It's time to retire the 35x12.50/18 BFG MT's on my '05 2500 4x4. They have put in a good fight, and gone well over 50k miles. The spare is out of round and one of the rears is trying to follow suit. Getting the 65mph "vibe". Date code stamps show they are all from 2005, and dry-rot cracks are everywhere. It's past due for them to go bye-bye.

But I don't like the aftermarket 18's that are on the truck, and I'm not happy about dropping $300+ per tire to replace the 18" tires to put on wheels I don't like. I do however have a stock set of 17" wheels for the truck with the stock Michelin tires. Got a line on a set of 5 barely used (<1k miles) 37x12.5/17 BFG's for cheap. I ran the stockers for a short time doing some highway driving, but don't care for the "roller-skate" look (it's ok, you can laugh, my wife did). Thus leading me to my question:

Can you stuff 37x12.50's on factory 17's without rubbing up front? I have 5" lift all around and know that 37's will fit with no rubbing with aftermarket wheels, but I don't know if they will rub or not on factory wheels do to offset difference. Can anyone speak from experience? Just trying to get some "edjumakashun" before I start throwing money around and dismount the stock tires from the wheels.

 

Rancho advertises 37/12.50's with 4" lift and stock wheels, so it should work. However they may rub at full lock turning, on the control arms. My 315/70-17's on stock wheels just barely touch the control arms occasionally at full lock turning.

 

They will fit for sure, may rub on the control arms. I just put some 37x12.50's on my 04.5 with no lift and only rub at full lock.