Can You Put Bigger Tires On Jeep Grand Cherokee Without A Lift- The Ultimate Guide

8 minutes

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a popular luxury SUV known for its muscular looks, luxurious cabin, and good on-road and off-road manners. A common question among Jeep Grand Cherokee owners is whether they can put bigger tires on their vehicle without a lift. The answer is yes, but there are some factors to consider.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee car is a famous luxury SUV found mostly in North America. It has a combination of muscular looks and a luxurious cabin with good on-road and off-road manners. 

However, with all the amazing qualities it offers, can you put bigger tires on Jeep Grand Cherokee without a lift?

Yes, installing larger-size mud tires on your jeep is not a bad idea, especially in off-road driving. These massive tires provide you comfort, stamina and a maximum grip on rocky, muddy and sandy tracks.  

Besides, lifting your jeep by 2-3 inches high is a nice move because it’ll have extra stability, and gain good ground clearance. Also, will navigate perfectly through rocky and steep climbs effortlessly.

Larger Size Hybrid Tires Most Prefered For Jeep Grand Cherokee

The Jeep Grand Cherokee car is originally manufactured with a wheel size of 17 inches and a 245/70R17 sized tire in most cases. But with time it gets upgraded to an 18-inch rim/wheel or 20-inch rim/wheel size and corresponding tire sizes of 265/60R18 and 265/50r20 respectively. 

Thus, the 285 60 R 18 is a larger hybrid tire suitable for the 18-inch rim size with a 9-inch width. Although this tire will likely rub when it’s installed without a lift, it may require a 1 to 2 inches lift to drive properly. 

Also for a 2012 v8 overland edition the biggest tire size fit for it is 275-55-20, it’s an off-road tire and aggressive as well. 

Good Tire Brands For The Jeep Grand Cherokee 

Your Jeep Grand Cherokee may be selective of tires, but here are a few outstanding brands you should check out. Watch this video also to learn more about the brands besides reading our comparative research on it.

BF Goodrich All Terrain Car Tire

This brand produces one of the strongest rugged terrain tires always. It provides a split and bruise-resistant sidewall rubber, with a high rubber thickness. This is to avoid being punctured with sharp objects especially when off-roading. The BF Goodrich is an all-season kind of tire. 

Cooper Discoverer All-Season Tire

The Cooper discoverer all-season h/t plus tire size of 285/60r80 xl 114t tire. This is an all-highway sport truck tire for drivers of SUVs and light-duty trucks. Thus, the tire is designed with an additional rubber by its side to serve as protection for the rims. 

Michelin Defender All-season Car Tire

If you desire to have a long-lasting tread life for your car tires, I’d recommend you consider the Michelin all-season car tires. That is because it fits into that category and also has a strong control for reduced braking distances on moist highways. 

It’s the best brand for any weather conditions, with good fuel efficiency for an eco-friendly operation without compromising safety. 

Falken Wildpeak All Terrain Tire 

The Falken wildpeak t-trail performs great in all kinds of tracks (both paved and unpaved).  It’s a specially-designed tire for use on CUVs and luxury SUVs. And it offers terrific performance on-road and off-road. 

Moreover, it covers a 65,000-mile tread life and its optimised thread design enables a versatile and efficient performance. It’s a durable tire, good for winter periods with a rough upper side as protection against getting punctured while off-roading. 

Understanding Tire Sizes

To select the perfect tire for your Jeep Grand Cherokee, it’s very important to possess adequate knowledge of tire sizes to choose the best for your Jeep Grand Cherokee. Clink on this link to learn more about it and reat through our instructions as well.

Every tire size is represented in 3 unique numbers. The first 3 numbers before the slash are known as the “first number”, and the 2 numbers after the slash are the ” second number”. While the last two numbers after the middle letter are the “third number”; for example, 245/60R18

The 1st number is measured in millimetres, the 2nd is determined as percentages, and the 3rd is measured in inches. 

Also, You may notice an alphabet before the first number (P, LT or ST). P-class represents passenger-class tires. Adequate for SUVs. LT represents light trucks, suitable for trucks carrying heavy loads. ST stands for special trailer and it’s suitable for all kinds of trailers.

The first number (245) on the tire represents the cross-sectional width of your tire and it is measured in millimeters. 

The second number (is 60).  This comes right after the slash and it suggests the aspect ratio and which is the percentage of the height of your car tire. 60% of how wide your tire is. For example, the sidewall height of this tire is 60% of the width (245), which is 147mm of the side of the tire.   

R.  This represents the radial method. The tire was manufactured by radial method, which is the general criterion for manufacturers. This helps to provide a good tire grip, a comfortable ride and less consumption of fuel. 

Also, you may see a letter D, this implies that the tire was designed by adopting the bias method, which appears in a diagonally layered arrangement. 

The Third Number. This number measures in inches and explains the wheel/rim diameter. 

Additionally, you may come across some numbers or other letters after the third numbe such as 110, Y, Z, V or H. The number 110 indicates the load-carrying capacity of your tire. While the alphabets represent the speed index, meaning the amount of speed the tire can maintain at a time. 

Can You Put Bigger Tires On Jeep Grand Cherokee Without A Lift?

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has various models, and some models require a lift for bigger tire installation while some do not require a lift. However, the majority of this model may require a lift to conform properly and to avoid any rubbing issues. 

On the other hand, the current models of the Jeep Grand Cherokee (5th Generation models) can take bigger tires (33″ to 35″ tires) in the absence of a lift. Make use of an experienced mechanic to install your tire to fit in properly. 

Also, the stock Jeep Grand Cherokee can install 32″ tires without a lift. But if you desire a bigger tire like the 33″, you’d need to lift your jeep a little to fit in properly and to avoid rubbing. 

Want to know more about suspension lift? Watch this video

Is Lifting My Jeep Grand Cherokee For Bigger Tires A Must?

You may not need a lift to install for fairly larger tires. You can fix the tires to conform properly without a lift in various ways. However, it’s best to install bigger tires on your Jeep Grand Cherokee without a lift

Sometimes these lifts come with some problems because it tampers with the original design of the jeep. Check this out.

Jeeps are originally manufactured for rugged adventures and so are designed to drive on any kind of road. 

Reasons For Lifting The Jeep Grand Cherokee 

There are several reasons why people lift their Jeep Grand Cherokee. 

  • The installation of bigger tires sometimes requires a lift to fit in well and to avoid rubbing or scrubbing. 
  • To increase the ruggedness of the jeep while driving and to improve the looks of the jeep. A moderately lifted Cherokee jeep has an amazing appearance and gives the owner more confidence. 
  • It’s important for off-road driving. If you drive more on the rocky, muddy and sandy road you may consider giving your jeep a lift to drive through comfortably. 
  • The added height on your jeep help for ground clearance, especially on off-roads, sound articulation and stability. Also, approach angles to climb hard obstacles and steep roads. 

The Minimum Lift For Your Jeep Grand Cherokee 

What you use for your care to determine the amount of height to increase? If you’re just a highway commuter, you may give it 1 to 2 inches lift. Thus, if you drive more off-road (on rocky roads, gravel roads, muddy and snowy terrains), you’ll need a 3-inch kit lift. 

Although you can lift 4 inches to 6.5-inches, note that the higher you raise your jeep the easier it becomes to install bigger tires. 

Cost of Lifting Your Jeep Grand Cherokee 

Raising your Jeep Grand Cherokee isn’t a cheap task. Although some prefer to adopt a DIY technique for performing this task. But before you embark on a DIY option, make sure to possess all the tools needed to lift your Cherokee Jeeper. 

However, it’s best to reach out for professional help to give your jeep an outstanding and proper lift. Most professionals possess all the tools needed and are suitable for any model. 

You will be charged between $500 to $5,000 to complete this task. But if you need a more advanced kit lifting, you may be charged up to $10,000. 

Conclusion

Your Jeep Grand Cherokee will have more stamina and be comfortable driving on all kinds of roads with bigger tires. Hopefully, I believe by now that this article has answered, can you put bigger tires on your jeep grand Cherokee? 

We have also shown you amazing tire brands, and how to determine tire sizes adequate for your jeep grand Cherokee.

Written By

  • Clifford Atiyeh

    Clifford Atiyeh is an esteemed independent journalist with a keen expertise in the automotive sector. As a contributing editor for Car and Driver, he covers a broad range of topics including business, government, and litigation news within the industry. With over two decades of experience, Clifford’s bylines have graced numerous prestigious media outlets. His passion for storytelling is matched by his skill in photography, further enriching his journalistic endeavors. As the president of the New England Motor Press Association, Clifford plays a pivotal role in the automotive journalism community. His insights and analyses are also featured on platforms such as Forbes, showcasing his versatility and depth of knowledge.

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