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Leveling kits and wheel sizes

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Funkadelicfunk06

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Does anyone have a Rough Country leveling kit installed? I’m thinking of getting one at some point but before I level my rav I want to get new wheels and keep the stock tires until I need new tires. What I’d like to do is purchase wheels that will work with the leveling kit so that I don’t have to replace my wheels when I do install the leveling kit.
Rough country has specs in sizes that will work for their kit (235/70r17 and 17x8, +38) but they mention that even with those recommendations you should fit the leveling kit before installing it.
Has anyone installed the leveling kit with different specs? Do you all feel that a leveling kit is even worth it? I do think leveling it looks pretty cool but it may be more trouble than it’s worth.
If I don’t level my car, I plan on going with some wheels I found on discount tire that are 17x7.5 with a 38 offset. They’re about $100 each...should I be concerned that they’re so cheap? And if I do plan to level my car those are the wheels I’d like to use, just because they’d already be installed but the size is not exactly what rough country recommends.

I know very little about cars and this is the first time I’m going to really customize mine...so I do apologize for my ignorance.
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
SoCal-Rav4-Adventure said:
I have a rough country leveling kit on mine and I love it, the two and a half inch leveling kit will look funny in my opinion with the stock rims. If I were to do it over again I would go 16s instead of the 17th that I bought.
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I think that looks really cool...but you’re saying the wheels should be even smaller than 17? I’m not going to use the stock rims Bc I think they’re not very nice looking. I’m looking at some black rims that are 17s. I think I’m more concerned that the stock tires will look weird...
 
#4 ·
It is a lot easier to sell the stock wheels and tires together, already mounted and balanced, than it will be to just sell the rims alone later. You'd probably get $400-500 for the whole package now, vs maybe $100 or so for just the stock wheels alone down the road. So, buying the aftermarket wheels and tires now would not be quite as expensive as it may seem.

That said, if you intend to do any off-roading (more than forest roads), lifting this vehicle can provide a pretty significant benefit. Stock ground clearance is only ~5" along the car when I measured--I am not sure where the hell Toyota got their numbers--so lifting 2+" with larger tires is a notable overall increase.

Finally, whatever wheels and tires will fit without rubbing after the lift, will also fit without rubbing before. Lift kits on these vehicles do not help with tire fitment. So, generally anything around 30" or less with a +30-+38 offset will fit before and after. My 30.5" tires reauired a tiny bit of trimming on the lower front valence in front of the front tires, but otherwise do not rub at full lock and full articulation.
 
#5 ·
Lindenwood said:
It is a lot easier to sell the stock wheels and tires together, already mounted and balanced, than it will be to just sell the rims alone later. You'd probably get $400-500 for the whole package now, vs maybe $100 or so for just the stock wheels alone down the road. So, buying the aftermarket wheels and tires now would not be quite as expensive as it may seem.

That said, if you intend to do any off-roading (more than forest roads), lifting this vehicle can provide a pretty significant benefit. Stock ground clearance is only ~5" along the car when I measured--I am not sure where the hell Toyota got their numbers--so lifting 2+" with larger tires is a notable overall increase.

Finally, whatever wheels and tires will fit without rubbing after the lift, will also fit without rubbing before. Lift kits on these vehicles do not help with tire fitment. So, generally anything around 30" or less with a +30-+38 offset will fit before and after. My 30.5" tires reauired a tiny bit of trimming on the lower front valence in front of the front tires, but otherwise do not rub at full lock and full articulation.
Click to expand...
Care to share how you got your number of only 5" clearance?
 
#9 ·
Funkadelicfunk06 said:
I think that looks really cool...but you’re saying the wheels should be even smaller than 17? I’m not going to use the stock rims Bc I think they’re not very nice looking. I’m looking at some black rims that are 17s. I think I’m more concerned that the stock tires will look weird...
Click to expand...
He was saying if you are looking for the benefits of larger sidewalls (a cushier ride and better offroad traction), going to 16" wheels instead of 17" wheels only enhances those benefits further.
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Lindenwood said:
It is a lot easier to sell the stock wheels and tires together, already mounted and balanced, than it will be to just sell the rims alone later. You'd probably get $400-500 for the whole package now, vs maybe $100 or so for just the stock wheels alone down the road. So, buying the aftermarket wheels and tires now would not be quite as expensive as it may seem.

That said, if you intend to do any off-roading (more than forest roads), lifting this vehicle can provide a pretty significant benefit. Stock ground clearance is only ~5" along the car when I measured--I am not sure where the hell Toyota got their numbers--so lifting 2+" with larger tires is a notable overall increase.

Finally, whatever wheels and tires will fit without rubbing after the lift, will also fit without rubbing before. Lift kits on these vehicles do not help with tire fitment. So, generally anything around 30" or less with a +30-+38 offset will fit before and after. My 30.5" tires reauired a tiny bit of trimming on the lower front valence in front of the front tires, but otherwise do not rub at full lock and full articulation.
Click to expand...
Oh got it. So the lift won't make a difference in tire/wheel. Whatever fits will fit regardless of whether or not the car is lifted, correct?
 
#12 ·
SoCal-Rav4-Adventure said:
I have a rough country leveling kit on mine and I love it, the two and a half inch leveling kit will look funny in my opinion with the stock rims. If I were to do it over again I would go 16s instead of the 17th that I bought.
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Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
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Looks great! I'm about to make the same move with mine... How long was the install for you?
 
#18 · (Edited)
Interesting. I am lifted 2" up front and ~4" out back (including daily weight), plus 30.5" tires, and only sit 9.3" F and 10.5" R, at each axle.

edit

I wonder if the Adventure really does sit significantly higher from the factory? I literally have ~3.5" of lift spacers on the rear of my XLE Premium.
 
#19 ·
Lindenwood said:
Interesting. I am lifted 2" up front and ~4" out back (including daily weight), plus 30.5" tires, and only sit 9.3" F and 10.5" R, at each axle.

edit

I wonder if the Adventure really does sit significantly higher from the factory? I literally have ~3.5" of lift spacers on the rear of my XLE Premium.
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I can't speak for anything other than the Adventure/TRD models, but that is quite surprising that it would measure that much lower. I measured without any load in the vehicle other than the daily things. I wonder if your panel sits lower or is sagging? Was the rear really 2" lower than the front, or did you do more to trim it out?
 
#20 ·
at1stpromise said:
I can't speak for anything other than the Adventure/TRD models, but that is quite surprising that it would measure that much lower. I measured without any load in the vehicle other than the daily things. I wonder if your panel sits lower or is sagging? Was the rear really 2" lower than the front, or did you do more to trim it out?
Click to expand...
Panels are snug. I lifted the rear more so that when I put gear in there my headlights arent pointing at the sky.
 
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