Gladiator wheel/tire solution

[johngottfredson]

Dear RME,

So, I have a gladiator on 38x13.5 falken wildpeaks, and the wheel/tire combo is a bit too much for my taste. They make the vehicle feel bigger than I like.

They stick way out past the fenders. What I would prefer is something more like this:


In doing some online snooping, these tires are supposed to be 37x12.5 wildpeaks on some custom wheels (Stockton series 51) with a 5” backspace.

My question is whether my eyes just can’t be trusted, as these tires seem significantly narrower than just one inch difference from my 38x13.5’s, like maybe some 11.5” pizza cutters. So some confirmation that these look like 37x12.5 to the quorum.

Second question is about wheels. I don’t want to pay for custom wheels, and prefer to get cheap OEM take-offs from ksl. Stock wheels appear to be a 6” backspace. Does anyone know if this tire would work on stock wheels, or would we be hitting stuff without that extra 1” clearance?

-Confused in Alpine

 

[Hickey]

I think you would hit control arms with stock wheels, unless you added spacers.

 

[Pike2350]

Your 13.5's do look wide.....BUT, my guess it is more related to the wheels and the offset. You wheels place a much larger portion of the tire outside the fender. I think that plays more on the overall view of how wide it looks.

Here is a pic of my SAS'd Rodeo on the 35x13.5 next to my DD Rodeo that was on 33x12.5 at the time.

 

[RockChucker]

I'd 2nd the opinion that the width of your wheels is what is causing the tires to look so much wider. They look like they are somewhere in the neighborhood of 10" wide and like 3.5" back spacing. You could always get a set of stock wheels, if the tires start to get friendly with control arms (probably will) you could get a 1.25"ish wheel spacer?

 

[Hickey]

Here’s another option for you. These are designed to emulate the OEM wheels, but provide better width and backspacing. They are one inch wider and have about an inch less backspacing. They are pretty inexpensive.

Quadratec Hardrock Wheel for 07-23 Jeep Wrangler JL, JK & Gladiator JT

Your Choice of Finish: Choose satin black, machined black, smoked bronze or gun metal. Durable painted finish matches other black accessories such as sidesteps, bumpers and trail armor. Snap in Center Caps: Upgrade to a Jeep logo center cap from Mopar or use the smooth center cap supplied.

www.quadratec.com

 

[johngottfredson]

Here’s another option for you. These are designed to emulate the OEM wheels, but provide better width and backspacing. They are one inch wider and have about an inch less backspacing. They are pretty inexpensive.

Quadratec Hardrock Wheel for 07-23 Jeep Wrangler JL, JK & Gladiator JT

Your Choice of Finish: Choose satin black, machined black, smoked bronze or gun metal. Durable painted finish matches other black accessories such as sidesteps, bumpers and trail armor. Snap in Center Caps: Upgrade to a Jeep logo center cap from Mopar or use the smooth center cap supplied.

www.quadratec.com

They look like the ticket. I got surprisingly good mpgs on my first road trip loaded up with the wife, four kids, dog, and gear. 16.8! I was certain it would be no higher than 10, being stock gears. But that way of thinking might just be the Toyota still in my system.

So I will probably ride out this set of tires and slim things down a bit on the next go around. Wife (who was the actual Fat Tire Skeptic) seems to be coming around to the status quo, so we should be good for a bit.

 

[STAG]

I gotta admit, I don’t really relate. I look at mine and think.. “… ya know, 42’s would look even better🤔”

I love the way yours looks as it is but I understand why you’re considering a downsize.

I pretty much get 15mpg avg and I’m okay with that. I am regeared to 5.38’s though.