Maximum wheel track width on the KJ??

CD · **Posted:** Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:18 am

I need to know what the manufactures (Jeep) maxium wheel track width is on the KJ. From what I know the front wheel track is 1542mm wide & the rear is 1518mm wide (mm = millimeters, not sure if you use mm in the US or not

) That's on a brochure I still have from the dealer when I got it new. However that may simply be what was sent over here, not what the manufacturer (Jeep) will allow as the maxium wheel track width.

The reason I'm asking is over here you can't widen your wheel track by more than 25mm beyond what the maxium specified by the vehicle manufacturer without an engineering report.

The rims I bought & had shipped over to Sydney are: Cragar Soft 8's 16x8 with 5" back space / + 12mm offset. However when I've had them fitted they are infact 4.5" back space not as stated on there web site. So that means I'm widening the wheel track by 52mm (26mm over what they say is OK without a report).

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku

So my delima is I don't want to have to see an engineer which may cost an arm & a leg to get these rims passed, in fact it may be cheaper to have the backspace on the rims adjusted to 5".

Any help would be bloody great, this is really shitting me.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:15 am

I found this

Quote:

More Jeep Liberty specifications Rear Wheel Drive Four Wheel Drive
Wheelbase 104.3 (2649) 104.3 (2649)
Track, Front 60.0 (1524) 60.0 (1524)
Track, Rear 59.7 (1516) 59.7 (1516)
Length (to spare tire) 174.4 (4430) 174.4 (4430)
Overall Width 71.6 (1819) 71.6 (1819)
Overall Height 70.3 (1784.7) 70.2 (1784.1)
Overall Height (to roof rack) 71.9 (1822.9) 71.1 (1822.2)

from
http://www.allpar.com/model/jeep/liberty-2005.html

but I'm not sure what would count as documentation for an inspection, and it's a couple of mm less than your data.

CD · **Posted:** Fri Sep 14, 2007 6:04 am

Thanks mate, it's a start. I will have to check my brochure again to see if I did a type or not, perhaps there are 2 track widths.

cmohr · **Posted:** Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:29 am

Chris, I thought here in Australia it was 2.5 inches overall maximum extention to existing track, remember the "track" is from the inside rim to rim. Also remember that when we "lift" our KJ's the track at the front is already reduced as the control arms swing the wheels in toward each other as they are pushed down, that will give you a little extra room for a few mm of tolerance. Get the tape measure out and have a look.

CD · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2007 5:17 am

cmohr wrote:

Chris, I thought here in Australia it was 2.5 inches overall maximum extention to existing track, remember the "track" is from the inside rim to rim. Also remember that when we "lift" our KJ's the track at the front is already reduced as the control arms swing the wheels in toward each other as they are pushed down, that will give you a little extra room for a few mm of tolerance. Get the tape measure out and have a look.

Good point Cmohr, I did think about the lift effecting it that way but wasn't 100% sure. Ed sent me this link to the RTA:

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/ ... 9_rev4.pdf

It say's on page 2 "Wheels" 3rd paragraph: wheel track must not be increase by more than 25mm beyond .... .

So my rims are 4.5" back space, which is 1" wider than stock. So it's increasing the wheel track by 2" (50mm), making it 25mm over the maximum allowed requirement without a blue slip. Now if my lift has brought the rims in by 12.5mm each side I sweet, I will get the tape measure out.

Cmohr, my other concern is the tyre & wheel combination outsite diameter of no more than 15mm (that's at the bottom of page 2). The 235/70/16 is 735.4mm in diameter & a 265/70/16 is 778mm. So it's 42.6mm in overall diameter taller & thus 12.6mm over the RTA's (It's OK without a blue slip policy). Is that how you read it, or am I on the wrong track. This would also be the same for a 245/75/16.

Tyre size calculator: http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

CD · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2007 5:54 am

ATXKJ wrote:

I found this

Quote:

More Jeep Liberty specifications Rear Wheel Drive Four Wheel Drive
Wheelbase 104.3 (2649) 104.3 (2649)
Track, Front 60.0 (1524) 60.0 (1524)
Track, Rear 59.7 (1516) 59.7 (1516)
Length (to spare tire) 174.4 (4430) 174.4 (4430)
Overall Width 71.6 (1819) 71.6 (1819)
Overall Height 70.3 (1784.7) 70.2 (1784.1)
Overall Height (to roof rack) 71.9 (1822.9) 71.1 (1822.2)

from
http://www.allpar.com/model/jeep/liberty-2005.html

but I'm not sure what would count as documentation for an inspection, and it's a couple of mm less than your data.

Just checked my brochure ATXKJ, I did a typo. It's as your's say's 1524mm front, but the rear is still 1518mm

I've now checked my current track width with the tape measure & it's 1565 front (didn't bother with the back). So that means I'm over the stock front track width by 41mm, which makes it 16mm over the RTA's requirement's. It's funny really, you'd think 8mm a side is nothing. I bet this stuff is really to catch the people who are running rims with 3" back space & the like.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2007 8:17 am

Government regulations are far more about control - than about reason.

The worst that will happen if you widen the track too much - is that your wheel bearings will wear faster.
however if you widen the track - it will increase the stability - the resistance to rolling - that is one of the major problems in SUV accidents.

CD · **Posted:** Sun Sep 16, 2007 2:45 am

ATXKJ wrote:

Government regulations are far more about control - than about reason.

The worst that will happen if you widen the track too much - is that your wheel bearings will wear faster.
however if you widen the track - it will increase the stability - the resistance to rolling - that is one of the major problems in SUV accidents.

That's it mate & I'm totally happy with my new setup, just want to be covered that's all

Maximum wheel track width on the KJ??

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