the eternal question 31's or 32's?

udmsvt · December 1, 2003

BFG muds, 31x10.5 if you can find them.

huskyfan23 · December 1, 2003

I'd say 32's. I'm sure you'll wanna go bigger. With my spacers and shackles I wish I would've gone 32. I have some Kumho Venture M/T's that are pretty much the same as all the other M/T tires but usually half the price. Might wanna look at those too? Good luck!

Ken Cooke · December 1, 2003

If you are considering going into mud, and treadlife is not an issue, go with the 'Swamper SX - 32x11.5x15. It is sized a little smaller than most 32s, and will dig you out of anything. The knobbies will cause a bit of drag on the highway, but, nothing too terrible. They're loud, and your Ex will "Roar!" as you roll down the road. People will hear you coming...
-Ken

Joey P · December 1, 2003

Here is the tires I have. Cavalier sport king all terrains but pretty aggresive for an all terrain I think. I have bad luck with tires most the time but I am impressed with these so far plus they wear great.Click here for the all terrains. This company also make a tire called the mud king which if it's anything like the all terrain They would be worth a look IMO. Click here for the mud terrain. Plus the price on both of these is great

Joey P · December 1, 2003

Another thing Genlee, Like i said in a pm to you. You might not have to do any trimming at all if you use your stock wheels or use aftermarket wheels with stock backspace.(I think that the backspace on stock wheels is 4.25.) I had to do no trimming with a 2" lift to fit 32's with my stock wheels but It was pretty tight. I went off road a few times and had no rubbing issues except on the radius arms.

GenLee01 · December 3, 2003

Originally posted by Joey p.
I went off road a few times and had no rubbing issues except on the radius arms.

now was the rubbing with heavy off roading or light, like a rough dirt road and some puddles?

I think i am going to go with Kumho 32's muds

Ken Cooke · December 3, 2003

Going with 32s, I would definitely get rims to space those tires out, adding to overall stability of your rig both on the trail as well as on the street. Stock backspaced rims will keep your track width narrow, making these rims useless if you decide to add a body lift, 4" of lift, etc.
-Ken

GenLee01 · December 4, 2003

Originally posted by Ken Cooke
Going with 32s, I would definitely get rims to space those tires out, adding to overall stability of your rig both on the trail as well as on the street. Stock backspaced rims will keep your track width narrow, making these rims useless if you decide to add a body lift, 4" of lift, etc.
-Ken

what should i be looking at for back spacing?

Joey P · December 4, 2003

3.75 is a good backspace on a 15X8 wheel, however most aftermarket wheels I found don't offer a 3.75 backspace on a 15X8 wheel. Usually they offer 3.25 backspace. I had some Eagle 589's that I could only get with 3.25 backspace and when I had them mounted with my 32's and 2" lift my tires rubbed all over the place because the backspace made my tires stick out too far. I have the black crawlers now with 3.75 backspace and I only have a little rub(with a 1" body lift now.) If you go with the 32's and only a 2" lift with wheels with a 3.75 backspace you are probably going to have to trim some plastic inside the fender and probably trim some of the plastic "tupperware" if your explorer has that. You might also have to trim the front plastic valance connected to the bumper also. And as far as me rubbing off-road it wasen't just a dirt road with some potholes it was Colorado rated 4 and 5 trails(I think that's equivilent to a Moab rated 2 or 3?)

GenLee01 · December 4, 2003

can i get more back spacing that the 3.75 so i won't have any rubbing? or is that it? i am for now planning just to stick with the stock rims. hopefully that will do me ok. i am assuming Colorado rated 4 and 5 trails and Moab rated 2 or 3 are pretty nasty stuff. i am guessing the stuff i am will be a colorado 4 at best. will i be ok with minimal rubbing?

Joey P · December 4, 2003

Stock backspace is 4.25 I think. I had 3.25 eagle alloys that made my tires stick out too far and made me rub so the less backspace you got the further your tires and rims will stick out from your fenders possibly causing more rub. As far as rubbing for you, you will just have to test it somehow. Every explorer is different I am coming to realize now. You might get lucky and not have any rub at all. I hardely had any until I went with different wheels. As far as the colorado trail ratings go I think they are pretty conservative. I am not totally sure if the ratings I gave you are that accurate. Here is a website where I got the ratings from. Click Here. Then click Trail ratings. The hardest trail I have done to date is Wheeler lake which is rated a 6 from this website. It was rated a 9 last year and I have no idea why they changed it to a 6. I was told at one time that a Colorado rated 9 is like a moab rated 4 or so. At any rate I did wheeler lake after I did my body lift because I probably would have had some wicked bad rub.

Skeets'91EB · December 4, 2003

31s or 32s

I have been wondering the same thing GenLee01 and I'm practically going to do the same mod: small lift + tires. I've been leaning more for 32s since 31s are also so much more common; 32s would be a little more noticeable. This thread's been helpful

.

udmsvt · December 4, 2003

oh, 32s are VERY noticable

Nicaraguense · December 4, 2003

And very worth it

They are very worth it hey UDMSVT I hope to GOD you didn't send those pics. That was my dad's address. I forgot my second address and sent you that one. :worried:

Skeets'91EB · December 4, 2003

Originally posted by udmsvt
oh, 32s are VERY noticable

Good!

GenLee01 · December 8, 2003

ok on the doing the lift in the rear. i am going to a sping place and having them do the rear. how high of a lift can i go without needing longer shocks. just bought some Blistins? i want to lift the 2" and would like to eliminate the sag and they would do up to a 3" for 1 price. any ideas?

trail ratings where i normally play are 1-6 according to that website. i think i am going to stay with the stock rims and see what happens after the lift. i really want 32's. probably going with the Kumho's. great reviews and fairly cheap.

ALLOUTWAR13 · December 8, 2003

If you go to desertRat.com you can get a set of baja claws on wheels mounted and balanced for 539 and they are 31/10.5 i believe. they would be good tires for ya i like em alot

or you could go with goodyear M/T Rs they are awesome and work great on road as well as off.
As for the lift if your gonna go, go all out! get the 3"! Hell get the superlift 4" kit

GenLee01 · December 9, 2003

Originally posted by ALLOUTWAR13
If you go to desertRat.com you can get a set of baja claws on wheels mounted and balanced for 539 and they are 31/10.5 i believe. they would be good tires for ya i like em alot or you could go with goodyear M/T Rs they are awesome and work great on road as well as off.
As for the lift if your gonna go, go all out! get the 3"! Hell get the superlift 4" kit

i want a 32 so that work work.

as far as the lift i don't want to buy new longer shocks. i just got some new blistiens and don't want to go over them. this is a small lift as i don't do major off roading.

anyone know what lift to go with and still stay with stock sized shockes?

Joey P · December 10, 2003

2" is as much as you can go with stock shocks. I have about 3" in the rear of my explorer with AAL/Shackles and my shocks bottom out fairly quick off-road.

the eternal question 31's or 32's?

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