Wheel Spacers and Alignment

[NewJLU2019]

When all said and done, it’s the takeoff tires I bought - uneven tread wear, and they weren’t placed at the proper corners based on tread wear. I will have to swap them around. The pull is not bad or dangerous, and I can live with it, but I guess I’m being a bit anal about it ? I won’t be buying used tires again. The good news is I DID need an alignment anyway, so that money wasn’t wasted!

Can someone clarify about putting 35 or 37's on a Stock wheel 17x7.5

When I did research for the 33's I put on my Sahara all I read was it can be done but bigger tires on small wheels create a rounded tire and would cause uneven tire wear.

That is one reason I wanted Different wheels for my Rubicon so 35's would fit.

I keep seeing on forum jeepers putting 35 and 37's on stock 17x7.5 wheels. From all I read you need at least 8.5" to 9" and maybe 10" wide to properly install tires that big.

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[DOOKEY]

The good news is I DID need an alignment anyway, so that money wasn’t wasted!

 

[Wabujitsu]

Can someone clarify about putting 35 or 37's on a Stock wheel 17x7.5

When I did research for the 33's I put on my Sahara all I read was it can be done but bigger tires on small wheels create a rounded tire and would cause uneven tire wear.

That is one reason I wanted Different wheels for my Rubicon so 35's would fit.

I keep seeing on forum jeepers putting 35 and 37's on stock 17x7.5 wheels. From all I read you need at least 8.5" to 9" and maybe 10" wide to properly install tires that big.

Brother, my 35s are on my stock 17x7.5s. Local consensus from tire shops and 4x4 shops is it is not an issue.

 

[NewJLU2019]

Brother, my 35s are on my stock 17x7.5s. Local consensus from tire shops and 4x4 shops is it is not an issue.

When I was looking at tires the tire Charts always listed 8.5 to 10 width wheels for 35/12.50/17 tires.
My Stock Sahara were 17x7.5 so didn't do that. I also read somewhere it made tire wear uneven.

Learning as I go. Thats why I was looking at some Jeepers put 37's on Rubicon stock 17x7.5.

This was one of the forum members I read about it.


@Uhdinator
technically........most tire manufacturers recommend 295/70 as max width tire for a 7.5" wide rim. 315/70/17 min rim width is 8". 8.5-9 would be better. Many have mounted 315's on stock Rubicon wheels........your choice of course but its not recommended.
I'm surprised so many tire shops will mount them on a rim width narrower than mfr spec.

 

[gato]

Can someone clarify about putting 35 or 37's on a Stock wheel 17x7.5

Depends on what you are asking.

There are 35" tires that are ˜11" wide and those are totally fine on stock wheels. There are 37" tires that are 13.5" wide and those are rarely a good idea to mount on a 7.5" wheel. I assume you probably meant 35x12.5 or 37x12.5.

Is it recommended or best practice to put most 12.5" tires on a 7.5" wheel? No.

Can it be done reasonably safely and with reasonably good tire wear? Yes.

Will most national chain tire shops agree to mount/service them? No.

Does it work better for tires that tend to be slightly narrower than spec (like KO2s)? Yes.

Is there a definitive answer anywhere in the Internet? No.

 

[NewJLU2019]

Depends on what you are asking.

There are 35" tires that are ˜11" wide and those are totally fine on stock wheels. There are 37" tires that are 13.5" wide and those are rarely a good idea to mount on a 7.5" wheel. I assume you probably meant 35x12.5 or 37x12.5.

Is it recommended or best practice to put most 12.5" tires on a 7.5" wheel? No.

Can it be done reasonably safely and with reasonably good tire wear? Yes.

Does it work better for tires that tend to be slightly narrower than spec (like KO2s)? Yes.

Is there a definitive answer anywhere in the Internet? No.

I was just wondering cause I only put 33's on my Sahara back in 2019 cause they would fit 7.5 Stock wheel. Kept reading crowning would happen and cause uneven tread wear.
I wanted to keep the Sahara stock wheels since they were brand new.

I sold my Factory Rubicon wheels/tires and springs/shocks to fellow Jeeper here who's son has a 2020 sport and it gave him a nice Rubicon upgrade.

BFG site shows this.

 

[gato]

I was just wondering cause I only put 33's on my Sahara back in 2019 cause they would fit 7.5 Stock wheel. Kept reading crowning would happen and cause uneven tread wear.

Hi, I'm not trying to make it too complicated, but when you say "33s", that can mean any tire of different widths that have a ˜33" diameter.

