I did a quick google search on this because I've been wondering too: Apparently it's a supply and demand thing. Smaller rims are more common, brings the price down.

I'm not sure it's true, but didn't find any other explanation.

 

Depends if you have the right gear ratio or not. If you have 3.73 or above you can go with 35s. If you have standard 3.21 gear ratio than i'm afraid you won't like how 35s will drive. As for the looks, you can't go wrong with the 35s. the 35s will also require you to put a lift 2.5-3 inches.

If you have the money then go with lift & 35s. If you don't have the money than I would save and stay with your stock Sahara Tires which are only an inch smaller than 33s.

 

Plus, if you get 35's, you will need a new spare carrier. The stock one isn't strong enough to hold a 35.

You also get worse mileage out of a 35, need to calibrate the speedometer, etc. 33" throws it off a little bit, but not enough to really need calibration.

 

I think you can fit the 35s in standard tire carrier. Just need to get a spacer. I had them on my Jeep without any issues. I do confess that it was a bit tight fit.

 

Been on the phone with my local DTD rep today. Apparently the MB72's are no longer produced, so I'm going with the Level 8 Trackers. I kind of like the look a little better honestly. My goal is to ultimately have better offroad performance out of my tires while maintaining a comfortable ride as a daily driver. I'll probably end up selling the 18" chrome 7 Spokes and Bridgestones. As I mentioned, not planning on lifting any time soon, so I think this is the best plan for now.

 

17" Level 8 trackers are what I have. They fit great.

 

I was in teh same boat not long ago. I was looking all over the net and on the Forum for what to get. I wanted to go from my Sahara 18s to 17s since tires and wheels are cheaper. But my tires were barely used. I couldn't support the thought of throwing away tires with 80% tread life left. So I kept my sstock tires and got better wheels.

If you are getting wheels and tires, go with 17s. Also, keep in mind the backspacing. A good backspace will "push" the wheels out to the edge of the fenders more. Even my stock tires look wider since I now have 18x8.5 wheels rather than the stock 18x7.5. I gained over an inch and a half on wheel width and the backspace! Good luck!

 

I found that running 33's on the 2012 might rub depending on the backspacing of your wheels. I have pintlers and needed to trim the plastic below the bumper to eliminate rubbing when in reverse until I got my lift.

 

You can fit them with Daystar bump stops, but the weight of the heavier tire will eventually break the welds in your tailgate, especially if you wheel your Jeep with the spare attached. And wheeling it without the spare seems like the smart thing to do only until you slice a tire or throw a bead in the middle of nowhere.

If you don't wanna spend the $$ on a rear bumper with a tire carrier, buy an OR-FAB tire carrier.