The Perfect Wheel and Tire Package for FJ40 Toyota Land Cruiser

The FJ40 Toyota Land Cruiser (1960 – 1984) is a CLASSIC vehicle in every sense! Even the last year of the 40-Series (1984), now at 37-years old (as of this writing – 2021), thus the FJ40 fits into the “classic” category! OK, before we get called out by the CMP’s “Classic Militant Police” we will take a moment and do our due diligence – “What Makes a Classic Car a Classic?“

CLASSIC OR NOT – These are Toyota Land Cruisers we are talking about! But with all this, it’s crazy how we’ve gone full circle with FJ40 builds; from rock-rod V8 swapped, tube-cage, chopped-tub crawlers on 40-inch tall tires to a full-circle back, restoring 40-Series Land Cruisers somewhat back to their original showroom stock luster. Lightly modified the Red Line Resto-Mod way, please!

So, what is the “perfect wheel and tire” combination for the FJ40 Toyota Land Cruiser?

In recent/later years, we have settled into what we call “resto-mod” built FJ40s with what we feel is a classically built 40-Series Land Cruiser with a few mods, powered by the original Toyota 2F engine with a modern convenience of the Holley Sniper EFI system, Old School Family roll cage, riding on 33″ BF-Goodrich tires, mounted on factory 15X5.5 steel wheels and suspended on our Red Line Land Cruisers FJ40 “Ultimate” 2.5 Lift Kit. In recent years we have been using the Kenda Klever in a narrower 9.5″ wide by 33″ tall – OUR NEW STANDARD FAVORITE!

This is our FJ40 riding on the 9.5″ x 33″ Kenda Klever tires! We love the Kenda Klevers daily and we love them in the snow!

You DON’T want to go crazy on suspension, but you DO want it to wheel!
A “classic” 4X4 Land Cruiser, like the 40-Series, calls for a “classic” wheel, tire, and suspension package to provide excellent drivability. The look is simply a byproduct of the functionality; the functionality is the pure, purposeful pursuit of enjoying a four-wheel drive in the wilderness.

STOCK TIRE SIZE – FJ40
Stock tire size was roughly a 28″ tall tire – 235/75/15.
With stock suspension, 31″ tall tires would be about max you could use and still have all of your steering. 

Technical Functionality With Aesthetic Achievements 
There are “technical” reasons for each and every “visual” decision we make. We choose the skinny tire “look” for the technical benefits of a “light-hand” steering feel. These rigs already do not have power steering, so if you want easy steering input, the skinny tire “look” is technically the way to go. “Fat tires” kill your scrub radius and will “hunt” every groove in the road! Wider tires will also wear out steering ball joints more quickly.

Skinny Tires VS Wide Tires
While wide tires may give you more traction, we have to ask how much traction do you actually need on a typical 3,263-pound FJ40? But, too, you’ve heard the phrase, “There is more than one way to skin a cat!” While we may love our “wide style,” we will also go to great technical lengths to justify our visual choices. The subject of “skinny versus wide” has been hotly and highly contested and scholastically debated as seen across all walks of vehicles via the wide world Web. We have spent many “up in the inter-nights” (aka: late in the night on the inter-webs) stalking the subject: Skinny Vs Wide. The two pages we have paid the most attention to are the IH8MUD Land Cruiser Forum and Expedition Portal.
IH8MUD has several links on the subject: Google Search Wide vs. Skinny on IH8MUD.

Expedition Portals’ – Skinny or wide tires; that is the question…
Okay, I’ll see you in a month after I’ve read all that. We’ll be right here getting our skinny on!

NOT 28″ STOCK – BUT NOT 35″ Tires
For the FJ40, we are not running the factory H78x15 tire size, which is roughly a 28″ tall tire—235/75/15. But we are not “over-tiring” the rig with a 35″ tall tire either. Yes, we’ve done it, but those are custom builds and more “crawler-specific.” But the bulk of our customers are running the factory “steelie” 5.5×15″ wheels with 9.5×33 Kenda Klever M/T tires on their 40-Series Land Cruiser so they can wheel through some fun trails and cruise down the highway at 65 mph.

STOCK TO THIRTY-THREE SOUNDS LIKE A TALL TREE
Moving from the FJ40’s stock 28″ tire to a 33″ tire is a five-inch increase.
Running a 2.5″ lift on stock shackles not only allows you to clear the 33X10.50 tires, but it does not throw the drive-line out of whack and provides “vibe-free” U-joints! Yes, we like to drive our FJ40s! Gain 7-10 MPH and ENJOY 65-MPH when you upsize to a 33″ tall tire on your FJ40.

A perfect blend of affordability, durability, and comfort.
Everything is a “sliding scale” of gains and sacrifices.
For the 2.5 Ultimate Lift Kit setup, here is what we recommend in the rim & tire department:

• Max Tire Size: 33 x 12.50 (Our FAVORITE is the 9.5″ X 33″ Kenda Klever)
• Wheel Size Range (Inch): 15-17″
• Wheel Width Range (Inch): 5.5-10 (We prefer 5.5)
• Min-Max Backspace (Inch): 3.25-4.5

Specs for the Red Line Land Cruisers 2.5 Ultimate Lift Kit:

• Fits 1958 to 1984 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40
• Lift Height: 2.5 Inch (2.5″) (2 1/2″)
• Front Lift: Leaf Springs
• Steering Correction: None required
• Rear Lift: Springs and U-bolts
• Shocks: Front / Rear Bilstein 5100 Series
• Shock Boots:  Included
• Shackles: Included

Please call us for Shackle specifications and pricing based on your Land Cruiser’s year range (1958 – 1984).
Usually in stock, or up to 2 weeks out in some cases.

Phone (719) 638-2003
OR BETTER YET, email us your vehicle details, and we can send you a quote.
Email: info@redlinelandcruisers.com

OK, have we slapped enough leather here yet? We simply love the skinny tire look along with all the mechanical benefits! The Function is the fashion!
Read our “SUSPENSION LIFT WITHOUT AXLE SUCK!“