Any rules about wheel to tire width?

scoobycarolanNC

scoobycarolanNC

Member
I have a Sahara & I was looking at a 12.5” wide tire, but my stock wheels are only 7.5” wide. Seems like way to much meat on that bone. If I go that width I have to upgrade right? I know I’ll need spacers, but the stock tire is only 10” wide so the tire to wheel width ratio seems like I should keep it and go to a 9” wheel.
 

JTCO

JTCO

Meme King
scoobycarolanNC said:
I have a Sahara & I was looking at a 12.5” wide tire, but my stock wheels are only 7.5” wide. Seems like way to much meat on that bone. If I go that width I have to upgrade right? I know I’ll need spacers, but the stock tire is only 10” wide so the tire to wheel width ratio seems like I should keep it and go to a 9” wheel.
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I'm pretty sure the JK rims are 7.5 inches wide as well. If so, I've run a 12 inch wide tire on them, a 12.5 inch wide tire and even had a buddy who ran 37s on Rubicon rims as well. It should work. As far as rules, not sure. Not sure if your state has inspections that will look for that as well.
 

wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
As mentioned, it'll work just fine. In fact, back in the day, guys used to purposefully run wider tires on narrow wheels and we called it a poor mans beadlock. The only problem you "may" have is that some tire shops will say they won't install the tires but, I find this to be rare.
 

BillArnett

BillArnett

New member
The tire manufacturer will often (always?) specify a rim width range for each tire. For example a 35x12.5R17 BFG KM2 should run on 8.5-11" rims:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...R7KM2RWL&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

I'm sure Eddie is right that it will work with 7.5" rims and many have done so. But there's a reason why the manufacturer specifies what it does and I don't understand all the factors involved. If you go ahead and get a wider wheel you can choose one with the right backspacing and avoid the need for spacers.
 

JTCO

JTCO

Meme King
BillArnett said:
The tire manufacturer will often (always?) specify a rim width range for each tire. .....But there's a reason why the manufacturer specifies what it does and I don't understand all the factors involved.
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So they don't get sued when someone acts like a jackass and wants to play the "victim" card.
 

wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
BillArnett said:
If you go ahead and get a wider wheel you can choose one with the right backspacing and avoid the need for spacers.
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The amount of back spacing or offset you have determines whether or not you need wheel spacers - NOT the width of a wheel. If anything, a wider wheel can actually require the need for wheel spacers IF the amount of back spacing it has is too great.
 

scoobycarolanNC

scoobycarolanNC

Member
wayoflife said:
As mentioned, it'll work just fine. In fact, back in the day, guys used to purposefully run wider tires on narrow wheels and we called it a poor mans beadlock. The only problem you "may" have is that some tire shops will say they won't install the tires but, I find this to be rare.
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Thanks Eddie. I figured it’ll work, but I wasn’t sure how good an idea it is.
 

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