will 33x12.5" tires fit on stock wagon wheels?

[83 chif]

I guess the stock wagon wheels are about 8" wide, do I need 10" rims to hold 12.5" tires? I'm not too sure, sorry if it is a dumb question.....

[Ronson]

There has been some debate over how to measure rim width! I was taught to measure at the widest spot where the bead of the tire touches the wheel, not from the outside edges! If they are 8" wide you should be fine. If they are any narrower, some tires start to look kinda funny. I mounted a 33x12.50/15 on a 6" wheel for a spare and it worked fine, it just looked stupid! Most tire companies specify what rim width they require(my baja claws were 7 1/2 to 10 1/2 if IIRC!) BFG and other companies make 33x10.50/15s which would work better on a narrower, but you will probably have to order them and wait.

[WRMorrison]

Like already mentioned, it'll probably work just fine, it's all about how it looks to you. Almost anything can be made to fit...case in point...I've got a worn-out set of 35x15.5 TSL SX's here mounted on 8" wheels. :eek: It looks stupid (and was a b!tch to mount by hand, let me tell 'ya), but it lets me roll projects around.

-WRM

[83 chif]

so the tires' beads will not pop off the rims on the highway or anything? anyone have a photo of how stupid it will look? I found some 33x12.5 BFG MT's for real cheap, and I don't want to buy new wheels.

[Ronson]

Does anyone know for sure how wide a factory wagonwheel is? If it is a 7" it will probably look ok. It will stay on the wheel at street air pressure just fine. When I used my spare(in the dirt), I noticed that only the center of the tread was dirty because it was curved like it was over inflated. This was on a very light vehicle(Samurai),using a tire with a very stiff sidewall(Baja TA-race tire)on a 6" rim! You shouldn't have that problem on a FSJ with a BFG radial with a slightly wider rim!I would be more concerned with the backspacing. They could rub! Hopefully someone while chime in who has tried it.

[Ronson]

I was looking through the readers rides, and there is a cherokee with "factory 8 inch whitespokes". If this is what you have(it is hard to tell in the picture!) you should be good!

[Tad]

I have always run 33x12.5's on 8" rims, never had one come off a rim.
Some look better than others and some 33's are smaller than others.
http://members.cox.net/pmountsoa/Day27/10outfrontflower.JPG
36x12.5's on 6.75" rims (they measure out at about 34.5" tall with weight on them).

[fulsizjeep]

Factory spoked wheels from the 70s and 80s (chrome or white) are 15x8 so you should be fine. Like Tad mentioned, tires are rarely the size that is advertised too.

[scotty]

ive run 31x10.5s on 6 inch rims,and ive currently got a set of 38x15.5 inch hawgs mounted on 8 inch wheels on my scout :eek:

ive heard theories both ways- 1) too skinny a rim will let the sidewall flex and roll,and will make it easier to roll the tire back off the bead. 2)too skinny a rim will help keep the beads "pinched together" on the rim and make it less likely to pop one off.

i also run my 38x14.5" SXs on 10 inch wheels,wich is not nearly so bad,but still not within the 2 inch difference rule that some people say.

i have had minimal prollems popping beads,tho in all fairness alot of it seems to me to do more with the design of the bead,and to a lesser extent,the tire itself.

another advantage of a skinny rim is that the sidewall will bubble out,helping quite a bit to protect the bead area of the rim from getting banged up on stuff.

to a small extent the skinnier rim also makes the tire height alittle greater :)

heres a pic of my scout that gives a pretty good idea what a 15" wide tire looks like on an 8" wide rim:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/scotty85/haspin4-17-1.jpg

[Dome]

Yes, 8" wheels are fine for a 12.5" wide tire. That is what I have always run with my 33\35 x 12.5's on the highway and also aired down while wheeling (usually in the 16-18lbs range) and I have never had a problem busting a bead. A lot of tire manufactures will publish "safe" wheel width ranges that can be used for a particular tire size. 8" wheels are the small end of the range. They will pull the sidewalls in a little and make the footprint just slightly more narrow (although when aired down, I think the difference is negligable). I am running WT axles on a Wag body and I think that if I ran 10" wheels, I would have serious rubbing problems (yes, it's that close when they stuff). Also, this isn't a big deal for the steel wagon wheels I have, but if you had expensive alum. wheels, you will probably bang them up less if they are 8".

If you are unsure of your wheel width, just swing by your nearest tire shop and ask if they can measure for you. They have a caliper tool they will use and should do it for free.

If you want a picture of how they look, check out the attached image (those are 35's). Also, it is a little harder to see, but the truck that is behind me had 10" wheels.

[Dmntxn77]

The rule at my father-in-laws wheel and tire shop is no more than 4"s differance. I dont think that extra .5" will make or break you... Personally I wouldnt consider new wheels unless I went to a 13.5" or more tire...

[83 chif]

cool, thanks for the help. Now that I know I don't need new wheels, I can spring for the tires in a few weeks.

[Dirtball]

Just think about how many Chevy 4x4s from the 70s and 80s are running 33/12.5s on stock 15 x 8 wheels... my local shop told me they have done hundreds with no problems whatsoever.

[JeremySmith]

That's what I run:

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m57/zx1000b3/HPIM0929Small.jpg

[Casey]

I have 37x12.50s on 15x8" chrome steel wheels, pretty much identical to the stockers, only shiny. :D

Aired down to 10-12psi they do just fine. Never a worry at street pressure.

I did roll a 34x10.50 Swamper off a bead at Tellico last December, 10psi..same wheels..in the freezing rain



http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/casey/ssron1.jpg


http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/casey/highsteerdone.jpg

[AlsChopShop]

i'm running 33x12.50s on stock white steel wheels with no problems on my widetrack. looks decent and drives fine. it doesn't steer any goofier than it did before i put em on.

Al