8.5's but my buddys running an 03 4x4 stock 20"s leveled with 35x12.50

 

Well, you only sit out 1/4" more than stock, but the tire still buldges...hmmm Are the 02-05's different with the UCA? I haven't looked at a torsion bar set-up but i thought you would have the same interference issue's??
Would you be willing to snap a pic of the inside of the tire? Like a parallel pic shooting upwards with the tire pointed straight ahead so I can see what the clearance looks like with your set-up? This would resolve a lot of issue's with giving people false info.

 

not alot of clearance with my mud tires

 

Thanks for the pics.
Looks like youve even rubbed slightly on the UCA.

Def a diff UCA than what the 06-08's have. I have ~5/8" clearance. Just enough to fit my pinky finger in between.
STOCK size 275/60/20's (10.8" wide)


Now you know why I was getting paranoid about fitting a 12.5" wide tire on OP's wheels without spacers. i dont think 06+ can get away with that???? For every inch, you lose 1/2" side clearance. That means at 12" you'd practically be touching.
However, since 05-prior are diff. Looks like you luck out, but beware, not all tire manufacturers are created equal. Just because one tire man. says 12.5" doesn't mean it's a true 12.5", while another may say 12.5" and they may actually be slightly wider than 12.5". Just a heads up.

 

I have the metric equivalent of a 34"x12" tire on stock 'offroad' 17" rims. Mine's pretty close to the UCA too, just over half an inch. My tires rub at about 95% to full lock, I've just gotten used to it, I don't jam it to full lock anymore. Spacers are a good idea though.

 

an '02 sport w/ nuthin but a rough country 2.5" level.. 20"x10" motometal 951's (4.5" backspacing, 18mm offeset) and cepek 35x12.5's.. I slightly rub at full lock, on the fender shrouds... but a sharp blade took care of that.. the tires extend about two inches from the fender well..

My biggest concern if'm I were you, is running a 12.5" w tire on a 9" rim.. you could be asking for leaning it off the bead.. I think most folks say no more than 3" either way.. Not that I've seen it happen, but it is a logical concern..

some level kits come with a gizmo shackle thingy that makes stock shocks usable.. but I'd put longer ones on there and ditch the gizmo.. it's not like shocks are that expensive...

I've a buddy who tried the same thing I got away with, and didn't come close.. he rubbed everywhere it seemed.. and I've another who could dang near do this on a stock truck.. I'm at a loss as to why- my brother in law tried to explain it to me, but either he was drunkern' I was or I was drunkern he was at the time, and I couldn't grasp it.. but his theory was that all bodies aren't on the frame the same.. an inch here, an half of an inch there.. it accounts for some trucks can pull it off, some can't..

once sober, and driving through a lot of brand spanking new trucks I put his theory to a spot check- he pointed to the bed/cab as a good point of reference- and I must admit, he is right- some trucks are flush on both sides from the cab to the bed, but most aren't.. it isn't on there square- meaning on the side of one truck there is a depression of maybe an inch while the other side reflects an extension of the same.. brand new trucks now..

his theory states that this is just the easiest place to spot it, but similar tales exist in other areas too- but harder to spot- like the front ends, where one tack is half an inch out compared to the other side here and there, and it accounts for the front body of a truck being slightly askew.. not so much as you can tell unless you measure or look really dang close..

underneath a truck- it's skeleton, lets say, it is all pretty dang precise.. but the bodies aren't..

on my ride, on the driver side, at full lock I can shove my fist in the gap between fender well and tire.. on the passenger side I can only fit two and a half knuckles..

does any of this make sense?

 

It looks like I might could have gotten away with the 35x12.5r20 without the spacers, I didnt notice i had so much room

 

You guys are the greatest. I love this forum!

Looks like I will atleast be able to drive home on the new 35/12.50/20 without spacers or a level.

Once I'm back from the tire shop I'll crank my T-bars and get myself a good alignment as per Hammer's DYI:
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...-lift-diy.html