Frequently Asked Xterra Questions (FAXQ)
What is the biggest tire I can fit on my new Xterra?
You can run a 33” Tire, also often referred to as 285’s, (Click here for more info on tire sizes), on a stock Xterra with a mild modification known as the Melt Mod. With no modifications you can mount a 32” tire without issue. Anything larger than a 33” Tire will require a Lift and likely some trimming.
Trim: X, S, and OR:
1.) 255/85/16R - Diameter - 33.1"
2.) 285/75/16R - Diameter - 32.8" - Most common size
Trim: SE
1.) 255/80/17R - Diameter - 33.1"
2.) 285/70/17R - Diameter - 32.8"
Check out this Tire Calculator.
Will it Fit and What has to be Done!
I made it this morning because I am sick of ALL can I fit these questions ... for every size tire.
Tire Size | Diameter | What has to be Done
265/70/16R | 30.6" | Nothing, stock X and S sizes
275/70/16R | 31.2" | Nothing
265/75/16R | 31.6" | Nothing, stock OR size
285/70/16R | 31.7" | Nothing
285/70/17R | 32.7" | Melt Mod
285/75/16R | 32.8" | Melt Mod, and/or mild SL or BL
255/85/16R | 33.1" | Melt Mod, and/or mild SL or BL
295/75/16R | 33.4" | 3" SL AND significant fender trimming OR a BL and SL and a little fender trimming, wheel spacers or TS
305/75/16R | 34.0" | 2" or 3" SL, BL, some fender trimming, wheel spacers or TS (if this size even exists....)
315/75/16R | 34.6" | 2" or 3" SL, BL, more fender trimming, wheel spacers or TS
* Please note for those of you with 17" Rims (SE Xterra) your aspect ratio will change from 75 to 70...so the equivalent Tire to a 315/75/16R for a 17" Rim would be 315/70/17R. These two Tires are pretty much the exact same size but will fit their corresponding size Rims.
* Every tire company is going to manufacture their tire smaller or larger than the actual calculated measurement. This means that you may need to make slight modifications based on which tire type and manufacturer you select.
What is the Largest Spare Tire that Will Fit in the Stock Location?
While I am not sure about this, we do know a 33” tire will fit.
Which Tires should I Buy?
This is really a personal choice that's like picking what shoes to wear for the day. The Tire Rack is an excellent place to start doing some general research on tires and tire performance. How you use your tires (i.e.. highway, offroad, rock, mud) will in great part determine which tires you purchase. On road noise and manners are another large factor. Continue here for more info.
What lift should I get?
First you need to determine why you want a lift, and how you will use it. Determine your budget and any future modifications your truck might require. Next, check out lift options. After this try to find a similar thread that discuss the type of lift you believe you might desire and post any questions you might have. Indicating that you have done your homework will yield you positive results from your fellow forum members.
What modifications do I need to run XXX size tires?
Click. Note that all tires vary slightly in size.
How do I wire off road lights?
There are many ways to wire off road lights. Make a plan. Determine where you want to place them, where you will run your wiring. Know the wattage of your lights. And check out this thread and others to get you started. If you have a question, try to post in an existing thread. It is almost always best to post in an existing thread.
How do I post driveway photos of my Xterra?
Step 1: Either drag the image(s) to your message (post) or use the "Upload a File" button (right next to "Post Reply") to select your image(s) (max upload size is 5MB).
Step 2: Use the appropriate "Click Here to Insert Image into Post" button depending on whether you want to insert all images or one image into your message.
What is WOT?
It stands for Wide Open Throttle.
How do I post / include a picture?
Either host the file somewhere online (Photophucket is NOT a popular option for this), then use the image tagging feature of BB Code to place the picture in line with your post and if the file is small enough and the right file format, include it as an attachment to your post.
Note that the allowed number and size limitations make the latter not a particularly desirable option for posts containing many images ... using BB Code to include them in line is a much better way to go if that is what you're trying to do (or if you are not a supporting member).
Which Tire Should I Pick to Put on my Truck?
-- This is really a personal choice that's like picking what shoes to wear for the day. The Tire Rack is an excellent place to start doing some general research on tires and tire performance. This topic is one about which many people could write volumes, or debate ad nauseum across miles of fiber-optic cable ... occasionally with the fervor of a religious holy war.
Ultimately however, YOU - the driver, need to make the decision that's right for you and your vehicle; based on an honest evaluation of your requirements and the trade-offs involved. Some things that might be worth considering: what is the breakdown of how much the vehicle will be driven on/off road, how much are you willing to sacrifice on fuel mileage to gain a size advantage or off road performance, how much added road noise are you willing to tolerate, winter performance, do you want to run more than one set of tires based on the conditions, budget, and anything else pertinent to your specific situation.
At the end of the day, most folks looking for improved off road performance over the stock equipment will probably wind up with either an all-terrain tire or a max traction tire (sometimes also commonly called a mud, or off-road tire). If your truck will never leave the pavement, you may want to consider one of the other tire performance categories listed under the 'Light Truck/SUV' heading at this website.
AT (or All Terrain) tires are a good choice for all-around driving. While they may not be the absolute best at any one task, they have excellent versatility and will provide decent off-road performance while maintaining mellow on road manners. Some examples (and this is by no means an exhaustive list): BFGoodrich T/A KO, Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac, Firestone Destination A/T, and Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 2.
MT (or Max Traction) tires will be the type of tires chosen by those folks looking for the absolute best off-road performance, they often require some compromise in road handling and noise/vibration/harshness generated on pavement or in ultimate tread life. Some examples (and this is by no means an exhaustive list): BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2, Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar, Firestone Destination M/T, and Toyo Open Country M/T.
Some other links that might be worth checking out, are:
Please feel free to post up questions, or questions and answers to be added to the main post.
What is the biggest tire I can fit on my new Xterra?
You can run a 33” Tire, also often referred to as 285’s, (Click here for more info on tire sizes), on a stock Xterra with a mild modification known as the Melt Mod. With no modifications you can mount a 32” tire without issue. Anything larger than a 33” Tire will require a Lift and likely some trimming.
Trim: X, S, and OR:
1.) 255/85/16R - Diameter - 33.1"
2.) 285/75/16R - Diameter - 32.8" - Most common size
Trim: SE
1.) 255/80/17R - Diameter - 33.1"
2.) 285/70/17R - Diameter - 32.8"
Check out this Tire Calculator.
Will it Fit and What has to be Done!
I made it this morning because I am sick of ALL can I fit these questions ... for every size tire.
Tire Size | Diameter | What has to be Done
265/70/16R | 30.6" | Nothing, stock X and S sizes
275/70/16R | 31.2" | Nothing
265/75/16R | 31.6" | Nothing, stock OR size
285/70/16R | 31.7" | Nothing
285/70/17R | 32.7" | Melt Mod
285/75/16R | 32.8" | Melt Mod, and/or mild SL or BL
255/85/16R | 33.1" | Melt Mod, and/or mild SL or BL
295/75/16R | 33.4" | 3" SL AND significant fender trimming OR a BL and SL and a little fender trimming, wheel spacers or TS
305/75/16R | 34.0" | 2" or 3" SL, BL, some fender trimming, wheel spacers or TS (if this size even exists....)
315/75/16R | 34.6" | 2" or 3" SL, BL, more fender trimming, wheel spacers or TS
* Please note for those of you with 17" Rims (SE Xterra) your aspect ratio will change from 75 to 70...so the equivalent Tire to a 315/75/16R for a 17" Rim would be 315/70/17R. These two Tires are pretty much the exact same size but will fit their corresponding size Rims.
* Every tire company is going to manufacture their tire smaller or larger than the actual calculated measurement. This means that you may need to make slight modifications based on which tire type and manufacturer you select.
