Fitting 285/75/16 on a 16x8J Rim (Offset/Width)

When upgrading to a true 33” tire in the form of a 285/75/16, many have questioned whether a stock 16x8J rim will be able to accommodate the wider tire. Is the 8J width rim wide enough to securely seat a 285mm width tire? Is there sufficient UCA clearance?

285/75/16 or 33” tires can fit on a 16×8 wheel. They fit perfectly fine even though the contact area won’t be 100% flat at useable street pressure. Many “wheelers” believe that a 16×8 rim is the perfect size wheel for 285/75-16’s.

Personally, I prefer 16 x 9 wheels for that width tire, especially for on-road use and surface contact when fully inflated. Many enthusiasts prefer the fat bubble style look which makes the wheel appear slightly wider and gives a more aggressive appearance.

Fitting 33” Tires on a 16x8J Rim (Width Guide)

Let’s now look into this in a bit more detail and see what offset wheel will be ideal for a 33” tire and if there is enough clearance from the UCA (Upper Control Arm) and other areas.

Let’s take a closer look

UCA Clearance for 33’s on a 16x8J Rim

One of your main concerns when fitting wider rims is the clearance on the UCA. Its important that the wheel has enough backspacing to clear the Upper Control Arm at full flex when the tire is stuffed right up into the wheel well.

Example:
The minimum backspacing required to run a 33” wheel on a Tacoma is roughly 4.5”. This clears the UCA comfortably by almost an inch (25.4mm)

If you are running stock wheels at say, 16×7’s you will have contact issues with the UCA. It is recommended to then fit a wheel spacer to push the wheel outer a bit to create some clearance. That will be the cheapest fix when running stock wheels and wanting to fit 285/75/16 on a 16x7J.

The Perfect Wheel Offset to Run 285/75/16

Understanding offset is quite simple. The more negative the offset, the further out the wheel sits (Deep dish style). The more positive the offset the more flush the wheel sits. In other words, a negative offset wheel moves the centerline towards the inboard side of the rim, thus pushing your tires further out. So, a 4WD with no lift, running a 0 mm rim will cause a 33″ tire to rub on the inside of the fender flare at full flex

So the ideal wheel to fit a 33” tire is a 16×8 with 4.5″ backspacing and a 0 offset with a 2” lift. This will result in zero scrub or trimming required with 285/75R16. 

Example:
285/75/16 on Method NV 16×8 4.5-BS 0-Offset on 3” lift = no rubbing at full flex.

Fitting 33 inch tires on your truck

The only way to really improve ground clearance is by fitting taller tires. This improves the vehicle’s ability to overcome obstacles in an off-road situation. There are a few limitations, especially when it comes to IFS (Independent Front Suspension) 4WD vehicles.

Let’s now look at a few factors to consider when fitting 33” tires on your truck.

Minimum Lift Kit for 33”

When fitting 33” tires on your IFS truck, you’ll need a minimum 2” lift kit installed, if you want to retain maximum flex without scrubbing or reversing at full lock. Depending on your 4WD, sometimes this isn’t even enough, since you’ll still need to make additional modifications to prevent scrubbing at full lock. This is especially true if you want to retain full maneuverability and articulation which is key for off-road. If you opt for 3” or higher, know that there are serious implications to any IFS suspension truck wrt your CV angles and a diff drop must be your next move.

Who should fit 33” tires?

Not everyone agrees with large tire upgrades, and if you ask 10 people, you’ll get 10 different opinions. I give it a resounding YES! In fact, I am currently running 33” tires on my 4WD Toyota Ute and they work beautifully! The added clearance, aggressive look, and improved traction and stability in my opinion are well worth it. It comes at a price though, fuel, performance, braking, etc. click here for pros vs cons on fitting 33” to your truck

Fender & Arch trimming to fit 33’s

In many instances with IFS trucks, there are a few plastic sections on the inner fender guards that need to be trimmed away for better clearance at full flex and lock. So get familiar with your Stanley knife and cutter and do some trimming of those wheel arch/guards where they are making contact. Don’t forget the inner guard pinch weld and inside of the fender flare. In most cases they need some trimming, depending on the tire width, lift, and vehicle.

Fender trimming goes hand in hand with backspacing/Wheel offset as well as how wide the tire is. A wider tire will require more wheel arch clearance and room to move when flexing off-road and when turning at full lock.

When you squeeze oversized tires into a wheel arch without lifting the truck, you’ll need to trim away a lot of the inside fender and arch plastic to allow the tire to tuck behind the arch when turning and flexing off-road.

Are 33-Inch Tires the same as 285’s (Metric Vs MM)

When comparing a 33” tire to a 285 wide tire, you are basically referring to two completely different measurements. The 33” refers to the width of the tire (285mm) multiplied by the height percentage of the sidewall (75%), in millimeters, x2 because there are two sidewalls, divided by 25.4 (inches) plus the wheel size in inches (16”). Phew!!! That’s a lot to digest so let’s break it down into a simple formula.

YES, 285 wide tires are the same as 33” tires although 285 is the tread width in millimeters and 33″ is the tire diameter. 285/75/16 is usually the accepted metric equivalent size for 33’s.

Will the 285/75/16 throw out your speedo?

When you upgrade from a stock tire to one with a taller sidewall or aspect ratio, increasing the wheel circumference, your speedo will not be accurate. In the case of 33-inch tires, the diameter will be larger and have an increase in the aspect ratio (sidewall). The increase in tire circumference means the actual speed will be higher the faster you travel.  

The below table will give you an indication of how the speedometer reading is affected from a 265/70/16 (30.1”) to a 285/75/16 (33”).

Below are the actual differences between the stock 16” tire and the upgraded 285/75/16

Tacoma 33 inch tires no lift – How to Make Them Fit

If you’re interested to know what’s required to make a 33” tire fit on your 3^rd gen Tacoma running on stock suspension, then you’ve come to the right place. Tire upgrades are usually one of the first and most popular modifications to off-road trucks since it’s the quickest way to get a more aggressive look with better traction on and off-road.

In order to make a 33” tire fit on a 3^rd gen Tacoma on a stock suspension requires cutting.

If you are not prepared to do trimming and cutting and you are running stock suspension then you’ll be limited to a 32″tire. However, you’re not completely limited to 32” and there are other options you can try.

How much lift to fit 33” Tires on a Ford Ranger

f you want to fit a larger 33” tire without a suspension lift, there is some modification needed. The Ranger T6 crash bars protrude from the wheel well and the bigger 285/70/17 tire makes contact. These will need to be removed/modified first so as not to damage the new tires. They are quite a PITA to remove so be prepared. Once removed, and a 20+ offset aftermarket wheel is fitted you should be able to get the 33” tires to fit comfortably.

How much lift to fit 33” on a Jeep Wrangler

33-inch tires can be fitted to a stock Jeep Wrangler JK, but with minimum clearance on the front bumper and not enough clearance for full articulation off-road.

Before running out and fitting bigger tires to your JK, make sure you understand all the implications and that there are other factors that come into play such as backspacing, clearance, fuel economy, handling, and more.

To take full advantage of the Jeeps legendary articulation, you would do well to fit a 3-4” lift before fitting 33” tires.