Why skinny tires

[78Bronco]

i wonder if he was going for fuel economy?

I bet the owner has a direct line to the axle shaft and bearing company and owns lots of shares in Exxon.

 

[DEEZLPWR]

i wonder if he was going for fuel economy?

what kind of tires are these?

 

[timh]

Those look like Michelin XML's. They are a military tire.

 

[Antichrist]

I'm not too sure I'd worry much about wind resistance, considering that most of our vehicles are about as aerodynamic as a billboard.

Why did the factory limit our choices with narrow wheels? A lot of that has to do with the width of the body and the wheel well space available.

Another factor, I'm sure, is that for the majority of the Series production period high flotation tires were pretty rare.

 

[the dude]

Those look like Michelin XML's. They are a military tire.

XLs

Here's a shot of XMLs next to an XL

 

[michaelgroves]

But i'd never call out or belittle another member for such reasons. consider me out of this conversation.

What I gathered from your words was the idea that the "15 pages of mathematical debate" was entirely irrelevant to what was, after all, a simple answer to the original question.

Evidently that wasn't what you meant, and so I apologise - no offense was intended in any case.

Btw, I don't think that having actually owned skinny tires is a prerequisite for having an opinion on them. Not all knowledge (or opinion) needs to come from direct experience! So please don't consider yourself out of this conversation on either account!

 

[4Rescue]

i wonder if he was going for fuel economy?

That's awesome... Tall and skinny for me please, I'll even help pull all the guys on the big baloons when they get stuck

Cheers

Dave

 

[Pskhaat]

Are those 235s on 7" wide steel Tundra rims?

 

[Desolation]

That's awesome... Tall and skinny for me please, I'll even help pull all the guys on the big baloons when they get stuck

Cheers

Dave

Now this is what is fun such an absolute statement:beer:
Having both wide and skinny tires when I want to really get out there off the pavement the skinny tires stay home. So what are you going to do, winch in 5 miles to get to where I was momentarily stuck because I didn't have a wide enough, tall enough tire...

 

[winkosmosis]

I haven't read the whole thread yet but there is something I want to point out. For the same given contact patch size, a skinnier tire with its elongated patch has to be flatter. That means more ground clearance loss, and possibly higher rolling resistance from the greater sidewall distortion.

 

[shahram]

I'm currently running BFG Mud Terrain KM2 in 255/85/16s on my 96 FZJ80 with 3" OME heavy springs, and while the tires are really great performers offroad, they aren't so great on the highway.

I don't know what part of the chemistry between vehicle and tires is amiss, but they handle rather scarily at speeds over 60mph. Maybe it's the soft compound, maybe it's the skinny contact patch, maybe a combination of both, but my BFG All-Terrain TA/KO 285/75/16s felt much steadier at higher speeds, especially when braking. Slight deflation and packing more gear in the rear of the vehicle steadies it some, but the squirrelliness is still evident.

The bump in gas mileage has been negligible, and the slight edge offroad isn't worth the sacrifice of road handling characteristics, in my opinion. The softer compound is also more susceptible to sharp rocks, something the BFG All-Terrain TA/KOs I've had in the past handled much better. For my vehicle/weight/terrain/needs, I'd suggest a different tire.

 

[Cackalak Han]

I wish they'd make the KO's in 255/85/16's...

 

[Bogo]

Uh....is this something new? Every military vehicle I drove or rode in had plain old air in the tires. The HMMWV M1025 and M1026s (Hatchback, lightly armored patrol vehicles) I had in the FRY originally had the bias-ply tires with the metal "run flat" ring inside. While we were there, our motor pool replaced them with radial tires that had a rubber run-flat ring.

Other than that I'm not aware of any special compounds or foam in tires unless that is a recent development, maybe in up-armored HMMWVs or MRAPs.

The first I had heard of it was a few months ago when I was pricing some 37" michelins that came off of some type of armored vehicles in Iraq. I am sorry I cant give you anymore specific information than that. These tires were cheaper because they were filled with foam to keep them from being shot out. It sounded like something that the guys in Iraq took upon themselves to do, so they didnt get caught out in the cold. The surplus guy was getting a lot of these "filled" tires in.

Farmers have been foam filling tires for ages. Especially where there are thorn trees.

 

[CB3]

Let's get some more sizes of tall skinny tires

Interco has indicated an interest in making more sizes of tall skinny tires, if there is sufficient interest in them.

I contacted Interco about this specifically in regard to making more sizes of tall skinny Trxus MT tires. I was told that is possible, if there is sufficient interest. I was told to start a thread about it, and if there is sufficient participation in the thread, to contact Interco again, and they'll review the thread and consider making the sizes requested. The most popular, most requested sizes have the best chance of getting made.

Please see my thread about this: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53357 and post/vote for the size(s) you want.

 

[brevity_thing]

Bummer! I went from 285/75r16 master craft CT's on my yj to 255/85r16 km2's. The jeep is *very* happy everywhere. With a rear auto locker, the 285s would push while turning on the street, where the 255 bites better.

I just bought a 100 series lc and was planning to do the same. I'm sad to hear of the scariness on the 80 series with 255s.