Topic: "cash-strapped" Jeepler needs a bit 'o advice/help....

[Loke Groundrunner]

howdy, gang. love this board! my '99 4-clanger is pretty much "bone stock" (with the exception of a tow package and hardtop and full doors). my wheels are the infamous 15x6 slotted steel SE specials and the tires i inherited are (get this) 205/75/15 (which i "think" equates to about a 27"x7" tire)! they look like black rubberbands wrapped around  bottlecaps AND they are rapidly approaching baldness (thanks to the previous owner). currently my Wrangler looks like a metal lunchbox rolling around on four Oreos. the balding wheelies are making me nervous and (although i've put it off long enough) i HAVE to get new tires very soon. UNFORTUNATELY i am a bit strapped for resources (at the moment) and all my grand plans for lifts and regearing are put on indefinite hold. bummer for me, i reckon. i am (currently) NOT a "serious" off-road driver/rock-crawler (hopefully this will change in the future). i DO plan on taking my wheels "into the wilds" this spring and summer to access some remote camping/hiking/canoeing locales,  so "some" degree of rough terrain managament is necessary. this is my daily driver as well. i commute 30 miles a day (minimum) and often have to hit the beltways at highway speeds. SO...................i have mulled a few solutions for myself (in regards to new wheels/tires) and would like the input of you nice folks if at all possible.

1) REPLACE TIRES AND WHEELS. buy 15x8 steel wheels and mount 31/10.5/15 BFG All Terrain tires. 15x8 wheels would give me "room to grow" later but a full-fledged wheel/tire purchase is really pushing it for me (financially) at the moment. ultimately i'd love to have a lift and run 33's but (due to my current driving needs) i just don't want to go larger than 31" tires until i can regear and install a proper lift. i am also concerned with the weight of 15x8 steel wheels (added to the larger tire weight) and how it might affect the performance of my TJ.

2) REPLACE TIRES ONLY. sure the 15x6 steelies are ugly ducklings, but i could always paint 'em black. i don't think 31/10.5/15 tires are gonna fit, though so the the tires would have to be 30/9.5/15 BFG's. only one size smaller on the tires (but ALOT bigger than the cookies i have now!) PLUS less worries about rubbing and lifting.

3) SELL THE JEEP and buy a Vespa. just kiddin'

i'm kinda leaning toward option #2. ULTIMATELY i'd like to run 33" tires but i just don't wanna suck the life out of my ride until i can afford a proper lift kit and correct gears in order to make the Jeep run (as i NEED it too) on the pavement. obviously i'll want bigger wheels (rims) when i reach that point. i guess it really doesn't matter if i buy 30" tires OR 31" tires now,..those WILL be replaced if i upgrade/lift to the bigger stuff later anyway. i CAN run 30's on my current steelies but NOT the 31's (at least not in the 10.5" width) and in doing so keep the expenses to a minimum and the functionality mostly intact. dammit!.... i'm confusing myself now!

maybe i should have skipped all the jumbled jargon and asked this simple question: "Is anyone here HAPPILY running All Terrain tires in a 30/9.5/15 size on stock wheels?"

i'd appreciate any thoughts, advice or encouragement. cheers and have a great night!

[Liljeepz]

I run 31x10.5 on black steal rims. The wheels don't weigh all that much, I was surprised how light they where, its the tires that weigh a TON! I have not re geared mine and its ok. I don't use fifth gear all that much any more because the Jeep just can't push it hard enough to keep my speed even.
A budget boost and 31x10.5 are all you need. its great for a DD and off road.

[Sidscan]

If your looking for reasonable castoffs you could always try craigslist.  People are always upgrading.  Canyons are nice rims.  You can get 31'sx10.5 on without a lift.  

[Jeffy]

If it was me, I'd keep the 15x6" wheels and fit them with proper 31's.  They will fit and look fine.  Not only that but you won't have to worry about wheel backspacing and getting it wrong.  I'm actually partial to the stock no nonsense steel wheels.  Nothing fancy about them other then they hold the tires on and work.  Not to mention you don't have to worry about scuffing them up.  31's will get you out of the car size tires and be respectable on both on and off road.

You could look for used wheels like takeoffs from a Rubicon.  BUT the problem with Rubicon tires is that they are HEAVY.  The tires have a E Load Rating.  Most car and truck tires are C Load Rated.  The extra weight reduces performance.

[chardrc]

You could look for used wheels like takeoffs from a Rubicon.  BUT the problem with Rubicon tires is that they are HEAVY.  The tires have a E Load Rating.  Most car and truck tires are C Load Rated.  The extra weight reduces performance.

lol. i run rubi tires and rims... and ya they didn't help performance on the street but the price was right... and they look allot better than the old pizza cutters with oil stained stocker rims....

this reminds me of the time i had to explain to my teacher how getting bigger tires on your vehicle makes your speedo read incorrectly (off by certain %) and she couldn't understand why you would need bigger tires.  .. was going to pull a its a jeep thing you wouldn't understand but decided i had stretched the bounderys enough for one day.

