I’m still with just my stock tire/wheel combo on my 2012 Rubicon. Eventually the rubber will wear out, and when it does I want to have a game plan.

I have already swapped out my stock fenders for some Bushwacker flaties. My hope is to go with a 35” tire and no lift. I’m confident that 35”s will not hit the fenders, but might rub steering components etc. So when I buy new wheels I will get a different back spacing than stock.

What my big dilemma is which wheel diameter to get so as to maximize all-round performance. Big wheel means short sidewall, less tire roll and better street handling. Yet less ability to air down on the trail. Overall performance is my main goal even if it means I’ll be paying more for tires and wheels. Yet it is hard to ignore the cost difference in the same tire/wheel packages by simply changing the rim diameter. Prices for 35” BFG mud tires in 17” to 20” wheel can swing over $2,000.

So where is that happy compromise, or sweet spot? My rig is mostly a daily driver, but I don’t want to be left wanting too much out on the trail.

Opinions are welcome, any hard science is preferred.

 

A bump for a second chance at a response.

 

Get some spidertax wheel spacers and either stuby bumper or kit should help alot.

 

Simple rule of thumb, wheel diameter should be half of tire diameter. 17's for 35's, not 20's for 35's. And not 17's for 31's also. Got it?! Good!

 

I am not sure if I completely agree with the "rule of thumb" that wheel diameter should be half of tire diameter. I have 33in Terra Grapplers with 18in wheels and they do pretty good in almost every condition. I agree I would not put 20in wheels on anything smaller than 37in tires if you plan on doing some hard 4wheelin

 

18's with 33's will not allow you to air down enough to play in rocks. Then again using a AT tire in rocks would be a bad idea. So if you have an all terrain then using the half of the diameter method is null and void.

You can run any wheel and tire combo that makes you happy, to get the best off road use out of a wheel and tire combo then I feel you should use the above formula.

 

All though that may be a good formula. I wonder if it is the best formula? Easy enough to remember anyhow. Just going off of my stock Rubicon, it has a 32” tire with a 17” wheel, and not a 16” wheel. Yet it is what the manufacture came up with for traveling the Rubicon trail which has a rock or two on it. Again, I spend at least 90% of the time on the road. I suppose a 35”tire running on a 18” wheel, may still maintain a close to stock sidewall flex when on the road…

I did ask for opinions, and your answer certainly qualifies. Thanks for your response.

 

Do a search on this forum and see if you can find anyone that regrets getting 17" wheels with 35" tires. You won't likely find any such complaints. You will find many that say that 15" wheels with 35" tires give the vehicle a squishy feel in corners or a bouncy feel in bumps.

Read the FAQ section and you can learn a lot from the gurus like WOL that have tried all the options. I don't have the $$$ to try all the options so I leaned on their experience and am very happy with the results.

Good luck.

 

I personally think 17" is the best all around size to run on JK's, and will give the best compromise in on and off road performance, and they look good

 

As a guy thats actually had his stock Rubi wheels and tires in the rocks, I believe the "Rule of thumb" to be wise. My wheels are Fubar'd. Ive only had it on 2 what I would call very rocky trails (Bull Frog in Johnson Valley and Red Lake near Shaver Lake) and they are scratched all to hell. I think with more tire height and width the wheels wouldnt be nearly as beat up as they are. I also believe that the reason Jeep went with 17 and 18 inch wheels on stock vehicles is they are better handling on road, not because they are in any way better off road, especially with the iddy biddy stock rubber. Just because a manufacturer does something doesnt mean its the best way to do it. If Jeep really wanted to do it right they would have put 3" of lift, 35's, reinforced the C's and sleeved the axles, and geared my Rubi correctly right from the factory. Not that a stock Jeep isnt capable of a lot but they can be so much more with not a whole lot of mods that I think should have been built into the original design.

Rob