2015 WK2 with stock Rubicon rims and tires

SpiderViper

New member
Hello guys just thought I would do a quick post about this topic with some real answers and pictures. Before I tackled this project there was a lot of maybes and should's but nothing concrete.

First a little info:

Wife's 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited with the 3.0L eco diesel with 15,000 miles. It HAS the heavy duty brake package. And came factory with 18" limited wheels. No Quadra lift or spacer lift bone stock.
IMG_1481.jpg

Donor Jeep. My 2013 JKUR wheels with Tpms still installed.
Before
IMG_1486.jpg
After
IMG_1677.jpg

After a ton of searching and basically coming up with a solid maybe they will fit I listed her stock set of wheels and tires on Craigslist. Sold them in one day and when I went to mount the rubicon wheels/tires on they did Not fit the front!!!! So I did some more reading and found that you can either grind your brake calipers or buy some wheel spacers.

So with my sights set on the minimum wheel spacers I would need I eventually came to ordering a set of 1.5" Bora wheel spacers. They did take 10 days to cut on the CNC machine and 3 days of shipping. After receiving them I was very impressed with the quality and fit and finish.
IMG_1687.jpg
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At this point I got them mounted up and found 2 "new" spares for the front of the jeep on Craigslist and took my best 2 for the rear.
This is how it sits today

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The 2013 Tpms sensors were recognized by the 2015 Jeep WK2. They automatically updated with pressures once she drove it enough. However it did take about 2 days and 30-40 miles for us of mixed driving.

The wheels and tires fit well and barley stick out past the fenders. Less than a half inch of tire exposed. There is no rubbing lock to lock in the driveway. However we are having a slight rub on the fender liner where one of the plastic clips resides while driving over a bump and turning slightly left or right, but nothing major. While driving with the steering wheel straight, or turned more than 1/4 in either direction there is not any rubbing.

Over all there is a little more road noise inside the jeep as to be expected but not enough to bother the wife but just enough to put the little ones to sleep!

The 1.5" spacers gives enough room to clear the caliper. I would not recommend any less of a spacer.

Also the full size spare will fit In the stock wheel well. This tire is probably 10% tread but fits with the "ice buckets" still inside.
IMG_1712.jpg



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Looks good. Any plans on lifting it? Sorry if you said it already, it's Monday 2.0 for me and I didn't read the whole post. Lol
 
Thanks WJCO that's what we're were hoping for. As well as a little more ground clearance. We were getting 34.3 mpg on the highway we are down to 32.4 mpg but that's to be expected lol


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Looks great. We just picked up a 17 Trailhawk with Hemi so HD brakes. I want to put 17" wheels with 32's and you are only the second person I've seen accomplish this with the big brakes. Gives me hope.


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Update now with 8,000 miles on this setup it is great to drive. Other than the noise of an MT you wouldn’t know it was different from stock WK2. It is a smoother ride aswell, I’m sure it’s due to the larger sidewall..


For sure it did take 2 days or so but the jeep did recognize and display the new TPMS sensors.
 
Hello guys just thought I would do a quick post about this topic with some real answers and pictures. Before I tackled this project there was a lot of maybes and should's but nothing concrete.

First a little info:

Wife's 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited with the 3.0L eco diesel with 15,000 miles. It HAS the heavy duty brake package. And came factory with 18" limited wheels. No Quadra lift or spacer lift bone stock.
View attachment 269762

Donor Jeep. My 2013 JKUR wheels with Tpms still installed.
Before
View attachment 269763
After
View attachment 269764

After a ton of searching and basically coming up with a solid maybe they will fit I listed her stock set of wheels and tires on Craigslist. Sold them in one day and when I went to mount the rubicon wheels/tires on they did Not fit the front!!!! So I did some more reading and found that you can either grind your brake calipers or buy some wheel spacers.

So with my sights set on the minimum wheel spacers I would need I eventually came to ordering a set of 1.5" Bora wheel spacers. They did take 10 days to cut on the CNC machine and 3 days of shipping. After receiving them I was very impressed with the quality and fit and finish.
View attachment 269765
View attachment 269766
View attachment 269767
View attachment 269768

At this point I got them mounted up and found 2 "new" spares for the front of the jeep on Craigslist and took my best 2 for the rear.
This is how it sits today

View attachment 269771
View attachment 269770
View attachment 269769


The 2013 Tpms sensors were recognized by the 2015 Jeep WK2. They automatically updated with pressures once she drove it enough. However it did take about 2 days and 30-40 miles for us of mixed driving.

