{"id":1852,"date":"2015-01-07T00:30:28","date_gmt":"2015-01-07T00:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/?p=1852&#038;fishpig=1606858642&#038;preview=true"},"modified":"2022-07-19T13:12:24","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T19:12:24","slug":"choosing-tires-for-your-jeep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/2015\/01\/07\/choosing-tires-for-your-jeep\/","title":{"rendered":"Choosing Tires for Your Jeep"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>&#8220;What size tires should I get for my Jeep?&#8221;\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\"  id=\"_ytid_19169\"  width=\"640\" height=\"360\"  data-origwidth=\"640\" data-origheight=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zlFiJnAfEI8?enablejsapi=1&autoplay=0&cc_load_policy=0&iv_load_policy=1&loop=0&modestbranding=1&fs=1&playsinline=0&controls=1&color=red&cc_lang_pref=&rel=0&autohide=2&theme=dark&\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s one of the most common questions asked. You&#8217;re excited and also overwhelmed by this important decision, and we\u2019re here to help you through the process. As you know, there is a lot to consider.<\/p>\n<p>The type of tire you choose will affect gas mileage, wear and tear on parts, and of course, your wallet. Many owners begin with dreams and visions of 40\u201d tires and 6\u201d lifts. A perfect idea if you\u2019re a rock crawler and use the Jeep strictly for off-road use. \u00a0In reality, however, most of the time your spouse has to commute in your Jeep 50 miles daily on the freeway. If you\u2019ve got 40\u201d tires, the gas mileage \u2014 combined with the wear and tear of commuting \u2014 will get expensive.<\/p>\n<p>A range of options exists. Here we\u2019ll discuss a few examples from the JK Wrangler\/Unlimited\u2019s stock 255mm width tire up to a large 40\u201d tire. You can actually go larger than 40\u201d \u2014 if you want to go monster truck.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Metric Tire Sizes<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-1856 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Choosing-Tires-Image-2-300x288.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"288\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Choosing-Tires-Image-2-300x288.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Choosing-Tires-Image-2.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>A tire measurement numbering system can be found on the inside wall of the tire. For example, on a metric tire, you might read\u00a0255\/75R17.\u00a0The first set of numbers (255) refers to the\u00a0tire width\u00a0in millimeters.<\/p>\n<p>The next set of numbers (75) is the\u00a0sidewall aspect ratio, a percentage that tells us how tall and how narrow the sidewall of the tire is in millimeters. So, in the case of our example, the tire\u2019s sidewall height is 75% of its tread width. To make this easy, let\u2019s set a baseline of 255mm\u00a0as the tire width. If it\u2019s a 60 series tire, the sidewall will be shorter, stiffer, and more resistant to cornering forces. If it\u2019s a 75 series tire, like our example above, it will have a taller sidewall, be more prone to rolling under in a corner, and provide more cushion on a bump due to more material.<\/p>\n<p>The next part of the number system describes the tire\u2019s\u00a0internal construction. In this case, we have an\u00a0R, telling us that this tire is a\u00a0<em>radial tire<\/em><em>,\u00a0<\/em>or was made using radial construction, which is the very most common type these days.<\/p>\n<p>The last two digits in the system (17) represent the tire\u2019s\u00a0rim diameter in inches.<\/p>\n<p>To sum up, a stock size tire is:<\/p>\n<table style=\"height: 190px;\" width=\"1335\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"312\">\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Tire Width:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" width=\"312\">\n<h4><strong>255mm<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" width=\"312\">\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Sidewall Aspect Ratio:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" width=\"312\">\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>75%<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" width=\"312\">\n<h4><strong>Internal Construction:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"312\">\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Radial<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" width=\"312\">\n<h4><strong>Rim Diameter:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"312\">\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>17 inches<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>33\u201d Tires<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>JK models have just enough wheel clearance inside the fender that a 33\u201d tire can actually be used without a single modification. However, if you\u2019re taking it off-road, some changes are necessary to avoid the risk of rubbing.<\/p>\n<p>The other tire measurement number system is that of inches, instead of millimeters. For example,\u00a033&#215;12.50R15. In this case, the\u00a033\u00a0refers to the full-length diameter of the tire in inches, from the ground to the tip-top of the tire. The next number (12.50) will be the width of the tire in inches.\u00a0The last number (15) is, again, the rim&#8217;s diameter in inches.<\/p>\n<p>To sum up:<\/p>\n<table style=\"height: 220px;\" width=\"1336\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"312\">\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Tire Diameter:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" width=\"312\">\n<h4><strong>33 inches<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" width=\"312\">\n<h4><strong>Tire Width:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"312\">\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>12.50 inches<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"312\">\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Internal Construction:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" width=\"312\">\n<h4><strong>Radial<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" width=\"312\">\n<h4><strong>Rim Diameter:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"312\">\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>15 inches<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1857 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Choosing-Tires-Image-3.