35's with 2 1/2" lift.

[Billhilly]

I'm wondering if I should be going to 35's. I have a 72 K25 with 2 1/2" lift. If I understand all what you are saying you can fit-
33's with no lift, but with some rub at full lock/articulation (and depending on tire/rim combo)
33's with 2" of lift clear with no rub
35's need 4" of lift to work.
So my question is (and I don't think I've ever seen a photo or anything), can you run 35's with 2 1/2" lift 'most of the time without rubbing' or just 'no, won't work'? A little more ground clearance, 150 less rpm. Just wondering. Anyone got pic's?

[Chevy1TonFun]

I don't think so. As you even stated you need 4" to fit 35" tires. I would agree with that statement.

[a2tripp]

sawzall

[Mike C]

Like most things, your mileage may vary...

You might be able to pull it off with a narrow 35 and VERY careful rim selection. On the street. Off road, I can jam my 35's full into the fenderwell when you get it twisted up. For zero rub (or near zero...) with 35's off road, 6" is required. 4" works well for 35's on the street with some casual off road. Actually, my 35" MT's rubbed on my REAR fenders with 4" springs off road. With the SF 14, I drilled additional locating hole in the perch to move axle back about 3/4". And I have already trimmed a pie piece out of the front of the sheetmetal. If you were willing to cut the lower front of the front fenders off you might be able to do the 2 1/2" lift.

But you will be much happier going with the 4" to begin with IMO.

[Chevy1TonFun]

Originally Posted by a2tripp

sawzall

I can't believe you even said that! That is blasphemy!

[Billhilly]

Thanks guys. I think I'd just be buying into more headaches if I tried to get 35's to fit my truck. The (2 1/2") springs are new. I'll get the 33's and be happy.

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by Billhilly

Thanks guys. I think I'd just be buying into more headaches if I tried to get 35's to fit my truck. The (2 1/2") springs are new. I'll get the 33's and be happy.

For what its worth my truck has the 4" lift and its still lower than some of the stock 4X F150's and other trucks, its just not that tall, I do run 33's tho.

[snj8198]

Billhilly,

This is Tough Country's 2" EZ Ride lift with 315/75R16's. I could make the tire contact the front fender cup with the wheels turned when fully articulated but just barely and I really had to try. I chopped the cups for the bumper design not because of clearance issues.

Hope this helps sir.

[Billhilly]

Originally Posted by snj8198

Billhilly,

This is Tough Country's 2" EZ Ride lift with 315/75R16's. I could make the tire contact the front fender cup with the wheels turned when fully articulated but just barely and I really had to try. I chopped the cups for the bumper design not because of clearance issues.

Hope this helps sir.

That helps heaps! Didn't realise that was the setup you had, but it's right there in your signature. Do you know the width/offset of your rims?
I'm running 255/85/16's right now on 6 3/4" wagon wheels with a 3 1/2" backspace and the edge of the tread is already outside the front guard. I was looking at going to a 285/75/16 on a 8" rim with 4" backspace and that looks like it would push the tread edge out another 3/4". I have six monthly saftey checks down here and can't run much tire outside the guard without getting the big fail. 315's appear to be about another inch wider overall which might really start to stress the bean counters out!

[snj8198]

These are Toyo MT's which have a flotation size of 34.5"x12.9" mounted on American Eagle Mohave 16x8's with 4 1/2" backspace. As you know not all 315's are going to be quite this wide but even so you may have issues if you can't tuck em in further to keep regulators off your tail. Since this picture I have installed a top mounted overload spring and 1" block in the rear to level the truck out. It looks and holds a load better.

On a personal note I don't really like my set up for what I do with it, too wide of a tire and too much contact patch for the weight of the vehicle and how I use it. I really like the 255/85's on narrow wheels but I prefer a tad taller tire just not the width that usually comes with it. I can find 35's in narrower widths but I would have to jump up to an 18" rim and I'm not keen on dropping the $ for bigger rims right now. A true 35"x10.50" on a 16" wheel is what I'm really after but the pickings are slim again unless I jump up in rim size.

[Mike C]

With my 16.5 x 9.75 Centerlines, there is no way I could clear a 12.5" wide tire without 4" lift. As it is, they very slightly touch the curl of the fender when turning.

As you note, tire sizes and marked sizes can vary dramatically. My 36" 12.5 16.5 Goodyears RTII are the same height as my 35" 12.5 15 BFG MT's were.

