Why bigger tires?
#1
Posted 17 February 2008 - 03:36 PM
If you have bigger tires, why did you buy them?
If you bought bigger tires, did you make any mods to the brakes to compensate?
[I do plan on doing some semi serious (Puertocitos to Gonzaga Bay) fourwheeling if that is a consideration.]
Bob in LA
2000 Ram 2500 CTD 4X4 QC w/ 04 Grandby
#2
Posted 17 February 2008 - 07:27 PM
Erod 2002 Tacoma, TRD supercharger, exhaust, headers, URD 3.4L 5VZ-FE Toyota Truck Supercharger Fuel Upgrade Kit, ARB front bumper, OME shocks and coils, OME 7 leaf packs, Ride-rite airbags. 2002 FWC Eagle
#3
Posted 17 February 2008 - 07:33 PM
Drive slow and enjoy "Its the journey"
Les lqhikers
#4
Posted 17 February 2008 - 08:54 PM
I agree about airing down offroad. I take my jeep down to eight psi in the rough stuff. I haven't yet aired down the dodge partly due to not having an air compressor for it (i have one in the jeep), partly haven't done the kind of terrrain that calls for it, and partly because I'm unsure just what I can do safely. The cummins is heavy and I'm a lot more conservative with the truck than I am the Jeep.
Craig K6JGV_________________________ 2004 2500 CTD 4X4 FWC HAWK 1960 CJ5
#5
Posted 18 February 2008 - 12:55 AM
#6
Posted 18 February 2008 - 02:49 AM
Yes there are many pros and cons for changing tire sizes.
If you think about it 5/8” is not that much for ground clearance. Remember that they use those sizing charts measurements with no load and is for total height and not for the half that is sitting near the road surface squatting with a load on it. Rim width comes into play hear also. Compare same rim size for height of tire. You won’t gain much ground clearance and would be better by driving with a precise tire placement to maintain good ground clearance.
For your driving and where you are going you might think about the stock size but go with a beefier sidewall plies to help when you air down to protect the sidewall. Also it will help when you are really putting a side force on the sidewall at a side slope with the extra weight.
What everybody else has said is very good advice and can echo them below.
Stock vehicle with bigger tires cons. It all depends as to how much bigger you are going from stock size to make the effect worse:
Loss of torque to rear wheels and that equals less gas mileage.
Longer stopping distance because bigger diameter and more un-sprung weight.
Brakes may wear out sooner.
Speedometer will be off.
May be harder to find a off-the-shelf replacement at stores.
Harder for wife to get in and out.
Wider tires throw more rocks and mud up the side of you vehicle.
Going really big could mean sheet metal work and ring and pinion ratio change (and the list could go on).
There are a lot of Pros for bigger tires from stock if your vehicle is set up for more extreme stuff but it sounds like yours is not so I won’t go there.
Patrick
2015 FWC Hawk Flatbed
#7
Posted 18 February 2008 - 05:48 AM
#8
Posted 18 February 2008 - 06:26 AM
Not just tire size, but rim size is important too. My old Chevy had 16.5 wheels. I had a flat near truckee and had to go all the way to reno to find a tire to fit. Those were so out of date I wound up having to buy new wheels so I could get tires.
Craig K6JGV_________________________ 2004 2500 CTD 4X4 FWC HAWK 1960 CJ5
#9
Posted 18 February 2008 - 06:16 PM
My truck came with 245/75R16 tires and the truck was pretty low. I found I was bottoming the front end on even mild trails that my other trucks wouldn't have had an issue with. I went to 285/70R17 tires primarily for the additional ground clearance. They also have a larger contact patch so I get better traction, but reduced fuel mileage. Like your truck, mine has plenty of horse power and torque, so the taller final gear ratio isn't a factor unless I tow a really heavy trailer, in which case I can put the stock wheels and tires back on. I did have to trim 1/2 inch of a plastic valance on the front bumper and pull back the front fender liners a little to get them to fit without any rubbing. I purchased a computer for about $250 that allows me to adjust the speedometer and odometer for the larger size tires. Otherwise, they would have been off by 10%.
As for rims, most tire manufacturers list suggested rim sizes for their tires and at least one shop in town would not put larger tires on the small rims (6.5" wide) that came with my truck, because I already had the largest tires size suggested for the rim and they didn't want to accept the liability in case of a tire failure. Finally, when looking for new rims you want to get one that has "J" or "JJ" at the end of the rim size (i.e. 17 X 8.5 J) because they have a deeper bead which holds the tire better. I think most new rims have the J designation.
#10
Posted 25 April 2008 - 02:57 AM
This thread is a little old now, so maybe you've already made up your mind about tire size but I can share my experience.
I have a 2006 Cummins 6-speed 4x4. I swapped out the stock E rated Michelins (approx 31.5" tire) that came with my truck for a set of 35" D rated BFG All-Terrains. I never tow anything with my truck and don't really plan to, so I wasn't concerned with losing any towing capacity. I have the 3.73 rear end, not the 4.10 so I was a little concerned at the time about losing power, but the Cummins didn't notice the difference at all. My mileage in town went down about 1 mpg and I gained a solid 2 mpg on the highway.
The BFG's are every bit as quiet as the stock Michelins and actually ride much better; the on-road traction is stunning for an off-road tire. Off the pavement the difference is night and day. In my opinion, it's the best money I've spend on the truck so far.
As far as the Dodge vs. Jeep comparison, the Cummins is tractor off-road - just point it in the direction you want to go, and you'll slowly roll over anything you come across. Once you get used to it you'll find it to be a very capable off-road rig.
-Kris
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