37" tires on a 2.3l manual. Initial observations

tstarks

Apr 09, 2023

A couple days ago I decided to go ahead and pull the trigger on addending 37" tires on my 2.3l manual Badlands non sas, with about 6500 miles on it. I did not go with the wheel and tire upgrade when I originally ordered the bronco.

I decided to go with the Nitto trail grappler mt 37x12.50r17lt. I decided to keep my stock wheels, I like them.

A couple months ago I had added the bronco buster purch collar lift/level, 2 1/4 front lift and 1 1/4 rear lift. These are advertised as allowing you to add 37s to a badlands.

Shortly after I had received my bronco back in December, I had added 1 1/2 inch wheel spacers.

I decided to purchase the rough country tailgate reinforcement, spare tire relocater and the 3rd break light relocater brackets. Totaling about $240.

First thing I noticed was the enormous weigh difference from the old BFGs to the new nittos, not a huge surprise with the 4" plus hight difference and the 2.5 width difference plus the new tires are 10 ply.

First thing we did was remove the crach bars on the front end, of course we had to remove the front bumper to remove the front crash bars.

I wanted to run the new tires without the wheel spacers, to reduce the poke of the wider tire. We discovered that we could not, due to the tire hitting the upper control arm, at 1/2 of the stearings full turning radius. I believe this is due to the 2 1/2" wider tire. I think I can add narrower spacers and still be OK.

After completing the installation I took it for a drive. The louder road noise was the first thing I noticed, based on the tire tread not on the size.

Performance reduction was the next thing I noticed. I felt the road though the steering quite significantly, again this could be contributed partially to the aggressive tread pattern of the nitto. I also noticed at 60mph my rpms ran about 3 points lower. I found myself needing to shift down more often when going up hill. Before the change, I could set the cruse controle at 60 or 65 mph and not have any power loss up hill. Now I have to shift down to keep the set speed. MPGs is also taking a significant beating. At 6500 miles I was getting about 19mpg. I am finding it marching down quickly. Not sure where it will finally settle, as I've only driven it about 75 miles since the change.

Overall, I like the look and the increased clearance. I do anticipate the off-road perform e to be much better. The on-road performance is a little concerning as this is my daily driver. If it was mostly an off-road use vehicle, I would be less concerned.

Before

After

2022 4dr Badlands~Cyber Orange~MIC Top~Non Sas~2.3l MT~High Package~Roof Rails~Block Heater~Ordered 1/13/22~Build date 11/3~ In production 10/26~Window sticker 10/27~11/3 Blend date~Modules live 11/4~built email 11/6~shipped 11/14~arrived at the dealership 12/13~in the home stall 12/15

Adrenalin, Blutic Beagle

Last edited by a moderator: Apr 09, 2023

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Apr 11, 2023

#20

I'd kill for 19 mpg. lol 2k miles into owning my Wildtrak with 35s, 14.6 mpg average. . .

Your tires are two inches wider, but that only means one inch on the inside to rub.

Looks great either way.

I am not the leader. I just like to go first.

tstarks

Apr 11, 2023

#21

AcesandEights
Thanks for the response. I realize all that, a taller tire increases ground clearance, etc., but I was wondering what you got, practically speaking, from the taller tires, besides the headaches. Meaning, what were you not able to do because you had stock tires? You do a lot of off road driving, so were there a lot of things you weren't able to do with the stock-sized tires?

I did get stuck in a offroading snow situation a couple months ago. I was pulled out by a jeep with 37s. They felt I would have been fine had I been running 37s. And a more aggressive tread.

I was also in moab last month. I did steer clear of some trails I would have liked to have taken, based on lack of clearance. I'm sure down the road I'll find more opportunities where clearance will make the difference, especially in the offroading in snow relm.

I don't see myself doing a lot of "rock crawling" other than on what I run into on the moderate to hard trails.

