Charley3

Some additional advantages of using stock wheels (keeps the tire centered under the fender) is less leverage on the steering system and wheel bearings. Steering parts and wheel bearings will last longer. I also think there's less chance of death wobble because the tire and wheel are placing less leverage-force on the steering system when you hit bumps. There is less steering feedback from bumps in the road, even with larger than stock tires because stock width and BS wheels don't place as much leverage on the steering system when you hit a bump. Also the tires are less prone to following road imperfections. So the steering tracks straight on highway. Having no lift or low lift also helps steerung track straight on highway because you can have more caster.

Those are some benefits of using a wheel with stock width and BS. Another benefit is fitment-clearance benefits of keeping tire under fenders and able to tuck into fenders when suspension compresses (possible when tire has minimal side-lugs) that I explained in prior posts.

Stock wheels also have the benefit of being hub-centric which takes the strain off the wheel studs.

Benefits of a narrow tire (245/74R16) include easier steering and straighter tracking on highway because narrow tires are less prone to following road imperfections than wider tires. Narrow tires put less strain on wheel bearings and steering, which has numerous benefits. Narrow tires give more clearance, which allows a tighter turning radius.

Narrow tires get better gas mileage and are better on wet highway (less hydroplaning) and have more Winter road traction. Those are all things I care about. So my XJ is set up that way.

Narrow tires are not very good on sand (sink to much) but I don't drive on sand much so I don't care. I live in-land and rarely go to the beach.

For people who drive on sand a lot, a wider tire is much better. So for those people a 31 x 10.5 is a better choice.

For trails either width tire is equally fine.

For mud it's impossible to say which width is better because it depends upon the consistency and depth of the mud, and weight of vehicle. So which is best for mud depends on circumstances, which vary widely. So use whichever width tire best suits your other terrains and weather.

IMO

Charley3

Muckfoot (OP), although I think it's possible (plausible even) to fit 31s on an XJ with stock suspension, I think you'd get better results with a 1.25 front, 1.75" rear lift like I have.

Here's why. With that little bit of lift I gained 1.25" more suspension uptravel in front, and 1.75" more uptravel in rear. So it can eat bigger bumps without bottoming out suspension. Also, my spring rate of my OME TJ front springs is softer than a stock XJ, and my rear springs are about same or only slightly firmer than stock XJ.

So my XJ has a very comfortable ride and can eat big bumps without bottoming out suspension, 245 tires cleared everything on and off road, ride is more comfortable than stock, and I have a lot more articulation than stock.

My OME TJ front springs are slightly softer, but way longer than stock XJ springs, and I have Bilstein 5100 shocks for 2-3" lift (which work fine with 1"+ lift and stock bumpstops), and longer brake lines for a 3" lift. This means I have lots of articulation for a 1.25" lift. I have as much articulation as a typical 3" lift. I have way more articulation than stock suspension.

So I have more onroad comfort (softer front spring rate and extra suspension uptravel to eat bumps without bottoming out suspension) and more offroad performance (more articulation) than a stock suspension. I also have a much lower COG than a 3" lift.

My low lift has many advantages of stock suspension and of a 3" lift combined into one. I'm not talking about tire clearance. I probably wouldn't need any lift to clear 245s, though it's possible my 1.25" helps clearance some. I'm talking about having the less obvious benefits of a lift while also having the benefits of low COG.

muckfoot

I had this a few years ago, but I cant remember if they were 30s or 31s...

serenabatali

Hey guys! Just got a 2000 cherokee and am about to get a lift kit for it, but wanted to know if 31's will rub with a 2.5" or 3" lift kit? Will i have to do any trimming or should I be good with either one of those heights? Thanks!

