Help with tire selection!

[Jkfisher84]

Just about to pull the trigger on some new shoes for my jk! First a little background. Its 2010 jku with. Orfab bumpers and carrier. I have a superchips programmer and it has 3.73 gears. I have the 2.5 AEV kit and 16" eagle alloys! Now the dilemma what tire size? I've been mostly leaning towards 315s duratracs for clearance but don't want the jeep to suffer power. I know they actually measure out to 34 odd number but been thinking maybe 285 is a better idea but I lose the clearance. Idk! HELP! What do you guys think. I'm probably going to order Monday. Also been thinking duratracs because I live on the Chicago area and the winter times can get a little tough here so that's what I was told is the best. Maybe another tire brand? Trying to look for a 34" tire for compromise.

 

[Rubicon]

My personal opinion is that if you run the 315's (35" +/-), you are likely to suffer on the power side w/3.73 gears - may be less of a concern if you have a stick vs. Auto.... I'm running 33's w/4.11 gears in my Automatic Rubicon & at times wish I had lower gearing - mainly at speed on the freeways here in So Cal. The 4:1 transfer case 99% of the time gives me plenty of umph for rock crawling & trail running around here...

Also depends on what type of wheeling you do... Do you NEED the extra 1/2" you get with the 315's? Is it your daily-driver, or a weekend warrior? Long trips to get to "wheeling grounds" or close by....

Tough choice, but if it were me (and this is just my opinion), I'd go with the slightly shorter tires until you have time & $$$ to re-gear - then GO BIG! Just MHO

 

[Jkfisher84]

Yeah should have mentioned that! Its an auto and will probably see the off-road park maybe twice a year. I do more exploring than anything especially up on Wisconsin and Michigan so the roads are more not so rocky! I don't want it to be a rock Crawler but I want it to be capable. And as for gearing, that probably won't happen for a while especially with the wife knowing. Lol! So I guess you cam say its a DD with some traveling to nearby states of Illinois!

 

[Rubicon]

I know the DD thing - also know about the gearing! Mine was a DD until about 2 months ago, but maintenance and fuel costs got to be too much given the amount of driving I am doing... Ended up leasing a Mazda for gas milage (went from 11-13 in the Jeep to over 35 in the Mazda). Ultimately, I too want to go to 35's, but won't do it without re-gearing - I had an S-15 GMC Jimmy that I put a lift and larger tires on w/o re-gearing & it turned it into an absolute PIG....

Personally, the lack of power with 35's would drive me crazy on the highways, but that again is my opinion....

 

[Jkfisher84]

Well makes an absolute good point! I get 19-20 MPG highway at the moment with the stock Rubicon wheels and km tire which are take offs, I'm guessing a 2-3 MPG loss highway which makes maybe somewhere in the 16-18 range. But on the other note I really don't want to regear, I just wanna get this lift on and select tires and have some fun with it. Thanks for the info so far! I have a lot of thinking to do by Monday! I've actually been thinking about this for a while now and still haven't came to a conclusion!

 

[bob91yj]

I'd stick with the 285's until you have $$$ to regear. Somewhat apples/oranges, but my LJ was an absolute dog on the highway with 315's and factory 4.10 gears. Not to mention I had a torque converter failure at approx 65k miles, suspect the oversize tires/stock gearing played a role in that.

 

[Dools]

When you lift the Jeep you are decreasing fuel mileage, add tires to that and it will drop again. I know guys running 35's and 37's on stock gears in a JKU. The 35's they say there is a slight change in mileage and gearing but nothing to extreme, and the 37's say that they have lost the top end gear. Since the JK come with close to 34's anyway the next size up shouldnt cause too much of a difference. But at the same time, you are only gaining 0.5" of clearance but it may look better with the lift.

As for the tires, I just bought Duratracs today. So dont have an opinion, but went off what friends have to say and they all seem impressed. I too live in winter (8 mths of the year). I hope I am impressed cause I am about to do a 3000 Km road trip on and offroad in Alaska. Good luck shopping cause there are a lot of choices out there.

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: The JK/JKU Rubicon comes with advertised 32" +MS tires and they are actuall 31-1/4" installed-

If you have a manual/w stock 4.10 gears, you can live with 35/37 in tires and just start dropping gears 6th/5th/4th,for driving on the hiwy, but if you have an auto/w 4.10 gears, even those 32"Ruby tires are a PITA--

If you goto 35s and God forbid 37's with the 4.10s, if you don't ruin your torque converter you'll hate to drive the jeep on the freeway and off-road will be a joke-

If you have an auto, pre 2012, 4.88/5.13 is the recommended ratios and if you have a Rubi 5.38s are the best !

:costumed-smiley-007:bike_rider: JIMBO

 

[dumprat]

Avoid the duratrac! The sidewalls are like toilet paper! 285 will stick out the side less and won't kill your power and mileage.

 

[mrchips]

Be careful when you go to 5.38 gears as now the pinion gear is getting so small there is not much contact pattern on the ring gear and you can break a tooth unless it is set up perfectly.

 

[Mountainhound]

I just did tires on my land cruiser ya ya, anyway I could have fit 33's with no lift but put a 2.5" on and was like you thinking 315's but then well maybe just go 285's I really wanted the 315's but in the end went with 255/85/16 it is about 33.4" tire. I lose about an inch from 315's but gain a little over the 285's.

 

[Jkfisher84]

So what's another good tire besides duratracs? I've been looking for something to take on old man winter and everyone brags about them but I want a tire that can perform off road also but I'm not rock crawling! I've been trying to look for something in the 34" range like a 33.5 to 34" ! Does anyone make a tire like that. Info is great everyone and jeepem (lol) coming. This is for a 16" wheel. So would a 295/75/16 or one of those oddball sizes like 255/85/16 work?

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: Hankook Dynapro RT03/MT--LT295/75x16 (33.6")-load range "D"-

They'r good in sand/snow/rocks/lava rock-/-DIRT/ hiwy

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

 

[Jkfisher84]

Awesome! Thanks. I just saw the general grabbers also so I guess its a toss up! By the way where was that pic takened?

 

[irish1371]

stay away from the generals if you are wishing for mpg's. The problem with them is they are almost the heaviest tire made in their size. They hold up due to the weight but kill your mpg's