Changing Wheels Backspacing Question

[djag12]

Can someone please help me out. I want to by new wheels and I think the comanche has a 5.25 back spacing. The wheels I am looking at only have a 3.5 backspacing (the ION 171). How does this affect the truck or can't it be done. Oh, I wanted to put 30's on it. :D

[tjbliley]

It will move the center of the rim toward the outside of the vehicle. if they are 7" rims then they will be centered exactly. With this in mind you must remember that with the stock backspacing the tire is inside of the flare and wheel well. if you move it out too much it will not tuck inside the wheel well. HTH

[Eagle]

Those rims will move each tire outboard by 1-3/4". Combined with the fact that 30s are a tad wider than the largest stock tire size (225/75-15) it is virtually guaranteed that your tires will be clobbering the flares whenever the suspension compresses.

 

Unless you plan to remove the flares and trim a lot of sheet metal, especially in the front, it is best to stick with stock rims up through 31x10.50 tires. With an MJ, anything larger than that on stock rimes will be rubbing the rear springs and the inside of the rear fenders so you'll then have to use rims with less backspacing, but at larger than 31" tires you would probably want to trim anyway.

[djag12]

Thanks for explaining the back spacing thing. I guess for now I'll stick with stock. Do you think with a 3" lift it would be OK or will the rear still have the rubbing issue.

[MiNi Beast]

 

This was when I put a 3in rough country lift on and 31x10.50 tires rims that I think were only 4.75, but the only rubbing issue I had was when compressed it rubbed the bed frame on the inside tearing up my side wall tread but could be because they were MTR's so not sure if have same issuse on tires without the side wall tread. But It wasn't nothing That stoped me from going out wheeling.

[mjeff87]

Dern near anything over a 31X10.5 AT tread is going to make contact with the rear framerails, and possibly the leafpacks, if flexed. Here’s a shot of mine w/ BFG AT’s on stock (5.25 BS) wheels…I had about ½-5/8” clearance to the framerails. And another shot of the same tire but in 33X12.5” size, on a set of Cragar 3.75 BS wheels. I’ve got about 2” of framerail clearance with the Cragar’s, but you can see how far the tires come out of the flares. To get full extension, I’m gonna have to cut.

Jeff

 

Image Not Found

 

Image Not Found

 

Image Not Found

 

with 33’s:

 

Image Not Found

[tjbliley]

You need to do some real world measuring. look at the distance you have from the stock tires to the springs. Then think----5.25 backspacing, if you move the rimitself out 1 inch and the tire width grows by 2 inches overall then you should be ok. so thinking that 4.25 backspacing and a little bigger tire might work.

 

Here are some numbers

 

225/75R15 8.8 Wide

235/75R15 9.3 Wide

30x9.5LT15 9.7 Wide

31x10.5LT15 10.7 Wide

 

AS you move the rim out you can compensate for the tire width. You have to be aware of the outside sheetmetal and flare, but you can tweak this to work.

[djag12]

OK. I will definitely do some measuring before I change the wheels.