Tire Sizes

[ZedMikey]

Who is running big tires on their 1st-gens? I've got 295/75R16s on my truck right now, and I think I will go bigger when these wear out. I am going to try to trim the hell out of the fenders to stuff 35s or 37s under it without lifting it.

Anybody have any experience with big rubber and no lift? Any pics, without or without lift?

 

[Simplysmn]

I am in the process of rebuilding and with be going from a 37x12. 50x16. 5 goodyear to a michellin 325-75-16 yeah mine got a lot of lift to it give me a couple more weeks I will post a few pic's no way you will fit bigger then a 33or maybe a 35 with no lift thou good luck .

 

[boatpuller]

I have 305/70-16's with the softride 2 1/2" front springs, had to trimback the trim around the wheel well on the front bottom corner so they wouldn't rub when turned, will still rub a little if turning and hit a bump. Any bigger and I think there would be big clearance issues.



Caleb

 

[Steve Graham]

I'm running 315/75R16 with a 2" lift and some fender triming on the back side.

 

[ZedMikey]

That's interesting that you guys are having so many problems. My 295s measure over 33", and with no trimming I have no problems with any rubbing. I'm not concerned with the rears, as I have a flatbed on it, and I should have tons of room before I hit the toolboxes. The front end is the concern, of course.

No one else has any input here?

 

[ZedMikey]

A blast from the past... I thought I'd show you guys what I've been up to in the "big tire" department.

#ad


#ad


#ad






The rear is stock, but the front has 4" Alcans that move the axle forward an inch, 5" long shackles from Ruff Stuff, and an ORD crossover conversion.

The tires are pretty worn 42" Super Swampers, and they rub in the back when I hit a bump while turning. I've already trimmed the front a bit, but I'm going to take it to somebody who knows what they're doing with sheet metal. I'd rather have it done well than look like I hacked at it with an angle grinder in my driveway.

 

[JHumphries]

So much for no lift!

 

[ZedMikey]

So much for no lift!

Hehe... yeah. I wanted to do a crossover conversion, and that's much easier with some height in the front to help the draglink clear the engine crossmember.

It's fun to get into, though... 33. 5" step into the cab... that's more than my inseam!

 

[JHumphries]

... 33. 5" step into the cab... that's more than my inseam!

Compensating? :-laf

 

[HHhuntitall]

Compensating? :-laf

:-laf ... you so bad!!! :-laf



I like it, I like it... ... now I want to go play.....



What do you do when you hit some hard angles?!? That'd be a problem for me... . I drive too hard!!! The tire'd trim the fender for me!!!!

 

[ENafziger]

Hey!!! Throw up some more pics of that rig!!! That looks great!! ... well other than I'm not a fan of running 2 different styles of side mirrors simultaneously

I agree... I like a low-slung big tire look.

I've used the Bushwacker cut-out flares in the past, but I don't know if I'd do that again. They quit producing them for the 1st gens, and availability may be slim. I did like how they looked though...

#ad


#ad




If I were you, I'd get a set of stock rear fender flares, and put them on the front. That would give you ~ 1. 5 - 2" more clearance in front and behind the rear tire.

Have you tried trimming/forming the sheet metal before? It's initially a little scary, but the metal works really well, and it's pretty easy to do. Using the rear flares on the front will give you a little "cover up" area as well, if it doesn't turn out perfect.

FWIW, this was trimming the fenders to be able to stuff 37 Toyos under my '06:

#ad



--Eric

 

[ZedMikey]

Compensating? :-laf

I just like getting a short climb in every time I get into the truck.

:-laf ... you so bad!!! :-laf

I like it, I like it... ... now I want to go play.....

What do you do when you hit some hard angles?!? That'd be a problem for me... . I drive too hard!!! The tire'd trim the fender for me!!!!

The fenders are going to get trimmed significantly; I'm just trying to find somebody to do it for me. I don't have the time, tools, or skill to do it right. Machining I can do... sheet metal fab is not my thing.

Hey!!! Throw up some more pics of that rig!!! That looks great!! ... well other than I'm not a fan of running 2 different styles of side mirrors simultaneously I'll probably pull the towing mirrors off, I just haven't gotten around to it. I won't be doing any towing anytime soon, anyway. I just pulled the heads off the normal mirrors when I put the towing ones one; I was in a hurry.

I agree... I like a low-slung big tire look. It's the only way to go!

I've used the Bushwacker cut-out flares in the past, but I don't know if I'd do that again. They quit producing them for the 1st gens, and availability may be slim. I did like how they looked though... I thought about getting those, but I don't think they would provide enough room for what I need. I'm probably going bigger when these tires are done, and like I said, I'm not lifting it any higher.

#ad


#ad




If I were you, I'd get a set of stock rear fender flares, and put them on the front. That would give you ~ 1. 5 - 2" more clearance in front and behind the rear tire.

Have you tried trimming/forming the sheet metal before? It's initially a little scary, but the metal works really well, and it's pretty easy to do. Using the rear flares on the front will give you a little "cover up" area as well, if it doesn't turn out perfect. I trimmed the fenders on my CJ5, but there was no inner fender to deal with. That's my hesitation with the Dodge; getting the inner fenders opened up and matching the outers.

FWIW, this was trimming the fenders to be able to stuff 37 Toyos under my '06:

#ad



--Eric

 

[pwerwagn]

I have 40's on my 74 with ~6" or so and the front still needed trimming but the front axle is in the stock location.
On the ramcharger Im doing ~2. 5-3" and 40's. Right now I have a 37 mocked up in the rear and with ~5" backspace walkers they seem to fit pretty good. I moved the rear axle back about 1. 5" or so, so that will be most of my trimming. Im going to push the front axle forward ~2-3" (havent decided yet) to lessen the trimming at the rear of the fender. I will take a pic to show you want a 37" toyo looks like in a dodge rear fender with ~2. 5" of lift. The front is the issue though, especially stock location...

Here is the trimming I did on my 04 to fit 37's. My truck is lowered about 1. 5-2" over stock in the rear and I clear 37's with no probs.
#ad

#ad

#ad

#ad

#ad

 

[ZedMikey]

I have 40's on my 74 with ~6" or so and the front still needed trimming but the front axle is in the stock location.
On the ramcharger Im doing ~2. 5-3" and 40's. Right now I have a 37 mocked up in the rear and with ~5" backspace walkers they seem to fit pretty good. I moved the rear axle back about 1. 5" or so, so that will be most of my trimming. Im going to push the front axle forward ~2-3" (havent decided yet) to lessen the trimming at the rear of the fender. I will take a pic to show you want a 37" toyo looks like in a dodge rear fender with ~2. 5" of lift. The front is the issue though, especially stock location...

Here is the trimming I did on my 04 to fit 37's. My truck is lowered about 1. 5-2" over stock in the rear and I clear 37's with no probs.

I knew the rear of the front fender would be the problem, but I didn't want to push the axle so far forward that the steering geometry had to be fixed. That's why I went with only a 1" move with the off-center pin. Like my truck needs a longer wheelbase...

I think it'll work out really well once I have the fenders modified. I'm going to have them opened up as much as is reasonably possible. 46s shouldn't be a problem.

 

[pwerwagn]

Heres my 74 with the axle pushed forward 1/2", ~6" lift and 40's. The tires are on 8" wide 4" backspace wheels and even with the trimming Ive done, I still have some contact occasionally. You can see the tires dont stick out much. I had a different set of wheels with 35's on them, but 2-5/8" backspace and they hit worse than the 40's.



In regards to the OP... I think 37's can be made to fit decently easy with no lift/1" lift. But, like mentioned... crossover is much easier to make happen with ~2-3+" of lift.



#ad


#ad


#ad

 

[ENafziger]

If you're REALLY serious about it, you may want to research the fine folks in Iceland who do this on a regular basis. For them, 54" tires on almost no lift is just run of the mill!

#ad

#ad

#ad


#ad


#ad


#ad

 

[HHhuntitall]

:music-in-background: :starryeyed: "I'm in love, love, love..... " Ok, so I found a reason to live in a cold climate... ... .

 

[pwerwagn]

I have ALWAYS wanted to live in iceland to have a reason to have vehicles like that. My grandpa had a Jeep J10 back in the day that came from there supposedly, had some weird non-english writing tires that were like 33" tall and like 25" wide, they were awesome. j

Ive looked into those dodges a bit, and most of them run Portals to get height.

 

[JHumphries]

The parking spaces would have to be half again as wide just to get the tires inside the lines!

 

[HHhuntitall]

I've got a nice '90 gasser short bed..... I think I know what I want to do with it..... well, still want to do with it...