I just purchased a 92 Cherokee about a week ago and I need to get new tires.

The Jeep currently has 31x10.5x15R, it has a 3.5 inch lift and it looks like it is still on the stock wheels.

Is a 31" tire as big as I can go with my current set up or can I get away with 33"?

This vehicle will be used for daily driving and light off road, what tires would you recommend?

What are some of the draw backs to going with bigger tires?


This is my starter Jeep and I am definetly a novice. Actually at this point I'm realitively clueless about cars in general.

The biggest problem is the gearing - if you go to high for your current
gearing you kill your performance and your mileage.

Do you know what the current gearing is? Auto/Manual ? Has the rig been
rubbing so far ? Have you flexed it to see if you are having impact problems?

Then next problem is what size wheel you have on - if you go much bigger the
wheel may have to be changed. What size wheel and what is the backspace.
The larger width tire will impact the axle brackets and reduce turning radius.

In addition to considering your gearing and rim dimensions (specifically backspacing) you need to consider interference between your tires and the body of your XJ.

The general rule of thumb is that 3-1/2 inches is good for a 31" tire without trimming the sheet metal. 33's WILL fit with 3-1/2" if you're willing to start cutting your fenders in order to get more clearance, because they WILL rub.

If you want to run 33's without having to trim the fenders you'll need to go to 5-1/2" of lift.