[gifd34]

Here is what I suggest.   look around at used only local dealers that sell alot of jeeps.  Get to know the dealers.  Many of them buy jeeps cheap put on nicer rims and keep the others for spairs.  example the local guy I work with has a set of 5 spoke allumanum rims for $150 including the maching spare.
Look around and buy only what will get you closer to the finished product.  dont buy a set of $150 rims that you know you will change out with a set of $300 rims later, that means instead of 300 you just spent 450...
As for tires, from my past experence stay away form used, especally for a DD (unless they are new tires that have less than 1000k miles and were traided in) an I am running Goodyear Wrangler MT 30x9.5 and love the look and traction.  they are even quiet on the road.  But that is an expensive tire.
Good Luck

[chrisfranklin]

Yeah, if I had an unlifted TJ, I'd get the 31s.  Course, the "ok" stock 4 banger engine performance you get on 27s or 29s is going to begin to probably fade a little with the 31s and stock gearing, but not as bad as with 33s.  

31s are usually the minimum tire size most of the 4x4 clubs and associations want you to use on trail runs.   So, after doing just a 29" or 30" tire upgrade, you might experience regret if you decide to get involved with the off-road clubs out there.

[StvDiego]

Im going with Sidscan, try www.craigslist.org. You don't show your location but it's pretty likely that it's around you. I picked up a brand new full set of 5 35"s for my 4.0 a couple of weeks ago for less that the price one tire/wheel combo, and no, it's not that rare of a deal. Here in San Diego I see sets of tires and wheels from upgrades listed online almost daily for cheap. I saw a set of 5 tires from a new Rubi that went for $200 last week on Craigslist here. Also, check the yards, rims and tires from other combos may fit, like Ford Rangers. If you're in the San Diego area I have a set of 5 Enkei rims with 31's that I just replaced with 33"s last month, you can have 'em for $200, that's what I'll be listing them for on Craigslist this weekend. Look around, there's lots of options.

[rwing1]

I'm with Jeffy,
nothing wrong with the stock wheels........  especially if you have "grand plans" for the future anyways.  As for tires, check around for what you can afford and are willing to live with.  If this your only vehicle hence a DD,  you will lose performance with 31's, O/D will be almost gone with stock gearing.  A very valid point about the minimum size of club runs being 31" in most cases though.....  find a friendly jeeper near you and see if anyone will let you "try-out" the 31's they run for a few miles....  a little bit of seat time this way might help you decide how bad you want bigger tires. You may just decide a more aggressive 235/75R15 or so  will get you what you need for now......and be ALOT cheaper and lighter.  As for wheeling needs..... you could always have 2 sets of wheels/tires, run the smaller size through the week and run the 31's on the weekend when you need 'em.  (sounds good in theory....but who wants to put the stock sizes back on after you have seen 31's fill up the wheel wells? )   

Welcome to the dilema that brings us all here to 4bangerJP      The reason none of us can stand to stay stock, we all want to run bigger tires, which means a little lift, a little more power, and the list goes on!  

Bottomline:  Run What ya Brung and smile while your doin' it!

[might4banger]

Where are you located? I have 5* 30x9.5 tires and rims from my Heep... 4 Dunlop Mud Rovers with 50% tread mounted to the factory 5 spoke AL rims + 1 30" spare on a steel rim. I am near Cincinnati, OH - make me an offer if you are close by.

Here is a pic...

[JeepManMarc]

I am running 31 inch Mud terrains on my daily driver TJ, stock gearing.  I get horrendous gas mileage and drive 5 miles a day, but performance wise it does fine I think, I can hold 65 in a head wind, 4th gear on an incline, 5th gear if its flat though I never use 5th.

[might4banger]

With 30's it was fine - could keep up with my buddies Rubicon on the highway (and trails)...

Could get decent mpg's, use all 5 gears... gave nothing up.

[Mozman68]

I run 31" AT's right now and don't have any real issues....now commuting about 35 miles to work a few days a week and regularly drive 75 mph on the highway....no big hills here though.

[Sidscan]

I run 31" AT's right now and don't have any real issues....now commuting about 35 miles to work a few days a week and regularly drive 75 mph on the highway....no big hills here though.

Maybe Moz might have some 31" available soon once the meats go on. 

[Mozman68]

I run 31" AT's right now and don't have any real issues....now commuting about 35 miles to work a few days a week and regularly drive 75 mph on the highway....no big hills here though.

Maybe Moz might have some 31" available soon once the meats go on. 

Hell yeaaaah but nobody on this board really lives that close to me....and it may be 9 months before I can afford all the other work that will even let me get them on.