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"249\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Choosing-Tires-Image-3.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Choosing-Tires-Image-3-300x93.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Choosing-Tires-Image-3-768x239.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This tire size works well for someone who likes off-road, hitting some trail runs on occasional weekends, but uses their Jeep primarily on the street. This will have minimal effect on your gas mileage and your ride. You\u2019ll be able to use this tire with at least a simple <a href=\"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/jk-2-5-performance-spacer-lift-kit-no-shocks-or-shock-extensions.html\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">JK: 2.5\u201d Performance Spacer Lift Kit <\/span><\/a>(<a href=\"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/jk-2-5-performance-spacer-lift-kit-shock-extensions.html\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">w\/ Shock Extensions <\/span><\/a>or <a href=\"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/jk-2-5-performance-spacer-lift-kit-9550-vss-twin-tube.html\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">w\/ 9550 VSS Twin Tube Shocks<\/span><\/a>). It will offer a nice look but still have some good street manners.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>35&#8243; Tires<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Next up is the 35\u201d tire. These are some of the most popular tires on JK models. This height requires a lift kit, but you can get by smoothly with a <a href=\"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/shop\/suspensions?cat=569&amp;product_list_order=name\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">2.5<\/span><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\u201d Lift<\/span><\/a>\u00a0or <a href=\"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/shop?cat=588&amp;product_list_order=name\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">3&#8243; Lift<\/span><\/a>. This gives better ground clearance with minimal effect on your drivability and handles very nicely on the road.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>37&#8243; Tires<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Then we have the 37\u201d tire. An example would be 37&#215;12.50R17. The 37\u201d tire basically moves you up to the next level \u2014 now you\u2019re looking at gear changes to recover from power and fuel mileage lost due to larger, heavier tires. Despite these detriments, when you get off-road, these will perform with excellence. This size will require a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/shop\/suspensions?cat=573&amp;product_list_order=name\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">4\u201d Lift<\/span><\/a>\u00a0for off-road use. \u00a0You can risk a 3\u201d lift, but it\u2019ll be tight.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>38&#8243; Tires<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Next up is Dennis\u2019 favorite, the 38\u201d. Not only does it provide an extra inch in height, but it goes up to 14.50\u201d in tire width (38&#215;14.50R17). There are two additional inches in tire width compared to the 37\u201d tire. Though 38&#8243; tires are hard to turn, and you\u2019ll need some horsepower behind them.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>40&#8243; Tires<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Last but not least is the 40\u201d. This tire is hard to beat off-road. The extra height achieved when climbing a ledge allows for greater ease, turning some obstacles into simple non-events. \u00a0When considering clearance issues, you\u2019ll need at least a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/shop\/suspensions?cat=591&amp;product_list_order=name\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">6\u201d Lift<\/span><\/a>\u00a0unless you do some major body modifications (probably including a loss of sheet metal) to make them fit. The 40\u201d tires are actually 13.50 wide (40&#215;13.50R17), so they\u2019re an inch narrower than the 38\u201d, but you\u2019re still gaining a couple of inches in height.<\/p>\n<p>Somewhere in the galaxy lies a set of tires destined exactly for you and your lifestyle.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>Check out all of our\u00a0TeraFlex Suspensions Lifts, Off-Road Performance Parts, and Jeep Accessories\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/shop\"><em>HERE<\/em><\/a><strong><em>!<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>\u2014 Words by Dennis Wood<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Edited by Jason Udy[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator border_width=&#8221;2&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;What size tires should I get for my Jeep?&#8221;\u00a0 It&#8217;s one of the most common questions asked. You&#8217;re excited and also overwhelmed by this<a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/2015\/01\/07\/choosing-tires-for-your-jeep\/\">Read More<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1855,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width.php","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1852","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1852"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1852\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1855"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1852"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1852"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teraflex.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1852"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}