Im thinking the same thing. I have looked at lifting our JK and would like a 35 but would prefer a little skinnier tire something 10.5-11.5 wide. And Im not a huge fan of Interco since this is a DD. The other problem I have is that I have 17 inch wheels. If anybody has seen something along these lines please let me know.
Tires: Wide or Narrow?
- Thread starter Nonprophet
- Start date
Im thinking the same thing. I have looked at lifting our JK and would like a 35 but would prefer a little skinnier tire something 10.5-11.5 wide. And Im not a huge fan of Interco since this is a DD. The other problem I have is that I have 17 inch wheels. If anybody has seen something along these lines please let me know.
alexrex20
Explorer
have you ever run Interco tires? they actually turn out to be great street tires for vehicles as light as a JK. i've run the SSR on my Nissan for many, many miles and they're no worse on the highway than my KM2s or even BFG ATs. the tire noise is about the same, and they actually are nice and stiff, so the handling and street manners are pretty good.
best of all, tire wear is nearly nonexistent!
balancing can be an issue if you still use the antiquated lead weights... i've seen some balance with as little as 1oz, some needed as much as 10oz, or even more. some were unbalancable, and some needed rebalancing more often than the truck needed oil changes. i use copper BBs to balance all my truck tires, and they work great. for 33s i use 40 BBs (or about 7oz) and they ride like butter on the highway, at speeds up to 100mph.
really, the only downside to DDing on Intercos is the higher cost of the tires. the SSRs are a heavy tire, but even in my underpowered 170hp Pathfinder (curb weight about 4500lbs as she sits now), she held 75-80mph as easily as while running the relatively lightweight BFG ATs and Michelin LTX A/T2s. i think it's an urban legend that heavier tires - and Intercos are notably heavier than their BFG/Michelin/Cooper/Toyo/Goodyear/etc. counterparts - kill your highway driveability.
best of all, tire wear is nearly nonexistent!
balancing can be an issue if you still use the antiquated lead weights... i've seen some balance with as little as 1oz, some needed as much as 10oz, or even more. some were unbalancable, and some needed rebalancing more often than the truck needed oil changes. i use copper BBs to balance all my truck tires, and they work great. for 33s i use 40 BBs (or about 7oz) and they ride like butter on the highway, at speeds up to 100mph.
really, the only downside to DDing on Intercos is the higher cost of the tires. the SSRs are a heavy tire, but even in my underpowered 170hp Pathfinder (curb weight about 4500lbs as she sits now), she held 75-80mph as easily as while running the relatively lightweight BFG ATs and Michelin LTX A/T2s. i think it's an urban legend that heavier tires - and Intercos are notably heavier than their BFG/Michelin/Cooper/Toyo/Goodyear/etc. counterparts - kill your highway driveability.
ben2go
Adventurer
I've ran Interco 33,38, & 44 inch Super Swampers,38 & 44 inch Ground Hawg/Hawks,31 & 33 inch TSL,and 33 inch Thornbirds.All were bias ply except the Thornbirds.They are great tires,but they are loud and ride rough.I also had the bias ply wonder which is were the vehicle has a hard time tracking straight.I may go with Intercos for the narrower width but I really like the longevity,economy,and softer sound of the BFG radials.
I'm partial to radial tires that are medium width. 10.8 ideally. 10.5 is good too.
I arrived at that conclusion after using 9.5, then 10, then 11.3, currently 10.5, and want to run some 10.8, though I could be happy with for 11.2 or 11.3 wide. Those widths being approximations of course, since each brand runs a bit different for a given "stated" size.
Of course, what is best all depends on vehicle weight and intended uses.
For the OP's use, I think 10.5 to 10.8 would be ideal, in a tall as can fit and work with the diff gears.
I arrived at that conclusion after using 9.5, then 10, then 11.3, currently 10.5, and want to run some 10.8, though I could be happy with for 11.2 or 11.3 wide. Those widths being approximations of course, since each brand runs a bit different for a given "stated" size.
Of course, what is best all depends on vehicle weight and intended uses.
For the OP's use, I think 10.5 to 10.8 would be ideal, in a tall as can fit and work with the diff gears.
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I am not a fan of skinny tires but I think I may enjoy more challenging trails than some others on the board. A skinny tire has its place for sure but saying its better overall just has to many variables including vehicle type and terrain to be conquered. I have been offroading my entire life and just have not seen how a narrow tire would have ever benefited in any particular situation. In most cases it seems the opposite with wider tires doing better.
If you took two tire of the same height, one being narrow and one wider I can see how the narrow tire could make contact with a hard surface below a shallow amount of mud, sand, snow, etc...once this depth has been surpassed in my experience a wider tire is always a benefit allowing for more flotation. Am I being too hardcore here and not understanding how someone would not want this benefit while exploring?
If you took two tire of the same height, one being narrow and one wider I can see how the narrow tire could make contact with a hard surface below a shallow amount of mud, sand, snow, etc...once this depth has been surpassed in my experience a wider tire is always a benefit allowing for more flotation. Am I being too hardcore here and not understanding how someone would not want this benefit while exploring?