Deano Bronc

Apr 11, 2023

#22

Mikes2021Bronco
OFFSETS

NON SAS = +55
SASQUATCH = +30

Thanks

Apr 11, 2023

#23

Daily Driver. Hmmmmm😏

Tim Bolt

U.S. ARMY RANGER / ASE MASTER TECH.

ResidualGenius, timhood

Apr 11, 2023

#24

MESTUNTMAN
Daily Driver. Hmmmmm😏

So, I only drive to and back from work once a week at about 120 miles round trip. Then I do some other minimal ancillary driving throughout the week. I probably put about 150 miles on a week, unless I do some offroading.

But yeah guess I'll see where the mileage plummet ends. 😭

Mattwings

Apr 12, 2023

#25

@tstarks Have you tried Premium Fuel or Sport Mode? (I added Sport mode to my BL with Forscan)

Lt. LAGER = 2 Door Badlands, A51, High pkg, 2.3, 7 Speed, Non-SAS. Prod week 8/8/2022 - Picked up 12/5/2022.

tstarks

Apr 12, 2023

#26

SAVEUP
@tstarks Have you tried Premium Fuel or Sport Mode? (I added Sport mode to my BL with Forscan)

Yeah, I'm going to have sport mode added when I get the recalibration of the odometer done in a couple days. No on the premium, I'd be paying a buck fifty + more a gallon, not worth it at this point IMHO.

the poacher

Apr 12, 2023

#27

What did gears are you running? That is a considerable jump from 33’s to 37’s you could always change your gear ratio for better performance. I would look at 4.88 or 5.13 gears.

tstarks

Apr 12, 2023

#28

I really like the fact that the OP kept the stock Badlands wheels. IMHO I have not seen any aftermarket wheels that look as good on a Bronco.

EZ to change the offset via spacers too, as the stock Badlands wheels have little “pockets” on the inside for the lug nuts.

OP: your Bronco looks cool. I like it.

Jakob1972, Deano Bronc

Apr 12, 2023

#29

LARS2827
What did gears are you running? That is a considerable jump from 33’s to 37’s you could always change your gear ratio for better performance. I would look at 4.88 or 5.13 gears.

Yeah, 4" is a big jump. My bronco came stock with 4.70. The cost of changing would really be cost prohibitive IMHO. I think I would rather just bump down to 35s and lose the inch clearance.

LARS2827, Deano Bronc

Apr 12, 2023

#30

Montana Bronco
I really like the fact that the OP kept the stock Badlands wheels. IMHO I have not seen any aftermarket wheels that look as good on a Bronco.

EZ to change the offset via spacers too, as the stock Badlands wheels have little “pockets” on the inside for the lug nuts.

OP: your Bronco looks cool. I like it.

Thanks. I agree, I too dig the stock bl wheels. I am looking at getting some thinner spacers. I think I could probably get away with 1/2" to 1" and not hit the upper control arm.
Really, hubcentric spacers are not really adding any additional "stress to the components", IMHO, then that of a wheel offsets giving the same poke would give. Both move the tire further out. I think one might even be adding less weight with a wheel spacer then a whole wheel with a an increased offset, seems there would be a lot less material used in a spacer. I'm sure I'll get some kick back on that.

Apr 12, 2023

#31

tstarks
Thanks. I agree, I too dig the stock bl wheels. I am looking at getting some thinner spacers. I think I could probably get away with 1/2" to 1" and not hit the upper control arm.
Really, hubcentric spacers are not really adding any additional "stress to the components", IMHO, then that of a wheel offsets giving the same poke would give. Both move the tire further out. I think one might even be adding less weight with a wheel spacer then a whole wheel with a an increased offset, seems there would be a lot less material used in a spacer. I'm sure I'll get some kick back on that.

Just make sure you get good spacers. BORA makes quality spacers. If you go cheep you risk driving down the road watching your wheel/tire pass you in the ditch. I put 2” billet aluminum hubcentric spacers on my F250 and If it wasn’t for a front bearing going out I would not have noticed every stud on the spacer sheared off just putting the lug wrench on them.

