Wheel / Tire size recommendations for an FJ55

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69 Pigboy

69 Pigboy

Joined
Dec 1, 2004
Threads
59
Messages
385
Location
The Woodlands, Texas
Greetings all,

I'm looking for recommendations on wheel and tire sizes that others have put on their FJ55s that looked good. I'd like to move up to 16" wheels and 33" tires. What width rims and tires have worked for others? I'm probably going with BFG All Terrain T/A KOs. Pics of wheel/tire combos in that size range would be great. Thanks!

Patrick
Houston, Texas
 
To run 33's if you don't already have a lift you will need it so not to rub under articulation........... unless you run the skinnies 33x.95 but those are only for 15" rims I believe
 
On my 55 I have very flat springs and a 1" body lift . I barely squeze 33x12.5" TSL's, but had to trim about 1" off the front of the fenders. The rears rub the inside wheel wells, but barely under extreme articulation. The outer part of the wheel well clears by only 1/8" or so. I also run about 2.6" backspacing in the rear and 2.5" in the front. They look tough on a low rig, and work well with the flex of 36 year old springs.
 
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And I don't necessarily suggest body lifts ever, I was just feeling a little financially strapped at the time and already spent $900 on 5 new rims and TSLs and needed to fit them somehow. Probably should have measured first, since they sit 33.5" tall on the rims. There are not any good body lifts out there, but a first generation 4runner lift will fit.
Anything more than 1" on a 55 and it is time for no fan shroud and a new fuel filler hose, and even more sway.
 
I have 31" bfg mud terrain t/a's a 2" shackle lift and some normally sagged with age springs. From the looks of it 33"s would probably rub with some articulation. So I would say a little lift is definitely in order for a good fit.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I was planning on a little lift from some new Alcan springs and some beefier shackles but only 2-3 inches total. It sounds like I might be better off with 31" tires instead of 33s.

Patrick
 
69 Pigboy said:
Thanks for the input guys. I was planning on a little lift from some new Alcan springs and some beefier shackles but only 2-3 inches total. It sounds like I might be better off with 31" tires instead of 33s.

Patrick
Click to expand...

With a 2 to 3" Alcan lift you can fit 33's easily. I have a 4" alcan lift and fit 35's easily.
 
I've run 7.50-16s on stock 55s for years. They measure 31-32 depending on the brand. I prefer a tall skinny (obviously). I had alcan build a 2.5" lift and I ran the metric equivilent on my other 55.

On the current truck I run the same except for some crap MAF springs. In the summer I'll probably throw on my 8.90s and run them.

Here's an old picture of my now defunct rust bucket '79 (stuck in the driveway)
http://www.birfield.com/modules/gallery/J5/drive79
Edit: some 8.90-16s (33x9") on factory splits.
attachment.php
 
yeah if you go 2-3 inches total you will be fine with 33's, Don't go with 31's because you'll always with you had gone 33's......................atleast that is what I have found with my cruisers, bigger is always better
 
Our '72 had 33x9.5 old style BFG AT's when we picked it up with completely stock suspension. Fit fine, no rubbing, but I think a PO had trimmed the inner lip on the front of one fender a little... not sure if that was related to that aprticular set of tires, though.

The Pig now has about 3"-4" of lift with 33x10.5's. No problems with the fenders, but the top of the rear tires will rub the inner wheel well if it gets stuffed up in there. Not enough to worry about.

I've got 1.5" spacers on it now and the tires still haven't hit the fenders that I've noticed.

YMMV.
 
I picked up my 55 with 33 X 9:50's... these seem to be the street/some trails tire of choice. I second the motion on 33's with a 2-3 inch lift. The one thing about a wagon is that the tires always look out of proportion.. for example, I used to have a 4 " spring under lift and 33's, then went to 35's..looked OK.functioned well... next mod- spring over- moved up to 36's.. now I am wondering how much trimming and beefier axles it will take to fit 38's :) the trails I am tackling seem to get progressively harder as I buy bigger tires- no coincidence there :flipoff2: bigger is better :D
 
I'm running a 4" Man-fre lift, front shackle rev, 15 x 8 rims, and 33 x 12.5 tires. Only a little rubbing in the rear wells during full-stuff. Seems to big a huge improvment compared to when I first drove it home. Great in-between size...
Lucy FJ55 002 copy.webp
Lucy FJ55 001 copy.webp
 
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