Fender trimming question...

[DanHS]

OK, so I'm buying this '79 Chero, still dunno if I'm going to drive it around or make it a project, but since the engine is already in it and it's a manual, I'm leaning towards driving it and making the GW a project. Depends on how it rides and if there's any serious issues with the rust or anything.

Anyways, the rear fenders are rusted out and the flares have been replaced with fiberglass ones, only the fenders rusted out around those and they're falling off. Has new front fenders tho. I'm thinking I should just hack out the back fenders and cut up some old front fenders from a junkyard Jeep. Then patch up whatever rust is left and paint the whole bottom satin black so it looks matching and cool. Add some Bushwacker flares if I find some on ebay or something.

So the big question is, what size tires (on 15x7 rims) can I stuff in the fenders before they rub the insides of the fenders or the springs terribly? And about how much would I have to trim? I don't want to adjust my steering stops way out and kill my turning radius, I'll go for the narrowest tires I can. I can lift it another inch with 'zero rate add a leaves' and BJ's front shackles, I'm not going to spend the $ on a full lift kit unless I find one for really, really cheap. Could 35x12.5 tires fit, or would that be stretching it. 34x10.5 ok? Never mind that I'd probably have to find the tires for a good price as opposed to new, junkyard Chero has 33x12.5s on it, but I want to go bigger and knobbier if I can.

So, suggestions and experiences?

[SteelHorse]

I'm not sure - but i'll tell ya when i bought my waggy it had 31x10.5s on it and on a tired suspension it looked like this:

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c325/steelhorse67/Wagoneer/IMG_0915.jpg

so i gather that with a stock-ride and w/o risking too much inner wall rub you could PROBABLY get away with a 33" tire.

[DanHS]

Well this Chero sits at the right height, and it's wearing 32x11.5's now, I'm sure I could fit 33s, still want as much room under the axles as possible though. Any other info? I remember seeing a Chero with like 37's or something with little or no lift and a lot of trimming.

[grand_wag_85]

There was a guy on here that ran 35's w/o a lift on a J-Truck...I bet if you ran M715 fenders & flares cut to match in the rear you'd have ALOT more clearance for tires than stock BUT stock flex.

[waggy401]

BJs offroad fit 35s on a Wagoneer with fender trimming only. http://www.bjsoffroad.com/cartgenie/pg_projwag.asp

[SteelHorse]

yea but that's a pretty rough cut-job. i mean, not to put down the guys at BJs, but they took a little TOO much off. and if you look at the pic of the stock ride height there's absolutely no room for flex.

[DanHS]

Well that BJ's Waggy was supposed to get a lift, I think that page hasn't been updated since it was first made. That was Waggy though, so N/T axles, I'm wondering how much extra room the W/T axles will give me. I'm pretty sure I could get away without rubbing 33s, especially if they were only 10.5" wide, idk about 34 x 10.5s or 35x12.5s, Interco makes 35x10.5 Boggers, but those are out of my price range at this time. lol. They would be pretty sweet though, so long as I remained mostly in mud.