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Size
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Recommendations for Fitting Tire Size
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30"
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Nothing has to be done to fit this size tire. With the
exception of base models, most stock tires that come on Nissan trucks measured in
at about 30".
Note: some older Pathfinder models came with
31" tires stock.
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31"
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This is what the majority of Nissan truck owners upgrade their tire size to and is the size
upgrade that requires the least amount of work, if any. Some owners have managed to fit a
31" tire without any modifications. This could be due to a combination of the torsion bar setting
that their truck came with from the factory (cranked higher than other trucks)
and the type of 31" tire selected Remember, not all 31" tires are the same size.
For some owners, a slight amount of trimming of the front fender molding where the mud flap gets
attached to is needed. However, trimming this section may force the owner to remove the mud flap
since some of the mounting holes may need to be cut off.
On the Xterra and Frontier, another option
is to switch the mud flap configuration to the 2001+ Frontier or 2002+ Xterra mudflap.
The new flap is designed to fit the larger 17" wheel/tire combo found on the supercharged model.
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32"
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Most offroad-crazed
owners will upgrade to at least this size. Running 32" tires on a Nissan truck does
not require a lift, but cranking the torsion bars will probably be needed.
The torsion bars can be cranked until at least 1/2 inch remains between the
upper bump stop and the bump stop strike plate. Remember to get an alignment after
changing the torsion bar settings.
Also, a significant amount
of the front fender molding (front and rear of the tire) may need to be
trimmed, most probably forcing the owner to remove the mud flap. There is no science
to how much needs to be trimmed. The best way to gauge
this is to eye ball it by turning the tire slightly and trimming a
little. Then check it again and trim some more if needed. A test drive that
includes bumps and dips in the road may also be necessary to ensure enough
plastic has been trimmed.
Running 32" tires on a non-lifted truck may cause some rubbing offroad during heavy
articulation situations.
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33"
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Running 33" tires
on a Nissan truck generally requires some sort of a lift. Theoretically, a 33"
tire can be run with just a 3" suspension lift and has been advertised as such, but
it is possible to have rubbing when extreme compression conditions present themselves.
The best way of running 33" tires for most Nissan trucks with minimal to no
rubbing is to install a body lift. With just a 2" body lift, torsion crank, and add-a-leafs
in the rear, an Xterra or Frontier can run 33" X 10.5" tires with minimal or no rubbing.
If using the stock bumper, significant trimming of the plastic in front of the front tires
may be necessary. If running a bull bar such as an ARB Bull Bar, some cutting of the bull
bar wings in front of the tires may be necessary to prevent rubbing. Also, a good amount
of trimming may be necessary around the front fender molding in the front and
may prevent the stock mud flap from being reinstalled. Some minor trimming of the rear mud flap
plastic may also be necessary to prevent rubbing.
It should also be noted that gas
consumption is greatly increased due to the constant need to downshift to maintain speed with
this tire size. Lower gears are recommended to remedy this. 33" tires can also be run
without a lift if the owner is willing to cut a good portion off of the truck,
possibly including some sheet metal. Even so, most trucks running 33" tires will exhibit
some rubbing.
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34"+
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Running tires this big requires some creativity. A suspension lift and possibly a body lift
are required.
Besides having to do everything listed in the 33" tire fitment instructions
(to a greater extreme), some cutting of sheet metal around the wheel wells may also be necessary.
On most trucks, running the stock backspacing greatly decreases the amount of
cutting required to prevent rubbing.
A Frontier with just a 3"
suspension lift can successfully run 34X10.5" tires with minimal rubbing
by cutting off some plastic around the wheel wells.
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