I'm wanting to run steel wheels on a budget and ultimately want to run as tall a tire as I can fit. I've got a 2004 KJ Sport with a Frankenlift 2 premium with an extra inch of spacers in the rear as it get's wheeled hard loaded down with gear. The tires now are 245/70 16 BFG TAKO's and they rub the sway bar bad and also the fog light door area. I also see they are rubbing the inside of the wheel well in the back when stuffed. The Jeep also looks odd with the wheel sitting that far into the wheel wells. I'm looking at pounding the pinch weld and taking other measures to make room for bigger tires. I'd be running the 245/70 16's for a while since they are very fresh tires and then adding 4.10's when I get a taller tire down the road. It's got the factory Jeep steel wheels on it now.

Here is what I'm considering: Soft 8's in either a 16x7 4" BS, 16x8 5" BS, or run the stock wheels with a 1" or 1.25" spacer for 4.25 or 4.5" backspacing. I like the idea of not running a spacer and like the looks of the soft 8's but I'm concerned that to much backspacing would be an issue running the big tires. I've also heard that the 245/70 tire would be a bad match for an 8" wide rim. Can anyone give me some real world input on this combination and recommendations on what would work best overall now and long term? Thanks.

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2004 KJ Sport (RIP)
Frankenlift II Premium + additional 1" in back, Mopar Skids, Boulder Bars, Cragar Soft 8 Wheels, 265/75 16E Toyo Open County AT II, ARB air locker in rear

2006 KJ Limited CRD
In Process.

Cost of spider trax spacers will cost as much as the soft 8s.

But I run hub/wheel centered spacers (adapters) off ebay that were given to me for free. So it was common sense. Had them on for 20k now and check them every 3k. No promblems. I've never had any rubbing at all on either one of my KJ after I pounded pinch weld.

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2002 KJ Limited 3.7, 5.25" lift via coilovers, custom HD rear springs, 32.2" tires on moabs (soon 33s) 4.56/JBA diff, OX lockers front/rear, NP241OR, Parker Fab front/rear bumpers, rock rails and roof rack, Viair OBA.

2006 KJ sport 3.7, 4" Ironman lift, 32" tires, Parker Fab front/rear bumpers and rock rails.

IF you are rubbing on the fog light door etc already then it must of sagged quite a bit already or something esp. with the 245-70s on there currently.
What do you measure center of wheel to bottom of flare in the front?
Stock wheels with spacers is one route but not the best
Soft 8s or any wheel like that with 4 inch BS and 7 inches wide works great
8 inch wide wheel is too wide for 245-70s and even 235-85 etc , stick with a 7 inch wide wheel

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MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

The rubbing at the fog light door might have been from before I had it lifted as the 245/70's were on before the lift. The lift is only about a month old and it's settled/broken in but that's it. There is a worn groove in the plastic from rubbing at the fog light door. I know it's currently rubbing the sway bar on both sides and is an issue now. I'll have to measure tonight after work when I can get at the Jeep. I'll also verify if that fog light rubbing is current or pre-lift.

I've been worried that the 16x7 Soft 8 w/ 4" BS would move the tires out to much, probably because a salesman at Discount Tire talked me out of them. I was thinking that would be the way to go after my initial research too. I'm thinking I'll pull the trigger on a set of 16x7 4"BS based on the feedback.

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2004 KJ Sport (RIP)
Frankenlift II Premium + additional 1" in back, Mopar Skids, Boulder Bars, Cragar Soft 8 Wheels, 265/75 16E Toyo Open County AT II, ARB air locker in rear

2006 KJ Limited CRD
In Process.

I believe that's what everyone runs.

Sent from my Home Phone using Tapatalk

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2002 KJ Limited 3.7, 5.25" lift via coilovers, custom HD rear springs, 32.2" tires on moabs (soon 33s) 4.56/JBA diff, OX lockers front/rear, NP241OR, Parker Fab front/rear bumpers, rock rails and roof rack, Viair OBA.

2006 KJ sport 3.7, 4" Ironman lift, 32" tires, Parker Fab front/rear bumpers and rock rails.

Thanks much! Add one more to the list that are on 16x7 w/ 4"BS wheels. I just ordered a set of 5 from Summit Racing.

After I get it all set up I'll have to show that guy at Discount Tire.

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2004 KJ Sport (RIP)
Frankenlift II Premium + additional 1" in back, Mopar Skids, Boulder Bars, Cragar Soft 8 Wheels, 265/75 16E Toyo Open County AT II, ARB air locker in rear

2006 KJ Limited CRD
In Process.

16X7 with 4 inch backspacing works great
Tire salesmen mostly are trained robots. Most are not into vehicles at all just do it for a job so they are told what to sell and to look in the little book, if its not in there it won't work
I'd say 90% of the folks on here with Soft8s etc have that set up
Maroon one ( belongs to 501) has 245-75-16s with 16X7 4 inch backspacing
If that sticks out too far for you then you may want to stay stock
also it sits about or at the same height you are with the Franky

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MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

Thanks, Looks pretty dang sweet to me! You described the tire guy to a T. I was going on the assumption he might know what he was talking about until I had better information and this forum delivered!

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2004 KJ Sport (RIP)
Frankenlift II Premium + additional 1" in back, Mopar Skids, Boulder Bars, Cragar Soft 8 Wheels, 265/75 16E Toyo Open County AT II, ARB air locker in rear

2006 KJ Limited CRD
In Process.