If you are planning a big tire upgrade on your Grand Cherokee WL/WK2 and are interested in knowing which option is best suited for your stock Cherokee, then this article can help you. The Grand Cherokee has a very sophisticated Quadro-lift air suspension that provides height control and lifts the vehicle up to 4.1 inches from park mode to a best-in-class maximum ride height of 10.7 inches. This article covers the biggest size tire you can fit on 20-inch wheels without rubbing, even when in park mode which lowers the vehicle for easier entry and exit.

The biggest tire you can fit a stock Jeep Grand Cherokee WK2 with QuadraLift air suspension on a 20-inch wheel is a 32-inch tire with a metric value of 275/55/20. The biggest tire you can fit a stock 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee WL on a 20-inch wheel is a 32-inch tire with a metric value of 275/55/20 OR 255/70/18.

Before fitting bigger tires to your Jeep Grand Cherokee, It is important to remember that in some cases, larger tires may require modifications to your truck’s suspension, wheel arch linings, fender flares, and potentially the recalibration of the truck’s speedometer to accommodate the larger tires rolling circumference.

Secondly, be aware that larger tires can also have a negative effect on the overall fuel consumption and driving dynamics of the vehicle, which includes acceleration, handling, brake performance, and fuel efficiency, so keep that in mind when doing a tire upgrade and try to stay within the 3-5% increase safe zone. But more on that later…

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s look into the upgrade options in more detail.

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Biggest 20” Tire on a Stock Grand Cherokee WK2

After doing extensive research, many owners are reporting that 32-inch on 20-inch wheels are the go without any additional modifications. The main concern with the Jeep Grand Cherokee is the clearance from the suspension control arm in front. It has a curve with a bolt setup that drastically reduces your options since the space there is very limited. An aftermarket wheel with a better offset will remedy this issue. Alternatively, a small wheel spacer just to push the wheel out a bit.

The main concern with the Jeep Grand Cherokee is the clearance from the suspension control arm in front.

If you want to go bigger than 32” then you can opt for wheel spacers. Here a size 1.5-2” wheel spacer would do the trick, however, there will definitely be some additional modifications to the wheel arches and even the pinch weld on the chassis located directly behind the front tire. Anything bigger than 32” is going to require some major cutting and cleaning up behind the front tire to allow for clearance. The front section of the front wheel well also makes contact at full lock which means you will need to trim some plastic away or tuck it back somehow to prevent rub at full lock.

Another area of concern is the brake calipers. The Grand Cherokee brake calipers are massive and if you are considering fitting a 17 or 18” wheel just make sure you check the clearance from the caliper as it would be a very tight squeeze.

Below are a few 32-inch tire options in 17-20” wheel sizes:

Size	Width	Diameter	Height
275/55/20	10.8”	31.9”	6”
255/70/18	10”	32.1”	7”
255/75/17	10”	32.1”	7.5”

Biggest 18” tire on a Jeep Grand Cherokee WL

When it comes to fitting 18-inch tires on the JGC, your biggest option without additional modifications will be a large 30-inch tire with a metric value of 265/60r18 AT (all terrains). You can opt to go slightly bigger to a 31.6-inch tire in the form of 265/65r18s, however, there will be contact against the wheel well liner that will require additional modifications. It looks amazing, however, it makes contact and rubs the inner fender just slightly when the suspension is on one of the lower settings.

Below are a few 31-inch tire options on 18” wheels:

Size	Width	Diameter	Height
265/60/18	10.4”	30.5”	6.3”
265/65/18	10.4”	31.6”	6.8”
255/65/18	10”	31.1”	6.5”

WATCH – JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE BIGGEST TIRES (33s vs 35s)

Understanding Tire Sizes

Most people look at the information printed on the tire sidewall and have absolutely no clue what it means. There are so many numbers that can be quite confusing, BUT, it doesn’t have to be. Below is a simple breakdown of what all those numbers and codes mean.

Let’s use this tire size (265/70/R17) to explain.

