I did search but only came up with threads for stock suspension sizes.  I'm probably not using the right combination of words to que up what I'm needing so....

Oh guru's of the zuk world, I ask of thee:

With 6.5 tcase gearing, an SPOA RUF lift with 2" shackles, and a 1.6 8v swap, would you recomend 32" or 33" tire sizes?  I have yet to get the 2.5" backspace wheels but that will also be part of the combo.  Rig will be 40% trails/rocks and 60% in town or hwy.

Anything else you need to know to give advice?

thanks in advance.

For reference here is the difference in size as far as looks...  lucky to run across these pics, he just happened to be swapping from 32" to 33".  This Sammi had 8k original miles in 2010!!!  sweet!

I would go with 32" tires.  First, they fit the wheel wells better and I think that they are a better fit for the wheelbase as they keep the center of gravity a little lower..   FYI, I have one SPOA Samurai with 32" tires and another with 33" tires.  (The 33" tire Samurai is being stretched into a LWB.)

Also, when you switch to 33" tires, you really need to regear the R&P at that point.  Up to 32" tires, gear reduction at the t-case only seems to be fine.  The stock brakes are also at there limits with 32" tires and will need to be upgraded when going to 33" tires.  Then you have the reliability factor of the axles as 33" tires are definitely more stressful than 32" tires.

Thanks, I was afraid axles would be my next weak link.  I'm planning Tracker vented rotors and calipers up front and pushing the stock sammi disc equipment to the back, but that is not imediate...

I'm getting feedback from some of the locals that know the trails around here that 33's will keep me from getting high centered as much in the ruts.  Maybe I look into stretching the wheel base slightly?  Would an inch front and rear using the spring perch hole relocation make much of a difference?  2" longer wheelbase overall doesn't seem like much to bother with... I dunno.

How much can the stock RUF swap move the front axle?

I've never had problem with ruts as the narrower Samurai track allows me to drive between the ruts caused by the larger jeep & trucks.  

Again, when you go to 33" tires, you've got to upgrade a lot of components.  Bigger is not better.  (The Samurai that I have with 33" tires has the old Spidertrax Sidewinders (look like their Spider 9s) which had a rear 3rd from a Sidekick as a diff, Dana 44 joints, Full Floater Rear and discs all around.  Pretty beefy for a Samurai.  I don't think I would run 33" tires on a stock Samurai axle.)

I tried the 4-door Sidekick rotors, but I could never get them bled completely.  Tried it numerous times (grinding and refitting my OTT steering arms) and finally gave up and went back to the original brakes.  If you swap your front discs to the back, then you will have no emergency brake.  Yes, TT sell a kit that has an emergency brake, but you don't get full pad life as they must be replaced around 50% wear.  

Also, I've got the front end "stretched" 1-inch via the centering hole mod and I'm just running stock front leafs.  I get a little bit of rub in the front during full compress but it isn't too bad.  I have bumpstops setup for about 2" of uptravel too.  I did have RUF at one point, but I went back to the stock fronts for better axle placement in the wheel well.  The Samurai with 32" tires/SPOA is pictured below.  This was on Hell's Revenge, 2011 Zukfari.

Found another thread with a similar question and the responses are all over the place.  Its good to get real world feedback though, Thank you for the input, duely noted.

For anyone else that is curious...

http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content/topic,110774.0.html

Yep, that link kind of goes back to the other current one of what would you buy.....

http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/general-suzuki-forum/what-would-you-buy-if-you-could-start-all-over/


Everyone is going to have an opinion.  I say just don't lift it any higher than you have to and remember that with such a short WB, you don't need a large tire.

I can get 32" Falken Rocky Mountain ATS for $159 at DTD.  Haven't heard from anyone running them but the reviews on the tire site are all pretty good.

I just posted a set of 15x7 wheels for sale in the classified section which well help me on my way to new tires...

Thanks again!

You're welcome.

FYI, I'm running 15x8 wheels with 2.5 BS.  They seem to work really well.

would that be on stock axles?

I would say 32 as the safest  (again, on our experience) because at 33 we start breaking axle shafts, even birfield joints!. the stock axle shaft looks like a matchstick beside a 32 inch tire.

with that lift I would say just get a 31 or 32. keeps the center of gravity well, too (Jonny Rash, well-said )