33s no BL

ThompsonXterra

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
California
Now I know for some this is a very scary title lol

But I'm curious who out there HAS ran 33x12.5s without a BL? Excluding SAS'd X's.

How much trimming was needed? Pics are always appreciated :kewl:
 

Roadwarrior

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Why not go a body lift? I'd imagine you have to cut about 2-4" into the front fender (taking the back side of the front quarter panel all the way to the front doors...) and about a inch into the rears..

Maybe more than that depending on the tire you go with. (a 33 12.50 KM2 vs MT-R, they will be different, Duratracs are really wide too)

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granitex

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
Columbus OH
trim the front back to the cab corners, flatten the pinch seam with a BFH, I raised the shield on the passenger side that covers the fuel lines. and extend the bump stops in the back No cutting on the back at all.
that is stuffed in the front.
 

Bklyn.X

Skid Plates
Moderator
Supporting Member
Founding Member
Location
Brooklyn, NY
I did the same as granite ^^^ + a SL.

Ran it that way for a few years before 2â€￾BL. It only rubbed a bit when stuffed.

1D_0647.jpg


DSC_0018.jpg


DSC_0017-1.jpg


Picture on top is Interco trxus MT 33x12.5, bottom two are BFG MT 33x12.5.
 
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ThompsonXterra

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
California
Why not go a body lift? I'd imagine you have to cut about 2-4" into the front fender (taking the back side of the front quarter panel all the way to the front doors...) and about a inch into the rears..

Maybe more than that depending on the tire you go with. (a 33 12.50 KM2 vs MT-R, they will be different, Duratracs are really wide too)

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Just not a huge fan of them personally. I know they're perfectly safe but it's a lot of work to gain a 1" bigger tire, plus your engine bay is now two inches lower. I'd rather just cut some fender metal :p

I also want to do a SAS in the future.
 

ThompsonXterra

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
California
trim the front back to the cab corners, flatten the pinch seam with a BFH, I raised the shield on the passenger side that covers the fuel lines. and extend the bump stops in the back No cutting on the back at all.
that is stuffed in the front.

Figured the back didn't need to be cut since its a solid axel. Thank for the info on the front!
 

Mirage

<img src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u7/ra
Founding Member
Location
Greenville SC
I cut/hammered the pinch weld flat, trimmed a bit at the bottom and did some creative cutting of the plastic to be able to keep it. I get some rub on the shield mentioned above at full lock and a little bit of rub at full stuff. Thats on 285/75/16 MTR's, so ~33x11.5
 

Bklyn.X

Skid Plates
Moderator
Supporting Member
Founding Member
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Thanks for the pics! Any reason you went with a BL in the end? Just got tired of the rubbing an didn't want to cut?
Yeah. As I got more confidence in my ability and the truck I started running harder trails it rubbed more and started eating the tires.
Putting the BL in was not hard but I liked the look of the truck without it. Yeah I know, I'm such a poser...
 

ThompsonXterra

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
California
I cut/hammered the pinch weld flat, trimmed a bit at the bottom and did some creative cutting of the plastic to be able to keep it. I get some rub on the shield mentioned above at full lock and a little bit of rub at full stuff. Thats on 285/75/16 MTR's, so ~33x11.5

Is the shield you guys are talking about the inner fender "rubber-ish" lining? Or the actual metal shield?
Because I've heard of people removing the inner fender lining without issue.
 
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StupidFish

Need Bigger Tires
Location
The moon
I keep hearing people say they want to avoid doing a BL but cant figure out why. Theyre really not that bad. Easy to install, inexpensive, and the more wheel travel you have the better. (I did the BL and cut my fenders)
 

ThompsonXterra

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
California
I keep hearing people say they want to avoid doing a BL but cant figure out why. Theyre really not that bad. Easy to install, inexpensive, and the more wheel travel you have the better. (I did the BL and cut my fenders)

Again, I'm not against BLs in any way. The installs are "easy" but they take a lot of time; to me going through that whole process to be able to fit a 1" bigger tire, and still possibly having to cut anyways, isn't worth it to me.

I'd rather do fender cuts and still get the same wheel travel I would get with a BL.

Some people see BL as easier or want to avoid chopping their X, which is fine, but thats not me; plus I'm thinking to do a SAS later on and would take it off anyways.
 

akuria

Wheeling
I did a BL on mine and ran 33s and still had to trim the corners of my fenders.

You can still do the BL now. Then when you go SAS just removed the body lift. That's the route I went and had no issues.
 

drbandkgb

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Remember this....


You can always pull the BL if you don't like it... Its pretty hard to put metal back on.


Ive ran 2 BL's on my Gen 1s.. I personally liked the extra lift look. and even when adding 33 12.50 15s I needed to trim a little.
If you keep a factory back spaced wheel you are ok.. but once you add some BS trimming and BL are needed for sure.
 

granitex

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
Columbus OH
Is the shield you guys are talking about the inner fender "rubber-ish" lining? Or the actual metal shield?
Because I've heard of people removing the inner fender lining without issue.[/QUOTE

it is the metal shield that you see on the passenger side frame rail. nothing plastic about it.
 

ThompsonXterra

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
California
Thanks for all the replies you guys. I guess I'll buy the 33s and throw em on, and if its going to be a crazy amount of cutting I'll go the BL route :p
 

akuria

Wheeling
Thanks for all the replies you guys. I guess I'll buy the 33s and throw em on, and if its going to be a crazy amount of cutting I'll go the BL route :p

Hey ThompsonXterra. If you decide to do a body lift, I have my old BL that I can give you. I can also help to put it on.