What is the Largest Spare Tire that Will Fit in the Stock Location?
While I am not sure about this, we do know a 33” tire will fit.
Which Tires should I Buy?
This is really a personal choice that's like picking what shoes to wear for the day. The Tire Rack is an excellent place to start doing some general research on tires and tire performance. How you use your tires (i.e.. highway, offroad, rock, mud) will in great part determine which tires you purchase. On road noise and manners are another large factor. Continue here for more info.
What lift should I get?
First you need to determine why you want a lift, and how you will use it. Determine your budget and any future modifications your truck might require. Next, check out lift options. After this try to find a similar thread that discuss the type of lift you believe you might desire and post any questions you might have. Indicating that you have done your homework will yield you positive results from your fellow forum members.
What modifications do I need to run XXX size tires?
Click. Note that all tires vary slightly in size.
How do I wire off road lights?
There are many ways to wire off road lights. Make a plan. Determine where you want to place them, where you will run your wiring. Know the wattage of your lights. And check out this thread and others to get you started. If you have a question, try to post in an existing thread. It is almost always best to post in an existing thread.
How do I post driveway photos of my Xterra?
Step 1: Either drag the image(s) to your message (post) or use the "Upload a File" button (right next to "Post Reply") to select your image(s) (max upload size is 5MB).
Step 2: Use the appropriate "Click Here to Insert Image into Post" button depending on whether you want to insert all images or one image into your message.
What is WOT?
It stands for Wide Open Throttle.
How do I post / include a picture?
Either host the file somewhere online (Photophucket is NOT a popular option for this), then use the image tagging feature of BB Code to place the picture in line with your post and if the file is small enough and the right file format, include it as an attachment to your post.
Note that the allowed number and size limitations make the latter not a particularly desirable option for posts containing many images ... using BB Code to include them in line is a much better way to go if that is what you're trying to do (or if you are not a supporting member).
Which Tire Should I Pick to Put on my Truck?
-- This is really a personal choice that's like picking what shoes to wear for the day. The Tire Rack is an excellent place to start doing some general research on tires and tire performance. This topic is one about which many people could write volumes, or debate ad nauseum across miles of fiber-optic cable ... occasionally with the fervor of a religious holy war.
Ultimately however, YOU - the driver, need to make the decision that's right for you and your vehicle; based on an honest evaluation of your requirements and the trade-offs involved. Some things that might be worth considering: what is the breakdown of how much the vehicle will be driven on/off road, how much are you willing to sacrifice on fuel mileage to gain a size advantage or off road performance, how much added road noise are you willing to tolerate, winter performance, do you want to run more than one set of tires based on the conditions, budget, and anything else pertinent to your specific situation.
At the end of the day, most folks looking for improved off road performance over the stock equipment will probably wind up with either an all-terrain tire or a max traction tire (sometimes also commonly called a mud, or off-road tire). If your truck will never leave the pavement, you may want to consider one of the other tire performance categories listed under the 'Light Truck/SUV' heading at this website.
AT (or All Terrain) tires are a good choice for all-around driving. While they may not be the absolute best at any one task, they have excellent versatility and will provide decent off-road performance while maintaining mellow on road manners. Some examples (and this is by no means an exhaustive list): BFGoodrich T/A KO, Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac, Firestone Destination A/T, and Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 2.
MT (or Max Traction) tires will be the type of tires chosen by those folks looking for the absolute best off-road performance, they often require some compromise in road handling and noise/vibration/harshness generated on pavement or in ultimate tread life. Some examples (and this is by no means an exhaustive list): BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2, Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar, Firestone Destination M/T, and Toyo Open Country M/T.
Some other links that might be worth checking out, are:
- Offroaders.com - AT & MT Tire Review Guide
- TheNewX.org - Tire Options Sticky
Please feel free to post up questions, or questions and answers to be added to the main post.
ccasion5:
