Advice on 17 inch wheels and 33 inch tires

If you want to use it offroad, a 15" wheel will fit your needs much better. Not to mention tires for 15" wheel are easier to find than one for a 16" wheel. 17" wheel is just too big for a 33" tire.

If you're worried about how it looks, I can post pictures of my 33" MTR's with 15" wheel. Looks way better than a 16" or 17" wheel.
 
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PStov98TJ said:
If you want to use it offroad, a 15" wheel will fit your needs much better. Not to mention tires for 15" wheel are easier to find than one for a 16" wheel. 17" wheel is just too big for a 33" tire.

If you're worried about how it looks, I can post pictures of my 33" MTR's with 15" wheel. Looks way better than a 16" or 17" wheel.
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I am mostly on light trails and beach jeeping. I completely understand the more rubber argument for off road and for pressuring down etc. but looking for slightly more road manners. 16 might be the middle ground for me.
 
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Having less sidewall won't do anything for road manners. Just makes the tire ride stiffer. And you absolutely want to air down when you're driving on sand. Maybe you don't always have to, but when the sand is dry and soft, you'll want as big of a foot print as possible.

Not to mention it is very hard to find tires for 16" wheels.
 
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You won't encounter any fitment issues.

I ran 33" Duratracs on my 16" Moab wheels with the 2.5" OME lift, it fit just fine without any issues. The only thing I would have added eventually is a 1" body lift, since the 2.5" of suspension lift was just a tad bit too small.

Here's some photos of my Rubicon with the 2.5" OME lift and 33" Duratrac tires and factory 16" Moab wheels:

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Like said above, you'll have a hard time finding a 16" tire that isn't a load range E tire. Our TJ's are just too light for a 10 ply tire. If you were going with 35's, then I'd agree with a 17" wheel.
 
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bobthetj03 said:
Like said above, you'll have a hard time finding a 16" tire that isn't a load range E tire. Our TJ's are just too light for a 10 ply tire. If you were going with 35's, then I'd agree with a 17" wheel.
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Good advice here. The only c load range tires I could find in 245/75/16 were good year duratracs. Almost every other tire I liked was an e load range. I love my rubicon wheels but am on the hunt for 15" wheels so my tire selection will be better the next time around.
 
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Chris said:
You won't encounter any fitment issues.

I ran 33" Duratracs on my 16" Moab wheels with the 2.5" OME lift, it fit just fine without any issues. The only thing I would have added eventually is a 1" body lift, since the 2.5" of suspension lift was just a tad bit too small.

Here's some photos of my Rubicon with the 2.5" OME lift and 33" Duratrac tires and factory 16" Moab wheels:

View attachment 14616 View attachment 14617 View attachment 14618 View attachment 14619
Click to expand...
Chris,
Correct me if I'm wrong, but those are OEM Moabs and a 285/75-16 tire? I just mounted up a new Falcon MT 285/75-16 to my spare Moab to do some test fitting, and I am severely into both the stock control arm and the stock swaybar. This is at stock height flexed on the ground with my floor jack. It is bad enough that I don't think a couple washers under the stops will help the sway bar side. Right now my solution is looking at both synergy or spidertrax wheel spacers and adjusting my steering stops. Should I wait until after putting on the lift to pull the trigger? Seems that regardless of lift added, when flexed I would have the same problem. Just seems so hit or miss with people being able to run 285s, 305s or 315s on the stock Moabs without issue I have to wonder what the differences are. BTW do you have any photos of yours on the Currie/Savvy 4"? I am seriously waffling between 3" and 4" with a 1.25" BL and the 285s.
 
cramil said:
Chris,
Correct me if I'm wrong, but those are OEM Moabs and a 285/75-16 tire? I just mounted up a new Falcon MT 285/75-16 to my spare Moab to do some test fitting, and I am severely into both the stock control arm and the stock swaybar. This is at stock height flexed on the ground with my floor jack. It is bad enough that I don't think a couple washers under the stops will help the sway bar side. Right now my solution is looking at both synergy or spidertrax wheel spacers and adjusting my steering stops. Should I wait until after putting on the lift to pull the trigger? Seems that regardless of lift added, when flexed I would have the same problem. Just seems so hit or miss with people being able to run 285s, 305s or 315s on the stock Moabs without issue I have to wonder what the differences are. BTW do you have any photos of yours on the Currie/Savvy 4"? I am seriously waffling between 3" and 4" with a 1.25" BL and the 285s.
Click to expand...

Check out my thread here:
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/my-2005-jeep-wrangler-rubicon-tj.101/

The later photos in that thread are the same wheels / tires, but with the 4" Currie lift.

I was able to cure the tire rubbing on the control arm with a few washers, like you mentioned. However, once I went to the Currie lift, those control arms didn't seem to protrude as much, so I was able to remove one washer.

You could get spacers, but I don't think it's necessary.

The tires I have are indeed 285/75R16 tires.
 
Chris said:
Check out my thread here:
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/my-2005-jeep-wrangler-rubicon-tj.101/

The later photos in that thread are the same wheels / tires, but with the 4" Currie lift.

I was able to cure the tire rubbing on the control arm with a few washers, like you mentioned. However, once I went to the Currie lift, those control arms didn't seem to protrude as much, so I was able to remove one washer.

You could get spacers, but I don't think it's necessary.

The tires I have are indeed 285/75R16 tires.
Click to expand...

Awesome thanks! I had seen those before but couldn't find them for the life of me lol. Those were without the body lift?
 
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16" wheels would be the worst possible choice due to their higher costs due to fewer being made due to that size being unpopular, and reduced selection of both wheels and tires when compared to the far more popular 15" and 17" sizes.

And for 33" tires I'd go with 15" wheels.
 
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sgm54963 said:
I'm installing a 3" lift and want to run 33/12.5/15 tires. From what I understand is that I could/should run a 15 x 8 rim? Do I also need the -4 backspacing?

Thanks!
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You've got it right. A 15x8 wheel with 4" of backspacing is perfect for 33x12.5" tires.
 
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Chris said:
You won't encounter any fitment issues.

I ran 33" Duratracs on my 16" Moab wheels with the 2.5" OME lift, it fit just fine without any issues. The only thing I would have added eventually is a 1" body lift, since the 2.5" of suspension lift was just a tad bit too small.

Here's some photos of my Rubicon with the 2.5" OME lift and 33" Duratrac tires and factory 16" Moab wheels:

View attachment 14616 View attachment 14617 View attachment 14618 View attachment 14619
Click to expand...

Looks like Sunriver.
 
BendLarry said:
After I retired from the software biz and we moved to Bend I then sold real estate for a few years. I sold several properties in Sunriver.
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My Dad almost bought a place there in the 90s when it was much more affordable. Look at how outrageous the prices there are now!
 
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