Bronco Nation 1100. Everglades, Desert Sand
Res: 7/30/20 ordered 1/22/21 reorder 10/15/21 changed to Everglades 3/9/22 schedule 8/29/22 bumped to 9/5; 9/7/22 blend, 9/9 Mods, 9/26/22 completed, 10/7 shipped, 11/3/22 delivery

Deano Bronc

Apr 12, 2023

#32

We've had a number of threads on this topic.

We had 37 maxxis trepadors on our 2.3 MT. Plus 4WP bumpers, winch, steps, matching spare. Plus suspension upgrades like coilovers, uppers and rear track bar. It handled wonderfully. *But Very Heavy. Removing the rear spare helped a lot via tailgate and weight. Only mount spare if going offroad or on a roadtrip. The 4WP spare tire carrier helped a lot both with AND without the 37 spare added (still had 3rd brake light etc).

The nittos will be a louder rough ride. They look great but not our first choice. The maxxis tires we had were super beefy, however, not too loud + handled great at any speed even 102mph. You should be able to hit 100mph in 4th gear btw. At least with the 4.70 rear gear. Which reminds me, do you have the 4.70 rear gear, assuming so. 4.7 REALLY helps turn those 37s.

The uphill grades will be a chore for you now (and your mpg) but power should still be strong. Power delivery can be easier with a couple simple performance upgrades that wont void your warranty nor drain your bank account (1) Whipple or S&B High Flow VTop air filter dry media suggested (2) throttle controller like the one we sell here in the accessory section i.e. Sprint Booster or Pedal Commander. At a minimum, you will notice a difference after installing both which will help improve your driving experience a little bit while on 37s.

PS-I like how the 37s look on OEM wheels. Nice work

2021Bronco☆2.3☆BL☆7MT☆4D☆A51☆SoftT☆ARRIVED 9/9/21☆SOLD 1/21/23☆NT Supports▪Consults▪Supply's Car Dealers, Vehicle Distributors, and Retail Customers Since 1992

tstarks

Apr 12, 2023

#33

NT AUTOMOTIVE
We've had a number of threads on this topic.

We had 37 maxxis trepadors on our 2.3 MT. Plus 4WP bumpers, winch, steps, matching spare. Plus suspension upgrades like coilovers, uppers and rear track bar. It handled wonderfully. *But Very Heavy. Removing the rear spare helped a lot via tailgate and weight. Only mount spare if going offroad or on a roadtrip. The 4WP spare tire carrier helped a lot both with AND without the 37 spare added (still had 3rd brake light etc).

The nittos will be a louder rough ride. They look great but not our first choice. The maxxis tires we had were super beefy, however, not too loud + handled great at any speed even 102mph. You should be able to hit 100mph in 4th gear btw. At least with the 4.70 rear gear. Which reminds me, do you have the 4.70 rear gear, assuming so. 4.7 REALLY helps turn those 37s.

The uphill grades will be a chore for you now (and your mpg) but power should still be strong. Power delivery can be easier with a couple simple performance upgrades that wont void your warranty nor drain your bank account (1) Whipple or S&B High Flow VTop air filter dry media suggested (2) throttle controller like the one we sell here in the accessory section i.e. Sprint Booster or Pedal Commander. At a minimum, you will notice a difference after installing both which will help improve your driving experience a little bit while on 37s.

PS-I like how the 37s look on OEM wheels. Nice work

Yeah, it's kind of annoying to have to shift down now, on hills I didn't have to before. Last month I even went over the continental divide twice on the way to Utah, with my old tires and I never had to shift down in cruise control.

NT AUTOMOTIVE

Apr 13, 2023

#34

tstarks
Yeah, it's kind of annoying to have to shift down now, on hills I didn't have to before. Last month I even went over the continental divide twice on the way to Utah, with my old tires and I never had to shift down in cruise control.

