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Solved Lifts and Max tire sizes

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Lift and tire size info for explorers

Lifts and max tire and wheel sizes for explorers
This is a quick reference guide I have put together based on information gathered from the Explorer Forum. Remember this is just a guide. You may have to do some fender trimming to fit these tires on your explorer. Others things can change what size tire you can run on your explorer. Like fiberglass fenders, rim width and rim backspacing.. I figured this would help some of you that were pondering what size lift to run what size tires.If anyone would like to add something go ahead and post it and I will add it to my list. If any of the moderators could make this a sticky that would be great. Hope this helps.

91-94 explorers.
No lift- 31x10.50x15 on 15x8 inch or stock (15x7) rims
1-2 inch suspension lift- 31x10.50x15 - 32x11.50x15 on 15x8 rims/ may require some extensive fender trimming
2-3 inch suspension lift- 32x11.50x15 on 15x8 rims
3-4 inch suspension lift- 32x11.50x15 - 33x12.50x15 on 15x8 rims/ may require fender trimming
4-6 inch suspension lift- 33x12.50x15 - 35x12.50x15 on 15x8 rims/ may require fender trimming
2 inch body lift- 32x11.50x15 on 15x8 rims/ may require fender trimming
3 inch body lift- 33x12.50x15 on 15x8 rims/ may require fender trimming
2 inch body lift and 1-2 inch suspension lift- 32x11.50x15 - 33x12.50x15 on 15x8 rim/ may require fender trimming
2 inch body lift and 2-3 inch suspension lift- 33x12.50x15 on 15x8 inch rim
2 inch body lift and 4-6 inch suspension lift – 35x12.50x15 – 36x12.50x15 on 15x 8 rim/ may require fender trimming
3 inch body lift and 1-2 inch suspension lift – 32x11.50x15 – 33x12.50x15 on 15x8 rim/ may require fender trimming
3 inch body lift and 2-3 inch Suspension Lift – 33x12.50x15 – 35x12.50x15 on 15x8 rim
3 inch body lift and 4-6 inch Suspension lift – 35x12.50x15 – 36x12.50x15 on 15x8 inch rim

95-2001 (including 2dr 95 - present)
No lift- 31x10.50x15 on 15x8 rim or stock (15x7) rim
1-2 inch suspension lift - 32x11.50x15 on 15x8 rim/ may require some extensive fender trimming
4 inch suspension – 33x12.50x15 on 15x8 rim
2 inch body lift – 32x11.50x15 on 15x8 rim
3 inch body lift – 33x12.50x15 on 15x8 rim/ may require fender trimming
2 inch body lift and 1-2 inch suspension lift – 32x11.50x15 – 33x12.50x15 on 15x8 rim/ may require fender trimming
2 inch body lift and 4 inch suspension lift - 33x12.50x15 – 35x12.50x15 on 15x8 rim/ may require fender trimming
3 inch body lift and 1-2 inch suspension lift – 33x12.50x15 on 15x8 rim/ may require fender trimming
3 inch body lift and 4 inch suspension lift – 33x12.50x15 – 35.12.50x15 on 15x8 rim/ may require fender trimming.

You may be able to run 33x10.50x15s inplace of 32x11.50x15s

2002-2005 Ford Explorers
Click here for lift option #1
Click here for lift option #2
No lift - 32x10.50 or equivelent in Metric Measurements on Stock Wheels (265/75/R16 or 265/70/R17) - no modification needed!

Dead Link Removed
 



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I did the 1.5 body lift mod on my 2003 explorer awd and want bigger tires. thinking about doing a 2 or 3 inch spacer lift soon. for now I got a set of 305/70/16 for $100 will they fit with wheel spacers or the spacer lift or should i just sell them?

Hey bud post your question here (http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=98) instead. You'll get better/faster answers than on the sport trac sub-forum.
 



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new to the Explorer game. Picked up a stock 99 sport, 4x4 and manual. love it so far. needs a lil work like basic maintenance/tune up. ANYWAY! i been reading up on tire sizes and see a lot of stock sizes but my sport comes with 16 wheels. i would want aftermarket 16 inch wheels with maybe 31 or 32 inch tires that fit perfectly, no rubbing or mods
 






I have a 2002 sport trac and I have a 3" body lift I will be putting on very soon. I have 20" after market rims and I can get a set of tires that are 275/60/20, will these fit without trimming? I really don't want to trim at all...
 