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SRStaff

Bought an X
Location
Central Alabama
Overall tire height, tread width, wheel BS, and suspension setup all have to be factored in when it comes to cutting to fit tires. Be suprised what a little extra caster will do to help a slight tad.
 

SRStaff

Bought an X
Location
Central Alabama
The tires you have are only .10" taller overall then the ones I am referring to in this thread. BL still not required as I mentioned. Trimming, yes. Just like everyone else states.
 

akuria

Wheeling
Well a BL is technically not required but you'll have to trim a lot to get them to fit without it. It's all personal taste at that point. Do you like a mad max look? Then yes you don't need a BL. if you want to keep the factory look then you'll need a BL.


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SAKS

Wheeling
Founding Member
Location
Mars
I ran a second hand set without a BL and had no trimming. With that said they definitely were not at full size. I now have a 2" BL and had to trim a bunch for my 33'szqcWaxqVKiCYlcQhBdwaHtkOGWXj3_VOB-TJxq3QmDw.jpgIMG_20150725_203736528.jpg
 

Intender

Wheeling
Location
Lewisville NC
4.75 bs on my wheels with 2" bl and 3" sl and I had to cut a fair bit of metal to get my 33x1250 mtr's to clear. mine would hit metal sitting still in the parking lot when turning the wheel. bent my fenders a bit when driving it home. nothing that I couldnt fix though.
 

akuria

Wheeling
The issue with 33s and no BL is when your front wheels get stuffed up in the wheel well going over rough terrain and bumps not driving on the street


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SRStaff

Bought an X
Location
Central Alabama
I could put 34's on if I wanted to mall crawl. As you can see; everyone is giving real experience of a specific tire from each manufacturer with their given setup. Every 33" tire is designed differently. Even with different tires that the manufacturer makes. Some 33's measure a true 33; most are less to a varying degree. Every tire has a different tread width that most manufacturers do not give out which is more important than section width.
 

ThompsonXterra

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
California
I ran a second hand set without a BL and had no trimming. With that said they definitely were not at full size. I now have a 2" BL and had to trim a bunch for my 33's

In the front, with a factory wheel (or one with factory offset/backspacing and width) a 3 inch SUSPENSION lift is all you need to run a 33 inch tire with almost not trimming and no rubbing at full stuff lock to lock.

In the rear with a factory wheel (or one with the factory offset/backspacing and width) a 3 inch SUSPENSION lift is all you need to run a 35 inch tire with almost no trimming and no rubbing at full stuff.

The only time you can't make these size tires fit is if you change the wheel to something other then the factory offset/backspace and width. All the other variables are to small to make a difference except those.

See attached pics, if they worked, for examples.

Cheers,
JP

Thanks for the pictures you guys!

And just to be clear I'll be using a rim with 4.75" BS. I'm not going for a mall crawler so I will have to trim until it's fully functional. Also, not going for a total mad max look so if it ends up looking like I'll have to do more trimming than planned I'll go ahead with the 2" BL.
 

ThompsonXterra

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
California
I always consider chopping into my fenders
i personally like this approach.
not sure if your looking to do THAT much trimming

That looks so sick!! Little more trimming than I'd like to do lol but I do love the look. I wouldn't mind some more info and pics on it either!
 

StupidFish

Need Bigger Tires
Location
The moon
Don't kno if that classifies as "trimming". thats more like eviceration.
Cutting is your friend. And (if youre worried about it) you can plan it out and make it look nice. But dont be afraid to cut.
 

TJTJ

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
NJ
Its always a question of degree.

Removal of the parts that jam the tires on full stuffage is what you want to do, but, that's too mad max for some, and a BL is a way to REDUCE the trimming to fit the same tires.

If the suspension is not getting fully stuffed, say your terrain simply doesn't do that, suspension alone can work as your clearance is only an issue WHEN stuffed.

The jeep guys, etc...and some others, rely on evil uptravel robbing bump stop extensions...so "full stuff" is less fully stuffed, etc.

If the suspension is stiff enough that it simply doesn't LET the tire up high enough in th well to hit, that works too, but, again, that means it's not going up as high.

So, if the way/locations you wheel, some rub on stuffage is not a big deal...tire clearance is just not as much of an issue.

If you wheel where you need to stuff up higher, and have the fenders not jam the tire, etc...remove the fenders/parts that are jamming/BFH the pinch seams back where needed, etc...and call it a day.

If you do a BL, you have LESS of that to do, but, generally, even with 5.5" BS, you have to at least remove plastic, etc, to clear 33x12.5's.

Less BS = more trimming for the same sized tires up front.

The rears can fit huge tires w/o any thing but LESS BS and bending up the wings on the rear stops, etc.

Even in back, if some frame rub is not bothering you on opposite side stuff/droops, OEM BS is fine.

It can jam the tire on hard stuffs though if you have the travel...and less BS/spacers, etc, helps that in the back.
 

ThompsonXterra

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
California
The rears can fit huge tires w/o any thing but LESS BS and bending up the wings on the rear stops, etc.

Even in back, if some frame rub is not bothering you on opposite side stuff/droops, OEM BS is fine.

It can jam the tire on hard stuffs though if you have the travel...and less BS/spacers, etc, helps that in the back.

Quick question TJ, will I need to add 1.5" spacers to the rear in order to prevent rub on the frame with a 33x12.5" tire and wheels already with 4.75" BS? If so, without a BL will this require trimming?
 
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