Confuzzled - wheels/tires for 2004 SE/SC

[MichiganMan]

I've got a 2004 SE/SC that is my DD. It will be due for tires soon, and I'm trying to decide what to do. Seems like moving to a 15" wheel is popular and I like the look of the larger tire; though I don't offroad with the truck, I will use it for muddy dirt roads for hunting and we get regular doses of the white stuff here in Michigan. Plus, I drive the Detroit roads which look a lot like someone shelled them with mortar fire for a year or three.

I have no intention to lift the truck or to run a BL, so I'm looking for the largest size tire I can run without major surgery on a "stock" X. I've read a number of posts about going to 15" wheels but the only wheels I could find are with a backspace of 3.75 mm or less - as I understand it, we need at least 4.75 mm, preferably 5 mm or higher. Where should I shop for wheels?

My intent is to look at the largest tire I can run on the stock 17" wheels vs the cost of new wheels and 15" tires. If the cost is similar, I'd likely move to the 15s. Many thanks for helping to unlock the mystery of wheel sizes!

 

[Prime]

Stock tire size on your truck is a 265/65/17. Which is the same as a 31x10.50.

Staying with those wheels and going to a 265/70/17 is a 32x10.50. Which on a first gen can be run with only minor trimming to the front fender wells.

If you went to 15" wheels, you be limited to 31x10.50x15 tires. You might be able to cram 32x11.50s under there, but the extra width is going to hurt you with no lift. BFG makes a 33x10.50, but you don't have the vertical clearance to run them without lift.

I ran 32x11.50s on mine with a PML. And it rubbed at full lock and when the front end would stuff. At the stock height, you might be able to get away with it as long as you used some OE 15" wheels (or wheels that have the same 5.5" backspacing).

So, to me, it seems that the 265/70/17 is the way to go and you have lots of options for AT tires in that size. Best street AT for longevity is going to be the BFG KO2s. Or the Michelin LTX ATs. I've always been a fan of Michelin tires as they are the only company that still molds the tire in one piece and cuts the treads out. Which makes for a perfectly round tire that's easier to balance and better to drive on. Since you don't have any plans to wheel, it sounds like a good fit to me.

 

[MichiganMan]

Thanks, Prime, it looks like that is probably the way I will go. I need to replace the front bumper on my truck - well, really just the bumper cover, but I see it as an excuse to replace the whole thing So I'll get some clearance there. I like the look of the KO2's.

Much appreciated!

 

[granitex]

If you drop down to a 15, or a 16, you will get more sidewall to play with than you will with a 17. That can help out a lot with potholes as well as offroad. The cheapest place to get 15's or 16's is either a junkyard or from someone on the boards selling there old ones, like when they sas and go to a 8 lug.

I am running an old set of pathfinder legos that have the same offset as the 16's that i have in the garage. You can find them because they were factory wheels for a long time so there are a bunch out there, Call around the junk yards looking for d21 hardbodys, pathfinders, first gen xterra, and frontiers. you may find some cheap enough to offset the cost of the more expensive 17 inch tires.