Nope we have much larger wheel wells. Check out the link I posted earlier to the ST section.
 






ok so i got american racing outlaw II wheels today. i thought they were 15x8s, but when i got home they were 16x8.5 with a -21 offset. back spacing is around 3.75. now my concern was i wanted 31/10.50/15. now i have 16s. what tires do i need to make them to 31? is it just the diameter need to change to 31/10.50/16? also will those fit without a lift? im gonna try the wheels on tomorrow to see how they fit. but if anyone has answer let me know thanks

 






31x10.50x16 will be the same outer diameter as 31x10.50x15. The standard numbering does not rely on wheel size for tire diameter.
 






so i did more reserch and 275/70/16 is closer to 31" tires. so im gonna get some tires soon for these wheels.
 






Max tire sizes

Hello, I'm new to this forum but came here to ask about tire sizes. I'm looking to get wider tires on my 2003 explorer, but I have no idea how wide I can go, or which number on the tire size represents width... I'm currently at 255/70/16s on 16 inch rims, and as I said I'm trying to figure out what I could put on there. Thanks for any replies :)
 






Hello, I'm new to this forum but came here to ask about tire sizes. I'm looking to get wider tires on my 2003 explorer, but I have no idea how wide I can go, or which number on the tire size represents width... I'm currently at 255/70/16s on 16 inch rims, and as I said I'm trying to figure out what I could put on there. Thanks for any replies :)

255 = section width
70 = sidewall height
16 = wheel diameter

divide section width (255) by 25.4 (number of millimeters per inch) = 10.03 inches

sidewall height 70: sidewall is 70% of section width = 7 inches

wheel diameter 16: to determine tire diameter in inches mulitply the aspect ratio (sidewall height) by 2 and add the diameter of the wheel = 30.05 inches
 






heres a question for you guys. 98 expedition with 17" factory wheels. want to go custom wheels/off road tires. 16"= more options/ lower cost. how would this affect my truck if at all? how big could I go on tire size? any help would be appreciated as I have posted these ?'s in the expedition section and never received a reply. thanks in advance.
 






2nd gen Explorer:
4 inch body lift and 2 inch suspension (TT+Shackles) lift – 35x11.5x15 on 15x7 rim/ require fender trimming
 






I have been looking at the Traxda Lift / Leveling kits. I would like to get the 2.25 front and 1.5 rear kit that spaces the struts. Has anyone used this one? The website says you can use 32" tires. I plan on using my factory 17" wheels and trying to get BFG ATs for them. Anyone know what the biggest size you can use are?
 






heres a question for you guys. 98 expedition with 17" factory wheels. want to go custom wheels/off road tires. 16"= more options/ lower cost. how would this affect my truck if at all? how big could I go on tire size? any help would be appreciated as I have posted these ?'s in the expedition section and never received a reply. thanks in advance.

The things to check are brake caliper clearance and if the backspace and offset of the new wheels are similar to stock. The outer diameter of the tire is the critical value as opposed to the size of the rim as long as the rim clears the brakes.
 






ok, i have a question that i've been trying to look up an answer to for quite some time now. if i do torsion key lift for the front suspension would i have to replace the control arms to fit a 3" torsion key lift?
 






You don't want to go past 2" as a 4x4 because of the CV axle angle. New control arms will not fix that. It's almost never necessary to get new torsion keys. Just make sure to get an alignment after you do the TT.
 






If I do a torsion twist its not gonna put a stress on anything is it?
 






It will to some degree. You are changing the geometry of the suspension slightly. Ball joints and CV axles will wear faster than if kept stock. Now a poorly maintained vehicle will also hold the same outcome. It's all in how you treat it IMO. I had the setup for almost a year and it spent a lot of time on trails without issue before going with a solid axle swap. However, tons of guys on here have run the TT up front without issues.
 






I guess the question I should be asking aside from my most frequent one is what kind of lift can I do to get 3 inches on my current explorer. I seen something about a swindle lift is that possible on my vehicle? And if so is it a suspension or body lift?
 



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