Trimming Wheel Well for Larger Tires (1 Viewer)

[TeCKis300]

I'm getting ready to have my 305/55/20's (33.2"x12.5") mounted tomorrow. I know there will be just a tad of kissing of the tires to wheel well liners at the front deflector and trailing mud flap. Wanted to see pics of what you guys have done.

As a reference, I will be using my stock 20" LX570 wheels with a 1" spacer. Effective backspacing is +35mm, which is necessary for the wide tires to clear the upper a-arm.

Since mine will be just touching, I'll likely us a heat gun to adjust the trailing mud flap profile a bit. Other have cut. Thought this thread would be a good examples of possible tweaks for larger and larger tires.

EDIT: Don't trim or re-contour, just pull forward the liner - see post #6

EDIT: LX's fitting larger diameter tires may need to tweak the mud flap and sidestep bracket - Modifying Splash Gaurds for 33's

Borrowing pics from another thread of contact points.

Leading edge:

Trailing edge:

 

[TeCKis300]

For now, I've pulled the mud flaps so the tire shop doesn't give me grief.

Here's what the LX570 looks like behind the mudflap (trailing edge of front wheel well). Pretty clean and lots of room. I'll still put back the flap as it's good protection rocks picked up by the tire. Note this is slightly different from the LC's as the LX's have an integrated step in the side skirt.

 

[Fasternfaster]

Will be watching this thread! Did you put spacers in the rear too?

 

[TeCKis300]

Yes, I have the same 1" spacer in the rear. Spacers aren't my preferred route, but necessary for wheels I'm using and offset needed. In soft stuff (sand/snow), it's pretty important to have the same track width front/rear. Otherwise, the rear will oscillate side to side as it traverses the track left by the front axle.

Just adding here what I've been able to find. This is kreiten's rig with 287/70r18 (33.7") @ 20mm offset wheels. He had to cut out the leading edge of the tire well:

 

[TeCKis300]

Another example from 5ForFighting - 325/60r18s on +25 wheels

 

[TeCKis300]

Got the 305/55/20 Falken Wildpeak A/T3's tires mounted today and loving them. Trailing edge was fine as I took off the mudflap for now. But of course, had to do some minor clearancing on the leading edge. Went a different approach than cutting that was easy peasy.

The liner folds under the front bumper like and "L". There 3 screws underneath that secure the bottom part of the L to the bumper. I basically pulled the L forward, taking the whole arched liner with it. Drilled a few new holes to secure it in the forward position adding about .5" of clearance. No cutting or anything, and a 5 minute operation.

Note the 3 bolts that you'll redo in the pic. The trick is all in the bolt circled in red. Drill a new hole forward of the original (that you can see below it), where risen corner is. Then screw the bolt into the new hole, and into the under layered piece that has a white plastic nut. This now locates the whole "L" forward. At the other two bolt holes, drill through the stacked layer at the original external location and secure.

 

[TeCKis300]

It was rubbing in reverse at the leading edge before the mod. After mod:

 

[M1911]

Do those tires fit in the spare tire space under the truck? Or are you mounting your spare on an aftermarket bumper?

 

[Fasternfaster]

Please post more pics! This is great!

 

[TeCKis300]

Do those tires fit in the spare tire space under the truck? Or are you mounting your spare on an aftermarket bumper?

Yes! That was a requirement since I don't ever plan to have armor. I don't intend to wheel anything more than what 33's and an AHC lift can handle. Anything more serious should be tackled with a beater!

Created this spare thread for ease of search

 

[tbisaacs]

Been hunting down the same rub

Just to make sure I understand your photo, you unscrewed the liner from the bottom by the bumper (around the “corner” from the circle above), drilled new hole(s) and pulled it forward a bit. Sound right?

 

[TeCKis300]

Yup, that's exactly it.

You can arbitrarily pull it as forward as you need. Then pin it with a new screw hole.

 

[sickspeed]

I'm not sure which side I'm looking at in these pics. By around the corner do you mean on the underside of the front bumper fascia or towards the engine?

 

[tbisaacs]

I'm not sure which side I'm looking at in these pics. By around the corner do you mean on the underside of the front bumper fascia or towards the engine?

Yep, lay under your front wheel, look towards grill. The liner wraps around the fender there

 

[LXstatic]

I'm getting ready to have my 305/55/20's (33.2"x12.5") mounted tomorrow. I know there will be just a tad of kissing of the tires to wheel well liners at the front deflector and trailing mud flap. Wanted to see pics of what you guys have done.

As a reference, I will be using my stock 20" LX570 wheels with a 1" spacer. Effective backspacing is +35mm, which is necessary for the wide tires to clear the upper a-arm.

Since mine will be just touching, I'll likely us a heat gun to adjust the trailing mud flap profile a bit. Other have cut. Thought this thread would be a good examples of possible tweaks for larger and larger tires.

EDIT: Don't trim or re-contour, just pull forward the liner - see post #6

Borrowing pics from another thread of contact points.

Leading edge:
View attachment 1405116


Trailing edge:
View attachment 1405115

Wonder what that extra flap is for on the LX570s leading edge of fender liner? I have it too, think i can just remove it so it doesn't rub as bad?

 

[TeCKis300]

Yup, feel free to remove that little flap. It's for aerodynamics but the impact is unnoticeable.

 

[Natureheimat]

What do you use for cutting the plastic lips in the inner heel-well ? Got new tires and having minor rubbing just on the lip in full tilt.

 

[Fishinsea]

There was no need to cut anything. I just unscrewed the lower screws, push the flap forward and rescrewed back in ,all is perfect now.

 

[LXstatic]

What do you use for cutting the plastic lips in the inner heel-well ? Got new tires and having minor rubbing just on the lip in full tilt.View attachment 2338830

View attachment 2338841

Looks like a 470 in the pic, I used a pair of tin-snips (wrong tool, I know...), cut it out and beat the pinch weld that is behind there to stop the rub.

 

[Chyll]

IH8Mud is the most useful forum out there. I was just about to cut my wheel liners when I decided to check here first. So glad I did.