Finished the install of a Carli 2.0 Performance System on the truck last friday and a PSP steering box stabilizer. (They failed to pack the needed spacers and bushing required for the adjustable track bar and I didnt catch it until I started to install it. I accounted for all parts as I unpacked them as they had a parts list but those were not listed so I didn't catch it. Thanks to Jesse at Carli, I called them and they 3 day shipped me the parts because I had an appt. for tires and rims this past saturday.)Put on 18x9 5.5" B.S. 811 Ballistic Hostels and the new Nitto Trail Grapplers 35-12.50-18s. They rub the bottom of the fender on the back side. I fudged on the rim size by 1/2" and the B.S. Jesse at Carli told me to use for 35s to get some tire out under the fender flares I am putting on. I had plans to add Carli's control arms in the near future but i guess I'll do it now, only $700.00 more. OUCH! Certainly improved the stance and looks of the truck! Will post some pics soon as I can get computer/savvy wife to do it for me.

 

How does it ride was it worth it?

 

Ride is for sure better. Not nearly as stiff on the first couple of inches of travel. Will still slam your head against the door glass if you drop a tire off in a pothole though. I was ok with the way the truck rode anyway, I just wanted it leveled and some clearance for tires. Pretty expensive way to get it , but yea it was worth it. I know there is cheaper ways and other guys out there making parts for them but I grew tired of comparing and looking at all of it out there and had to get started. Carli is top dollar stuff but they are at the top and good people too, so right or wrong, that was my call. John

 

Yeah i hear ya i have the starter kit and love it but it could still be better. I have been looking into Thurens Kings but want to make sure it is going to make a HUGE difference for the cash. I also really like the 2.0 but i know not to expect miracles.

 

How much front end lift did you end up with? The reason I ask is because I am interested in those same tires but with the 18x9 XD Monsters. I am trying to figure out if I will rub with a leveling kit only. Those trail grapplers are a touch over 13" wide.

 

Sorry about the delay in my reply to your questions but I just found it today. The 2.0 Carli system lifted the truck a full 3 in. in the front and 1 in. in the rear. The tires added another 2 in. overall. The tire rubbing problem after driving it a little and looking at it I found the passenger side tire barely touching the fender liner in the rear of the fender well at full lock right turn at the very bottom just inside the edge of the fender lip, never touched the fender but is pretty close to it. I loosened the bottom screw that holds the liner to the fender and put a 3/16 rubber shim in to hold the liner back a bit and that stopped the rubbing. The driver side has never rubbed. I am still adding 1/2 in. longer Carli control arms to be sure it never contacts the fender if the suspension is comressed in a turn, I dont think it ever would as the axle moves forward a bit because of the arc radius of the control arms. I think if I had used a wheel with 6 in. of backspacing I wouldnt have had any problems and Ballistic makes a 6 in. B.S. wheel in the style I chose. I went with the 5 1/2 to get more tire under the flares. I think you would be OK but use at least no less than 5 1/2 B.S. rims. With 2" lift tires wont move back in the fender well opening as much as mine did with the 3" lift either. Another thing to consider with the Trail Grapplers is they pick up rocks bad. They are pretty quiet on the road, more-so than I expected. Excellent looking tire also! I am today installing the Mag-Hytek diff. covers on my truck. If you have any more ? I am glad to share what I have learned. John

 

Thanks for the reply! Can you comment on wet traction for those tires? I am debating that tire or the Mickey Thompson ATZ and my breaking point is wet traction. We get some snow too but its mostly all hard packed stuff very rarely anything more than 6". I agree, those tires look awesome without the road noise that the Mud Grapplers have.

Any pics?

 

Cannot give any help on this aspect of the tires as I have only put about 300 mi. on them and none on wet pavement. I have read some about new tires needing a break in period and feeling "squirmy" somewhat the first few thousand miles but I certainly didnt experience anything like that with these. I drove from Custom Automotive 100 mi. home 70 -75 mph, same as stock tires and rims. I also remember looking at the specs on these tires the tread depth was something like 3/32 or so deeper than many other comparable tires, dont know if that will make any difference in total mileage that can be gotten out of them or not but they have some deep lugs on them for sure. The guys at the shop I bought them at tried to get me to use Terra Grapplers as they had those in stock and a good looking tire too, but I wanted the Trail Grapplers. Had to wait 2 weeks as they had to order them and are the first set they have sold. They sell a lot of Terra G. tires and say 50,000 mi. out of them is common. Trail G. tires are the same compound and I expect them to perform close to the same with good tire maintenance. I have some pics of it without the SRT hood and lights just after the tires and rims, will try to get my boss to put them up for me later as I have yet to learn how to do that. John

 

I have attached the pictures of John's truck, after the new tires were installed.

 

Sharp looking truck man! I'm going with these tires and the 20x9 black xd monsters. Hope I don't rub!!

 

Alot of guy have rubbing issues becasue they do not get a kit with and axle forward control arm. They maintian the same length control arms and it causes the axle to move backwards after they lft the truck thus making the tires rub.

Look at something like a RevTek or any other axle forward kit to eliminate this.

 

Thanks for the look and like'n of my truck. I have since last contact with ya put the Bushwacker flares, Carli control arms, blacked out headlights, and a 5in. turbo back MBRP exhaust on it. Have the SRT hood and S&B intake here working on that now. I am contemplating a Carli sway bar, but some guages for sure but I don't know for sure how to get them. Read up a bit on the Edge Juice/W/Attitude outfit, looks like a pretty neat outfit w/some nice features but I am going to research more and ask more ?s before spending more $$$. Don't want any buyer's regrets on this deal. I am sure the Monsters & Trail Gs. will look excellent on your truck. BUT be wary of the amount of backspacng you choose. I think they offer that wheel in a 5.7" and a 6.3" B.S. They 5.7 would likely work OK, if you want them under the truck more the 6.3 will do that but they will be closer to the control arms. I like'm a lot and wonder what a set of black Monsters would look like on mine. I say you will like the tires, We drove 250 4 lane miles last week 70-75, you can tell they are there but I could hear my wife OK, and her tone of voice is in the freqency range that I have some hearing loss (she says that is selective!). I will try to replace my truck pics with some up to date as I have a new camera and she promised to teach me to load and post em. Nice to hear from you Dreamboater, send me some pics when you get em on ! JOHN

 

I actually decided on the XD Addicts. The picture on Nitto's website with the black XD addicts and Trail Grappler MT's sold me. I just placed the order with rimzoneonline seemed to be the best priced and I talked to them a couple of times and seemed to know their stuff. I only had a choice of 5.71 BS but I really think I will be fine. If I rub it should be very minimal and even still I can do some shaving if need be. I will send you some picks when I get everything installed. Thanks

 

Your truck should be identical to mine or any 06 as the frames are built on a frame jig/fixture. You will possibly rub the plastic liner and you can shim it back out of the way without even being able to see it. The Addicts are killer too, will work as well i'm sure. Does your truck have a black trim strip across the doors? That would look good with the black rims, as black flares would too and you will likely need them with 9" rims. There was no way I could clear the front mud flaps and without them the fender is very exposed, that is why along with looks too, I put the 2 1/2" Bushwacker pocket flares on. Black rims will look very good against a white truck. Let me know how things fit up when you get em on. Luck to ya and happy new year. John

 

I will be running the Addicts in a 9 in rim too. I will be running a Axle Forawrd lift though so I do not have any rubbing.