on bumps. You will rub your control arms when turning as well. I drove my Jeep with 31's at stock height for 2 months before my lift. Not something I would want to do long term, but if you need new tires now and plan on lifting soon, do it.

You could always throw a budget boost under it too.

Here's my 94 with 31's at stock height:

HPIM0139.jpg


HPIM0138.jpg
 
Hmmm.... I wonder if removing the flares would be enough. AFAIK in Texas we don't have any tire coverage laws.


Maybe a 1.5" BB like this would be a good idea http://www.quadratec.com/products/76190_803.htm

I'd think with the spring sag, the rear would be maybe 1" higher than stock--- that should be fine on the slip yoke right? I'm not concerned with the springs dying, because I'll replace them in the future anyway.

Is anyone running 1.5" BB with 31s?
 
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I've run the daystar BB with 245/70/16.
They are a little taller than the 30"ers I had on my other XJ.
They rubbed the LCA and if pushed real hard would rub the flair. And that was on a 01.
 
I ran 31's on a BB for a long, long time. I had trimmed and once bumpstopped never had a problem. I did get into the front fenders before I bumpstopped though. That was on 15x8 with 4" bs too though.

Before bumpstopping. It got into the fender enough to bend it and pop the ice/mud off the fender. That's the clean spot, and you can see the piece that popped off on the ground.

WITC103.jpg


And after.

LBL5-29-2006030.jpg
 
LT35's and 30x9.50's will fit, you might get a bit of rubbing in the front on full lock turns with the 30's and will get rubbing in the back if you load it down. With 31's you will for sure get rubbing in the front and it will rub sooner as you start carrying stuff in the back. The difference between 235's and 30's is less than a half inch diameter and half inch width. With 235's and a 2" or 3" lift you will articulate like crazy [a good thing]. We had 235's on one of our TJ's with 4" suspension lift and 2" body lift that was crazy articulation wise, they just looked kind of funny till you got in the rocks :D :D :D :D
With the XJ it's a matter of how good your springs are.
 
I recently put 31's on Little Red, no lift. I haven't taken it off the road at all, but I did load hundreds of pounds of weight in the back and drive it a couple hours, no rubbing in the back. The fronts do just barely rub the LCAs on extreme turns, I figure that'll go away as the tread disappears, plus its really only at a complete turn of the wheels.
 
RichP said:
LT35's and 30x9.50's will fit, you might get a bit of rubbing in the front on full lock turns with the 30's and will get rubbing in the back if you load it down. With 31's you will for sure get rubbing in the front and it will rub sooner as you start carrying stuff in the back. The difference between 235's and 30's is less than a half inch diameter and half inch width. With 235's and a 2" or 3" lift you will articulate like crazy [a good thing]. We had 235's on one of our TJ's with 4" suspension lift and 2" body lift that was crazy articulation wise, they just looked kind of funny till you got in the rocks :D :D :D :D
With the XJ it's a matter of how good your springs are.

Half inch.. Jeez. The tires on it now are 235 and they are small (but worn out).

I think I'll get the 1.5" BB. It won't help rubbing but it will at least give me 1.5" more suspension travel.. And I really hope I won't have to do an SYE or t-case drop.
 
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