Lift/Tire size maximum before tubbing

What is the biggest tire you can run on a lift before tubbing?

Say 3" and then 6"?

Saw a lifted 1st Gen PreRunner with what looked like 315s, I sat beside him at a light near the 4WP on Camp Bowie in Fort Worth. Compared to mine it looked like it was lifted more than 3", but I was too busy checking out the rig to really compare heights, but it didn't appear to be tubbed, I was trying to see for sure, but it still had what looked like factory mudflaps on it.

 

depends what kind of lift are you talking about? suspension or body lift? for a suspension lift (max is about 3" w/o going mid/long travel) if you take your shock out to make sure there is no rubbing at full stuff then the max you will probably be able to fit is 31x10.5s. pretty sure the tubbing for 33's is not very bad tho and i am about to go through with it. i have about a 3" suspension lift.

 

It was lifted and definitely wasn't a body lift. I was turning and he went straight. I could make out what looked like 315 on the tire, the wheels were XDs. It was a good looking truck, 01-04 extended cab in Super White. No sliders or aftermarket bumpers, other than lift, tires, wheels and a light bar, looked stock.

My phone was in my pocket or I would have snapped a picture.

 

No tubbing required for 33 12.50. On a 3" suspension lift. Just take a sledge to the pinch weld.

 

well if it wasn't a body lift and it was over 3" of lift it could have been a drop bracket lift. which IMO you don't really want to do to your truck. It might have also just been hard to tell that he tubbed out the fender wells. but 35's (315..) are pretty big and would definitely need tubbing on a 3" suspension lift.

yea i guess tubbing means actually cutting shit out.. thats pretty much what i meant. thanks for correcting me.

 

Why no bracket drop lift, to many issues?

It did fill out the fender well pretty good. It may not have been 315s, he never stopped completely and I was trying to see that and see if it was tubbed.

 

cause its expensive and IMO mids well do a SAS for a little bit extra. You don't really get all the benefits of having a lifted truck when you do a drop bracket cause you still have the same amount of travel/flex as when you were stock basically. it might be sensible for someone who never sees dirt and wants a big truck but if you do 4x4ing you could put that money to much better use.

 

This was a PreRunner

 

still.. could have went with LT suspension for desert racing or something.. but thats my opinion.. I'm more of a function over form type of guy, and drop brackets are form over function.

 

A "little bit" extra. LOL.

Make no mistake - Solid-Axle-Swap (and long travel for that matter) are bad ass when done right. But they require a huge amount of work from an expert fabricator, and are typically NOT the right choice for someone who's just shopping the TW message boards looking for the "best" lift for his/her own personal application.

SAS / LT might be for you if
1. It's NOT your daily driver
2. You are an expert welder/fabricator or are pals with one
3. You have an ongoing interest in suspension tuning as a hobby for its own sake

Conversely, LOTS of folks run drop-bracket lifts on daily driver trucks and are happy with them. Yes, they're not quite as capable off-road as the above options when done right.

 

Wasn't trying to be a dick. Just didn't want him thinking he would have to cut the firewall back for 33s. If that's what he went with. 35s... yes. Typically 2-3" taken out of the firewall.

 

yea your right. "little extra" was the wrong word choice. I guess i just meant that a drop bracket is a pretty large investment. To ME for a big investment like that you mids well go all the way even if it is double or triple the cost. Everyone has their own needs/opinions and drop brackets may suit some people well, just not me.

sorry didn't mean for you to take it like i was calling you a dick.. i really meant thanks for correcting me.

 

I thought you were already on 33s. Lol.

 

lol.. almost!
I just ordered them and will be putting them on within 2 weeks.

 

What did you go with?

 

some of those red letter general grabbers (33x12.5x15). everything i read said they are decent on road and off road. i was gonna grab some KM2s but the price of the grabbers is really what sold me.

 

I got my KM2 for $1080 OTD with Discount Tires "insurance"

 

Nice. im not sure about the insurance part but from tire buyer I'm getting the grabbers for about 805$ plus 70$ for install at a local shop. i would have gone w/ KM2's if i didn't need a new steering rack

 

I think my PS pump is gonna go soon. After this last wheelin trip it hates me

 

Also depends on if it was a spring/coilover lift or a strut spacer lift. With a spacer you can get away with a bigger tire because shock bottoms out sooner whereas with a coilover it will go through the same travel as stock. my 32x11.5s rub at full stuff while turning even after pinch weld mod and 5100s to lift. Im actually thinking about putting in a 1" body just for the extra clearance for the tires and rockers