what tires should i get?

[mujaman]

theres a chance i might sell my 30x9.50 BFG A/T's off my '97 cherokee to my friend who needs new tires for his grand, so i can get a new larger set. i have a 3" lift, some wide cut-out flares, and AR-767 rims that are spaced wide enough to give me plenty of clearance from the control arms. here's the dilemma... how big should i go. i know without a doubt i could easily fit 33's... and i'm pretty sure i could go to 35's with only minor rubbing. i won't go above a 33 though... and was originally set on a 31x10.50, but now i dunno if thats much of an upgrade. i know that once you get to a 32/33 inch tire on a cherokee its time to start thinking about regearing. i've already lost some highway speed/acceleration from the mods i have on there (ARB bull bar, heavy step rails, lift, etc.)... so i really don't want to be bogged down much more on the interstate (or with acceleration). so which size should i get: 31, 32, or 33... and what width (probably 10.50 on all... but that can change too). thanks-

 

[LGR]

with 33s in 3" XJ lift not much room for flex there is it?

 

[Tug-n-pull]

U.S. Marine needs help...

31's would be my choice! Plenty of room for flex, less loss of power and with 33's you only gain 1" of clearence over the 31's. That in my book is a small prize for such a loss of power. Then I am not a real big fan of over size tires to start with. Good smart driven will more than make up for the clearence lost going to 33's. As for width 10.5 or even 11.5 would look good just depends on the type of driven you do. I like the looks of the old school tall thin tires my self. 31 x 10.50 would be nice. tug

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Stick with 31" tires.

 

[TwistedCU]

33" tires on 3" of lift on an XJ will rub - even on the street.

31's are the biggest tires you'll fit on your Cherokee with 3" lift without major problems. Even they may rub a little while offroad, but it will be tolerable compared to what you'll experience with a set of 33's.

Many run 31's on 4.5" of lift on the '97-2000 XJ's.

 

[jps4jeep]

49" iroks

sorry could not resist!

 

[mujaman]

thanks for the input everybody... i was leaning towards the 31x10.50's, so provided my friend buys mine, i'll probably go with those. like i said though, even though i only have 3" of lift, i've done atleast 3" of fender trimming front and back (which REALLY opened the wheel wells up) and put rusty's cut-out flares on. there is plenty of clearance for a 33" tire, and i don't think i would rub except for on full articulation. either way though, i'm just gonna stick with the 31's if anything.

 

[bchcky]

alright, good, you got the size down. now comes the difficult part, what BRAND you gonna go with? you're looking for m/ts or swampers i'm assuming.

 

[TwistedCU]

I missed the part about the cut-out flares. I still think 33's would be a bit tight in there. With the cut-outs, a 32" might be a good fit also. If you're getting something aggressive the TSL radials come in a 32x10.50. Just a thought.

 

[mujaman]

well, my friend didn't end up buying my tires, so it looks like i won't be on the tire market for atleast another year or so. i had actually decided to stick with the BFG All-Terrains in a 31x10.50. i thought about getting something more aggressive, but i don't think a mud terrain or swamper tire is what i need right now. i still do a lot of road driving (mainly back and forth from college), and the BFG A/T's have very good performance on the pavement (as far as road noise, wet traction, etc.). an A/T tire also does much much better than a mud terrain tire in most snow or ice conditions (except for deep snow)... and i drive quite a bit in the snow. so... i think the A/T tire is best for me. and yes, i WILL stick with BFG... i know some people dislike them because they are somewhat pricey, but i have been thoroughly pleased with their tires... not to mention they're definitely the best looking tires out there.

 

[TwistedCU]

The BFG A/T's are the best tires I've ever owned. Definately not a mud terrain, but they hold their own in the slop and are excellent in all other off-road catagories. The street manners and mileage are awesome too. No doubt a great choice. They're worth the money.