Fitting tires

I have been planning on putting a 3" body lift, warrior shackles, and front coil spacers on my Explorer. I haven't put it on yet but now I am looking at tires that I want to put on. I can't afford to buy new wheels so I am stuck with the 15x7 stock rims. I was planning on putting 32-1050R-15 tires on but the tire guy told me that 1050's will go on but it would cut the tire life in half and that he wouldn't put them on (I guess for insurance reasons). I am also having trouble finding 32-1050R-15 much less 32-950R-15 or 31-950R-15 but I have found 33-950R-15 (but I don't really want anything that big). This tire business is driving me crazy. I am worried that if I go as small as 31s it will look funny with 4.5 inches of lift. I could go with a 2inch body lift and smaller tires. Do I just need to break down and get wider wheels (last resort)?Any input on what to do or comments about how certain size tires work or look with that much lift would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Matt

 

[93exploder]

Get you some Eagle 589's 15X8 wheels, around 400 dollars for all 4. Or Ive seen some Mickey Thompson classic II's 15x8's that are about the same price and look pretty cool also. I think Im going with the 589's when i got 31x10.50 BGF's this summer.

 

[jimbo74]

yeah 93explorers idea sounds decent.

also go to a real tire place. america's/discount tire will do it and they will test fit and they get you good deals too

 

[GJarrett]

Originally posted by InNeed
I was planning on putting 32-1050R-15 tires on but the tire guy told me that 1050's will go on but it would cut the tire life in half...

Wrong. Here's yet another "tire guy" that doesn't know what he is saying (there seems to be a plague of them out there). Many of us run metric equivalent of 11.5" wide tires on 16x7 rims, and many others of us run 12.5" wide tires on 8" rims -- only one inch wider than yours. I've got about 30,000 miles on mine and the tread isn't nearly half used yet. 10.5" tires on yours will be absolutely no problem at all for you.

 

[InNeed]

I have read about problems that other people have had withe these "tire guys" and I think that SOME of their problems could be that with big name companies they have to go with what the company wants them to say. But thats one reason why this site is so great. YOu get to talk to people that have personal experience with it not a computer readout telling what to say. Thanks for your help.
Matt

 

[InNeed]

Would 31-1050R-15's look small with a 4.5 in lift or should I try to find 32-1050R-15's?

 

[Ryan1]

go for 32 11.50

screw that 10.50 buisness

 

[RFR2212]

I'm kinda lost why you were looking at 10.5's or 9.5's Kinda baffles me....
Pete

 

[yob_yeknom]

I've never heard of 31x9.50 or 32x10.50. I think all you can get is 30x9.50, 31x10.50, 32x11.50 and x12.50, or 33's in all of those widths. At least that's all I've seen in big name brands.

 

[InNeed]

The biggest problem is that I am not familiar enough with tires but I have it straight now. I am going to go with the 31-1050 because I can't afford to get new wheels. I hate having to do this on such a tight budget.

 

[914x4sport]

31's

ok first of all on an explorer 31's arent exactly small...no theyre not Thornbird 44's ,but they are larger than factory spec.With 2 inches and 31's (10.50s would be your best bet at that height) youll be looking tough and you wont notice a whole lot of loss-in-power.At 4.5" Itll still look great with the 31's believe it or not(look at Mdruts sometime he has 4" and 31's) .Also as far as your tire life if, you go with BFG AT ko's you should be able to get 50-70,000 miles out of em,and pretty much drive wherever the heck you feel like(oh yeah and if you get stuck BFG pays to tow you out...sweet!). I dont know what the heck the "tire guy" was thinking. Also as far as 32-11.50s go, do you know what gearing you have?
Axle code diff. cap. gear ratio
43 Open 3200 3.08
41 Open 3200 3.27
42 Open 4.10
46 Open 3.73
45 Open 3200 3.55
D4 Limited Slip 3200 3.73
D2 Limited Slip 4.10
L73 Limited Slip 3.73
Check the little sticker on the side of your drivers side door. Where it says "axle code" it should say one of the codes above. If your gear ratio is less than 3.73 you may not want to with the 32's as you will notice the differance in power to your wheels(big wheels work like a bigger gear on your transmission-lower rpms-good on gas on the highway,horrible off the line,sortof like sitting at a light and flooring it in 2nd,only not that severe,just annoying ) also the 31's will be a little cheaper. What i would do if I were you(which I kindof am ,Im sortof in the same situation) i would go with the 31-1050-15 BFG AT ko's they are a little more expensive but WELL worth it .Great performance and one of the best looking tires out there.Save your money on the rims for now. You dont NEED rims, You NEED tires though. And youll notice that with some big nice rubber huggin em your stock rims wont look half bad.
I run 31-10.50's on 15x7's no problem,i think it actually makes the tire look a little fatter. ANyway I hope this helps...Later

 

[jimbo74]

i have 31s on my stocker, just a little fenderwell trimming