265	Refers to the tire’s width and is measured in millimeters
70	Refers to the tire’s aspect ratio, which refers to the tire’s sidewall height and is measured in percent (%). It refers to 70% of the 265mm tread width.
R17	Refers to the tire’s width and measured in millimeters

NOTE: A tire’s actual size may not be exactly as printed by the manufacturer. Tire manufacturers use their own tire moulds which differ slightly between brands. Different designs and tread patterns may cause a slight size difference between tires that have the same size codes. This means that a tire from brand A might fit your truck but one from brand B of the same size won’t.

Pros and Cons of Bigger Tires

Big tire upgrades are one of the most popular, if not the MOST popular upgrades owners make to their vehicles, and with good reason. For many, it’s a case of an aesthetics improvement and practicality upgrade, while others seek the best off-road capabilities and driving characteristics their trucks can offer.

…as is the case with most modifications, there is always a trade-off

With that being said, as is the case with most modifications, there is always a trade-off. With bigger tires come a few pros and cons you simply cannot ignore, so make sure you proceed armed with all the relevant information at hand.

With taller and wider tires you get the following:

Let’s start with the Pros first.

Increased ground clearance
Improved approach angle
Improved departure angle
Improved Break-over angle
Increased wading depth.
Wider tires increase your vehicle’s traction, both on and off-road
Improved control and handling.
Better control on slippery surfaces such as sand, snow, and mud.
Improved stability due to the wider tires
Improved aesthetics

Some of the Cons Include:

Increase in fuel consumption (Less mpg)
Expensive tire replacement costs
Increase in stopping distance (Longer stopping time)
Decrease in acceleration
Decrease in overtaking speeds
Slight Understeer feeling
Inaccurate speed readings (Size Dependant)
More wear on certain suspension components
A requirement for aftermarket suspension component upgrades (Size Dependant)

Armed with the above intel now allows you to make a more educated decision as to whether your desired upgrade is worth the cost outlay. If the vehicle is your dedicated weekend trail warrior and not your daily driver then you can go bigger with more aggressive tread patterns, however, if this is your only vehicle then it would be wise to stay within the safe zone of not exceeding the recommended 3% to 5% increase of your stock tire’s size. This will minimize the disadvantages to a degree.

User Experience and Feedback

Let’s look at a few real-world user experiences and feedback directly from owners who have successfully fitted bigger tires.

User Experience #1

I have a ’22 Grand Cherokee Summit (not the L). It came w 265/50r20 all seasons. I intended to put on 265/60r18 all terrains, but the shop put on 265/65r18s. It looks amazing, but rubs the inner fender some, especially when the suspension is on one of the lower settings of course. I still haven’t decided whether to have the tire shop put on the 265/60s, or alter the inner fender.
https://www.jeepgarage.org/threads/wl-has-some-one-determined-the-largest-size-tire-on-a-wl-grand-cherokee-l.234063/page-3

User Experience #2

285/60 R18’s add 1inch to diameter (so 1/2 inch closer to control arm) and approx 1 inch wider. I run them on my 2016 WK2 with no rubbing issues. They would work on 2022 as well as you have about 1 1/2 inches of room between stock 265/60 18’s and control arm. I use after-market OE rim with +35 offset to push the wheel out just a tad from stock +51 rims but mounting on stock rims would work as well.
https://www.jeepgarage.org/threads/wl-has-some-one-determined-the-largest-size-tire-on-a-wl-grand-cherokee-l.234063/page-3

User Experience #3

i own a 2021 GCL limited and i was able to fit 275/55R20’s on mine with no modifications. i fit some Kenda Klever R/T’s on it. they are as big as i can go without any rubbing.. anything else id have to fit spacers or get a lift. I’m still thinking of getting spacers to be honest just to complete the look.
https://www.jeepgarage.org/threads/wl-has-some-one-determined-the-largest-size-tire-on-a-wl-grand-cherokee-l.234063/page-2

Resources

Conclusion

Variations in fitment options based on user feedback can be inconsistent at times. This is mainly due to construction variables from different tire manufacturers. In some cases, a certain tire brand will fit a vehicle perfectly, while others of the same size from a different manufacturer will not. This is mainly due to the fact that tire manufacturers use their own tire molds which differ slightly in overall size between brands.

Biggest Tires on a stock 2023 Grand Cherokee (WL/L/WK2)