What wheels under Bushwhacker Fender Flares
 

Hi all

I am about to install some new Bushwhacker Fender Flares and am concerned I am going to lose my wheels due to the width of the flares. Are there any solutions other than new rims to get my wheels flush / outside the fender?

If not, what offset / size etc would yall suggest for these fenders? The wheel shop has told me that I won't be able to stay on 17's due to the offset...?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Cheers

You have approached this in the opposite direction to most. It's normally wheels first then flares to cover them.

I'm assuming you've gone to the bushwacker max coverage and not factory coverage flares. I think the max coverage extend coverage by 2 to 2.25".

Considering stock coverage is about an inch that gives you about 75mm or the ability to go from a +44 factory offset to negative 25 offset in 7.5 wide wheel and remain covered but really people get these flares to run big wheels and tyres.

Unfortunately most states limit the track increase to 50mm some less I believe. That effectively means you need a +19 or greater offset wheel this limits wheel width to about 9" without getting into scrubbing issues.

So to fill the flares and stay legal in most states you would probably be able to go to a 17*9+20 or +25 offset wheel and run 285 to 315 wide tyres, providing you have the ride height to clear them. You may even be able to go to a 10 inch wide wheel at the +20 but a personally wouldn't like to run 285s at low pressure off road on a 10 inch wheel so I wouldn't.

There are also ride height clearence and legal considerations with bigger tyres but if you went to 17x9+25 on 315/65r17 to 315/70r17 or 285/70r17 to 295/70.3 on 17x9+20 you should be coveredd and fill them out well enough.

Depending on what diff ratios and driveline you have some of those tyres may be a stretch.

Not a lot of Australian wheel suppliers can be bothered with the relatively small Jeep market. Try a supplier on here there are a few on here that have decent options in 17". Maybe look at freight forwarding from the US if your prepared to wait 4 to 6 months I don't think they will end up that much cheaper with dollar the way it is but it broadens the range.

The cheapest option would be to go with 285s on your standard rims. That will pump them up a little.

The other would be to look at maybe some AEV 17x8.5 rims from Murchison Products with 285s which will increase your track.

Just remember that increasing tyre size will decrease top end power and you will use more fuel if you are concerned about such things.

The other option is a wheel spacer, it wouldn't be something I would do because they aren't legal and I can't afford not to be insured. But if your going to break the law with a low offset wheel then there's not much difference to a proper wheel spacer.

DBOR may be able to supply some strictly for off road use...

What model flares did you get?

Also having the tyres outside the flares in Victoria and most if not all of Australia is again not legal... hence people get flares to cover there wider wheel/tyre

Hi Rick

Thanks for the advice.

They are 1 inch wider than standard. Not sure what the exact model name is.

Thanks Nanook

Yeah I think I will def be going to 285's on my rims, my rims are not standard, but are standard dimensions I believe.

I was strongly considering going to 35's, but after reading about all this re-gearing and stuff, I think I'll limit it to 33's .

Nice if they are only 1 inch wider 285s would look fine and be the way to go. Some 285s are wider than others the only way to tell really is measure them but you can get a bit of an indication from the tyre manufacturers recommended wheel widths. I just fitted Kuhmo MT51 and they are a fairly narrow 285 IMO. I have 4.1 diffs in the 3.8 manual and won't be going over 33" it might be a different story with a diesel or pentastar though.