I like tall and narrow also and I went with 33" 10.5's on my A1 because I thought the 12.5's were too wide. (The 35's were definitely too tall!) My other choice, which may work for you, was the Super Swamper LTB in 34" 10.5. They are most likely a true 34" high which would make them same height as the 35" BFG MT's.

At least for the jeep, highway use was irrelevant so the bias construction didn't bother me, but Swampers are know for stiff sidewalls, and the jeep is a flyweight. This too steered me to the radials in the end.

[snj8198]

I like that narrow 34" LTB too Mike as well as the Q78, but unless I want to swap back and forth between a street and offroad wheel set I'll have to stay with the radials as well.

[CG]

I think the 33's are perfect with the two and a half lift. Here is my old truck with softride 2.5 spring all the way around and 33's.

[snj8198]

CG, did you get tired half way through your wax job?

[CG]

Originally Posted by snj8198

CG, did you get tired half way through your wax job?

LOL, the box was blue and I got tired of the big difference so I rattle canned it.

The truck belong to oldiron here on the board now. He has totally finished it. Fixed all my screw ups and really made it look great. Wish I had it back now that its finished.

[Billhilly]

Originally Posted by snj8198

On a personal note I don't really like my set up for what I do with it, too wide of a tire and too much contact patch for the weight of the vehicle and how I use it. I really like the 255/85's on narrow wheels but I prefer a tad taller tire just not the width that usually comes with it. I can find 35's in narrower widths but I would have to jump up to an 18" rim and I'm not keen on dropping the $ for bigger rims right now. A true 35"x10.50" on a 16" wheel is what I'm really after but the pickings are slim again unless I jump up in rim size.

Thanks for your thoughts and comments. That's basically exactly where I am at. The 255's I have on (BFG MT) are ample wide enough (and already just outside the front guard's), but I would like a little more height. More importantly I want to go to an AT but can't even buy one in 255, so have to go to 285 (with new rims) so I am going to go with the Duratrac's.
The rule is I'm allowed half of the width of the outer tread block sticking out from the widest point on the guard. Who makes this stuff up?!

Originally Posted by CG

I think the 33's are perfect with the two and a half lift. Here is my old truck with softride 2.5 spring all the way around and 33's.

CG, I have had that picture saved on my computer for years because I knew I was heading towards that same lift/tyre combo. I too think it looks great. Would have liked a little more tyre height, and that's why I asked the initial question.

I have to place my order this month (for tyres/rims). 285/75/16 Duratrac's and 16X8 Wheel Vintique rims it is. If you's could just post up your credit card number..... On that subject ($), consider yourselves lucky. Down here (island paradise) Duratrac/BFG AT costs $550NZD each, I can put them in the back of the bed I am bringing down and land them for around $350NZD!

[CG]

It looks really great in person. More height at the top means more width at the sides which could cause a rubbing problem if you did any sort of off roading. Plus with a 2.5 inch lift the truck isnt too high to climb in and out of and its still easy to load stuff in the back.

Im sure whichever way you chose will look great!

I found this better shot of the front clearance. Old pic, my granddaughter is 6 now (man she is cute lol). The angle is a little off because the truck is parked on a bit of a downward slope

[Billhilly]

[QUOTE=CG;5108331]It looks really great in person. More height at the top means more width at the sides which could cause a rubbing problem if you did any sort of off roading. Plus with a 2.5 inch lift the truck isnt too high to climb in and out of and its still easy to load stuff in the back.

Im sure whichever way you chose will look great!

I found this better shot of the front clearance. Old pic, my granddaughter is 6 now (man she is cute lol). The angle is a little off because the truck is parked on a bit of a downward slope
[QUOTE]


I'm sure I'm going to be happy with the 285's. Will look great and less hassles all round. Thanks again.
She is cute! I tell my daughters (now 14/16) that I liked it better when they were that size. Easier to pick up! They tell me that's all well and good but they were more labour intensive then. I tell them they are wrong!!

[waybad]

Originally Posted by CG

I think the 33's are perfect with the two and a half lift. Here is my old truck with softride 2.5 spring all the way around and 33's.

are those on 8" rims? looks just perfect

[swamp rat]

You know what i just don't get is what you and some others are calling a 2-2.5 lift look almost exactly like my truck with a Rancho 4" lift, i have even double checked the numbers on my springs and verified my 4" spacer blocks in the back.

This leaves me wondering if some 4X4's were somehow taller than others from factory per different year or something?

Regardless i'm happy with the height of my truck, just not the ride of the Rancho springs and shocks.