What Size Tires will fit on my ZJ

That has got to be one of the most frequently asked questions from Grand Cherokee owners. There is no simple answer to this questions. As a result of the differing spring, wheel and engine configurations used on the 93-98 models. What works for one vehicle will not always work on another. The purpose of this article is to give general guidelines to work with. You and your tire installer must make the final decision if the tires and wheels you are installing can be done in a safely.

Another item to keep in mind is that brand A's 31" tire might not be the same diameter as brand B's 31". Some manufactures round their numbers up and some round them down. Ask for the actual chart from the manufacture to determine if you are comparing apples for apples.

Wheel width can change the characteristics of a tire also. If the wheel is wider the tire will be wider and shorter when mounted. If you use a narrow wheel the tire will be narrower and taller when mounted.

Tire Size	Lift	Trimming
30 x 9.50	2"	NO
31 x 10.50	3.5"	NO
32 x 11.50	4.50"	NO
33 x 12.50	6"	NO
35 x 12.50	7"	YES
36 x 12.50	8"	YES
38 x 12.50	8"+	YES

Your tires may be one of the most expensive items you purchase for your Grand Cherokee. Take your time and consider all your options before you fork out the hundreds if not thousands of dollars you spend on tires and wheels.

There are a few important questions you should as yourself before you purchase tires. 1. Is this going to be a street vehicle that goes on the trail occasionally? 2. Will I be going on the trail frequently but still need it to get to work on Monday? 3. Am I going to use this vehicle primarily for the trail and don't drive on pavement much. You will also need to consider what kind of terrain will I encounter on the trail? Smooth Rocks, sand and hard packed dirt or Mud, roots and wet conditions.

If you are going to use your vehicle as a daily commuter and occasionally go out on the trail you might want to consider an "All-Terrain Radial" tire. This will give you good wet and dry handling characteristics on the street and provide good traction under most trail conditions such as smooth rocks, sand and hard packed dirt. The "All-Terrain Radial" tire generally does not fair well in the mud, roots and wet conditions on the trail. It has fair side wall protection but you will need to be very careful in roots and sharp rocks.

For those who will be going on the trail regularly, every other weekend or more, should consider a more aggressive "Mud-Terrain Radial" tread pattern. These tires will not wear as good as an "All-Terrain Radial " and you will be giving up some of the good handling characteristics of the "All-Terrain" tire. The "Mud-Terrain Radial" tire is nosier on paved roads also. Despite the things you give up on the street these tires can make up for on the trail. "Mud-Terrain Radial" tires are very good in the mud, roots and wet conditions. They can also provide very good traction on smooth rocks, sand and hard packed dirt. For the frequent four wheeler who still needs to commute to work the radial "Mud-Terrain Radial" tire is the most popular tire design. The "Mud-Terrain Radial"

The third tire to consider is the bias ply "Mud-Terrain" tire. It is the ultimate tire for the trail and worst tire for the street. On the street it is rough riding, handles poorly on wet pavement and wears quickly on asphalt. On the trail it provides excellent traction in almost all conditions, and has awesome sidewall protection. This tire is the way to go if your vehicle is a trailer queen or sees the pavement just to get to the trailhead.

If you have additional information or comments on this article please contact us at zjtires@nagca.com


Back to Grand Tech
North American Grand Cherokee Association
Your one stop source for Jeep Grand Cherokee Information