Biggest Tires You Can Fit on a Stock WD21 Pathfinder (34×10.5 Tested)

How to Fit 34-Inch Tires on a Stock WD21 Nissan Pathfinder

The biggest tires I have successfully fit on a stock-height WD21 Nissan Pathfinder are 34×10.5 Super Swamper LTBs on 15-inch wheels with 3.75 inches of backspacing.

On my Project Cheapfinder WD21 Pathfinder, I ran 34×10.5 tires with no suspension lift and no body lift. The catch is that tire width, wheel backspacing, and fender trimming matter just as much as tire height.

The short version: 34s fit, but I had to remove the factory flares, trim approximately 3 inches from the front and rear fenders, and fold the inner fender lips for clearance.

Can You Fit 34-Inch Tires on a Stock WD21 Pathfinder?

Quick Answer

• • 34×10.5 tires fit on a stock WD21 Pathfinder
  • 15″ wheels with 3.75″ backspacing were used
  • No suspension lift or body lift required
  • Approximately 3″ trimming front and rear
  • Fender lips folded for clearance

What Is the Biggest Tire That Fits a Stock WD21 Pathfinder?

Based on my testing, a 34×10.5 tire is the largest tire I have successfully run on a stock-height WD21 Nissan Pathfinder.

The combination that worked was:

• • • 34×10.5 Super Swamper LTB tires
    • 15-inch wheels
    • 3.75 inches of backspacing
    • No suspension lift
    • No body lift
    • Approximately 3 inches of trimming

Could a different 34-inch tire fit? Possibly. Could someone make a 35 fit with enough cutting? Maybe. But if you’re looking for a proven combination, this setup worked on my truck.

The biggest thing most people get wrong with old Nissan Pathfinders is tire width. A wide 33-inch tire can cause more problems than a tall, skinny 34-inch tire.

That is why the 34×10.5 Super Swamper LTB worked so well on this truck. It is tall enough to gain ground clearance, but narrow enough that it does not fight the fenders, frame, and steering as badly as a wider 12.5-inch tire.

For this setup, the tire and wheel specs were:

• Truck: 1987-1995 WD21 Nissan Pathfinder XE
• Suspension: Stock height
• Tires: 34×10.5 Super Swamper LTB
• Wheels: 15-inch steel wheels
• Backspacing: 3.75 inches
• Previous tires: 31×10.5 BFG All-Terrains
• Required modification: Fender flare removal, fender trimming, and folding the lower fender lips

Why Skinny Tires Work Better on a WD21 Pathfinder

The secret to fitting bigger tires on a Nissan Pathfinder is not just overall tire height. It is tire width.

A 34×10.5 tire gives you more ground clearance without pushing the tire as far into the fender, firewall, frame, and steering components as a wider tire would. On these trucks, a narrow tire is usually easier to make work than a wide one.

That is why I jumped on this used set of 34×10.5 Super Swamper LTBs when they came up locally. They were exactly the kind of cheap, useful upgrade that made sense for Project Cheapfinder.

The whole point of Project Cheapfinder is low-budget off-roading: cheap upgrades, cheap mods, and getting out into the woods without spending a fortune. At this point, the total build cost was still only around $1,200 including the tires.

Tools Used for the Fender Trimming

This is not a complicated job, but you do need to be willing to cut some sheet metal.

The basic tools I used were:

• M18 Impact gun for removing the fender flares
• 10mm socket
• M18 Angle grinder with cutoff wheel
• Marker or tape for laying out the cut line
• 3lb Mini sledge hammer
• Safety glasses
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If you are doing this kind of trimming, a basic angle grinder, cutoff wheels, safety glasses, and an impact gun are the main tools that make the job easier.

Step 1: Remove the Fender Flares

The first step was removing the old wheels and tires, then pulling off the factory fender flares.

Expect the 10mm bolts to be rusty. Also expect the fender flares to be packed with dirt and hiding some rust. That is normal old Nissan Pathfinder stuff.

Step 2: Install the 34-Inch Tires and Check Clearance

Once the 34×10.5 tires were mounted, the first thing I wanted to see was where they actually rubbed.

