I want to put 14.50 inch wide tires on my TJ

KD.2002x

KD.2002x

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Joined
May 29, 2023
Messages
11
Location
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Hello, I want to run a 14.50 wide tire on my TJ, I would love to run 35s but I’ve seen a lot of mixed feelings about running them on stock axles. I’d love to run either a 35x14.50r15(preferably this)
or a 33x14.50r15, Nitto Mud Grappler M/T
I mainly want the wider stance.

Here is my current setup I have (suspension wise)

-Stock axles, (Dana 35 on rear, Dana 30 on front)
-15x9 Eagle Alloy wheels
-3inch lift with a 1 inch body lift
-Currently have 33x12.50r15 BFG KO2 A/T
on, which are very worn and old.
-3.73 stock gears.
-Wheels and drives fine with current size of tires and wheels.

If there’s anything else you need to know, please let me know. I also would run 1-1/2in spacers for the meantime for width clearance. I also daily my jeep and it handles well, no death wobble but does make some track bar cracking noises which I have to keep torquing it down.
FYI Pics are before body lift.

Thank you!!!

IMG_1830.jpeg


70442322753__587775CE-FAA8-4480-A744-45D50313F85B.jpeg
 
KD.2002x said:
Hello, I want to run a 14.50 wide tire on my TJ, I would love to run 35s but I’ve seen a lot of mixed feelings about running them on stock axles. I’d love to run either a 35x14.50r15(preferably this)
or a 33x14.50r15, Nitto Mud Grappler M/T
I mainly want the wider stance.

Here is my current setup I have (suspension wise)

-Stock axles, (Dana 35 on rear, Dana 30 on front)
-15x9 Eagle Alloy wheels
-3inch lift with a 1 inch body lift
-Currently have 33x12.50r15 BFG KO2 A/T
on, which are very worn and old.
-3.73 stock gears.
-Wheels and drives fine with current size of tires and wheels.

If there’s anything else you need to know, please let me know. I also would run 1-1/2in spacers for the meantime for width clearance. I also daily my jeep and it handles well, no death wobble but does make some track bar cracking noises which I have to keep torquing it down.
FYI Pics are before body lift.

Thank you!!!

View attachment 428559

View attachment 428560
Click to expand...

Running 14.50s isn't a huge issue. The issue comes with running them on a 9" wide wheel. Most tire manufacturers will have a wheel fit spec range. I strongly suggest you go with those recomendations...

That said.. yes they will fit but not like they are supposed to, the bead on the tire will generally not sit in the bead lip of the rim correctly, which makes it easier to debead unde side loads. Not to mention the crown effect is going to be huge. You'll probably want 10, 11, or 12 inch wheels to be within the range.
 
KD.2002x said:
Hello, I want to run a 14.50 wide tire on my TJ, I would love to run 35s but I’ve seen a lot of mixed feelings about running them on stock axles. I’d love to run either a 35x14.50r15(preferably this)
or a 33x14.50r15, Nitto Mud Grappler M/T
I mainly want the wider stance.

Here is my current setup I have (suspension wise)

-Stock axles, (Dana 35 on rear, Dana 30 on front)
-15x9 Eagle Alloy wheels
-3inch lift with a 1 inch body lift
-Currently have 33x12.50r15 BFG KO2 A/T
on, which are very worn and old.
-3.73 stock gears.
-Wheels and drives fine with current size of tires and wheels.

If there’s anything else you need to know, please let me know. I also would run 1-1/2in spacers for the meantime for width clearance. I also daily my jeep and it handles well, no death wobble but does make some track bar cracking noises which I have to keep torquing it down.
FYI Pics are before body lift.

Thank you!!!

View attachment 428559

View attachment 428560
Click to expand...

35’s is a big deal. No, I wouldn’t do it with that setup. There’s a lot more to it than some lift and desire. You can get there. Stick around. Do it right.
 
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KD.2002x said:
Hello, I want to run a 14.50 wide tire on my TJ, I would love to run 35s but I’ve seen a lot of mixed feelings about running them on stock axles. I’d love to run either a 35x14.50r15(preferably this)
or a 33x14.50r15, Nitto Mud Grappler M/T
I mainly want the wider stance.

Here is my current setup I have (suspension wise)

-Stock axles, (Dana 35 on rear, Dana 30 on front)
-15x9 Eagle Alloy wheels
-3inch lift with a 1 inch body lift
-Currently have 33x12.50r15 BFG KO2 A/T
on, which are very worn and old.
-3.73 stock gears.
-Wheels and drives fine with current size of tires and wheels.

If there’s anything else you need to know, please let me know. I also would run 1-1/2in spacers for the meantime for width clearance. I also daily my jeep and it handles well, no death wobble but does make some track bar cracking noises which I have to keep torquing it down.
FYI Pics are before body lift.

Thank you!!!

View attachment 428559

View attachment 428560
Click to expand...

Welcome! I thought my 12.50 wide tyres were wide.
Tom Hanks Hello GIF
 
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reddvltj said:
This was my 2004 se with 33x14.50 r15s on 10" wide wheels
View attachment 428647
Click to expand...

On my jk the 12.5” wide tires would hydroplane and almost send you off the road when you least expected it as you went through a puddle. My tj with 11.5” tires doesn’t have that effect. Did you have any side pulling with those 14.5” tires? Just something to think about if you live in a high rain area with puddles that might pull you off the road.
 
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I wouldn't run 14.5" wide tires if I expected to drive on wet streets or highways where they'd hydroplane like crazy. Same with if you want to get up in your local mountains where there's snow on the highways, wide tires are terrible for that kind of use. On DEEP snow they'd be fine but only if you plan on offroading after big snow dumps.

That wide of a tire just isn't a good choice for a TJ that is a daily or close to a daily driver.
 
I have a yj with 33x13.50x15 and they are too wide IMHO. I would stay with a 12.5 and use 15x8 wheels with 3.75 backspace and call it a day. The other thing with the wider tires is fender coverage. In some areas the police are picky about the tires being covered.
 
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TJ Jim said:
On my jk the 12.5” wide tires would hydroplane and almost send you off the road when you least expected it as you went through a puddle. My tj with 11.5” tires doesn’t have that effect. Did you have any side pulling with those 14.5” tires? Just something to think about if you live in a high rain area with puddles that might pull you off the road.
Click to expand...

Yes with wider tires, you're going to get pulled left or right more by ruts on the highway, and yes they are more susceptible to hydroplaning. I lived in the Puget Sound area of Washington when I was running the 14.5s and contrary to all the rhetoric, they aren't much worse than 12.5 in those respects. Keep in mind they're also heavier and cause more drag...
 
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I'd love to try a 14.5" wide tire for snow wheeling but as mentioned driving the TJ down the freeway to the snow wheeling might suck. Or might not.

Which means probably trailering the Jeep. Which means why not go tracked?

Strong contemplation for my next set... although my 8" wheels might need to go. Assuming a Super 30/35 could handle the weight...ish.

And if those broke then a set of 60s...rear steer...and at that point 40s and I assume they make those 14.5" wide...

And down the rabbit hole I go...

Where did I leave my wallet?

I'm assuming you'd really want ram assisted steering with 14.5s...so full PSC or a ported steering box and a tractor cylinder.

-Mac
 
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