All About Your Jeep Wrangler’s Tire Wearability

Your vehicle’s tires play a large role in your overall maintenance cost. If you’re wondering how long Jeep Wrangler tires last, the answer varies. Your stock tires should last you at least 30,000 miles off-road and 50,000 – 60,000 miles commuting. The Wrangler’s tires are not the same across the board. It all depends on what type of tires you’re using and what you’re using them for. Are you off-roading? Towing a fishing boat and kayaks every weekend? Mall crawling your way through the city? This all factors into your Jeep Wrangler tire’s longevity.

It’s also important to note that different Wrangler model years and trims include differing “stock” tires. For example, a Jeep Wrangler Willys comes with standard 32-inch mud tires. Your stock Willys Wrangler tires will handle off-roading conditions better, but the tires themselves will wear faster than the Wrangler Sport’s stock 17-inch all-terrain tires due to their design and material. Furthermore, if you’ve purchased a used Wrangler, you may end up with a number of different “stock” tires with no indication of tire age or quality.

There are several factors you need to consider when it comes to choosing the right tires and/or maintaining the ones you’ve already got. We’ve got everything you need to know about your Jeep Wrangler’s tires (and other important wearable parts) right here.

Should I Upgrade My Wrangler’s Tires?

If you’ve bought a Wrangler with stock 17-inch all-terrain tires, you may be wondering whether you should upgrade to a different tire type or size. Daily drivers who don’t head off-road unless they’re going camping can save money by keeping their stock all-terrain tires. These tires will last 50,000 – 60,000 miles since they’re not enduring harsh off-road usage.

Casual off-roaders want tires that are at least 30 to 33 inches, such as the Willys standard 32-inch mud tires. Keep in mind that as you go higher up on the tire size scale, you may need to upgrade your Jeep’s lift height as well to accommodate the larger tires. This size range is great for people who need their Wrangler as a commuter and also an off-road-capable machine.

Once you get into the 35 to 40-inch range, a lift kit is required. We do not recommend these larger tire sizes to casual Wrangler drivers. While the jacked-up aesthetic may look cool, large tires are impractical on pavement and will negatively affect your fuel-economy ratings. That said, these larger tires are great for off-road usage. In fact, the 40-inch tires (with a required 6-inch lift kit) will give you optimal ground clearance and better breakover angles.

Winter tires are worth the upgrade with any model, including the Wrangler, but this is only if you live in conditions that stay cold long-term and see lots of snow. If your winters are filled with 40-degree Fahrenheit temperatures or colder, and you see snow or ice more than a few times per month, winter tires are worth the switch. The good news here is that winter tires can last you as long as five winter seasons since you’ll be switching back to your regular tires in the spring. Winter tires are even more affordable if you stick with stock all-terrain tires year-round, as you’ll only have to make one long-lasting tire purchase upfront.

The short answer? Upgrade your tires to off-roading or mud tires if you use your Wrangler as a serious off-roading machine. Stick with all-terrain tires for Wrangler commuting, and throw on winter tires if your winters stay below the 40-degree Fahrenheit range. Casual off-roaders meet somewhere in the middle, with the ideal tire size being 30-32 inches.

How to Make Your Tires Last Longer

There are a few things you can do to help make sure your tires reach their optimal lifespan. The number one step is to make sure you’re getting your tires rotated with each maintenance visit. Not all dealerships suggest that you rotate your tires with every 6-month visit; however, if you’re looking for longevity, it’s a good idea to do so. This is especially true for drivers with faster-wearing mud tires.

You also need to keep up with your tire pressure. Many modern Wranglers include a tire pressure monitoring system, making it easy to check your tire pressure. Alerts are sent when one of your tires is 25% low or more, but even just 8 psi off can negatively affect your tire’s health, so be sure to manually check your tire pressure monitoring system for appropriate levels. If you own an older Wrangler, though, you’ll need to manually check your tire’s pressure via a tire gauge.

It’s also important to make sure your tires and wheels are balanced. This, paired with proper vehicle alignment, plays significantly into your overall tire health. It’s important that your tires wear evenly for safety purposes, as well as financial reasons. You don’t want one of your tires to go bad earlier than the others do. Keep in mind that while your Wrangler is a 4WD model, that doesn’t mean it’s always using all four wheels. In fact, you’re using 2WD for your daily commute (unless you kick in 4WD for ice or snow). This is why it is ideal to rotate your tires with every maintenance visit.

Other Important Wearable Parts to Monitor

It’s also important to monitor your brake pads, rotors, and your shocks. All vehicle owners must be aware of these components, but Wrangler off-roaders must be extra aware due to excessive brake, rotor, and shock usage. Rotors should be replaced every 70,000 miles on average, but a Wrangler’s rotors may need replacing as early as 30,000 miles if you’re doing heavy off-roading. The same is recommended for brake pads and rotors. You probably won’t need these all replaced as early as 30,000 miles, but it’s important to at least make sure they’re inspected for potential early wear.

You’ll typically know when your brake pads start to go bad, thanks to that annoying, built-in squeaking feature. Don’t panic if you hear this early on after an off-roading adventure – sometimes moisture, mud, dirt, or other debris can cause your brake pads to squeak. If this lasts longer than expected, though, it’s a good idea to stop in for a brake inspection. Early brake failure is uncommon but not impossible.

A good dealership knows that a Wrangler’s suspension setup is tough but not indestructible. It’s important to inspect all the rubber components, check for cracks in the axel’s rubber CV boots, and replace the shocks and struts every 100,000 miles regardless of vehicle-specific wear and tear.

Keep Your Jeep Wrangler Up-To-Date on Servicing

The best way to ensure your Wrangler’s wearable parts are meeting expectations is to never miss your 6-month maintenance appointment. Life can be busy, and we know how inconvenient it is to have to slow down. That’s why everyone here at The Faricy Boys makes it easy to service your Wrangler. We are open all day on Saturdays, and we also offer rentals and early-bird drop-off options. You can trust our official OEM Mopar parts and Jeep-Certified servicing team to give you the highest quality maintenance around.

We work hard to work around your schedule so that you can get the optimal wear out of your tires, brakes, rotors, and shocks. It’s important to us that your Wrangler holds its value, keeps you safe, and lasts you for years to come. When it’s time to check or upgrade your tires, you can depend on us to do the job right.