Tennmogger
Explorer
AmericaOverland
Explorer
You don't suppose the oil industry played a part in marketing these tires? I.e., get people to spend more money per mile on gas via heavier tires? Now, I wonder about this...
alexrex20
Explorer
Marcie's Disco
Adventurer
No Donsfast, you are not being too hardcore. Your points are very accurate and pretty much on the money in the context of off road capability. There is no "one size fits all" when it comes to tire size, tread and tire pressure selection even on rigs of similar wheelbase and weight. Many other factors of the rig, road and drivers style need to come together for the proper tire selection. Narrow tires do offer less rolling resistance and (generally) less rotating mass and unsprung weight than similarly height tires in a wider tread. The less rolling resistance equates to higher MPG. Narrower tires also are generally easier on suspension and steering joints.
You've probably seen a lot of "narrow tires rule" posts on ExPo and find it odd. It sort of is odd in the respect that many of the posters touting the supremacy of narrow tires, really don't understand why they are doing so. Many who are in the 'narrow' camp have experience and reasons for their decision to run narrower selections but there is a huge contingent who are just on the narrow band wagon for fashion's sake. Those types are pretty easy folks to sort out, their posts are generally telling of their understanding.
FWIW, I tend to use tires on the narrow (and short) side of the scale. My usual excursions off road are not very challenging. I spend far more time on improved roads than I do on difficult trails. The benifits of large aggressive tires are lost on me most of the time. It makes more sense to me to use a smaller tire for better road manners.
I've seen numerous occasions when narrow tires are much better on winter roads, and are (literally) driving around the guys with wide tires who are stuck or slid into a ditch. I see this every winter.
I used to enjoy this every winter when I had 9.5" wide tires, but when I was off road on mud or sand the 9.5 sank way to much, sometimes getting me stuck in mud or sand.
I tried some 11.3" wide tires, hoping they'd do better on mud and sand, and indeed they did - because they floated better. However, the 11.3 wide tires weren't nearly as good for winter roads because they floated to much.
So next I tried some 10.5 wide. I find them to be almost as good on winter roads as the 9.5, and much better offroad than 9.5. The 10.5 are almost as good offroad as the 11.3. IME
So having tried those various width tires (each 33" tall), I came to the conclusion that I preferred 10.5 wide tires, which I consider to be on the borderline between a narrow and medium width tire.
However, since then I've added a lot of armor and a winch. With the added weight, I now need an 11.2 to get same flotation I used to get from 10.5. So now I prefer around 11.2 wide.
As another poster said, what is "best" is all relative to the vehicle weight and intended uses.
It doesn't have to be skinny vs wide. There are some medium width choices to choose from. I prefer a medium width choice relative to the vehicle weight.
There is a shortage of medium width choices. I'd be really nice if more tires were made in various heights in widths from 10.5 to 11.5 wide. IMO. However, some medium width choices do exist.
I used to enjoy this every winter when I had 9.5" wide tires, but when I was off road on mud or sand the 9.5 sank way to much, sometimes getting me stuck in mud or sand.
I tried some 11.3" wide tires, hoping they'd do better on mud and sand, and indeed they did - because they floated better. However, the 11.3 wide tires weren't nearly as good for winter roads because they floated to much.
So next I tried some 10.5 wide. I find them to be almost as good on winter roads as the 9.5, and much better offroad than 9.5. The 10.5 are almost as good offroad as the 11.3. IME
So having tried those various width tires (each 33" tall), I came to the conclusion that I preferred 10.5 wide tires, which I consider to be on the borderline between a narrow and medium width tire.
However, since then I've added a lot of armor and a winch. With the added weight, I now need an 11.2 to get same flotation I used to get from 10.5. So now I prefer around 11.2 wide.
As another poster said, what is "best" is all relative to the vehicle weight and intended uses.
It doesn't have to be skinny vs wide. There are some medium width choices to choose from. I prefer a medium width choice relative to the vehicle weight.
There is a shortage of medium width choices. I'd be really nice if more tires were made in various heights in widths from 10.5 to 11.5 wide. IMO. However, some medium width choices do exist.
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Another thing everybody fails(or I missed reading) to mention is tire availability which has played a huge factor for myself in the past. Being in the middle of no where or in a small town and needing a tire really makes certains sizes appealing. If I were to drive across Africa I dont think I would want my 35"s but it seems like every gas station in every little town in the US has a 31x10.5/15 laying around some where. I would think in out of country travel this would play a large factor.
You have never shot yourself in the face but Im sure you know the outcome.
I have been offroading for many years and have had lots of experience with different vehicle set ups. There is no specific set up that is better than another and each will shine in different circumstances including narrow tired vehicles. With that being said on more challenging trails....narrow is not the way and never will be.
Marcie's Disco
Adventurer
Yes, if you need to have a size special ordered in your home town it is a good bet the same will be true while traveling. It may not be in this 'wide vs. narrow' thread but availability is addressed in several of the many other tire width threads in the archives.
alexrex20
Explorer
you just lost all credibility (if you ever had any) with that statement.