Off-road Wheels & Tyres for 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee

[techscholar]

Greetings!

New Jeep owner, so please be gentle.

I purchased a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 3.6L about 6 weeks ago and would like to take it off-road "soon". The primary use for the vehicle will be for family commuting on sealed roads. My intension is to use the Jeep off-road about 2-4 times per year. I would like to invest in some appropriate off-road wheels and tyres. I have been searching online and reading LOTS of forums but nothing has dealt specifically with my situation as most of the discussions have centred around older Jeeps.

From what I understand to date:

• My Jeep Grand Cherokee is an export vehicle.
• According to the "Tire and loading information" plate on the vehicle, the original size is 265/50R20 107V (front and rear) and the spare is 245/65R18 110H.
• In Australia I haven't been able to find any 4x4 R20 tyres, and compared to the R18 prices I imagine they would be too expensive for my use (and budget).

So I believe I am best looking for a R18 wheel and tyre combination and was wondering if anyone has done this with a 2012 JGC before OR if anyone can offer any advice, dealers I can go to that could potentially help out, etc?

To add some boundaries to the above, and probably should go without saying, I am also a bit of a stickler for rules, laws, etc and require whatever combination I use to comply within the bounds of any Australian Design Rules, etc.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[mutchie]

Welcome techscolar, from another thread check these wheels by CRDSTU. Tyres all up to individual needs. http://www.murchisonproducts.com.au/...php?gallery=13

[LeCheese]

there aren't many (if any) off road tyres to suit the stock size of the 20s yet BUT heaps of people have gone up a size or 2 with no problems - check out mutchie's link but also look at some of the american forums, they've done it heaps. Here: http://www.jeepgarage.org/forumdisplay.php?f=73
I also know that quite a few have put on cooper AT3s and Zenons

[Cpage66]

What are you calling off road? Dirt roads? Beach Driving? Swamps? Rock Crawling? Are you wanting to find a nice soft set of all terrains or do you want some 36" Swampers? What are you wanting to primarily do and get out of them?

[techscholar]

Originally Posted by Cpage66

What are you calling off road? Dirt roads? Beach Driving? Swamps? Rock Crawling? Are you wanting to find a nice soft set of all terrains or do you want some 36" Swampers? What are you wanting to primarily do and get out of them?

Wow! Thanks for the questions. My answer will show how much of a newbie I am!

At this point in time I have no clue what I will get up to, however I think I would like to get into Dirt, some mud, some very basic water crossing and I would love to do sand at some point. I have no plans to do Swamps and Rocks.

Maybe this is ambitious, but to start I think I will be better off get a tyre that will be the best all-rounder until I get some months/years of experience under my belt.

Thanks for responding so quickly.

Kind regards

[techscholar]

Originally Posted by LeCheese

there aren't many (if any) off road tyres to suit the stock size of the 20s yet BUT heaps of people have gone up a size or 2 with no problems - check out mutchie's link but also look at some of the american forums, they've done it heaps. Here: http://www.jeepgarage.org/forumdisplay.php?f=73
I also know that quite a few have put on cooper AT3s and Zenons

Thanks for the link. I have actually been trolling this site, but have reservations about what might be the differences between the "local" USA releases of the JGC and the "export" models.

My preference would be to get advice locally from people that have done something along what I am attempting to do OR work with a dealer to work out what will fit over those massive brake callipers!

I have tried a set of Gecko steel R17 wheels but they rubbed on the brake callipers.

I appreciate the link and I will keep looking as there is a wealth of information on that site also.

Kind regards

[techscholar]

Thanks Mutchie, I will check that site out further once I get home from work tonight.

Kind regards