Charley3

Another way to clear tires, which we haven't discussed much, is bumpstop extension. This prevents the axle from coming up as high during suspension compression, which keeps the tires from coming up as high. This helps keep tires from hitting flares or fenders. That's mainly a concern for guys with less BS, and/or wider than 7" wheels, and/or wider than 9.5 tires. For example, it would be a concern with 31 x 10.5 tires, though less of a concern is using stock 15 x 8 with 5.25 BS wheels (like Ravine).You can't afford any bumpstop extension with stock supsension because bumpstop extension would reduce the already limited stock suspension uptravel.

However, with even a little bit of lift, you then have the option to extend bumpstops a little.

When I tested 245 tires on my 1.25 lift, at that time I did not have any bumpstop extension, and everything cleared on and off road.

I later added a 3/4" thick rubber bumpstop extension (think rubber hockey puck) to the landing pad on the axle housing (glued on with gutter sealant). I did that to ensure that my 5100 Bilstein 3" lift shocks don't overcompress. However, I probably didn't need to bother. The 5100 can compress as much as OME shocks, and OME says no bumpstop extension is needed. Bilstein never mentioned bumpstops that I've seen. That why I compared to OME shocks.

Keep in mind that 3/4" rubber compresses to around 1/2" when bumpstop is hit hard. I later realized that my bumpstop extension is to much and is wasting some of my uptravel with no benefit to the shocks. Next Summer, I'm going to replace 3/4" rubber bumpstop extension pad with 1/2" rubber that can compress to around 1/4" under impact.

I don't need any bumpstop extension for tire fit and probably don't need it to protect my 5100 shocks. However, I like the idea of 1/2" thick rubber pad that compresses to around 1/4" under impact because a rubber pad gives my suspension a very soft landing when I hit a huge bump that fully compresses suspension.

===

For your XJ (Muckfoot), you wouldn't want any bumpstop extension with stock suspension, but with 1.25+ inches lift you'd have the option of using a 1/2" bumpstop extension (ideally a rubber pad). That would increase your tire clearance 1/4" when suspension fully compresses hard, and 1/2" when articulating. You probably wouldn't need that extra tire clearance with 245 tires, but it's nice to know you can have extra clearance, and can adjust clearance by changing thickness of bumpstop extension pad.

i.e. - if you have 1" lift (or more) then you have another way to adjust tire clearance: Bumpstop extension. It's a viable alternative to trimming.

You probably wouldn't need trimming or bumpstop extension for 245s, but you might need those one (or both) to fit 31 x 10.5 tires.

Bottom Line: It's probably possible to fit 31 x 9.5 with stock suspension and no trimming. It is for sure possible with 1.25" lift (with stock bumpstops, though I prefer a 1/2" rubber bumpstop extension pad).

Bottom Line: It might be possible to fit 31 x 10.5 with stock suspension and no trimming, but more likely to fit with 1.25" lift and 1/2" bumpstop extension (made of rubber). Might need slight trimming too. Not sure. Rubber bumpstop extension has the added advantage of making a soft landing for bumpstop. So a smoother ride on rough roads and off road. It creates a dual rate suspension where the last little bit of compression travel is firmer, but not harsh like it would be with a hard metal landing pad. It's much softer than having a metal landing pad or metal bumpstop extension for the bumpstop to crash into.

In addition, I replaced my hard stock bumpstops with medium durometer rubber bumpstops. That's softer than the stock hard bumpstops. So my bumpstops have cushion when they hit, plus my rubber bumpstop extension pads have additional padding. This gives a soft landing when I occasionally bottom my suspension on hard bumps. However, I rarely bottom it because my springs have more uptravel (more than stock) before bottoming suspension. I can prerun in comfort at 40 to 45 mph on bumpy terrain and unpaved washboard roads. These are advantages of a 1.25" lift (compared to stock suspension). For that matter, these are also advantages of my 1.25" lift over a 3" lift. I have softer springs and just as much articulation off-road.

