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If you are thinking about 15 inch wheels, read this.


nmpath
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About 6 months ago I put some 15" steel wheels from Discount Tire on my 2002 R50. They barely cleared the caliper and I had no problems with them, until today. I just finished installing new wheel bearings and replaced the rotors and pads while I had it all apart. When I first installed the 15" wheels my brake pads were pretty worn, now that the new pads are on the caliper rubs the wheel. Lol I thought for sure I had installed the bearings wrong, because the noise was terrible! The new, thicker pads, set the caliper out further causing them to touch the wheels. I ended up grinding a little bit off the caliper and everything seems fine.

 

So if you are test fitting a wheel, make sure your brake pads are relatively new!

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Well, I think that im just going to get 16's just to be safe and to allow for any future upgrades, and if heaven forbid the wheel ever bends in or breaks :ohno01: Thanks for the Info!!!!!

 

I just ran into this same problem on my 99.5 pathfinder. Was running Cragar Soft 8's from 4wheelparts. Ground the caliper and all is fine, but it drove me crazy trying to find out what was rubbing at first. (Thought I'd screwed up on installing the brakes).

 

For those looking at 15" wheels, the lower corner of the caliper rubbed on one of the lips inside the wheel, right where it gets smaller toward the outside. You can see through the holes in the wheel and observe the rubbing.

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I fail to see how 15" wheels can make your brake pads fail quicker aside from not letting enough air in to cool the brakes. As long as the wheels don't rub the brakes they should be perfectly fine.

 

Im not saying they will fail any quicker. When the thicker new pad was installed it moved the caliper out closer to the wheel, causing it to rub. The 15's were originally installed with year old brake pads and they cleared the caliper fine.

 

And 275s will not fit without a lift, 265/75/16s will rub horribly without a lift. Without a lift the biggest you can run on stock wheels is 265/70/16s or 245/75/16s, about the same height but the 245's are not as wide.

Edited by nmpath
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Im not saying they will fail any quicker. When the thicker new pad was installed it moved the caliper out closer to the wheel, causing it to rub. The 15's were originally installed with year old brake pads and they cleared the caliper fine.

 

And 275s will not fit without a lift, 265/75/16s will rub horribly without a lift. Without a lift the biggest you can run on stock wheels is 265/70/16s or 245/75/16s, about the same height but the 245's are not as wide.

 

I couldn't agree more. I'm running exactly that on my '98 with 16x8 wheels, 5" backspacing BUT with a lift. There is a bit of rubbing at full lock while turning but otherwise it's a great setup. Without the 2" lift my rig wouldn't move; 31's are the maximum you can upsize on stock suspension.

Just curious, but why not just stick with 16" wheels...? :scratchhead:

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I really like the look of the stock 16s but they were not the right backspacing. I went with 15 inch steelies because 15" tires were much cheaper then 16.

 

Really? When I got quotes for my AR 767's, the difference was only about $20 a wheel... :scratchhead:

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And 275s will not fit without a lift, 265/75/16s will rub horribly without a lift. Without a lift the biggest you can run on stock wheels is 265/70/16s or 245/75/16s, about the same height but the 245's are not as wide.

 

 

Thank you. :yeahthat: im rolling on 255 70 16 right now, i was hoping to atleast go with a lil wider tire..but its all good!

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  • 2 weeks later...

How many miles are on your truck that you are replacing wheel bearings? I have an 03 with 71,000. I thought wheel bearings were good for atleast 100,000 if you repacked them? I am in the market for new wheels and tires. I think I am going to get the 16's so I don't have to mess around with grinding down calipers and stuff. There is about a 300-400 dollar difference though between 15 in wheels with tires and 16 in wheels with tires.

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How many miles are on your truck that you are replacing wheel bearings? I have an 03 with 71,000. I thought wheel bearings were good for atleast 100,000 if you repacked them? I am in the market for new wheels and tires. I think I am going to get the 16's so I don't have to mess around with grinding down calipers and stuff. There is about a 300-400 dollar difference though between 15 in wheels with tires and 16 in wheels with tires.

 

 

I have 90k on it now. I have never packed the bearings and I doubt the previous owner did. I just figured I would replace everything if I had it apart. It needed rotors and replacing wheel bearings or packing requires the same disassembly.

 

By the way, I installed Power Stop rotors and they are awesome!

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  • 2 months later...

