Will these rims work for me?

[Glergsen]

Hello, I am a new member to this forum and I created this account to post, though I have lurked for a while.

I have a 2003 Liberty, 3.7L 4X4 Sport

I am looking to get some new rims with offset to make my tires stand out further from my fenders. I'd like to get wheel spacers but they seem dangerous from what I've read online. I've done some research but always struggled to understand sizing and specifications of tires. I'd like to get some new rims and keep my current tires.

These are the rims I'm looking at: Mickey Thompson Classic III Black Wheel 15" X 7" - 5x4.5" Bolt Pattern, Back Spacing 3-5/8" - MTW-90000001745

This is the spec on my tires: 235/70R16

Will those rims work with my tires? If not, why? And how can I find the right rims? I live in Canada so I'm looking for good rim-sales websites that will ship to Canada

Thank you

 

[M38 Bob]

My only point would be that I'd be hesitant to go 15 instead of16is that tire mfgrs have cut back on development and sizes for 15 since they're no longer std equip on new vehicles. If you know the tire you want, it's popular, then 15's would be ok. Choices, variety are much wider in 16.

Bob


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[tommudd]

Hello, I am a new member to this forum and I created this account to post, though I have lurked for a while.

I have a 2003 Liberty, 3.7L 4X4 Sport

I am looking to get some new rims with offset to make my tires stand out further from my fenders. I'd like to get wheel spacers but they seem dangerous from what I've read online. I've done some research but always struggled to understand sizing and specifications of tires. I'd like to get some new rims and keep my current tires.

These are the rims I'm looking at: Mickey Thompson Classic III Black Wheel 15" X 7" - 5x4.5" Bolt Pattern, Back Spacing 3-5/8" - MTW-90000001745

This is the spec on my tires: 235/70R16

Will those rims work with my tires? If not, why? And how can I find the right rims? I live in Canada so I'm looking for good rim-sales websites that will ship to Canada

Thank you

Your tires are 16 inch and want to run 15 inch wheels ?
Won't work 16 inch tires have to go on 16 inch wheels
PLUS that back spacing will NOT work unlifted, even lifted its bad backspacing
Unlifted you have to stick to 5 inches of backspacing to prevent rubbing

 

[Glergsen]

Your tires are 16 inch and want to run 15 inch wheels ?
Won't work 16 inch tires have to go on 16 inch wheels
PLUS that back spacing will NOT work unlifted, even lifted its bad backspacing
Unlifted you have to stick to 5 inches of backspacing to prevent rubbing

That's what I'm trying to understand. I don't know what the numbers and specs mean and how they affect my choice and what I need to fit them. I will be lifting 2.5" before I buy these rims but I didn't understand what the 15x7 means. I didn't know that meant a 15" rim. What is backspacing and what does it affect? I think it's offset I'm looking for, something that will make my wheels stick out from my axles more.

 

[mikejeepstarternoob]

Backspacing is how much space from where it meets hub to back of rim. If 15x7, 3-5/8" it means 15 inch diameter 7 wide rim with backspacing 3.625". This rim will most likely stick out a lot compared to stock.

Keep in mind stock steel rims have 5.5 inch backspacing, and is 16x7. Find a offset calculator on this forum and try to stay in positive number zone.

I had set of 16x8's with 4.5 backspacing which put offset at 0. It rubbed even with 235/70r16 unlifted, the stock size.

 

[mikejeepstarternoob]

Ps, you need to find hub centric rings if you really want to put rims on. From my experience, stock rims painted look better than rims if done rightt.

 

[tommudd]

IF,....you use a full spring lift like OME or Ironman then you can run 16X7with 4 inches of backspacing

Don't need the rings for most every wheel out there

 

[tjkj2002]

My only point would be that I'd be hesitant to go 15 instead of16is that tire mfgrs have cut back on development and sizes for 15 since they're no longer std equip on new vehicles. If you know the tire you want, it's popular, then 15's would be ok. Choices, variety are much wider in 16.

Bob


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15" rims still come standard on many model year '15 vehicles.The 15" tire is not going anywhere just yet.

 

[M38 Bob]

15" rims still come standard on many model year '15 vehicles.The 15" tire is not going anywhere just yet.

Really? Not my experience as a tire shop owner/operator.

Other. Than Chevy's POS Colorado, what other pickup, SUV, crossover, currently comes with 15s? Even 16s aren't as common as they were 5 years ago.

Bob


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[u2slow]

Many of us with ~2" (or more) lift put 1.25" spacers on with the stock 16x7 wheels that have ~5" backspacing. In effect, it makes for ~3.75" backspace. So thats a good backspace to shoot for when buying wheels.

FWIW, a 7" wide wheel measures ~8" when including the lip. So 4" backspace on a 7" wheel is 0" offset. Make sense? :gr_grin:

The regulars are probably tired of hearing it, but 15x7 Dodge 2wd half-ton wheels up thru '84 are one possible junkyard solution. I use them for winter skins at the moment.

 

[Birdman330]

Really? Not my experience as a tire shop owner/operator.

Other. Than Chevy's POS Colorado, what other pickup, SUV, crossover, currently comes with 15s? Even 16s aren't as common as they were 5 years ago.

Bob


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There's too many older trucks that are still on the road running 15 inch wheels to end production. Its like the plan they had to kill 13 and 14 inch tire production since most cars come standard with 15 inch wheels or higher. It was to make way for 17 on up tire production. Plan didn't work out so well since there are plenty of cars with 13 and 14 inch wheels out there that production has to continue. Only draw back is, now you have two choices for 14 inch tires, dirty cheap from across the pacific and not so good quality in the snow or something from Michilen that is still pricey.

 

[M38 Bob]

Birdman, I said nothing of ending production. But I am in the tire business am seeing options for 15's dropping every month. In the past couple years most every manufacturer has released a new line, often by dropping an old line, and the new lines have very few or no 15" offerings.

For our Jeep interests there are only maybe 4 applicable 15" sizes. 235/75R, 30/9.50R, 31's, and 35's. In these sizes, there's very limited tread/sidewall choices as compared to 16's and 17's, plus the 16-17's offer many more tread variations. Yes, they ARE squeezing 15's out of the market, just not as thoroughly as 13/14,,,,,,yet.

Bob