'90 XJ, 4.5" RE lift: Which Tire?

Question

Hi,My 4.5" RE XJ lift is in the mail. Now I'm looking for any advice on tire size. I want a mud terrain and I can get a good discount on any Michelin products (includes Uniroyal, BFG) so I think I'll go with BFG MT/KM. The sizes I am considering are:1. 33x10.50R152. 32.11.50R153. 31x10.50R15I have Dana 30 and Dana 35 with 4.10/4.11 gears ready to be installed. I live in eastern Canada. My offroad conditions are typically wet, sometimes muddy, with lots of roots and rocks. Winter sees major snow with various snowy, slushy, wet conditions on the highway.I understand that a skinny tire performs better on road in snow or slush when it can dig down to a hard surface. I had the 33x9.50R15 on the top of my list, but BFG discontinued it in their MT line. Anyone know why it was dropped?So, which tire would go best with my lift & gears? I'm keen on the extra clearance I'd get with 33s. Would the wider 32 be better in some conditions? Which of the two will cause less trouble when fully stuffed with disconnected sway bar? I am willing to trim fenders & liners to fit the right tire.Aside from possibly voiding the warranty, siping sounds like a good idea for my winter highway conditions. Anyone have any bad experiences with siped MTs?Finally, what are the ideal wheel dimensions (width & back spacing) for each of the above tire sizes on my vehicle?Thanks to all,Steve

Wildman · Accepted Answer

Go with the 32". First, the wider tire looks nicer especially if you plan onusing a 10" rim. Also, it will clear your fenders better than the 33's.Usually even with a 4.5 lift, trimming of the fender wells are needed.

Steve · Answer

Hey Wildman, thanks for sounding off.Anyone else have an opinion on tire size for an XJ with 4.5" lift? I agree with Wildman that wider looks nicer, but will a 32x11.5 perform any better than a 33x10.5? Would the extra inch of width of the 32x11.5 negate the half inch ground clearance advantage of the narrower 33x10.5 on uneven terrain?Will the 33x10.5 really cause more fender rub problems than the 32x11.5?    The 33x10.5 will protrude an extra half inch into the wheel well, but won't the extra inch of width on the 32x11.5 be as much if not more problematic?If I go with 33x10.5 tires, I'll try to run them on the stock aluminum Jeep wheels (15x7 I think) that came with the vehicle. Is this the right wheel for this tire?I also have a set of 15x8 steel wheels with 4" back spacing. Can I use these if I decide to go with 32x11.5 tires? Wildman recommends a 10" wide rim (again optimizing for looks), but won't such a rim be exposed to rock damage?Any and all advice most welcome. Which...

Kevin in San Diego · Answer

33's are where most people like to end up with their XJ lifts/tires. It justdepends on where you want to go wheeling. You will have to trim, but thatlooks good too when done right.KH

Wildman · Answer

Steve, I have a 93 XJ with 4.5 lift now, I am running 31x 10.50's and I havea real good spacing over the tire, but I still get a tire run on extremeturns, ie parking or reversing out of a spot etc. I could have gone to a 32,but did not want to cut until I get a new compressor for my tools. I amrunning 15 x 8 with 4-1/2" backspacing and the rim width is perfect for a10.5 or 11.5 width. The tire will have more flex if you use the correctwidth. The tread patch will be truer. I did put a set of 30 x 9.50 on thestock, and you could see it was bulging over the rim. Looked good, butthere is a chance to pop the bead. With what I have now, my articulation isdecent,  and my ride is still pretty comfortable. If you decide to go withthe 33's, a min 8" rim  will probably be your best bet... Same for the wider32's. I know the 33 x 12.50 is extremely popular here in Florida, and a minof a 9" rim width is req'd.

David C. Moller · Answer

*snip**snip*Not sure if that's necessarily 100% correct. I think you'll find mostpeople here that run 33x12.5's do so on 8" wide wheels.Dave

Wildman · Answer

Your right, I have seen alot of the 4 wheelers use the 33 x 12.50 on 8" rimsand it looks great. I was just basing info out of a tire guide I refer to. Ilike how the tire looks fatter on a narrower rim, but I usually pop a beadnow and again.

David C. Moller · Answer

Ah, ok... wasn't aware you were quoting from the tire guide.Just to add to the conversation, I just checked BFG's webpage and theyrecommend a width of 8.25-10.25 for their 33x12.5.Dave

L.W.(ßill) · Answer

Personal preference, I find the extra two inches to be thedifference as to whether I make it to top of the hill, or not. Sure Ihave to reseat the tires from time to time and the edge of the rim isall tore up, but I'm King of the Hill and you ain't. All you can do islook with envy from the bottom. ;-)         God Bless America, ßill O|||||||Omailto:     "David C. Moller" wrote:

Kevin in San Diego · Answer

Actually I notice that a wider tire on a thinner wheel pops beads lessoften.KH

Jerry Bransford · Answer

That's exactly how it works! :)Jerry--Jerry BransfordTo email, remove 'me' from my email addressKC6TAY, PP-ASELSee the Geezer Jeep at

TJim · Answer

Exactly.  Just don't go too narrow a wheel, or your tire will roll off.  Thetire should be not much more than about 1 1/2 times the wheel width.  (eg:you shouldn't go more than about 12" on an 8" wheel - 12 1/2" is ok -anything much wider than that should be on a wider wheel.)

'90 XJ, 4.5" RE lift: Which Tire?

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