Body lift questions

[thorney_5]

I am considering a 3" body lift and 1.5" TT/shackle on my 2000 but i have a few questions.
1) tire sizes- i know i can fit 33's but what about the spare? Will it fit in the stock location with a hidden hitch also installed? Will 33"x10.5" R15's fit stock wheels? Im looking at the BFGoodrich all terrain t/a's
2) tire size conversions- why are there 2 different formats for tire sizes? some have the diameter listed first, like above, but others start with 2xx, like 255 or 265. what is the equivalent of 33"x10.5" R15 in this format?
3) my hitch- how ridiculous will my hitch look if i don't raise it with the body lift? I have the round tube kind so I'm thinking it wouldn't be too bad but i want your opinions. I don't want to have to buy a 3" drop ball hitch for $60.

Sorry for so many basic questions, I'm usually very savvy with these things but I'm having trouble with this one. I really appreciate any help.

 

[Sogsnakebite]

a spare 33 inch tire did fit under my truck but it protruded quite low under the bumper once i added a hidden hitch it no longer fitted so threw the spare on top in a basket

 

[thorney_5]

whats the width on your 33's?

 

[Anime]

A 31 or 32 is generally the largest that will fit, but you might be able to cram a 33 x 10.50 under there, partially deflated, and with the front of the spare tire bracket cut off.

33 x 10.50's fit stock 15 x 7 wheels just fine.

There's P-metric and LT/flotation sizes because they were for two different things. Heavy-duty American trucks used LT sizes with SAE/Standard measurements in inches, and of course the rest of the world has always used the metric system, hence the P-metric system for tire sizes. The size equivalent of a 33 x 10.50 doesn't exist, or at least it's not available in the USA. It'd be something like LT270/80R15 or LT270/85R15.

Hitches look pretty silly hanging down that low on a frame, even more so when you raise the bumper to match the lifted body. Generally it's a good idea to just get a decent aftermarket bumper that has a hitch integrated into it, or raise up the hitch somehow. It also looks silly becuase you just spent all that money on a lift and larger tires, yet the hitch is still almost as low as it was before.

If you get a body lift I'd suggest a 2" rather than a 3", unless you plan to get 33 x 12.50's or something similar in the future.

 

[rickybobby]

If you install a 3" body lift the hitch will look very out of place. One solution from Gmanpaint was to cut the hitch at the ends (near the mounting brackets), turn it upside down, and weld it back together.

 

[thorney_5]

Thanks much guys. Can I cram 32x12.5 on stock wheels? Or what if I went 33x11.5?

 

[Sogsnakebite]

i run 285 R75 16 the tire did fit just in the spare tire well but it hung down super low below the bumper when i changed hitches it no longer even remotely fitted, hidden hitch do say on their site that an Explorer with a 15 inch standard tire will still fit but a 16 no so there really isnt much wiggle room for oversized tires

 

[thorney_5]

That's kind of what I figured. Even my stock wheel touches the hitch. I don't know how much I like having a tire on my roof... This will not strictly be an off-roader, in fact the majority of driving will be on road. I have a triple a membership- should I risk not having a spare?