AZchris

I know there was a thread (if not several) on this before, but I couldn't find it.

What is the largest size tire you can put on the stock steel 16 inch wheel?

I saw some 295/75/16s and thought those would be perfect, but are they too wide?

Also, what is the width of the 16 inch steel wheel?

Thanks in advance, I love this forum!

armycop

The wheels are 7" wide and yes a 285 or 295 75 R16 will be about the largest size you will fit on them. Some tire shops won't mount a tire on a rim that is not within the tire manufacturers recommended range. Some will. $$$ talks.

AZchris

What problems can arise if the wheel is too narrow? The site says the wheel should be 7.5", so is half and inch that big of a deal?

deconstructionist

the tire's bead wont sit 'square' on the rim's flange....could cause leaks or easy bead seperation: if not that then by 'tucking in' the bead you could....theoretically be causeing the tire to be more rounded on the tread.....making for bad wear. Think an over-inflated tire-- middle wears and the sides dont.

AZchris

Thanks. I looked up specs and it looks like some 285s can be mounted on a 7" wide, but the 295s were calling for 7.5". I want that extra size without having to shell out for new rims right now. Oh, well.

Momma T

Ok if you go to a 285, are there any turning radius probs, clearing the fenderwells at full U-turn? Looking to upgrade also with stock rims.
thanks

coltc2000

some rubbing may occure.
some rub some dont, it is just a case by case basis.


265/75/16 fit the best on stock rims no rubbing no spacers needed,no odd wear.

LinkSync

I went through many many hours of investigation about this same issue.
I learned a lot about tires and wheels too.

When I finally made up my mind and pulled the trigger it was due to considerations of all aspects of concern, my money, safety, usage, stock design and other engineering concerns, and looks.

I discovered that 12.5 wide 35" dia. tires do just fine on stock rims, as long as you aren't going to air down to 15lbs or something as you will roll the bead and destroy a perfectly good tire.

I wanted a balanced rig that was capable, safe, wouldn't cost way too much (for me) and looked good (to me, as I don't care what others think at all).
I already knew I was going to a 3" lift and 35" tires as a major part of that general target.

So deciding on rims etc. was the next problem for me and wanting to keep the usage profile to include use as a daily driver if needed, (so far, knock wood, it's just an R.V.) along with the very dry Arizona conditions, I chose the A.T. tire as I don't need Mudders or true Rock tires and freeway travel was required.

I chose an A.T. tire (Pro-Comp as they are still made in USA) due to usage and engineering concerns re: the drive train, suspension etc. especially all the singing and wobble on dedicated offroad tires would likey present.

I knew that the added weight of the "biguns" would kill my milage so wanted to run aluminum rims, (I felt that the tire would provide lots of rubber protection to the rims if they were narrow enough) so aluminum seemed a good choice for me.
My stock 16" rims ARE aluminum only 7" wide and would work fine with 1.5" spacers (legal here in AZ.) so then it was a matter of cost choice between new rims + tires vs, stock rims + spacers + tires.
Stock rims with spacer won out by a long shot after carefully checking out all good options and having a sweet deal made to me by dealship.
Thats just my case though and you might not find it to be so for you.
There are some cheap aluminum rims out there but investigation told a tale of street use only in anything that would price out in range of my aching wallet.
Be careful about rims as they can be problimatic in out of roundness and bead seat profiles etc.

So anyway I did all that and have been very happy.
I learned not to air down below 25lbs or so as the A.T. tread works best when properly presented with a stiffer sidewall. Excellent traction results and I am well pleased.

If a softer ride is the issue , pulling the sway bar connectors out helps a lot on fully aired up tires.
So I run mostly fully aired up(30 lbs for offroad 40 on the street) and have had little issue and the tires now have over 10,000 miles on them; other than a few actual chunks missing here and there they look brand new still.
Very occasionally I will air down to 20lbs but that is only for long dangerously soft looking sand sections.
I air up agin right away once through that stuff though. I mean right away.
No real damage to the rims as yet (scratches and such) even though most trailing I do is rock crawling of one sort or another at least for several hours of a day, if not the entire day.

I think the 12.5 tire on the 7" rim is generally protecting the rims and seems to hold up real good against cuts too.
Even in some volcanic rocks that are blade sharp and often hidden from view.

I will soon be adding a set of street tires that will go on the stock rims and the biguns will go on soft 8s and be trailered for longer camping trips.
The big A.T.s only do at best 15mpg with a light rig on the freeway; they are not gona last long if subjected to that environment and fully loaded with a trailer I get at MOST 13mpg... blaH!
So a set 28" of Yokohama's (also manufactured in the U.S. I'm told) is in the works.
That will help save on freeway wear and tear and other costs associated with long trips.

I'll have to see how the ride is as none could tell me with any certainty what I could expect with such small tires and a 3" lift... ¿
Once I know for sure I will post a thread regarding all this as I am sure others are out there thinking along those same lines.

It might be a terrible thing to do or it might be the perfect thing.. I really don't know but I am gona risk it.
If it works out then all I have to do is change tires for whichever usage.
I'll have to get a adjustable height ball though as my trailer is set up on 35" tires as well and will go anyplace my Jeep will.
On the streeters it would be "down" in front to much for safe towing.

Anyway wish me luck with that and I'll wish youy the same with whatever you come up with.

Good LUCK and have fun!