Lift Kit Tire ????

Well, today I pulled the trigger and ordered a set of OME 919's with OME60074 Troop 92+ R/Sport (N15) OME60031 Isuzu IFS f Sport (N65) shocks. All of this is going under my 2000 Ebony VX. I'm aiming for about a 3" lift and I think this will get me there. Having read through numerous threads on the subject, I understand that I will need to "carefully" torque the front torsion bars so that the suspension dynamics are balanced and optimized.

Not going to do this myself as this is far outside my area of expertise. However, I have a 4x4 suspension guy who has experience in this process. So hopefully, we'll get 'er done. Next on my agenda is wheels/tires. Again, having read a bunch of posts on the subject, it appears that my best bet might be to stick with my Isuzu factory VX wheels -- which I would be perfectly happy to do.

However....what I am finding is that it is #@%#@ difficult to match up an appropriate set of M/T tires that will fit on my 18" factory stock wheels. Worse, it also looks like I need to be even more careful about choosing the right M/T tires otherwise, since most of my driving is street driving, I will end up with a dangerous monster on my hands. Here's where I am hoping to enlist some excellent advice from you guys.

I don't want an all terrain tire because a set of M/T tires just plain looks WAAAAAY better. You guys know it. So do I. The six million dollar question for a person in my situation then is what are the best choices for putting a set of aggressive looking M/T tires on my VX that will fit, last a reasonable length of time/miles and won't turn my VX upside down if I happen to, for instance, step on the brakes and/or turn the steering wheel now and again. I am hoping for 33" tires but if I have to go down to 31"s or 32"s, so be it. Anyone with some experience in this area, please feel free to chime in. I'm all ears. :)

Regarding the tires, I'm in the same place as you - wanting a mean enough looking tire while not going overboard in terms of loss of highway safety, performance and yes, even road noise and ride comfort.

I selected the Nitto Terra Grapplers, as they seemed to offer the blend of looks and performance I was after. The overwhelming majority of reviews I've read from every source - including here, Tire Rack, et al. - are very positive.

As for my own opinion, well... I have yet to get them mounted due to delays at the shop. So as much as I'm pissed that we've had virtually ZERO snow here in the tri-state area, I'm also thankful.

-V

put 33" terra grapplers on... they last forever, handle great on road and off road.

Just buy 12.5 wide instead of 10", however for the 12.5 you will need wider rims with more offset.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3290/8-26_24.jpg

I went with the General Grabbers. Not a M/T. But a meaty A/T. I considered the weight of the tire too. Also the width. Too wide is worse in snow. There are more 18" options now then there was even a year ago. Interco is worth checking out, Nitto has a new tire out now too.

Prolly a bit wide for stock wheels...

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...yp=Truck%2FSUV

But this gets you to 33", & would work on stock 18's...

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...yp=Truck%2FSUV

Nitto's ain't cheap, but nothing worthwhile ever is...:smilewink

Keep looking EVERYWHERE (goog is friend)...you'll find the right ones...:yesgray:

Also, for ANY 33" tire, some cutting of the cladding will be the minimum requirement to make them fit.

One more thing on weight, My 275/65/18's are only 42lbs each. Alot of tire without alot of weight.

First off; congrats on your decision to use your OEM 18x7 rims, as they will save you untold headaches when it comes to fitting your new shoes!!!

Since you are going the "lifted" route anyway, you may consider going with a 35" O.D. tire that will still fit on your OEM 18x7 rims. There is only one size 35" tire out there that will fit on the OEM's:

285/75R18 (35" O.D.) and is made in only four(4) tire models:

A. Toyo - A/T (35" O.D./66 lbs)
B. Toyo - M/T (35" O.D./70 lbs)
C. Maxxis - M/T-762 "Bighorn" (35" O.D./68 lbs)
D. Good/Year - M/T-R with Kevlar (35" O.D./65 lbs)

The meanest looking tire of the group is "D", the G/Y - M/T-R with Kevlar and is the only asymetrical tire of the group. Fellow member MARLIN has the 34" version of this tire on his Proton, and pictures in his photo gallery.

Since you do most of your driving on the street, you may like the look of the M/T's initially but your ride is gonna' be a bit more harsh and noisy, and you may question your decision later on over time and as the M/T's begin to wear. A better choice for daily street driving would be choice "A", the Toyo - A/T. Your VX will still look very intimidating due to the 35's, but will be a lot more pleasant to drive on the street.

The added weight of a near 70 lb tire is gonna' be a handful in drivability and braking, so you will need to adjust your driving habits accordingly and leave plenty of room to the guy in front of you on the street to allow adequate stopping distance (otherwise, it will soon become crunch time). Remember; our OEM tires only weigh 34 lbs each, so it would be like putting duals on each corner of the VX in added weight.