I'm purchasing my AC lift springs sometime this week for my 1996 SE 4x4.....This will add to my growing list of parts I've slowly been accumulating over the past few months since I've joined NPORA. So far, I've bought Struts and Shocks (KYB-GR2's and Rancho RSX999010's). Much more to buy, But LAST on my list was going to be Wheels and Tires. I'm gonna go with some sort of "Black Steelies", have not decided yet. But my question is....Once I have the lift on, can I use my stock rims and tires for normal highway use or is it definitely out of the question?....Definitely no off road til wheels and tires are proper! I believe my stock rims are 15 x 7.....tires are 265 - 70 - 15.

Or should I just wait until I buy new wheels/tires to install lift? Also, the never ending question....What wheel size/ tire combo does the forum suggest / prefer? Mud or AT Tires? Should I stick with a 15" or move up to a 16"?

Edited by OfftourRoadie96
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You can use your stock rims and tires with no problem with the lift. Pezzy runs hers in the winter.

The reason I ask is that I was under the impression I needed a Min/Max of 3.75 to 4in. back spacing with the AC lift.....I have a 1996! I don't know the backspacing of my stock 15 x 7's

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  • 2 years later...

sorry for the thread bump, but i just want to clear this up really quick since i see many other 2G R50s with 15" steelies and 32s or what have you.

 

is it necessary on all 15" steelies to grind down a part of the caliper? or just certain ones/styles/backspacing?

 

if i do decide to go with 15" steelies from my 16" tri-stakes, i was thinking about what many others have in the ProComp Xtreme Rock Crawlers in a 15"x8" with a 3.75" backspace.

 

for those guys that are running these wheels right now (i think rick13, OTR96, and a few others are running these wheels and some larger tires), did you have to grind down the caliper? or are the wheel styles and backspacing clearing the caliper well enough to where nothing needs to be done?

 

thanks for any insight, gents!

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I am running 15x8 ProComp's on mine with the exact same specs you are considering. I had my brakes, rotors, and calipers replaced since the wheel swap and did not have any issues at all. I too was concerned and warned the mechanic that was doing the break job of the possibility of clearance issues. He carefully mounted the wheels and claimed that he didn't detect any rubbing. I'll admit, the calipers are really f'in close to the wheel though!

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I am running 15x8 ProComp's on mine with the exact same specs you are considering. I had my brakes, rotors, and calipers replaced since the wheel swap and did not have any issues at all. I too was concerned and warned the mechanic that was doing the break job of the possibility of clearance issues. He carefully mounted the wheels and claimed that he didn't detect any rubbing. I'll admit, the calipers are really f'in close to the wheel though!

 

Ok. Good to hear. You're running the xtreme rock crawlers as well? I'm wondering if a different style wheel will clear it even more. Either way, that's good to hear. Thanks for the reply devonian!

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I am running 15x8 ProComp's on mine with the exact same specs you are considering. I had my brakes, rotors, and calipers replaced since the wheel swap and did not have any issues at all. I too was concerned and warned the mechanic that was doing the break job of the possibility of clearance issues. He carefully mounted the wheels and claimed that he didn't detect any rubbing. I'll admit, the calipers are really f'in close to the wheel though!

 

Ok. Good to hear. You're running the xtreme rock crawlers as well? I'm wondering if a different style wheel will clear it even more. Either way, that's good to hear. Thanks for the reply devonian!

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Ok. Good to hear. You're running the xtreme rock crawlers as well? I'm wondering if a different style wheel will clear it even more. Either way, that's good to hear. Thanks for the reply devonian!

 

Do you guys know what series pro comps you are running? I am thinking about getting some 15x8 3.75 bs series 52 rock crawlers and I want to make sure they will clear the caliper. Also, I would like to run some 33x10.5 a/t tires with these rims. Has anyone had experience running this size tire and wheel combo with the AC lift?

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  • 1 year later...

Im not saying they will fail any quicker. When the thicker new pad was installed it moved the caliper out closer to the wheel, causing it to rub. The 15's were originally installed with year old brake pads and they cleared the caliper fine.

 

And 275s will not fit without a lift, 265/75/16s will rub horribly without a lift. Without a lift the biggest you can run on stock wheels is 265/70/16s or 245/75/16s, about the same height but the 245's are not as wide.

 

If I get 16" aftermarket wheels with 4" backspacing, how big can I go on tires? I have the factory LE 17" wheels now but I am lifting it next week with the OME lift.

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