When I first got my Jeepster from the original owner...31 x 10.50's on the orginal steel wheels and hubcaps. No rubbing at all. It may depend on how much spring sag you have - but I had no problems.

 

I don't have a lift, I think, but I have 7 skinny leafs in the front and 7 large leafs in the rear. I had 31 x 10.5 mud grips and had room to spare. I have since converted to a highway tread for around town, in a 265/75, which is an equivalent tire by the way. Don't know about the Ford wheels.

Big Al (see pic)

 

A lot will depend on the backspacing of the wheels you use. I think there is easily room for 31 x 10.5's on the right wheels. 15 x 7 wheels with 3-3/4" to 4" of backspacing would be close to ideal. Too little backspacing and the tires will rub on the rear fender, too much and they could rub on the rear springs (and reduce your turning radius because of rubbing on the front springs).

 

A note about Ford wheels. Since I knew that they share the 5 on 5 1/2 bolt pattern, I figured I'd pick up a set at a wrecking yard. After I purchased a set and tried to mount one on the front, I discovered that the hub of the Jeep is slightly larger in diameter than the hole of the stock Ford wheels.

Consequently, I had to take them back.

So, from my experience, the Jeep wheels will fit on the Ford, but the Ford wheels won't fit on the Jeep. Aftermarket wheels will fit on both. I would guess that Scout II wheels should also fit on both.

When I first bought my Jeepster, it had the HD springs along with longer shackles and 31x10.50R15 tires. It seemed a bit tight to me, but was told by the previous owner that clearance wasn't a problem.

I later removed the longer shackles and the spacer blocks between the frame and the rear shackle mounts, (also added from previous owner). I replaced the 31x10.50's with 30x9.50's. Now sitting lower some, it seemed that the 30x9.50's were as big as it could take for good clearance. I think a small amount of lift, or cutting the rear fenders might be needed to fit 31x10.50's if you stick with stock wheel spacing. Also the stock wheels were 5.5" wide. Most tire sites reccomend a 7"-8" wide wheel for 31x10.50's. If you get wheels with backspacing that give more fender clearance, you'll cut down the turning radius some due the the tires being closer to the springs. Issues, issues, issues.

 

Thanks for the responses. I've got a lead on 4 - 31 x 10.5's used with around 70% tread for $100 mounted and balanced so the price is right. I'd like to keep the look of the stock steel wheel with the moon hubcap. Don't want to do any fender trimming. Is there a wheel out there 7" to 8" wide with 3" to 4" backspacing with the right bolt pattern that will accept the moon caps and front discs? I recall a post that the stock wheels won't work with discs brakes.

 

a 31-10.5 will fit on a the stock (5.5'') rim. the stock rims will not fit over disc breaks. scout II rims work well for bigger tires as well as disc breaks as they have slightly more back spacing (@1'') than the stock rim

 

I was told that running 31s on the stock rims was dangerous. TOo bog of a tire on such a small rim. IS this not true?

 

first of all a 31.x10.5 is not that big of a tire, and is perfectly fine to run on a stock rim.

 

While a 10.50 may fit on the stock 5.5" rims, majority of the tire manuf. specs call for a 7" minimum rim for these tires and say an 8" is the "ideal" rim width for it. I have run big tires on small wheels before and they work ok, but sometimes caused funny and fast wear patterns. The tread cannot contact the road properly it seems like.

My son Chris & I are shopping for 31x10.5-15 tires now for Ole Yeller in prep for the Jam. We have some wheels ordered, 15x8 with reduced backspacing (2 3/4") from stock. Backspacing was determined from current wheels & clearance as well as the desired tire size and a bit more clearance. Then confirmed with the guy at wheel place who used to own a Jeepster and had some good advice. I am no expert on this, just passing along what we found with a lot of research and talking to some tire shop people (NOT Pep Boys types, those who make their living at a real tire shop).

Brad.

 

I'm currently running 33x12.50s on either 7" or 8" rims (can't remember which) and it's great! Tons of protection around the beads and gets even tire wear running 25# (also rides better with 25#!).

Like Toad said, 31"s ain't that big. I ran 31"s, 32"s, & 34x12.50s on my old Nissan 5.5" rims without any issues for over 100K miles.

 

www.hi-tec-retreading.com has 33x12.5's for $65 and will have 35x12.5's before this summer!31x10.5's are like $49.

 

there cheep and you get what you pay for.

ive seen a lot of them at the shop when there cracking and leaking at less than 20 000 km

remeber that its a retread. that doesnt mean the tire carcass is new. thats where the problem comes from. the tire it self is already old. with just new rubber for tread

i think the problem comes from when a tire is replaced it is because the tire 9 times outta 10 is destryed, or gone flat and been driven on. Either way the tire is garbage as all the metal wires are already been flexed for way to much

just my 2 cents canadian which equals very little american. Add to that with the air of the tires and the cost of the advice you get what its worth

all in all i would save up for new tires, or buy some good used

keith in canada ,eh

 

You make some good points, but I spoke to two guys who have purchased from this company with good results, and they got a good review on one of the 4by mags. Retreads don't concern me, as 75% of all over-the-road truck tires sold are retreads ( see the "asphalt gators?"

). For a daily driver that you haul your kids in, they may not be your first choice; no mud tread would be, for that matter. But for a trail rig that doesn't see much road time, I'd sure consider them.20,000 km is a lot of trail riding.Just my .5 cents, as my wife doesn't let me outta the house with a full 2 cents........

 

Ideally the rim width should be 75-85% of the rated tread width. So 10.5's are best on 8". That gives decent bead and sidewall protection and stability.
The actual tread contact area should be about the same width as the rim.

Too wide a rim - the sidewalls get torn by rocks and the beads get pushed off.

Too narrow a rim and the tire flexes sideways too much, causing squirrely handling - not enough lateral stability. Hard corners it tends to "tuck under," driving straight it wanders.

Often changing rim width and tire diameter changes handling - steering geometry changes. The scrub radius gets way off. Doing one without the other is worst case.
Generally when you increase tire diameter, you should also increade rim width.

For example my Tracker: Stock is 4.5" rims with 215's (27" dia.)

I put 31x12.5's on 8" rims, handled terrible!

Went taller, to 33 x 12.5's on the 8's -- better, but still squirelly. (Less worse.)

Went taller yet, to 35 x 12.5's on the 8's, works great. Tires were all the same type, BFG AT's.

I'd like to go even taller but I'd have to modify (inset) the frame for tire turning clearance.

 

that link
http://www.hi-tec-retreading.com/

didnt work? any help on this. where did you order your custom back-spaced rims bradbrad?