Just because a tire looks close while the truck is sitting level does not mean you know where the real problem areas are. You need to turn the steering and flex the suspension to find the actual contact points.

Step 3: Mark the Fender Trimming Areas

The tires were too close in two main spots:

• The front edge of the front fender
• The rear edge of the rear fender opening

If you want to fit this size of tire without adding lift, you need to trim some sheet metal. Thankfully, it was not a huge amount of cutting.

Front Fender Trimming

At the front fender, I trimmed roughly 3 inches from the lower front section of the fender opening. This gave the tire room to clear when turning and when the suspension compressed.

Rear Fender Trimming

At the rear, I trimmed roughly 3 inches from the back side of the rear fender opening. This is where the tire wanted to contact when the suspension compressed and the axle moved through its travel.

Step 4: Fold the Fender Lip Instead of Cutting It Off

After cutting the front and rear fenders, I folded the lower fender lip inward with a mini sledge hammer.

You could cut the lip off completely, but I prefer folding it where possible. Keeping that lip gives the bottom of the fender more strength and keeps it from becoming loose and floppy.

The goal is to create enough room for the tire to tuck up inside the fender without catching a sharp edge.

Final Clearance: 34s Tucked on a Stock Pathfinder

Once the fenders were trimmed and the lips were folded back, the 34-inch tires had enough room to tuck with some clearance left over.

The front actually had more room than expected. The rear needed more attention, but overall this was a pretty clean fit for 34-inch tires on a stock-height WD21 Nissan Pathfinder.

Will 33-Inch Tires Fit a Stock WD21 Pathfinder?

If 34×10.5 tires can fit with trimming, then yes, 33-inch tires can usually fit a stock WD21 Pathfinder too, but the width and wheel offset matter.

A narrow 33-inch tire will usually be easier to fit than a wide 33×12.5. A wider tire may rub the fenders, frame, or steering sooner than a tall skinny tire.

If you want the easiest setup, do not just chase tire height. Pay attention to tire width and wheel backspacing.

Can You Fit 35s on a Stock WD21 Pathfinder?

In my opinion, 35s are where things start getting a lot less reasonable on a stock-height WD21 Pathfinder.

Could someone make them fit with enough cutting? Probably. But for a practical budget trail build, 34×10.5 tires are already pushing the limit of what makes sense without a lift, gearing changes, or more serious body trimming. I ran 35×12.5 tires on the Pathmaker for years but that required a 3″ body lift, a 3″ suspension lift and still some fender trimming. You can see more of that build in my Pathmaker build series here.

Was It Worth It?

For this truck, yes. The 34×10.5 Super Swampers gave Project Cheapfinder a much more aggressive look, more ground clearance, and better trail performance without turning it into an expensive build.

The key was using a tall, narrow tire and being willing to trim the fenders properly.

Final Answer: Biggest Tire on a Stock WD21 Pathfinder

Based on this setup, a 34×10.5 tire can fit on a stock WD21 Nissan Pathfinder with the right wheel backspacing and some fender trimming.

For this truck, the working combination was:

• 34×10.5 Super Swamper LTB tires
• 15-inch wheels
• 3.75 inches of backspacing
• No suspension lift
• No body lift
• Approximately 3 inches of trimming at the front and rear fender openings
• Folded lower fender lips for extra clearance and strength

Watch the Full Video

You can watch the full install and flex test here:

More Project Cheapfinder Nissan Pathfinder Videos

See more Nissan Cheapfinder videos and projects here: Project Cheapfinder 2.0

Watch more Cheapfinder videos on YouTube: Pathmaker Productions YouTube

More WD21 Nissan Pathfinder Tech Articles

• How to Read Nissan Pathfinder ECU Codes
• Project Cheapfinder WD21 Build Series
• How to Install E-Fan on a Nissan Pathfinder
• How to Refill Transmission fluid on a Nissan Pathfinder
• Winch Bumper Specs for Nissan Pathfinder

Support the Builds

If this article helped you, check out my off-road videos, Nissan tech articles, and trail-tested projects on Pathmaker Productions.

You can also grab custom decals for your truck here: Pathmaker Decals