Somethings Wrong With These Sizes!!!

[rlfknlorangers]

my explorer

now my problem

im running a tt in the front for 2" and an add a leaf and shackles in the rear for 2"...everywhere i read says you can run a 32X11.50 15 with some trimming or it might fit snug.....

im currently running 32/11.50r15 on stock expo wheels and i have plenty of clearence and never rub....and yes my lift is only two inches...i made sure as not to go over to tear the front end to hell.....

now my problem and question is what is the actual measurement diameter for a 32 11.50 15. i look online and they all say from like 31.5 inches to 31.7 inches ill buy that as a 32...but my tires only measure out to like 29 3/4" ground to top and around 30 1/4-1/2" side to side when mounted on the expo with correct pressure. that measurement and what the sites tell me would make me think i should have no tread left at all.

ive still got a ton of tread left...and don't believe i took off more then a 1/2 inch of tread on each side in less the a year and only 8000 miles at most. i just want some opinions before i do my 2 " body lift.. as what actual size tires to buy im not going to buy a 33 if thats only gonna measure to like 31 and some inches.......when all the sites that say my 32 should be right tell me a 33 should be over 32 1/2

Anyone got any input on this of maybe someone could measure a 32/11.50 thats relatively new on there truck and tell me what they get?

 

[rlfknlorangers]

ohh and my tread depth is roughly 12/32's of the 17/32s new so that only account for just over a 1/4 inch of diameter loss
thanks

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Tire sizes are very relative, many manufacturers aren't accurate with their sizes. They list the actual size in the specs, but the size on the side of the tire isn't always right. Sometimes, often rarely.

 

[rlfknlorangers]

so best bet to just out right measure new tires before i buy them-lol?

 

[gsx220]

they look alot bigger then my general grabber AT-2's 31x10.5

 

[hunterdan]

Are you measuring the tires with them on the vehicle? If so that is the problem. Tires compress as weight is added to them. If you take a tire off and put it next to one that is mounted to the vehicle, the one off will be bigger. Tire specs are given without a load, at max psi (not sure about that one), on a rim that is the median recommended size.

Dan

 

[chriswells78]

The size of the rim matters too. My 31's rub but I use 10" wide wheels. I notice on explorers with 31's on stock wheels they tuck in nicer, but they don't have the "wide track" look that I have. LOL

 

[rlfknlorangers]

my tire measured front to back lets say..which would in theory be the true width or wider since the sides are being slightly bulged, by the pressure on the bottom of the tire,
measure 30 1/4 of the supposed 32...
mounted on the truck or off that way of measuring is the same. i'm not measuring form the ground up...which is 29 and something...and wrong obviously...

the rim width of my stock rims should make my 32's taller then if i say had a 10" wheel which would pull the sidewalls out and make the overall height a lil shorter i would think

 

[rlfknlorangers]

ill basically just measure the next set of tires before i by to make sure they are more truse to the size im looking for

 

[Willard]

actually, the median rim size recommended for the tire would make it the biggest, as it would hold the sidewalls straightest in line with the actual tread. a smaller or larger rim would make them smaller.

 

[LBarr2002]

The most accurate way to measure a tire on the vehicle is to measure from the center of the hub to the top and double it. The smaller the rim the taller the tire, not the suggested rim size. If you go with a really small rim, like a stock 7" wide, with a 12.5" tire, it will stand up taller, but the contact patch will be much smaller and they will not wear well.

 

[Willard]

The most accurate way to measure a tire on the vehicle is to measure from the center of the hub to the top and double it. The smaller the rim the taller the tire, not the suggested rim size. If you go with a really small rim, like a stock 7" wide, with a 12.5" tire, it will stand up taller, but the contact patch will be much smaller and they will not wear well.

hmm....didn't think about it quite like that, makes more sense than what I said :

 

[LBarr2002]

a friend of mine a while back had a set of 31x11.50x15 thornbirds on stock 7" rims. Those tires were a good inch taller than his 35x12.15x15's mounted on 12" rims.

 

[Willard]

holy crap, 12" rims?! those are huge, no wonder the 35's were small, they were probably spread out beyond belief. How did the bead stay on?

 

[LBarr2002]

He didn't have to worry about the tires staying on the bead...he's never driven the truck those tires are on. bought it broken, never fixed it. I haven't talked to him in years but I keep thinking I'm gonna call him and see if he's still got it. It would be a great donor vehicle for one of my explorers. (if I remember correctly its a late 70's f250 with dana 60s or 70s and a 351W....you see what I'm thinking...)

 

[Squirrelmaster]

I thought I should throw in that BFG's are known to run small, anywhere from 1/2" to a full inch smaller. My 35x12.50x17 BFG Mud Terrains on my Silverado measured roughly 34" mounted on a 9.5" rim (fit stock with no lift and just a little trimming). My buddy put some BFG All Terrains on his 2000 Explorer Sport, stock size, and they ran a bit smaller than the RT/S's he took off (about the same size as the worn RT/S's).

rlfknlorangers - nice looking Explorer, makes me sort of miss my '95.

Tom

 

[rlfknlorangers]

thanks for all the imput guys!

 

[IZwack]

hey rlfknlorangers, meet and greet in your neighborhood :
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1807717#post1807717

 

[cybergasm]

hey rlfknlorangers, meet and greet in your neighborhood :
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1807717#post1807717

Senator when are you gonna throw one in my 'hood?:scratch:

 

[IZwack]

Senator when are you gonna throw one in my 'hood?:scratch:

Does March work for you? I'll bring your governor along

[/hijack]