JL Xtreme Recon wheels on an LJ?

cfree

cfree

New Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2024
Messages
9
Location
Denver, CO
I'm recently coming back to an LJ after a 5-year stint with a JLUR. During that time I found a set of 17×8 Xtreme Recon wheels that I love. I wanted to keep the XR wheels to put on the LJ, but I didn't want to have to install a 6" lift on the LJ in order to use the 35" (315/70R17) tires, so took the 33's (285/70R17) off the stock JL wheels and swapped them for the 35s that were on the XR wheels.

Eventually I plan to install a 3.5" Metalcloak Gamechanger lift and put the XR wheels w/ the 33s on the LJ at some point, understanding that this will result in a positive offset. I already know I need 5x4.5-to-5x5 wheel adapters, but I'm not sure what width of adapters I should get in order to avoid rubbing. Any thoughts?
 
cfree said:
I believe the 17x8 XR wheels have a 4.4” backspacing (+12 offset).
Click to expand...

With a 33x12.5 tire, generally 3.75-4” backspacing is ideal. So with a 4.4 BS wheel, you would need at least a 0.5” spacer, maybe 0.75”.

You could possibly get away without spacers by going with a narrower tire, or adjusting the steering stops.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tob and cfree
PNW_LJ said:
With a 33x12.5 tire, generally 3.75-4” backspacing is ideal. So with a 4.4 BS wheel, you would need at least a 0.5” spacer, maybe 0.75”.

You could possibly get away without spacers by going with a narrower tire, or adjusting the steering stops.
Click to expand...

The tire is a 285/70R17, so roughly 11.5” wide. Does that mean 1.5” spacer? (Apologies, backspacing and offsets frighten and confuse me)
 
cfree said:
The tire is a 285/70R17, so roughly 11.5” wide. Does that mean 1.5” spacer? (Apologies, backspacing and offsets frighten and confuse me)
Click to expand...

Ignore offset if you know the backspacing. It's more useful since you don't need to know the width of the wheel.
IMO, use as little a spacer/adapter as possible, which is usually 1".
Worse case, you can adjust the steering stops if neccesary.
By the way, you wouldn't need 6" of lift to run 35s.
YRMV
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikeE024 and cfree
cfree said:
The tire is a 285/70R17, so roughly 11.5” wide. Does that mean 1.5” spacer? (Apologies, backspacing and offsets frighten and confuse me)
Click to expand...

I would probably plan the spacer to provide clearance for a 12.5" tire. Then when it's time to replace tires you are limited to what is available at 11.5". I think 1.5" adapters are the most common without have to cut the factory studs down. I'm not sure what the stud length is off the top of my head.

Honestly the XR and 392 wheels almost make me want to switch to a 17 and run adapters. I love the way they look on @Irun 's LJ.
Post in thread 'Wildpeaks versus KO2' https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/wildpeaks-versus-ko2.75599/post-1462872
 
  • Like
Reactions: cfree
bbaldwin237 said:
I think 1.5" adapters are the most common without have to cut the factory studs down. I'm not sure what the stud length is off the top of my head.
Click to expand...

I run 1" spacers on both of my Jeeps.
Most factory wheels have a recess on the back side, so stud length should not be an issue.

4755628aa-2023-2.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: bbaldwin237
cfree said:
I believe the 17x8 XR wheels have a 4.4” backspacing (+12 offset).
Click to expand...

how wide are those wheels? that seems like a pretty shallow backspacing for a factory wheel. I'm not sure you converted properly. If its a 8 inch wide wheel, the backspacing would be about 5.0". Backspacing includes the lip of the wheel and width and offset measurements do not, so when you convert, you need to add about an inch to the width to get a correct backspacing number.

When I convert in my head, I take the width of the wheel (8" for example), add 1", and divide in half... 8+1=9. 9/2=4.5. Then you ADD or Subtract the Offset number, converted to inches. +12 offset is about a 1/2" (12/25.4=0.472). You end up with 5.472" of backspacing.

I run a JK wheel (AEV Pintler) and its a 8.5" wide wheel with a +10 offset. using my rule of thumb from above...9.5/2=4.75+.375=5.125. I used an 1.25" thick adapter which will SUBTRACT from your offset (moves the mounting surface in toward the center of the jeep). 5.125-1.25=3.875" backspacing.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: cfree and bbaldwin237
You all keep talking about spacers... he will be needing adaptors, as the JL wheels and the TJ axles are different bolt spacing. Unless he wants to mill down the wheel adaptors, he is kinda stuck with 1.5 spacing on them.

OP, that shouldn't be too big a problem, unless your state looks poorly upon tires poking out...
 
  • Like
Reactions: JeepingNet, cfree and Shank
Mike_H said:
how wide are those wheels? that seems like a pretty shallow backspacing for a factory wheel. I'm not sure you converted properly. If its a 8 inch wide wheel, the backspacing would be about 5.0". Backspacing includes the lip of the wheel and width and offset measurements do not, so when you convert, you need to add about an inch to the width to get a correct backspacing number.

When I convert in my head, I take the width of the wheel (8" for example), add 1", and divide in half... 8+1=9. 9/2=4.5. Then you ADD or Subtract the Offset number, converted to inches. +12 offset is about a 1/2" (12/25.4=0.472). You end up with 5.472" of backspacing.

I run a JK wheel (AEV Pintler) and its a 8.5" wide wheel with a +10 offset. using my rule of thumb from above...9.5/2=4.75+.375=5.125. I used an 1.25" thick adapter which will SUBTRACT from your offset (moves the mounting surface in toward the center of the jeep). 5.125-1.25=3.875" backspacing.
Click to expand...

I thought it was correct, but I’m just going off of what this store is saying.

Mopar Original Parts
 
cfree said:
I thought it was correct, but I’m just going off of what this store is saying.

Mopar Original Parts
Click to expand...

Yea that's weird, those numbers don't add up. Then I'm seeing some things that say 392 Extreme Recon wheels are 7.5" wide with a 6" backspace? Someone on another forum said they had a 44.something mm stamp on the back? Typically the manufacturers will use the same specs on a variety of wheels so that they cross over and are interchangeable. So it seems a bit unusual that Mopar would have 7.5" and 8" wheels with pretty different offers/backspacing, but it's also not impossible by any means.

Maybe order them from somewhere with good returns, check the stamps on the back, then come here with your findings and we can all figure it out.
 
bbaldwin237 said:
Yea that's weird, those numbers don't add up. Then I'm seeing some things that say 392 Extreme Recon wheels are 7.5" wide with a 6" backspace? Someone on another forum said they had a 44.something mm stamp on the back? Typically the manufacturers will use the same specs on a variety of wheels so that they cross over and are interchangeable. So it seems a bit unusual that Mopar would have 7.5" and 8" wheels with pretty different offers/backspacing, but it's also not impossible by any means.

Maybe order them from somewhere with good returns, check the stamps on the back, then come here with your findings and we can all figure it out.
Click to expand...

the 7.5/8 could be based off whether you are using is a a traditional wheel vs. using the bead-lock rings...
 
Artsifrtsi said:
You all keep talking about spacers... he will be needing adaptors, as the JL wheels and the TJ axles are different bolt spacing. Unless he wants to mill down the wheel adaptors, he is kinda stuck with 1.5 spacing on them.
Click to expand...

1709142456945.png
 
Top Bottom
Back