Set of 4 2016 JK Rubicon wheels and half tread tires for $300. Is that worth it?

[FoxxyTJ]

So I met a local guy who has a set of 4 black 2016 JK Rubicon wheels with about 50% tread left on the tires. He is having trouble selling them as he doesn't have a 5th and he has offered them to me for $300. I know I would need about $200 in adapters to make them fit my 2003 TJ. But as I have only had my TJ for a day I don't know if that's a good deal or how well they will go on my TJ. My current tires are 33s so they should fit height wise. But I am worried about the backspacing even with a 1.5" adapter in there.

I'm looking for opinions and concerns as I am new the the whole large tire thing having come from owning Miata's. My current tires are dry rotting and have really low tread left so I'm in the market anyway and this sounds like a cheap fix for $500 with new wheels and tires that will last a season or so.

Thanks.

 

[Chris]

That's a good deal, yes. Do you know what the width and backspacing of those JK Rubicon rims is by chance?

By the way, I owned a few Miatas in the past too!

 

[Rob5589]

Doesn't sound like a deal, IMO. 50% of tread gone means more than half the life has been used since you don't actually use all 100% of the tread. The Rubi JK tire/wheel combo is about 32" tall so you may get some rubbing unless lifted.
Something else to consider is the price of new 17/18 inch tires when the Rubi tires are done. They will be a good chunk more than 15 inchers.

 

[FoxxyTJ]

That's a good deal, yes. Do you know what the width and backspacing of those JK Rubicon rims is by chance?

By the way, I owned a few Miatas in the past too!

Nice yeah I owned a 2012 NC Miata and it got totaled in a 55mph T-Bone, and then i got a 1993 NA and it got totaled by a rear-ending from a old lady. So now i have moved to a Jeep for the visibility and steel bumpers.

From some internet searching the Backspacing on the 2012 JK Rubicon Wheels are 5.5" and I would have a 1.5" spacer/adapter making it fit the 5x4.5 stock mount to the 5x5 JK tire lugs. Will that fit do you think or will it be in my suspension?

Doesn't sound like a deal, IMO. 50% of tread gone means more than half the life has been used since you don't actually use all 100% of the tread. The Rubi JK tire/wheel combo is about 32" tall so you may get some rubbing unless lifted.
Something else to consider is the price of new 17/18 inch tires when the Rubi tires are done. They will be a good chunk more than 15 inchers.

The Jeep I bought currently has Huge 33x12.5 R15 BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A tires on some Ultramotor sport rims with -44 offset and 3.77 backspacing from my googling to find the rim. The Jeep has about a 2" lift, not sure what brand, and about a 2" transfer case drop. So the tires should fit height wise, im worried about backspacing/offset. As for the cost of tires they would be similar either way it seems after pricing, so that's not that big of a deal.

and in memory of my Miatas.

 

[Starrs]

Stock Moab's would look awesome on your jeep. Keep looking. I wouldn't get 50% tread remaining wheels.

 

[Mike_H]

The stock rubicon wheels will fit, no problem, with the adapters and a 2" lift... I'm running the same ones... though i only have 3/4" spacers in this picture.
I actually don't think 300 is too bad for wheels and tires...even half worn ones.

 

[Starrs]

The stock rubicon wheels will fit, no problem, with the adapters and a 2" lift... I'm running the same ones... though i only have 3/4" spacers in this picture.
I actually don't think 300 is too bad for wheels and tires...even half worn ones.View attachment 28774

Yea then you have to factor in the adapters and all on top of it. It's not a bad price, but not the easiest solution.

 

[FoxxyTJ]

The stock rubicon wheels will fit, no problem, with the adapters and a 2" lift... I'm running the same ones... though i only have 3/4" spacers in this picture.
I actually don't think 300 is too bad for wheels and tires...even half worn ones.View attachment 28774

Your Jeep looks dope, but the rims i am talking about are these here. and I think they would look Bad Ass on my Jeep as the plan is to go blacked out. With the adapters i would be looking at ~$500 which would give me new rims and some tires that are better than i got and could drive them a season or so. Then buy new rubber. As that would allow me to spend more money now on some other repairs i need to get done.

 

[Chris]

I personally don't think the price is that bad. I mean sure, the tires have only 50% tread left, but that should last you a year, maybe more?

 

[FoxxyTJ]

I personally don't think the price is that bad. I mean sure, the tires have only 50% tread left, but that should last you a year, maybe more?

So with the 5.5" Backspacing and the 1.5" spacer you think I should be good on not rubbing spacing wise on the tires?

 

[Chris]

So with the 5.5" Backspacing and the 1.5" spacer you think I should be good on not rubbing spacing wise on the tires?

I think you should be fine personally.

Nice Miatas by the way, I had a 05 Mazdaspeed and before that an NA with the red interior (limited edition model).

 

[FoxxyTJ]

I think you should be fine personally.

Nice Miatas by the way, I had a 05 Mazdaspeed and before that an NA with the red interior (limited edition model).

Thanks! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions and address all my concerns.

