Topic: 35's on tailgate...

[j-freak153]

anyone hang a 35 off your tailgate before.....i'm thinking of doing it so i'd like peoples input on it....personal experience preferred

[SMC4WD]

I'm doing it!   I've got a 35" BFG MT back there.  It's not the smartest idea, but so far it's holding.

I had to reinforce the tire carrier, where the wheel mounts to it. I welded on some support steel.  The tailgate hinges are holding up (so far).

Maybe later today I'll run out a snap a pic...

[Jeffy]

I run a 34x9.5R15 TSL on a steel wheel.  (probably weights as much if nto more then my 35x12.5R15 on aluminums.)  The main problem is vibrations.  You will need to extend the bumpstops to keep the tire from shaking. (In the How-To) The shaking is what damages the hinges, sheet metal and lock.  I've had the tire on there for 3 years now.  The lock is a bit finiky and the hinge has loosened up a bit but it seems to be holding up ok for now.

I'm probably going to go with a Bestop tire carrier one of these days.

[j-freak153]

chose to go with 33"x10.50" BFG mud terrains...even though they seem to be about $50 more expensive than the 35's i can get....dont wanna give the squirrells a heart attack....will look more military too....

[Jeffy]

They make 33's in 10.5?  I only though they made them in 9.5's and 10.5's.  I've sorta been looking for a more intermediate tire. :?:

[chardrc]

we have 31x10.5 wrangler mtrs on my dads 97grand cherokee

[j-freak153]

yup...BFG makes the AT in 9.5" (and 10.5" i think) and the MT in 10.5"....dunlop used to make them also and i think that the Michilin X (i know the spelling is wrong) tire has sizes like that as well....i was looking for something that would be a little easier to turn....and i found them

[j-freak153]

SMC4WD....how do the 4.88's turn the 35's?  does it do good with the 2.5 and those gears....thats the gearing i was thinking of running when i swap my rear axle for the 8.8" in the future...

[SMC4WD]

It's the biggest I could run on the front.  5.13 would have been better, but I have a fifth gear, and I can still use it.

I did a few motor mods to help pump that 2.5 to at least 2.6L, but seriously for all the driving I do, it's perfect.

I don't live in a metropolitan city, i live nearer a suburb, and the only major driving I do is about 35 miles on the freeway once a week or so.  It has gears left, and room for acceleration.  

I am very satisfied!


Here are those pictures I promised earlier...
This first one shows where I welded some little braces, the keep that flat part from flexing.  The lugs that hold the spare on were pulling thru that flat part too...   So all of that was welded in tight.



This next picture shows the complete opposite of what Jeffy said.  I had to space the tire back and away from the door because I wasn't able to swing it over enough to open the window.  I also had to shorten the factory bump stop.



And here's what it looks like on...

[j-freak153]

cool, thanks for the info....i did go with the 33's so when the time comes around for new tires, in a year or so, i'll be going with the 35's and by then i should have the axle in and have it re-geared i hope...

[jagular7]

I'm running 34x10.5 LTB on 15x7 steel rims, same for the spare. I added spacers to those rubber isolators on the door to keep the tire tight. This helps minimize the vibrations from the tire on the tire mount. So far, about 8 months, few trips, no problems.

[Jeffy]

I'm running 34x10.5 LTB on 15x7 steel rims, same for the spare. I added spacers to those rubber isolators on the door to keep the tire tight. This helps minimize the vibrations from the tire on the tire mount. So far, about 8 months, few trips, no problems.

Check your lock once in a while.  Mine started acting up after a year or three.  Other then that no problems.  I rarely open the rear.

[Jeffy]

yup...BFG makes the AT in 9.5" (and 10.5" i think) and the MT in 10.5"....dunlop used to make them also and i think that the Michilin X (i know the spelling is wrong) tire has sizes like that as well....i was looking for something that would be a little easier to turn....and i found them

You're right!  I guess they dropped the 33x9.5R15 for the MT's.  Hmm, I wonder if I should get some for commuter tires.

As for gearing, I run 4.56's with 35's and still use 5th...  Personally, I wouldn't go less then 5.13's and better yet 5.38's for 35's.  But that means an axle swap.  Stock axles and 35's aren't a good idea anyway.