For example 285/70R17 that will be within manufacturer's spec on a 7.5" wheel, which is exactly what the Rubicon JL uses. It can also be a 33x12.5R17 tire, that the manufacturer will specify 8.5"-10" wheels.

Same for a 35. There are 35x11.5R17s (narrower) and 35x12.5R17 (wider).

A 33x12.5, 35x12.5 or 37x12.5 tire on a 7.5" wide wheel is not ideal, but it is not doomsday either. It is a compromise that may use with decent performance and tire wear. Crowning and other wear issues can be mitigated with tire pressure and rotation.

If you bought wider wheels, you did the right thing. If you mounted on 7.5" wheels, you did an "ok" thing. Don't lose sleep over it.

 

[NewJLU2019]

Hi, I'm not trying to make it too complicated, but when you say "33s", that can mean any tire of different widths that have a ˜33" diameter.

For example 285/70R17 that will be within manufacturer's spec on a 7.5" wheel, which is exactly what the Rubicon JL uses. It can also be a 33x12.5R17 tire, that the manufacturer will specify 8.5"-10" wheels.

Same for a 35. There are 35x11.5R17s (narrower) and 35x12.5R17 (wider).

A 33x12.5, 35x12.5 or 37x12.5 tire on a 7.5" wide wheel is not ideal, but it is not doomsday either. It is a compromise that may use with decent performance and tire wear. Crowning and other wear issues can be mitigated with tire pressure and rotation.

If you bought wider wheels, you did the right thing. If you mounted on 7.5" wheels, you did an "ok" thing. Don't lose sleep over it.

I was just wondering. I read the BFG tire chart size and some on forum threads when I changed my Sahara Bridgestone Duelers out. They were 255/70/R18 I went with BFG 275/70/R18 33's for that was the biggest size recommend for my stock 17x7.5 wheels I wanted to keep.

That's why I bought new wheels for my New Rubicon for the bigger tires I wanted then.

Then I start seeing all these Jeepers putting 35/12.50/17 on stock 17x7.5 wheels and wondering why. But some say it's good and some say it's not good.

 

[Wabujitsu]

I was just wondering. I read the BFG tire chart size and some on forum threads when I changed my Sahara Bridgestone Duelers out. They were 255/70/R18 I went with BFG 275/70/R18 33's for that was the biggest size recommend for my stock 17x7.5 wheels I wanted to keep.

That's why I bought new wheels for my New Rubicon for the bigger tires I wanted then.

Then I start seeing all these Jeepers putting 35/12.50/17 on stock 17x7.5 wheels and wondering why. But some say it's good and some say it's not good.

Curtis, I’m wondering something. How did you fit 18” rim-size 275/75R18s on 17” rims? ?

 

[NewJLU2019]

Curtis, I’m wondering something. How did you fit 18” rim-size 275/75R18s on 17” rims? ?

Typo the Sahara had 18x7.5 wheels. lol

 

[gato]

That's why I bought new wheels for my New Rubicon for the bigger tires I wanted then.

Then I start seeing all these Jeepers putting 35/12.50/17 on stock 17x7.5 wheels and wondering why. But some say it's good and some say it's not good.

It's one way to do it. As almost everything there are pros and cons. Pros = you can keep the factory wheels, save money etc. Cons = you may need to use wheel spacers to prevent rubbing, you may have the tires at sub-optimum sidewall angles, more wear, etc.

Beware of anyone who speaks in absolutes "can't do it" or "no problem at all doing it". I like the look of the factory wheels and kept them for a while with larger tires on my JK. On my JL, I go to Quadratec and for $149/wheel I can pick up any factory/MOPAR wheel replica with 17x8.5 and perfect offset. So that is what I chose. Not saying it is the only way. It is a way.

 

[NewJLU2019]

It's one way to do it. As almost everything there are pros and cons. Pros = you can keep the factory wheels, save money etc. Cons = you may need to use wheel spacers to prevent rubbing, you may have the tires at sub-optimum sidewall angles, more wear, etc.

Beware of anyone who speaks in absolutes "can't do it" or "no problem at all doing it". I like the look of the factory wheels and kept them for a while with larger tires on my JK. On my JL, I go to Quadratec and for $149/wheel I can pick up any factory/MOPAR wheel replica with 17x8.5 and perfect offset. So that is what I chose. Not saying it is the only way. It is a way.

Glad I went with the 33's on the Sahara and new wheels for the Rubicon 35's

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