I always wanted a Mazdaspeed Miata, I was actually considering a NB as my new car instead of the Jeep but the Jeep won. And I know exactly what limited edition NA you are talking about. Black with the red leather and carpet. There was a super clean sub 20k miles one on Craigslist a year back and they wanted over $10k for it. It looked like it just came off the lot though.

 

[Chris]

Thanks! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions and address all my concerns.

I always wanted a Mazdaspeed Miata, I was actually considering a NB as my new car instead of the Jeep but the Jeep won. And I know exactly what limited edition NA you are talking about. Black with the red leather and carpet. There was a super clean sub 20k miles one on Craigslist a year back and they wanted over $10k for it. It looked like it just came off the lot though.

No problem at all!

Yes, I loved my Miatas, but in all honesty, the Jeep wins. It can fit more people, go more places, and once you ride with no doors and no top, it trumps the convertible experience IMHO!

The Jeep Wrangler is the only vehicle I've ever found that I enjoy more than riding motorcycles or driving a Miata!

Those NA Limited Editions are cool, I really liked the red interior on black, it stood out really well.

 

[FoxxyTJ]

No problem at all!

Yes, I loved my Miatas, but in all honesty, the Jeep wins. It can fit more people, go more places, and once you ride with no doors and no top, it trumps the convertible experience IMHO!

The Jeep Wrangler is the only vehicle I've ever found that I enjoy more than riding motorcycles or driving a Miata!

Those NA Limited Editions are cool, I really liked the red interior on black, it stood out really well.

Yeah, I can't wait for a nice day to come around so I can test out the whole taking the top and doors off. Too bad I bought it right as winter's taking effect, so that might have to wait a little. And since I've Daily driven a Miata for the past 5 years, the idea of being able to drive with 4 people is really mind bending for me, lol. Super excited though.

 

[glwood]

I think you should be fine personally.

x2. Should fit fine.

One consideration for down the road when you look at new tires, for mounting & rotation, is a lot of tire shops won't work on vehicles with spacers. Some will, you just have to look. If you do your own rotations, no problem. When I had spacers on one Jeep and changed tires, I just put all the wheels and tires in my truck and hauled it all to Discount Tire, then bolted everything back on later. A bit of a PITA, though.

 

[Chris]

One consideration for down the road when you look at new tires, for mounting & rotation, is a lot of tire shops won't work on vehicles with spacers.

Very true. I know that every major tire shop near me (including Discount Tire) will not touch a vehicle if it has wheel spacers on it. I don't blame them personally, because if you don't know what you're doing, they can be very dangerous. They've all told me that due to liability issues they can't work on the vehicles with wheel spacers installed.

Discount Tire actually told me they could change your tires if you have wheel spacers, but they won't reinstall the spacers for you, you have to take it home and reinstall them on your own.

 

[FoxxyTJ]

x2. Should fit fine.

One consideration for down the road when you look at new tires, for mounting & rotation, is a lot of tire shops won't work on vehicles with spacers. Some will, you just have to look. If you do your own rotations, no problem. When I had spacers on one Jeep and changed tires, I just put all the wheels and tires in my truck and hauled it all to Discount Tire, then bolted everything back on later. A bit of a PITA, though.

Very interesting, I hadn't thought of that. That is a weird scenario,. So is it some liability thing or something that makes them not want to work on cars with spacers? Also would this affect them not wanting to do alignments or balancing of tires, unless I took them off and brought them in off the jeep? Also since it's an adapter would that matter or would they just consider it a spacer anyways? And so is a spacer/adapter a risk to me and my vehicle?

 

[Chris]

They will remove the wheels from your vehicle to do something like balance the tires, rotate the tires, etc., but they won't reinstall the spacers. In other words, anytime you have your wheels removed, they'll take the spacers off, but they won't reinstall the spacers. You have to do that yourself.

A spacer isn't a risk to you or your vehicle when properly installed, but there's a lot of idiots out there, and I've read many, many stores about wheels falling off at speed because someone didn't install the spacers correctly.

I refuse to run wheel spacers. Not because I don't know how to install them (I do), only because it's a hassle to me. I prefer to just get a rim with the right size backspacing from the get go.

 

[FoxxyTJ]

They will remove the wheels from your vehicle to do something like balance the tires, rotate the tires, etc., but they won't reinstall the spacers. In other words, anytime you have your wheels removed, they'll take the spacers off, but they won't reinstall the spacers. You have to do that yourself.

A spacer isn't a risk to you or your vehicle when properly installed, but there's a lot of idiots out there, and I've read many, many stores about wheels falling off at speed because someone didn't install the spacers correctly.

I refuse to run wheel spacers. Not because I don't know how to install them (I do), only because it's a hassle to me. I prefer to just get a rim with the right size backspacing from the get go.

Hmm. Makes me want to reconsider the rims plus adapter as inconvenience is something I hate especially when it's something like that. I'll have to do some thinking and look at what other rim options are out there and see if anything else speaks to me. And maybe call my local tire places and see how it would go when I needed new rubber if I did have the adapters in there.

 

[glwood]

I'd do that, check some tire shops near you and see what they say. I've not run across the scenario Chris mentioned, that they would remove the spacers (no need to), but I have seen where they will not work on a vehicle that has spacers, which adapters are, in reality.