An alternate choice may be to go with the BFG - M/T (KM2) in 285/70R18 (33.7" O.D./62 lbs), and is a brand new size in this tire model. A good looking M/T tire, but it's still a tad heavy.

Further, using a special hybrid tire like the very aggressive General - Grabber AT2 which is a cross between an A/T and an M/T might fit your needs and still be somewhat lightweight. The Grabber AT2 in 275/70R18 (33" O.D./56 lbs) is a snowflake/mountain rated tire and will make your VX go anywhere in the NJ snow where you live. The Grabber AT2 will give you the bigger O.D. you're after and without the dangerous heavy weight. The Grabber AT2 is very intimidating with its aggressive looks and is very quiet on the highway (I should know; I have a set on my VX). I strongly urge you to see a Grabber AT2 "in person" before spending any money, as pictures don't do this tire any justice.

In closing, take a peek at www.TireRack.com and query the tire sizes of:

A. 285/75R18 (35" O.D.)
B. 285/70R18 (33.7" O.D.)
C. 275/70R18 (33" O.D.)

All of these size tires will fit perfect on the OEM 18x7 rims, and give you the bigger O.D. you're seeking. While at TireRack.com, pay special close attention to the Individual Tire Weight listing on the "specifications" page and consider this fact when making your final decision.

:bgwb:

Riff...you make it sound like a 35 inch tire is just plug and play on a lifted VX. This is far from the truth. It requires quite a bit of cladding trimming and some metal surgery on the rear of the front wheelwell or there will be some major interference...unless you only drive straight and never turn the steering wheel.

Goodyear Duratracs. An A/T that resembles an M/T.

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Originally Posted by Riff Raff

D. Good/Year - M/T-R with Kevlar (35" O.D./65 lbs)

The meanest looking tire of the group is "D", the G/Y - M/T-R with Kevlar and is the only asymetrical tire of the group. Fellow member MARLIN has the 34" version of this tire on his Proton, and pictures in his photo gallery.

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I have the 35" MT/R... awesome MT for daily driving. I wanted an aggressive MT that had decent road manners. The MT/R is the quietest & smoothest MT I've ever owned.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Triathlete

Riff...you make it sound like a 35 inch tire is just plug and play on a lifted VX. This is far from the truth. It requires quite a bit of cladding trimming and some metal surgery on the rear of the front wheelwell or there will be some major interference...unless you only drive straight and never turn the steering wheel.

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...and the ride gets really rough once the IFS is lifted to fit 35s. I used 919 coil springs & a 1" spacer to fit the 35s & started getting a lot of driveshaft vibration. I couldn't stand it & installed the body lift after a month of running 35s. Now everything feels normal again.

Here's what the Nitto Trail Grappler looks like on an Ebony, 919, with stock rims.
I love them... great off and on road. Quieter than my old Good Year MT/R's.
They are ~33" (285/65-18)

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/113.JPG
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/213.JPG
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/64.JPG

I've since gone with aftermarket rims, but the stock 18s work just fine.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/da...edium/0410.JPG

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Originally Posted by SilverBullet75

Here's what the Nitto Trail Grappler looks like on an Ebony, 919, with stock rims. http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/113.JPG

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By the way, if anyone is interested in debadging the stock rims like SilverBullet75 did, I've got an option for you. I've been testing out vinyl stickers, and have been pretty impressed with how well they're working. If anyone else wants to try them out, I'm still offering up vinyl cutter services to the group.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SilverBullet75

I love them... great off and on road. Quieter than my old Good Year MT/R's.

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Old style MT/R or MT/R Kevlar? Just curious, I never had the old style...

Man these look GREAT!! Can you tell me if you had to do any trimming of your front cladding? If so, how hard was this?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SilverBullet75

Here's what the Nitto Trail Grappler looks like on an Ebony, 919, with stock rims.
I love them... great off and on road. Quieter than my old Good Year MT/R's.
They are ~33" (285/65-18)


http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/113.JPG
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/213.JPG
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/64.JPG

I've since gone with aftermarket rims, but the stock 18s work just fine.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/da...edium/0410.JPG

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Triathlete

Riff...you make it sound like a 35 inch tire is just plug and play on a lifted VX. This is far from the truth. It requires quite a bit of cladding trimming and some metal surgery on the rear of the front wheelwell or there will be some major interference...unless you only drive straight and never turn the steering wheel.

