255/70/R17 Tires can fit, if you're willing to go there....

[delm]

My little project did not go as plug-and-play as I'd hoped, but it was pretty darn close.

I had good reason to believe that with the right lift, and with the right off-set wheels, that we could, indeed, fit 255/70/17 wheels onto the Bronco Sport (Badlands), despite the conventional wisdom here on this forum.

Specifically, conventional wisdom holds that this tire is too large to get to work without cutting metal, and more specifically, without cutting into the pinch weld of the vehicle, which would be dangerous and foolish to do.

I can definitively state that this is not the case.

Conventional wisdom also claims that this size tire would be far to heavy for the BS. I can also definitively state that this is not the case...at least for the Badlands. I probably wouldn't go there with the 1.5L engine.

Like I said - this was not completely plug and play.

So how did I get here?

I went with the fordrangerlifts.com 1.75" lift kit specifically marketed for the Badlands & First Edition.

I then went with the Fuel Zephyr wheels with 25mm offsets.

Finally, there was some trimming of plastic. No cutting into metal at all.

The ride is awesome. Plenty of power, and I love the elevated view. I've got some Air Design fender flairs enroute to finish up the look.

Here are the "Before" and "After" pics:

A couple more pictures of the wheel wells:

Front:

Back:

 

[delm]

This computer graphics rendition was my inspiration for proportions that I was going for. I think this set up got as close to it as I want to go. And I'm pretty confident that larger tires would not be worth the effort, and may actually require the cutting into metal that some feared this size would require.

 

[delm]

A couple more pictures of the wheel wells:

Front:

Back:

 

[delm]

 

[Escape2Bronco]

Have you tried to flexed it out yet? Still looks tight to me but that's ok as long as you like it.

 

[Mark S.]

Can you please detail the process used to verify no interference between the tires and wheel wells?

 

[Jrl]

I am about to go with 235/70/17 cooper tires on my first edition with just the lift that it came with from factory . No lift needed .

 

[delm]

Have you tried to flexed it out yet? Still looks tight to me but that's ok as long as you like it.

I have but I haven't maxed anything out yet. I might have given up some wheel travel, but not sure. Plenty of space front and back, but I've got just over 5 inches at the lowest point between the bottom of the outer fender and the top outer part of the wheel that would hit it. Still plenty of wheel travel for what I'll be doing with this, but not a lot for hard off-roading.

 

[delm]

Can you please detail the process used to verify no interference between the tires and wheel wells?

Articulation at all 4 corners, locked steering right and left, visual inspection in the air and on the ground, and test driving.

As I mentioned a moment ago in another post, I think I've given up some total wheel travel, but still have more than enough for how this will be used.

 

[delm]

I have noticed that my speedometer is 3-4mph off from what I'm actually doing. I'll have to get to a dealer at some point to address that.

 

[RSH]

This computer graphics rendition was my inspiration for proportions that I was going for. I think this set up got as close to it as I want to go. And I'm pretty confident that larger tires would not be worth the effort, and may actually require the cutting into metal that some feared this size would require.

Your rendition looks like the Ford off rodeo support vehicles.

 

[Meanderthal]

Please do me a favor and go out and measure the tire diameter. I know what the specs say, but what does a tape measure say?

 

[delm]

Please do me a favor and go out and measure the tire diameter. I know what the specs say, but what does a tape measure say?

yeah - these are advertised as 31" tires, but my tape measure shows 30.25"

 

[Mark S.]

Articulation at all 4 corners, locked steering right and left, visual inspection in the air and on the ground, and test driving.

As I mentioned a moment ago in another post, I think I've given up some total wheel travel, but still have more than enough for how this will be used.

Just to be clear, you have not checked clearance at full suspension travel. Is that correct? Thanks for answering.

 

[delm]

Just to be clear, you have not checked clearance at full suspension travel. Is that correct? Thanks for answering.

Full suspension travel was checked. With this set up, the tire works with no rubbing. And my comment about giving up wheel travel was based on me out looking it over with a tape measure. I don’t actually think I did.