The wheels and tires fit well and barley stick out past the fenders. Less than a half inch of tire exposed. There is no rubbing lock to lock in the driveway. However we are having a slight rub on the fender liner where one of the plastic clips resides while driving over a bump and turning slightly left or right, but nothing major. While driving with the steering wheel straight, or turned more than 1/4 in either direction there is not any rubbing.

Over all there is a little more road noise inside the jeep as to be expected but not enough to bother the wife but just enough to put the little ones to sleep!

The 1.5" spacers gives enough room to clear the caliper. I would not recommend any less of a spacer.

Also the full size spare will fit In the stock wheel well. This tire is probably 10% tread but fits with the "ice buckets" still inside.
View attachment 269772



Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

I saw this, when you originally posted it, but since we Just bought the 2018 Grand, I've been looking a lot harder. We have a Sterling Edition, Hemi with 20" wheels and low profile street tires. With the price of Rubicon take offs, around here, we are thinking of buying aftermarket wheels, like the Quadratec Rubicon look a likes, that have 5.2" backspace.

IMG_1594.jpg

Here is what I've found on back spacing of the stock wheels:

17x7.5 have 56.4 mm offset, or 6.47" back spacing.
18x8 have 56.4 mm offset, or 6.72" back spacing.
19x8 have 55 mm offset, or 6.67" back spacing.
20x8 have 55 mm offset, or 6.67" back spacing.

With 5.2" back spacing, I'd have 1.27" less than the stock 17's, and 1.47" less than the 20's. Do you think they'll clear, or will I need 1.5" to clear the calipers?

EDIT: It appears that all the wheels have 56.4 mm back spacing, so those Quadratec wheels should give 1.5”.
 
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I saw this, when you originally posted it, but since we Just bought the 2018 Grand, I've been looking a lot harder. We have a Sterling Edition, Hemi with 20" wheels and low profile street tires. With the price of Rubicon take offs, around here, we are thinking of buying aftermarket wheels, like the Quadratec Rubicon look a likes, that have 5.2" backspace.

View attachment 299835

Here is what I've found on back spacing of the stock wheels:

17x7.5 have 56.4 mm offset, or 6.47" back spacing.
18x8 have 56.4 mm offset, or 6.72" back spacing.
19x8 have 55 mm offset, or 6.67" back spacing.
20x8 have 55 mm offset, or 6.67" back spacing.

With 5.2" back spacing, I'd have 1.27" less than the stock 17's, and 1.47" less than the 20's. Do you think they'll clear, or will I need 1.5" to clear the calipers?
Clay I still have the wheels I got from you sitting in the back yard I don't think that I'm going to use them if you want them

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I realize this is an old thread but will add that without the big brake kit the JK Rubicon wheels fit without spacers.

I am curious to know if anyone found a way to hold the jack, etc. In the middle of the 17” spare, ideally like the factory polystyrene holder. Or maybe there’s a simple way to modify the factory item to fit the 17” rim. Currently my matched spare is underneath my JL and the WK2 has the factory 18” spare in it.
 
Looks great. We just picked up a 17 Trailhawk with Hemi so HD brakes. I want to put 17" wheels with 32's and you are only the second person I've seen accomplish this with the big brakes. Gives me hope.


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Apparently you can switch out the 350 mm rotors and caliper brackets for the 330 mm and use the same pads and caliper...I'm working on completing this swap today on my 2014 Summit - Hemi...I'm thinking the smaller brakes may be safer than wheel spacers (have those on order just incase)...All my big trailers have their own brakes so not too concerned. Will post some pictures once completed.
 
Apparently you can switch out the 350 mm rotors and caliper brackets for the 330 mm and use the same pads and caliper...I'm working on completing this swap today on my 2014 Summit - Hemi...I'm thinking the smaller brakes may be safer than wheel spacers (have those on order just incase)...All my big trailers have their own brakes so not too concerned. Will post some pictures once completed.

Stock 2022 Gladiator Rubicon wheels and tires, also installing the airlinks lift rods.
 

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Stock 2022 Gladiator Rubicon wheels and tires, also installing the airlinks lift rods.
So these rims still don’t clear the smaller caliper bracket and rotor, makes contact on the face, using the 1.5 spacers for now, hoping the 1/4” will be the answer. Cut and folded the pitch weld, good to go.
 

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So these rims still don’t clear the smaller caliper bracket and rotor, makes contact on the face, using the 1.5 spacers for now, hoping the 1/4” will be the answer. Cut and folded the pitch weld, good to go.
Final answer…Installed smaller rotors and clipper brackets and running 1/4” billet spacers on all four corners also Airlinks 2” lift rods.

no rubbing anywhere now.
Sorry to hi Jack such an old thread, just trying to keep similar info together. 97A50A85-BA98-4E96-B67A-45B823569929.jpeg
 

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