Its entirely possibly. I've always felt that the front ends on 4x4s is stronger than a 2 wheel drive, but there are always exceptions to the rules. Depends on the types of bearings used, the materials they chose for the bearings. Anytime you upgrade to larger tires, you are putting more weight on something designed to support a certain amount of weight and to absorb certain impacts. Going from 29" to almost 33" tires is a big jump, but not too severe. This extra mass from the bigger tires also puts extra stress on the steering and suspension components. THis will cause bushings, bearings, balljoints seals etc to wear out faster. But thats they downside to larger tires. I know a guy who put 22" wheels on an 02 Chevy silverado with tires that he said came out to be 31" tall. He was replacing his second hub assembly. Yes, it was 4 wheel drive and lowered. His reasoning was the size of the wheel, my reasoning is bad driver. If you keep on the maintenance and check everything every so often, you will keep things from breaking and save money down the road, even if you are replacing parts. Personally, i would gladly pay the extra price to have larger tires, as long as it makes the vehicle look good. Personally I dont pay much attention to dealers. They do what it takes to make a buck, most of the time atleast. Replace and repack the bearings and be set for another 20-30K, but inspect them a little more often. Goodluck

Dan