Yes and its pretty cool being able to shift gears normally even with cruise control on, helps

2021Bronco☆2.3☆BL☆7MT☆4D☆A51☆SoftT☆ARRIVED 9/9/21☆SOLD 1/21/23☆NT Supports▪Consults▪Supply's Car Dealers, Vehicle Distributors, and Retail Customers Since 1992

tstarks

Apr 13, 2023

#35

tstarks
A couple days ago I decided to go ahead and pull the trigger on addending 37" tires on my 2.3l manual Badlands non sas, with about 6500 miles on it. I did not go with the wheel and tire upgrade when I originally ordered the bronco.
...
Overall, I like the look and the increased clearance. I do anticipate the off-road perform e to be much better. The on-road performance is a little concerning as this is my daily driver. If it was mostly an off-road use vehicle, I would be less concerned.

One thing you could consider (though you may not be ready to do it soon), is get a second set of wheels. Put your daily drivers on one set and your monster off-road tires on the other. Swap them when you plan to go off-roading. I did that with my Badlands, though I went in the other direction: I got daily drivers with a less aggressive tread than the KO2s and also slightly smaller, looking for some gain in fuel economy. I put those on my "street" wheels, which are white, as part of the Heritage look I'm going for. I swap out the OEM wheels with KO2s before off-roading. My DeWalt cordless impact driver makes short work of the swap process.

Apr 13, 2023

#36

tstarks
I did get stuck in a offroading snow situation a couple months ago. I was pulled out by a jeep with 37s. They felt I would have been fine had I been running 37s. And a more aggressive tread.

I was also in moab last month. I did steer clear of some trails I would have liked to have taken, based on lack of clearance. I'm sure down the road I'll find more opportunities where clearance will make the difference, especially in the offroading in snow relm.

I don't see myself doing a lot of "rock crawling" other than on what I run into on the moderate to hard trails.

When I was at the Off-Roadeo recently, I spoke with the instructors about which trails could be conquered with a non-Sasquatch Badlands. About 70% are available to me with my stock 33" KO2s. If you don't have it already, I recommend this book: Guide to Moab Trails. There's a table where the trails are rated by difficulty, which makes it easy to know what one can handle.

With 37s, you can start dipping into the some of the most extreme trails. My 33s will let me do everything I plan to do. 😉

Mattwings

Apr 13, 2023

#37

timhood
When I was at the Off-Roadeo recently, I spoke with the instructors about which trails could be conquered with a non-Sasquatch Badlands. About 70% are available to me with my stock 33" KO2s. If you don't have it already, I recommend this book: Guide to Moab Trails. There's a table where the trails are rated by difficulty, which makes it easy to know what one can handle.

With 37s, you can start dipping into the some of the most extreme trails. My 33s will let me do everything I plan to do. 😉

Bought that book when I was there. It's quite extinsive and detailed.

Apr 13, 2023

#38

LARS2827
What did gears are you running? That is a considerable jump from 33’s to 37’s you could always change your gear ratio for better performance. I would look at 4.88 or 5.13 gears.

Manual Badlands has the 4.7 gears if memory serves me correctly. Frankly, I'm a little surprised that you took that much of a hit on performance. I guess the automatic trans is hiding some of that for other folks who went to 37's. The suggestion to swap out to 4.88 or 5.13's reminds me of the old days when I had a Jeep CJ5 and what gears we ran was a constant topic of discussion.

OnX Trail Guide
4 Door BadSquatch | Soft-top | Velocity Blue | 2.7 Auto

tstarks

Apr 14, 2023

#39

A few additional things I'm noticing, after putting on several hundred miles.

Im starting to feel less of the road through the steering wheel. I attribute this to breaking in the tires, less grabby now. Also I've been reducing the pressure in the tires. When installed, they were aired up to 39 pounds, what the sticker recommends. Because of the 10 ply heavy-duty nature of the nitto trail grapplers, this causes the tread to have less contact with the road. As I've aired down to 34psi cold, the full width of the tread is now in contact with the ground.

I'm now rarely hearing any rocks hit the undercarriage. I even have a mile of dirt/gravel road to get to and from home. Nice little plus

the poacher, Mattwings

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