Wheel/Tire experts please help.

[dave123]

Hello. Just got my tax return. My tires are old and have some rot, so I want to get some new ones. The abundance of info. has me confused.

Currently, I have the 15" rims with 31" tires. I have a small lift, shackles, that's about it. Got some good pics in my gallery if you want to see what I have.

My set up works good, but I would like something that looks bigger. I guess 31"s are tall enough, but a wider tire is desired.

Some of the things I'm confused about: Backspacing, do I need it? How about offset?

Alloy vs steel: I do very little off roading, (light trail, mud) and I would like to keep weight down. Should I go alloy?

I don't want something that will rub all the time, but I don't mind losing a little of my flex ability, as I said, I don't do heavy off roading anymore. My tires already get pretty close to the leaf springs when I turn hard.

I don't want something that will rob a bunch of power, or overstress my drum brakes, though I will accept some degredation.

So what size rim should I consider (height and width)? Do I need offset/backspacing? I don't mind if they stick out past the fenders some.

Tires, can I stay with 31's and just go wider? If so, what size would you advise?

By the way, as far as budget, I would like very much to stay under $1,500.

Thanx much! Pics of what I do will follow.

 

[Coach]

What are your 31's now, 31x10.5 or 31x12.5? There was a good post to a link to a JP article about tire selection a day or two ago. It talked about many of the factors you have questions on and provides much better info than I could. Especially with the steel v. aluminum question. Both have pros and cons, with weight being a main concern.

Coach

Found the article: http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticles/wheels/154_1104_choosing_your_next_wheels/index.html

 

[BusaDave9]

You should look for 3 5/8 inch backspacing but anything from 3.5 to 4 should work without a problem.

I don't want something that will rob a bunch of power, or overstress my drum brakes, though I will accept some degredation.

Over-sized tires would require regearing the differentials and could affect braking. But as long as you stay with 31 inch tires you should be fine.

Alloy vs steel: I do very little off roading, (light trail, mud) and I would like to keep weight down. Should I go alloy?

Lighter alloy wheels can help with the handling because of less unsprung weight. But with a CJ you may not even notice the difference. With leaf springs they don't have the best handling anyway. We're not talking about a sports car here. Cost and looks may be a bigger issue with the alloy vs. Steel debate. It all comes down to personal preference.
If you run into a curb or rock with a steel wheel it will bend and possibly could be bent back to repair. On the other hand aluminum alloy doesn't bend. It cracks. Hitting a curb could irreparably damage an alloy wheel.

So what size rim should I consider (height and width)? Do I need offset/backspacing? I don't mind if they stick out past the fenders some.

Tires, can I stay with 31's and just go wider? If so, what size would you advise?

Going wider will help with the traction on and off road. Plus it can give a bit more stability. You should check out your local laws if they stick out from the fenders.
As for the width of the wheels: it all depends on the width of the tires. Once you pick out specific tires the manufacturer will recommend a wheel width.

 

[dave123]

Thanx so far, I will check out the link.

My rims now are 15 x 8 (I think)
tires are 10.5. Too narrow looking for me.

 

[BusaDave9]

Keep in mind that tire manufacturers recommend a wheel that is narrower than the tire. For example BFGoodrich recommends a wheel that is 7 to 9 inches wide for their All Terrain tire in size 31x10.50R15. In that case those 8 inch rims would work fine.

 

[phyrph0enix]

I put wider tyres on my VW Corrado (that sits about 2" off the ground) and got some wicked-bad rubbing in the front. I put in 1" wheel spacers and it solved that problem for me! I think if you find the size tyre you like and it rubs on the INSIDE, you could use a minor spacer to solve that. As for local laws, they usually stipulate the number of inches past the fender - so all you'd need are wider fender flares...

 

[phyrph0enix]

I put in 1" wheel spacers

BTW, a 1" spacer is not what I would consider a "minor spacer." It's quite large.

 

[dave123]

Thanx All. I kinda chickened out and got 31" 10x5 BF Goodrich KO's. Doesn't look as cool as the big tires, but I avoided lots of issues and saved some money.

 

[Old Dog]

Good tires, you should like them.