> Has anyone out there tried running 31" tires on a stock height '95 (or
> other pre-'97) 4x4 Dak? Do they work for off-roading when you get some
> real articulation?
>
> Reason I'm asking is that I intend to get a set of 31x9.50 (yes, nine
> and a half, not ten and a half like most 31s) Swamper TSL Radials to use
> as a dedicated off-road set for both the '95 and '98. I'm pretty set on
> these, since the '98 already has 31" tires on it, and with the club cab
> wheel base, the last thing it needs is to have shorter tires mounted on
> it for off-roading. I'm trying to figure out if these tires will work
> okay on the '95 at stock height or if I should order a 2" body lift at
> the same time. In case it makes a difference, the rims I'll be using
> are 15x6 OEM take-offs from a '92 or '93 Dak.
Jason,
I have seen many many GenII Daks with 31" tires with no suspension mods
other than a minor front torsion bar crank up, 1/2" or so. Most 31" tires
are not that much larger than the stock LT235-75R15 tires. The SS TSL Radial
you are looking at is 30.8" tall while a 'typical' LT235 is about 28.5"
tall. This is a small difference for the 32 1/4"-32 3/8" fender well
opening(with factory fender flares). The Daks I have seen were running 31's
in the normal 10.50" width, compared to the stock 9.50 width in the LT235s.
So overall, yes, 31" tires will fit. I am not 100% sure what will happen at
full suspension compression though, but I would bet you will be just fine
due to the limits imposed by the bumpstops and limiting upwards suspension
travel into the sheetmetal. You can ever test this out yourself by measuring
how much wheel well clearance you now have with the stock sized tires(with
no suspension compression, just sitting on a semi-flat ground) and then get
under your Dak and measure how much axle travel you have with the bumpstops;
both front and rear axles. Then compare the measurements with the size of
the 31" SS TSL and see how it comes out. Good Luck.
Kyle
93 Dakota 4x4 V6
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