WL Conflicting Info Regarding 17” Wheels

For the "WK2", JGCs, with the Hemi or EcoDiesel had HD brakes and 17s could not clear the calipers. The WL Laredo comes with 17s as standard and to-date, I don't believe anyone has mentioned that higher trims on the WL have different brakes, but I certainly could have missed that.

You may or may not be able to clear the linkages that sit right on top of the front tires with those larger diameter tires...

Jim_in_PA said:

For the "WK2", JGCs, with the Hemi or EcoDiesel had HD brakes and 17s could not clear the calipers. The WL Laredo comes with 17s as standard and to-date, I don't believe anyone has mentioned that higher trims on the WL have different brakes, but I certainly could have missed that.

You may or may not be able to clear the linkages that sit right on top of the front tires with those larger diameter tires...

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Thanks. That is my understanding as well, but was reading on WLjeepforum and some posters there were adamant that 17’s don’t fit the WL. Hopefully some people can chime in that has experience.

As for clearing the steering knuckle, the wheels I’m looking at are ET44 and with a 1.5” spacer would be more like an ET10 or less. That amount of offset should give plenty of room between the tire and the knuckle. I’ve seen some guys running 32 and 33” tires on ET0 wheels with no lift.

jordan21210 said:

hanks. That is my understanding as well, but was reading on WLjeepforum and some posters there were adamant that 17’s don’t fit the WL.

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Seems to me they have not looked at the Jeep website where it literally shows in writing that the Laredos have 17s...

BTW, lifts don't really change tire size limitations on the JGC in a material way. These are not body-on-frame vehicles so any "lift" is just stretching the suspension, more or less.

So…just watched those videos from the poster here trying to fit 35’s on a WL. He tried mounting up Wrangler 392 17x7.5 wheels with a 1.5” spacer and the wheels would not clear the caliper. The OEM 17 Jeep puts on the Grand Cherokee Laredo must be very specific to the WL. I can’t figure out how a 17x6.5 wheel can be OEM and clear the brakes but a 17x7.5 wheel with a 1.5” spacer cannot clear the brakes.

If you consider how wheels are made and the profiles can vary, it absolutely makes sense that some wheels might fit and others will not. The vehicle I drive (Subaru Ascent) has only like four choices for 17s that will fit on the vehicle because of brake clearance while there are a "ton" of 18s that will work as long as they have the load rating required. The JGC is no different. Wheel design matters.

When doing something "different", it's always a good idea to work out a way to do a test fit before you commit if you can.