Jeep Wrangler Forum banner

Need some advice pls

3K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  Zaracy 
#1 ·
Hi Folks,

I need some advice here pls. I'm about to order new wheels and tires for my 2008 Wrangler X - stock, no modifications what so ever. It has right now a 225/75/16 stock GY tires along with those ugly stock rims.

I've been reading some info here on forums and I'm glad I did.
Now I have pretty much narrowed down my choices, but few questions surfaced right now.

This is my choice right now:
Wheels: MB TKO 15X8 5-127 -19MTB - link: MB TKO - Discount Tire

For tires I'm stuck with 2 options and cant seem to decide:
1 - BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO 31-1050R-15C1 109S W - link: Tire Details - Discount Tire

2 - Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac 31X10.50R15C1 109Q W - link: Tire Details - Discount Tire

Now I have a few questions:

1 - Why 15" and not 16" ? Why 33" and not 31" ? I know size matters in general ;) but how does it matter in Jeep? Better off-roading, grip, "cool factor" etc?
2 - BFG or GY ? Which one is better of those 2 choices? Or maybe there is smthg else better than those 2 ? You will ask here about where I drive etc: Daily driving to work etc, occasional weekend off-road, nothing too crazy either - newbie here ;), so I'm pretty much looking for a year round tire with some extra spice on the side ;)
3 - Guy in my local discounttire.com shop told me that I can go max to 31" and then he would test that to see if there is no issues. I was reading here that 33" is possible ? At what cost, what needs to be done ?

Is there anything else I should be considering, asking?

Please help :wavey:
 
See less See more
#3 ·
I have had great success in the past with bfgs. Currently I have Cooper discover at3s on my wife's wk. Best street all terrain I have ever had. Snow and ice are a joke to those. On my wrangler I have procomp at xtreams. They do great off road. They to build up mud if you can't spin them up. Haven't had them in the snow yet. But so far I like them.
 
#4 ·
This is my choice right now:
Wheels: MB TKO 15X8 5-127 -19MTB - link: MB TKO - Discount Tire
That'll work fine, as far as clearing your brake calipers. :thumb:

1 - Why 15" and not 16" ? Why 33" and not 31" ? I know size matters in general ;) but how does it matter in Jeep? Better off-roading, grip, "cool factor" etc?
A smaller wheel has several advantages: lower cost, lower tire cost, lighter weight, bigger sidewall and a larger contact patch.

That said, the difference btw 15's and 16's is relatively minimal. One important consideration would be the backspacing availability. Most 15" wheels have a bs of 3.75" or less. This means your tire will stick out farther from your Jeep. Some peeps don't like this, cuz the tire will throw gunk all over the side of their Jeep in wet weather. Also, it puts a bit more stress on your Jeep's wheel bearings. Not a big deal.

I run 16" wheels cuz I wanted a bs around 4.5". Just my preference. Plus, I run DuraTracs and GoodYear doesn't make DT's in the 15" wheel size.

2 - BFG or GY ? Which one is better of those 2 choices? Or maybe there is smthg else better than those 2 ? You will ask here about where I drive etc: Daily driving to work etc, occasional weekend off-road, nothing too crazy either - newbie here ;), so I'm pretty much looking for a year round tire with some extra spice on the side ;)
Both are good tires. As mentioned above, I run the DT's, for a # of reasons. They're one of the best snow tires out there, and I live in Wisconsin. They're very light. They're good in mud, rain, etc. And they have a long tread life.

Their one drawback is a relatively weak sidewall, which would be important if you wheel in really rocky areas. It's not that big a concern for me since I'm running E-rated tires, which have a thicker sidewall, though some folks don't like the harsher ride associated with an E tire. I actually prefer it.

3 - Guy in my local discounttire.com shop told me that I can go max to 31" and then he would test that to see if there is no issues. I was reading here that 33" is possible ? At what cost, what needs to be done ?
Maybe he's talking about tire width? You can run 33's on your JK with no lift, provided you have wheels with the proper backspacing (about 4.75" or less). However, if you disco your swaybars off road and get in situations that require a lot of flex, you might get some rubbing on your stock fenders. A simple leveling kit (TeraFlex, Full Traction) will cure this.

The good thing about 33" tires on the JK (as opposed to 35's) is that there isn't really anything extra that needs to be done, other than having wheels with the proper bs (or, barring that, wheel spacers). You will need to recalibrate your speedo for the larger tire size. Many dealers will not do this for tires over 32". Some tire shops will do it for you. I just bought an AEV Procal, which will allow you to recalibrate for the tires yourself, let you adjust your TPMS sensors, and several other handy functions. Here's a link:

ProCal Module - Electronics - Shop By Category

On the tired look into Dunlop Fierce Attitudes. They are not too expensive and run great in all weather.
:thumb:

The Fierce Attitudes and the Kelly Safari TSR's are sister tires to the DuraTracs. Pretty much the same thing, but sometimes easier to get and cheaper than the DT's.
 
#5 ·
Hi Folks,

I need some advice here pls. I'm about to order new wheels and tires for my 2008 Wrangler X - stock, no modifications what so ever. It has right now a 225/75/16 stock GY tires along with those ugly stock rims.

I've been reading some info here on forums and I'm glad I did.
Now I have pretty much narrowed down my choices, but few questions surfaced right now.

This is my choice right now:
Wheels: MB TKO 15X8 5-127 -19MTB - link: MB TKO - Discount Tire

For tires I'm stuck with 2 options and cant seem to decide:
1 - BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO 31-1050R-15C1 109S W - link: Tire Details - Discount Tire

2 - Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac 31X10.50R15C1 109Q W - link: Tire Details - Discount Tire

Now I have a few questions:

1 - Why 15" and not 16" ? Why 33" and not 31" ? I know size matters in general ;) but how does it matter in Jeep? Better off-roading, grip, "cool factor" etc?
2 - BFG or GY ? Which one is better of those 2 choices? Or maybe there is smthg else better than those 2 ? You will ask here about where I drive etc: Daily driving to work etc, occasional weekend off-road, nothing too crazy either - newbie here ;), so I'm pretty much looking for a year round tire with some extra spice on the side ;)
3 - Guy in my local discounttire.com shop told me that I can go max to 31" and then he would test that to see if there is no issues. I was reading here that 33" is possible ? At what cost, what needs to be done ?

Is there anything else I should be considering, asking?

Please help :wavey:
One other thing...

Once you get the 33's, check the PSI in em, pronto. Should be around 30-32 PSI. Tire shops and dealers almost always overinflate em, usually to 37 PSI, as per the door placard. This will cause your Jeep to handle like shit, and the tires to wear unevenly.

To get the optimum PSI for any tires, do a chalk test:

How to Chalk Tires | eHow.com

Use the chalk that carpenters use in string lines, so it'll transfer well from your tires to the asphalt. Don't buy the permanent chalk...it'll say on the bottle.
 
#6 ·
I went from stock sport tires (225/75/16) and wheels to BFG M/T (255/70/17) I gained 105 lbs in rubber alone. The tire is OE for rubicon. I was going to go to 33" duratracs but didn't want to do more mods at this time. Big tires = big weight = big money !
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top