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Tire Question that I'm sure has been answered 100 times before.

Featured Replies

I have an "84 GL Wagon 4x4 that I just got the 14 Pug Wheels for and my question is what the tallest size tire i can use without the lift... I don't mind cutting and trimming fenders and what not... thanks!!

  • Author
I have an "84 GL Wagon 4x4 that I just got the 14 Pug Wheels for and my question is what the tallest size tire i can use without the lift... I don't mind cutting and trimming fenders and what not... thanks!!

I know all the old timers to this sight are sick of this question but I could use an answer just the same... a search provided little to no useful info.

How much clearing, trimming, bashing and cutting are you willing to do? :brow:

  • Author
How much clearing, trimming, bashing and cutting are you willing to do? :brow:

as much as it takes

as much as it takes
exactly what I wanted to hear! :grin:

 

Once you get the stupid plastic fender splash guards all out of the way there is a lot of room for height. Youll have to fold over that large seam in the unibody. Can also keep going and just pound in that fender well (leave some room for your feet!) Then roll the corners of your outer fenders so you can turn. You can also just cut the fenders in half like I did. Lots of room in the rear. Might have to cut a little out of the front corner of the fender there.

 

Width is the biggest limiter. With my 15" pug steel rims I could only go 9.5" wide before I ran out of width. What happens is the tire will rub on the strut spring / strut spring seat. Going with rims that have less backspacing would aliviate this problem and allow wider tires.

 

Sizes? 27"s are definatly within range if you clear enough room. There are a couple of concerns going too big. One is clearing that strut spring and seat width wise. In the rear you can only go so far before the tire will rub on your rear main crossmember. Upfront you can only bash that fender well in so far but that's pretty darn far.

 

Why no lift kit? With a BYB 3" lift you could be running 30"s :brow:

  • Author
exactly what I wanted to hear! :grin:

 

Once you get the stupid plastic fender splash guards all out of the way there is a lot of room for height. Youll have to fold over that large seam in the unibody. Can also keep going and just pound in that fender well (leave some room for your feet!) Then roll the corners of your outer fenders so you can turn. You can also just cut the fenders in half like I did. Lots of room in the rear. Might have to cut a little out of the front corner of the fender there.

 

Width is the biggest limiter. With my 15" pug steel rims I could only go 9.5" wide before I ran out of width. What happens is the tire will rub on the strut spring / strut spring seat. Going with rims that have less backspacing would aliviate this problem and allow wider tires.

 

Sizes? 27"s are definatly within range if you clear enough room. There are a couple of concerns going too big. One is clearing that strut spring and seat width wise. In the rear you can only go so far before the tire will rub on your rear main crossmember. Upfront you can only bash that fender well in so far but that's pretty darn far.

 

Why no lift kit? With a BYB 3" lift you could be running 30"s :brow:

 

The lift will be coming in the near future... this all started with me trying to find some old 13" Bias Ply mud grips like I had before... no where to be found.. So the pug wheels was the next best choice since tires where not as limited.

So your saying 27's are the way to go for now?? What actual size do u recomend??? Thanks!!

The lift will be coming in the near future... this all started with me trying to find some old 13" Bias Ply mud grips like I had before... no where to be found.. So the pug wheels was the next best choice since tires where not as limited.

So your saying 27's are the way to go for now?? What actual size do u recomend??? Thanks!!

27"x8.5" no lift

 

29" or 30" x 9.5" lifted

 

Also condition of your struts and springs can have an impact. I had to swap out my rear strut assemblies with newer ones. Too much sag from being over loaded and never replaced after 180,000 miles.

215/75/15 and 205/75/15 are around the 27-28" mark. I ran them with no lift on my t-wagon, then made a lift later. In the front I had to pound in the seam and firewall and cut alot out of my fender. The rust took care of fender clearance in the back.

 

I took off my fenders and stuck 30s on the front of my wagon unlifted. I had very little turning radius before the front edge of the tire was rubbing on the engine compartment wall. For gearing reasons I would stick with something 27-28" in size.

I have an "84 GL Wagon 4x4 that I just got the 14 Pug Wheels for and my question is what the tallest size tire i can use without the lift... I don't mind cutting and trimming fenders and what not... thanks!!

I had put the wildcat 27" on before my lift and only cut below the front bumper, after the lift i put on the 27x8.50 mudders and only had to take out the inner finder well, and hammer the body on the inside of wheel well a little bit. Chaeck my pics link below to see. good luck :headbang:

-Sean

I had put the wildcat 27" on before my lift and only cut below the front bumper, after the lift i put on the 27x8.50 mudders and only had to take out the inner finder well, and hammer the body on the inside of wheel well a little bit. Chaeck my pics link below to see. good luck :headbang:

-Sean

How much room would you say there was with NO lift and 27"s ? Think you could have cut and beat enough stuff out of the way for 28"? 29"? I think 29"s would fit but I hate to assume too much; I never fit them on with out a lift.

  • Author

Thanks to all of you who replied.. yours answers have been helpful. Thanks MorganM for the tip on the struts ... luckily I had just replaced them.

 

I was reading somewhere here that the weber carb really helps out with the extra power desired for pulling the bigger tires, is that something alot of you have done here?? I was looking at doing it anyway just because I like weber carbs.

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