33"x9.5" Tires: Mount on 7" or 8" rims?

[Bob Barry]

I just scored a set of near-new (blue still on the white lettering) 33"x9.5" BFG radial M/T's for my Cherokee ($225!). Now comes the question of what to mount them on.

I had planned on mounting them on the 15"x8" wagon-wheels I've got hanging around; they were mounted on a set of 15"x7.5" Ford rims, and didn't bulge that much.

But then there's the pretty 15"x7" factory aluminum 5-slot rims that my street 31"x10.5" tires are on. Since I'll be running these most of the time (the M/T's will mainly be for weekends only), I'd like to keep the aluminum rims with the street tires, and use the wagon-wheels (which will be coated with Hammerite, in red if I can find it) for off-road.

So while I know in my head that it's more logical to mount the 9.5" wide tires on the 7" rims and the 10.5" wide tires on the 8" rims, my heart wants it the other way around. Is there anyone here with compelling evidence or experience why these tall-n-skinnies should NOT be put on 8" rims?

[Ralph]

9.5" tires are just a hair NARROWER than the stock 235/75/15 tires, so you should be fine with 7" rims.

[joe]

Bob, they're two schools of thought here; one bulging tires keep the rims from damage and two, skinny tires don't get rock cut...
I run 33x9.5's on 7" rims on my truck and they work and look good. It had 32x11.5 or something wide's when I bought the truck and they looked a bit odd on 7" rims...sorta like the tires were holding their breath?
"I" would run the 9.5's on the 7" rims but I'm sure others will tell you run'em on the 8's.
This really didn't help a bit did it? :D

[Bob Barry]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ralph:
9.5" tires are just a hair NARROWER than the stock 235/75/15 tires, so you should be fine with 7" rims.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Right. My question was about going the other way, with the 33"x9.5" going on the 8" wide wagon-wheels and me keeping the 31"x10.5" tires on the 7" wide 5-slot factory aluminum rims.

What I REALLY need, I guess, is another set of factory 5-slot rims... smile.gif

[jeepbob]

I run 34x9.50 on 8" rims on my CJ5 with no problems other than a sever lack of floatation with the pizza cutters. If you want to bite the bottom of the pit then the 9.50's will work well, but they s*ck in sand and heavy, thick mud. I have found that 12.50's work a whole lot better and 15.00's are mind boggling.

[porchpiggy]

7" is plenty of rim for the 9.5's. I vote 7" mostly because it will tuck in better at flex. I'm thinking of these on stock 7" for my 88GW, would love to see a pic. :cool:

[scotty]

bob,ill be happy to give ya the answer youre prolly hoping to hear. ;) i dont think the inch diff in whels is worth worrying about.

since the 31s are allready on the stock rims,and youd rather have it that way,mount the 33s on the wagon wheels anf quit stressig about it smile.gif if anything,the wider rim will make the tire look alittle bigger,and maybe give just alittle bit more of a footprint.

im with jeepbob.wider is better. i rode in a samuri this weekend with 12.5 wide boggers that somehow didnt get stuck once.he climbed everything out there-never once did a lack of contact pressure(since sami weighs bout 10 lbs smile.gif ) leave him spinning midway up a hill.

my $.02 anyway,the wagon wheels will work out fine...

[Bob Barry]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by porchpiggy:
I vote 7" mostly because it will tuck in better at flex. I'm thinking of these on stock 7" for my 88GW, would love to see a pic. :cool:<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, with these ten-speed tires, clearance due to width won't be a problem... ;)

Thanks to all for telling me what i really wanted to hear (that is what friends are for, right? smile.gif ). I'll paint the tires today and get them mounted this weekend, and will post pics when they get developed.

Of course, I first have to get the Cherokee started again; it cranked and stumbled like usual, but then ran down and died like it's out of gas (but it's got a 1/4-tank). It will run on starting fluid, so I've got spark, and I thought I could hear the accelerator pump squirting, so there should be fuel, and a quick swap for a spare spark-box didn't cure it, so maybe my choke is giving me fits... Well, I'm glad I can walk to work! smile.gif

[joe]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bob Barry:
. I'll paint the tires today and get them mounted this weekend, <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

What....you don't like the black??? ;)

[Dome]

I have 33x12.5 tires on 8" rims, and a 33x9.5" spare on a factory rim (7" i think), both work out great.

[ClarkGriswald]

Hey what kinda paint do ya use on tires??

Durabak.. gives the sidewall some traction??


Sorry, couldnt resist.

[WINGO]

Bob Barry:

Forest Grove Auto, a local salvage yard in Vineland, NJ has four of these type of rims that you are looking for. They do not have the center caps. They want $ 25.00 each. The rims have been stored outside and look like they would clean up OK.

Check out this link:
http://www.pepboys.com/tires/peptires/truck/futuradakota/

It could answer some of your tire rim questions.

[ September 06, 2001: Message edited by: WINGO ]

[porchpiggy]

An 8" rim with the same offset will put your outer lip (bead) an inch further out, hence your tread 1/2 inch further out than with a 7" wheel, same offset. If the 10.5 is about an inch wider than the 9.5, then (theory) the outer edge should be in about the same spot, maybe not a problem, but my 10.5's are plenty close to the outer rear wheel well lip at flex. In reading over the thread though, I think scotty really hit it right why spend all that money mounting and balancing things around, especially since you want to run the pretty rims on the street. :cool:

[Bob Barry]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by WINGO:
Check out this link:
http://www.pepboys.com/tires/peptires/truck/futuradakota/

It could answer some of your tire rim questions.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The 30"x9.5" tires call for a rim width between 6.5" and 8.5"; since I'm mounting 33's, the bulge from the rim to the tread will be less severe, so the 8's should be more than fine.

I can't find any red Hammerite for the RIMS (whadda bunch of smart Great Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley Moogleye$...), so it looks like it will be regular red Krylon. Of course, if I could find a gallon-bucket of red or yellow Hammerite, I'd have a new finish for both the rims and the body. smile.gif