New Tires

[Medsker]

Picked up some new tires today. 37x13.50R17 Nitto Mud Grapplers. Now I need to figure out what to do in way of suspension lift. I'm thinking of starting with pre-runner front fenders (4" higher and 2.5" wider). Probably new control arms that move the front axle 1/2" forward (Thuren maybe?). On the rear I will probably go with Carli rear springs. I figure I'll do the fenders first and then go from there. I want to keep it as low as I can.

 

[STAG]

HUH? I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THE NOISE OF YOUR TIRES? Jk, sort of.

 

[Medsker]

I heard they are one of the loudest tires out there. I hope they make up for it paddling through the sand out here

 

[sixstringsteve]

Sweet. Did you have 35s before?

I dig the black wheels.

 

[TJDukit]

I have nothing but good to say about the Trail Grapplers and have head nothing but good(other than the noise) about the Mud Grapplers.

Hope you don't rub too much at full lock before sorting out your fenders/lift situation.

 

[Tonkaman]

I love my mud grapplers! They have been daily driven on since 6/2010 and the rear still half 50% tread

 

[Silly Willy]

I love my mud grapplers! They have been daily driven on since 6/2010 and the rear still half 50% tread

Not to hijack the thread, but how much road driving do you do daily? I've been eyeing these as an option for my next set but get quite a bit of road time.

OP - congrats on the new shoes. I've heard nothing but good things about these off-road and if they hold up on road then it’s a definite plus. (other than the road noise but that’s tolerable to a point)

 

[Medsker]

I just had the stock 33" tires before (stock on the Power Wagon). Since I moved to California I use the truck probably 80% of the time either off road or driving around town (under 45 mph). I usually take one or two trips back and forth to Utah a year also. I hope I can get the tires out of the control arms...they hit worse on sway bar right now. I think I will either have to space them out a 1/2", lock the tires from turning that far, or figure out a way to move the sway bar. I'm ordering the fenders today and will hopefully have them within a week or so. Then I can figure the rest out.

 

[Medsker]

So I put the tires on to see how they look and see where I need to lift or modify the suspension.

The rear fit pretty good. I will have to flex it more to see what I need to do but I may be able to get away with it stock.

The front hit the seam at the rear of the opening. I used a 18" adjustable wrench and a BFH and flattened out the seam which seems to give me plenty of clearance. I think I'm going to get the Thuren control arms which are a 1/2" longer than stock which would give me a little more wiggle room. The rear of the front tire hits on the upper control arms, bad enough you wouldn't want to wheel it hard at all but would be fine driving around town. The Thuren arms are also curved which should take care of this problem. I think it will still turn approximately 90% either way even without the arms. The front of the front tire hits the sway bar, but not to bad. I could either space the wheels 1/2" out, enlarge the stops on the axle so it won't turn that far, or live with it. I'm leaning towards enlarging the stops or living with it. If I live with it I think it would still give me 95% or more steering. I don't like spacers and enlarging the stops is more work

Here are some pics. I couldn't figure out how to tell what they were with each pic so here is a list:
1- This is flexing with the sway bar disconnected. I probably could have flexed it a little more but this gives you an idea.
2-Picture from other side while flexing.
3-This is the front tire extended with wheel turned.
4-This is the front tire stuffed with wheel turned.
5-Front tire stuffed with wheel straight.
6-This is the control arm with the tire turned. You can see where it is rubbing on the control arm.
7-This is the sway bar, you can see where it rubs on the bar.
8-Side view
9-This is shot so you can see how far they stick out. Remember these tires are 13.50 and the flare is missing
10-This is a pic of the flattened seem on the rear of the front wheel well.

Let me know if you have any questions.

I'm going to order the control arms next and then see what else I need to do.

 

[sixstringsteve]

looks beefy!

 

[Tonkaman]

Not to hijack the thread, but how much road driving do you do daily? I've been eyeing these as an option for my next set but get quite a bit of road time.

OP - congrats on the new shoes. I've heard nothing but good things about these off-road and if they hold up on road then it’s a definite plus. (other than the road noise but that’s tolerable to a point)

I drive about 30 miles a day average for work. The tires have almost 25,000 miles on them already! They are crazy loud tho. Stratton said it sounded like a hornets nest was following us around

 

[Medsker]

I put 40 miles on the truck today and didn't notice the noise at all...of course it was all off-road

 

[Medsker]

So I flexed it out today and took some measurements. First I measured how bad the tires were hitting my upper control arms. I was a little surprised when one side was hitting it with about 1.25" on one side and .25" on the other. So my axle was off center by half an inch. On the front I figured I would try two things first. One, an adjustable track bar (I think I will get a Thuren). This will get the axle centered so I know what else I need. Second, a set of Thuren control arms. These will move the front axle forward a 1/2" and give me me about 1/4" extra clearance on the upper control arms and it looks like about 1" on the lowers.

On the rears with them stuffed, there was around zero room on the front of the wheel well and 2" on the back. I think I'm going to try these (http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/Zero Rates.htm) first and see how they ride. They will at least center the tire in the wheel well.

I tend to bottom out on the front when I hit the big bumps here in the desert so I am going to address this problem also. I'm going to purchase the Kore leveling kit which includes better springs (about an inch lift on the Power Wagon) and better shocks. I am also going to get their bump stops.

The last thing I'm going to purchase is a Ram Steering Brace. I found one on Amazon for $140. I figure this is good insurance with the bigger tires.

After I get everything installed I'll check it out and get back with you.

 

[Medsker]

I have to give props to KORE. I ordered my parts on Monday and got them on Wednesday. Thuren says it will take a week before the track bar is shipped and 2-3 weeks on the control arms. It looks like it will take a month before I get everything installed but can't wait.

 

[Medsker]

So last week I went up to Death Valley and did some wheeling. It was mostly just dirt with a few rocks but I did hit a set of three obstacles that were nice. The only problem with the tires (remember I'm still stock) is the front of the passenger rear which caught the plastic and bedside. I figure once I get the spacer thing and move the axle back a inch and up an inch it should be fine. It didn't rub anywhere else which surprised me but I'm glad. Can't wait for the parts to get here and see how it does with the new front springs, shocks and control arms.