Even with stock suspension, a guy could replace the stock hard bumpstops with stock replacement (OER) cushy rubber bumpstops. I bought my stock replacement (OER) rubber bumpstops from Quadratec as stock replacements (same length as stock). They are Crown brand and are superior to stock bumpstops. They are stock length and shape, but are cushy rubber. Quadratec sells them cheap.I bought a sheet of 1/2" thick rubber from a local store. I think they may have ordered it from Granger catalog. Then my cousin used a band saw to cut it into round "hockey puck" shaped pads and glued them in on the front axle's bumpstop landing pads. He used gutter sealant in a caulk gun to glue the pads in place. Those are my cushy bumpstop extensions. But you need at least 1" lift to use pad extension.

Charley3

Good grief. Read the thread man.

Yes a 3" will clear with no trimming. Less than 3" can clear if you know how to go about it.

muckfoot

-thanks buddy good info, I think I will trim the fenders a little and get flares.
I have about $3,500 budget

muckfoot

-

Martlor13

could you explain one more time???

Charley3

OK, if that's your choice. However, you'd get a softer ride and more performance with a small OME lift of around 1.25" then would need less trimming; or no trimming and use stock flares if you use 31 x 9.5. That would be well within your budget.

However, if you want stock suspension then your plan is sound.

However, let me suggest these options if you're staying with stock suspension. Option 3 is a method I did not mention earlier. It's a common approach to LCOG with MT. I think it may be the one you are intending to use?

1) If you use 31 x 9.5 tires with small side-lugs on stock 16 x 7 wheels with 5.25 BS you might not need to trim much, if any, and stock flares might work. So for 31 x 9.5 don't trim or buy aftermarket flares, unless you find you need them.

2) If you use 31 x 10.5 R15 tires with small side-lugs on stock 15 x 8 wheels with 5.5 BS you might need to do some trimming, but it will be minimal and stock flares might work.

3) If you use 31 x 10.5 R15 tires with large side-lugs on aftermarket 15 x 8 with 4.5" BS you will need to do significant trimming use aftermarket flares. With those wheels the tire will be moved out far enough that the large side-lugs will clear the stock swaybar and spring tower. Keep in mind that moving tire out (4.5 BS) will put more leverage-strain on steering and wheel bearings. Moving wheel-tire out doesn't cause death wobble, but IMO it can be a contributing factor to DW if any suspension or steering parts are worn. However, this is the only way you can fit a 31 x 10.5 with large side lugs, and the moving wheel-tire out benefits and drawbacks will be same with no lift or with 3" lift. IMO.

StuckBuck

LOL

Guys all these questions belong here:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/al...go-here-10579/

All these questions have been answered 100's of times in the lift and tire thread. All you need to do is read through that thread and you will never need to know anything more about lifts. Also a good read if your into LOW COG (center of gravity) Jeep builds or worried about tire clearance is this:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/lo...24-12-a-32980/

serenabatali to answer your question, yes 31s will easily clear on both of those. I would go with a 3, and this still considered LOW COG so dont listen to anyone saying otherwise. I ran 33's on a 3in and had a buddy that ran 35's with alot of trimming. But read those two threads and youll get plenty of info!

Charley3

If you want to use 31 x 10.5 tires with stock suspension, trimming, and aftermarket flares, you could use Notch flares. See notchcustoms.com

The manufacturer tested them (in the pic) with 32 x 10.5 R16 tires (265/75R16) with stock suspension. I think the AEV wheels (seen in pic) are 16 x 8 with 4.5 BS. Nothing rubbed. I think that XJ would look pretty cool with 33 x 10.5, and I suspect they'd fit. I think 32 x 11.5 R15 would fit too.

I like the stock style and matching body color of Notch flares. It looks more finished than Bushwacker, IMO. If you prefer the Bushwacker look there are several brands offering that look.

Charley3

Muckfoot, keep us posted on your project. I'd love to see some pictures.

muckfoot

if I could get 32s like that, that's cool!!!. I prefer Bushwacker. theres a lot of stuff to get right. im now looking at that long arm suspension

muckfoot

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