How To Guide, Lift Kits

How Much Lift Do You Need for 33s, 35s or 37s?

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Last updated: 8 October 2026

The short version. Lift height is not what decides tyre size — wheel backspacing and offset usually matter more. A 2-inch lift with the wrong wheels rubs; a 2-inch lift with the right ones does not. Work out the three measurements below before you buy either the kit or the tyres, because fitting them in the wrong order is how people end up buying wheels twice.

The Three Numbers That Decide Whether a Tyre Rubs

1. Lift height

Raises the body relative to the axle, giving vertical clearance between the top of the tyre and the inner arch. This is the one everyone talks about, and it only solves rubbing upwards — when the suspension compresses over a bump.

2. Backspacing

The distance from the wheel’s mounting face to its inner edge. Less backspacing pushes the wheel outward, away from the suspension and steering components. This is what stops a wide tyre catching the control arm or the sway bar at full lock — the rubbing that happens when you turn, which no amount of lift will fix.

3. Offset

The same idea expressed differently: how far the mounting face sits from the wheel’s centreline. Negative offset pushes the wheel out, positive pulls it in. A wheel that is pushed out gives clearance but also widens the track, which adds leverage on wheel bearings and ball joints and can put the tyre outside the fender where that is not legal.

The mistake that costs the most. Buying tyres and a lift first, then discovering the tyres catch the control arms at full lock, and solving it with wheel spacers. Spacers are a legitimate tool, but using them to correct a wheel choice you have already made means adding leverage to the bearings on a vehicle that already carries heavier tyres. Choose wheel backspacing and tyre size together, before the kit goes on.

Rough Starting Points by Platform

These are the sizes commonly run, not guarantees. Trim, wheel choice and whether you trim the plastic all move the answer.

Platform	Stock-ish	With ~2–2.5″ lift	With ~3.5″+ lift	Limiting factor
Wrangler JL / JK (4-door)	Up to 33″	35″	37″ with trimming	Control arm and fender liner at full lock
Wrangler TJ / YJ	Up to 31″	33″	35″	Narrower arches, older geometry
Gladiator JT	33″	35″	37″ with trimming	Same as JL, longer wheelbase helps
Grand Cherokee (unibody)	Factory size	Modest increase only	Rarely practical	CV angles and arch liner
Cherokee KL / Compass / Renegade	Factory size	Small increase	Not realistic	Unibody IFS, very limited room

What Bigger Tyres Change Beyond Clearance

Your speedometer and odometer read low. A taller tyre covers more ground per revolution, so the dash under-reports both speed and distance. That affects service intervals and resale mileage as well as your speed.
Effective gearing goes taller. The engine works harder for the same acceleration. On a heavy Jeep with 35s on factory gearing this shows up as hunting between gears and running hot on long climbs — which is why regearing comes up so often at this size.
Braking distances grow. Heavier tyres with more rotating mass on brakes sized for the original tyre. This is the consequence people consider least and should consider most.
Front-end wear accelerates. Wider, heavier tyres load ball joints, wheel bearings and steering components harder, and wheel spacers amplify that.

Worth taking seriously. Check clearance at full lock in both directions, and at full suspension compression — not just sitting level in a car park. A tyre that clears when parked can still catch under articulation. Get a four-wheel alignment after any lift or wheel change. Confirm that your tyres do not protrude beyond the fender where local law prohibits it. And recalibrate the speedometer after a significant tyre size change rather than estimating the difference in your head.

The Order to Do This In

Decide the tyre size you actually want, honestly, based on use rather than looks.
Find the backspacing or offset that size needs on your platform — this is where most people skip a step.
Pick the lift that clears it vertically, which is usually less lift than you assumed once the wheels are right.
Buy wheels, tyres and kit together so nothing has to be corrected with spacers afterwards.
Fit, align, recalibrate, then drive it for a week before deciding anything else is needed.

Common Questions

Do I need a lift for 33-inch tyres?

On most four-door Wranglers and Gladiators, not necessarily — many run 33s on stock suspension with the right wheel backspacing, and Rubicon trims come on roughly that size from the factory. Whether yours clears depends on your wheels more than your springs. On a unibody Jeep such as a Compass or Cherokee KL, 33s are generally not realistic regardless of lift.

What does backspacing actually change?

How far the wheel sits inboard or outboard. Less backspacing pushes the wheel outward, giving clearance between the tyre’s inner shoulder and the suspension and steering components — which is the rubbing you get when turning, not when going over bumps. Lift height does nothing for that kind of rubbing, which is why backspacing is often the number that decides your maximum tyre size.

Are wheel spacers safe?

Quality hub-centric spacers, torqued correctly and checked periodically, are used widely and are not inherently dangerous. The real issue is what they do mechanically: they move the wheel outboard, which increases leverage on wheel bearings and ball joints. On a vehicle already carrying heavier tyres, that is a meaningful extra load. Prefer choosing the right wheel offset over correcting the wrong one with a spacer.

Will bigger tyres hurt my fuel economy?

Yes. Taller, wider tyres add rolling resistance and rotating mass, and an aggressive tread adds more. Combined with the extra drag from a lift, the effect is noticeable and permanent. On a 4xe or electric Jeep it also reduces electric-only range, which matters more if that range is why you bought the vehicle.

Do I need to regear after fitting bigger tyres?

It depends how far you have gone and how the Jeep feels. Many owners run 33s on factory gearing without complaint. At 35 inches and above on a heavy vehicle, factory gearing commonly feels sluggish, the transmission hunts, and the engine runs hotter on long climbs. Regearing is not cheap, so factor it into the decision before fitting 35s rather than discovering it afterwards.

Does fitting bigger tyres affect my speedometer?

Yes, and it is worth correcting rather than mentally adjusting. A taller tyre travels further per revolution, so the speedometer reads lower than your actual speed and the odometer records fewer miles than you drive. That affects service intervals and recorded mileage as well as speed. Recalibration is a dealer or handheld-tuner job depending on the platform.

Our lift kit guides — what clears which tyre size, by model