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LOL, well I never said putting on 35's was gonna' be an easy task and I apologize if that's how you interpreted my post. :flower:

However, using the combination of the OEM 18x7 rims and the 285/75R18 (35" O.D.) tires is the absolute easiest route to join the elite 35" O.D. club!!! The true secret to success is using the OEM 18x7 rim which is gonna' greatly minimize any front wheel-well interference. Sure; modifications must be made during the course of installation, but the task at hand will be greatly reduced as opposed to using wider aftermarket rims with different offset(s). :yeso:

Regarding the Nitto - Trail Grappler. An excellent M/T tire and it is also available in the super rare size of 295/70R18 (34.57" O.D./66 lbs est.). The 295/70R18 is only made by Nitto and in only two(2) models (Terra-Grappler A/T & Trail-Grappler M/T). The 295/70R18 can still be squeezed onto the OEM 18x7 rims without issue and would be an awesome choice. Just know they are still a tad bit heavy and so drive accordingly.

:bgwb:


EDIT: Take a peek at the websites of www.Tires-Easy.com; www.OnlineTires.com; and www.4WheelParts.com and enter the sizes that I earlier indicated in Post #7 as you search for various choices.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by angeno

Man these look GREAT!! Can you tell me if you had to do any trimming of your front cladding? If so, how hard was this?

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The "usual" cladding trim looks like this...

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/da...OMENTS_664.jpg

But as stated earlier...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ldub

Also, for ANY 33" tire, some cutting of the cladding will be the minimum requirement to make them fit.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ldub

The "usual" cladding trim looks like this...

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Yep... that's about the same amount that I had to do, with a little hammering on the back of the fender-well.
Nothing crazy.
:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by VXorado

Old style MT/R or MT/R Kevlar? Just curious, I never had the old style...

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I had the old style MT/R.

Noise scale of 10:
Nitto Terra Grapplers= 1.5
Nitto Trail Grapplers = 5
Old MT/R = 8
Interco Swampers = 10

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SilverBullet75

I had the old style MT/R.

Noise scale of 10:
Nitto Terra Grapplers= 1.5
Nitto Trail Grapplers = 5
Old MT/R = 8
Interco Swampers = 10

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The new MT/R Kevlar & Trail Grapplers should be pretty similar. I had Terra Grapplers prior & the MT/R isn't much louder. Hard to say because I only have 3K miles on them, I'll have update this thread at 20K miles.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SilverBullet75

I had the old style MT/R.

Noise scale of 10:
Nitto Terra Grapplers= 1.5
Nitto Trail Grapplers = 5
Old MT/R = 8
Interco Swampers = 10
Nitto Mud Grappler...it goes to 11...:yesgray:

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Fixed the scale for ya Bro...:laughing:

It may be my imagination, but I've noticed that "knobby" type, offroad tires seem to get louder as they wear. My theory is, that from top to bottom, the lugs get a little wider as they wear, thereby slapping more rubber on the pavement as they age...:_confused

Just a theory...:rolleyesg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ldub

It may be my imagination, but I've noticed that "knobby" type, offroad tires seem to get louder as they wear. My theory is, that from top to bottom, the lugs get a little wider as they wear, thereby slapping more rubber on the pavement as they age...:_confused

Just a theory...:rolleyesg

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x2. Winner , Winner, Chicken Dinner!!! That ain't no theory Dubster, that's a damn fact. That's the down-side to M/T's is they get noisier and the ride becomes bumpier as the tread lugs wear down. The ride is excessively harsh when slowing down to a stop at a red light/stop sign. Worn M/T's feel like tank tracks when going slow, as you can feel every tread lug slap the pavement.

I used to have BFG - M/T's (old original style simular to today's Toyo - M/T) mounted on my FJ-40. As the M/T's wore down, the harsher ride nearly rattled my dentures loose, and I could literally feel every tread lug slap the pavement. It reminded me of when I used to put playing cards with clothes-pins onto my spokes of my sting-ray bicycle when I was a kid. I later switched over to the BFG - A/T's for my next set, and my FJ-40 now runs smooth as glass on the pavement. M/T's may look cool brand new; but as they wear, the novelty and coolness soon wears away with the tread. No more M/T's for me, ever.

:bgwb:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Riff Raff

x2. Winner , Winner, Chicken Dinner!!! That ain't no theory Dubster, that's a damn fact. That's the down-side to M/T's is they get noisier and the ride becomes bumpier as the tread lugs wear down. The ride is excessively harsh when slowing down to a stop at a red light/stop sign. Worn M/T's feel like tank tracks when going slow, as you can feel every tread lug slap the pavement. As the M/T's wore down, the harsher ride nearly rattled my dentures loose, and I could literally feel every tread lug slap the pavement. It reminded me of when I used to put playing cards with clothes-pins onto my spokes of my sting-ray bicycle when I was a kid. M/T's may look cool brand new; but as they wear, the novelty and coolness soon wears away with the tread.

:bgwb:

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Thank goodness I don't have dentures...:rotate:

I'll be installing my 3rd set of Mud Graps this spring...which brings me to the point of subjectivity...:yesgray:

We're all different, what works for me, may be no good for others...:smilewink

BTW, do I have to come your way to git my chickn dinnr?, or do you deliver...:confused: