16" Rim vs. 15" Rim, 8" Rim vs. 10" Rim, 10.50" Tire vs. 11.50" Tire vs. 12.50" Tire

[VaLoRiaN]

I know there have been a bunch of these threads in the past but I've read most of them and I need to know the ramifications of my choices for my situation. My Jeep is my DD and it will be 90% Road 10% Off-Road (DD During the Week and Weekend Warrior on the Weekend). The Off-Roading I will be doing will not include any hardcore rock crawling only some moderate mudding and trail riding. Looks are a very important factor to me right now as I said this is my DD for a while and not just a beast on the trails.

15" Rim vs. 16" Rim has been plaguing me. I want to keep a nice balance of more tire than rim but not too much. I will be putting 33x__.50x1_'s on my Jeep so I want to have just the right combination. I will most likely be going with a 15" Rim as they're cheaper and have many more choices much as the Tires that fit them. Please (for my circumstances) let me know the differences and advantages/disadvantages of each.

10" Rim vs. 8" Rim is another thorn in my side. I want a big, wide looking tire and not a tall, skinny tire as the 8" seem to make. As I said I do not need a narrow tire as Rock Crawling will not be happening and looks are more important to me now. Once again I just need to know the advantages and disadvantages of each.

10.50" Tire vs. 11.50" Tire vs. 12.50" Tire I have absolutely no idea on this one. I want the wider tire but I'm not sure at what cost it comes. I know if I get a 10" tire then I definitely don't need the 10.50" but between the 11.50" and 12.50" I have no clue. Once again, advantages, disadvantages, and reasons why to choose one over the other.

My other question for now is I have 31x10.50.15's on my Jeep right now. If I go ahead and order my 15x10" Rims then will the tires fit on them for a while with no harm or risk until I can get my Lift and new Tires?

The way I'm thinking of going right now is Mickey Thompson Classic Locks (15x10) with BFG AT's or MT's (33x12.50x15). If anyone has a pic of this setup or close to it on a Khaki Sahara or Khaki Jeep at all then that would be fantastic. Or if there are better choices in Rims and/or Tires then please let me know that as well. Thanks!

[CB3]

Is your Jeep a Rubicon, or no? I ask for gearing reasons of 32" vs 33" tire. I'd like to know that before I say anything else.

[VaLoRiaN]

It's a Sahara. 3.73 Gears for now.

[VaLoRiaN]

Bump....

[hoseclamp]

Those tires will look like hell on a 10" wide wheel, either go with 8" or wait until you have the 33/12.50's.

An 10" wheel may look better, but will have more bump steer, possible steering/wobble problems where an 8" may have none, weigh more/less mpg, without fenders lots of debris flying up, harder on bearings/ball joints the further out the weight is centered. But you will be more stable in off camber situations, and floatation will be better in sand, but you do increase the risk running off the bead at lower pressures compared to an 8" wheel.

15" is the way to go, cheaper, better ride, lots of guys run the 10" wheel, if you like them, go for it. Hope you don't have legal issue with so much tire/wheel sticking out, they're jerks about it here.

[CB3]

I agree with HoseClamp that a 10" wide wheel would be to wide. I think an 8 to 9" wide wheel would be good. I think an 8.5" wide would be ideal.

However, I think a 16" rim height would be much better than a 15", IMO (cause you want to get to a 33" tire).

A 16 X 8 or a 16 X 8.5 would be the bomb for you, IMO. However, that'd require new tires if you already have R15 tires.

So I guess if you already own R15 tires, then get an R15 rim that is from 8" to 9" wide, with 8.5" being ideal, IMO.

That said, for myself, I'd want an 8.5" wide R17 rim with a 33" tire, but that's me and for my needs.

[Jerry Bransford]

Aired down tires have a much easier time hanging on for an air tight seal on 8" wide wheels than they do 10" wide wheels. It takes more air pressure forced out 10" than 8".

15" wheels will offer more tire selection and a less $$$ tire selection, plus a 31x10.50x15 (for example) will ride better than a 31x10.50x16 due to it having more sidewall flex. Plus that added flex helps improve traction offroad.

I'd go 15x8 every time for tires as big as 35x12.50.

[CB3]

Originally Posted by Jerry Bransford

Aired down tires have a much easier time hanging on for an air tight seal on 8" wide wheels than they do 10" wide wheels. It takes more air pressure forced out 10" than 8".

15" wheels will offer more tire selection and a less $$$ tire selection, plus a 31x10.50x15 (for example) will ride better than a 31x10.50x16 due to it having more sidewall flex. Plus that added flex helps improve traction offroad.

I'd go 15x8 every time for tires as big as 35x12.50.

That sounds like great rock crawler or sand advice, I think. However, I'm not sure how much that applies in my climate and local conditions (where we don't want to air down below 18 or 15 psi much, if ever). In mud I don't need or want to air down below 18 psi. That probably depends on the mud, of course, but around here that is typically the case.

For my local conditions I think that a 16 X 8, or a 16 X 8.5 would be better. Maybe even a 17 X 8.5. If I were to go with a 15" rim, then I'd prefer it be 8.5" wide, or 9" wide. Those rims with a 33" X 11" to 11.5" wide tire combined with my local conditions and situations.

However, this is about the original poster's needs and situations. I really don't know his climate, terrain, and situations. So I guess I don't know what is best for him. It's all relative to his terrains he must deal with.

So I don't think either of us is wrong Jerry. I think we are both right, depending on terrain, circumstances, and budget.

[VaLoRiaN]

I live in Virginia so the climate is pretty freakin' nice. There aren't many horrid rocky mountains to climb and the mud is good ole' normal mud. Mostly mud holes or mud pits I guess you would say but nothing extreme. The dirt is loose and nothing like tough clay or anything like that. During the winter there is usually 3-4 times per year that it snows and never very much. I don't need a tire specific for any real situation because as I stated I will not be doing much off-roading for a while and what I do will be a little mudding and trail riding. Looks and the safety of my Jeep are the most important factors to me right now as having the best rock climbing tire isn't going to do much for me for quite some time. My budget is fairly tight right now but I'm saving up for all of this so I'm just trying to plan out what I'm going to buy so I know what to save and what to get first and such. I hope this helps I'm sorry that I was vague in the information. Thanks for the help and hopefully this will make advising me a bit easier for you.

[KKiowaTJ]

if a 15x8 is good enough for 31's and to be aired down, then a 15x10 is the same thing with a 12.50 wide tire.i have aired down to 8 to 10psi just to see if i would throw a bead,dont have rocky conditions around here,but have never had a problem with 15x10's.go with 33-12.50-15's on 15x10's,cheaper than 16's and get the same amount of traction.and if your going through mud,you will want the extra width,i know i like it, and it looks better as well,good luck on your choice

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally Posted by KKiowaTJ

if a 15x8 is good enough for 31's and to be aired down, then a 15x10 is the same thing with a 12.50 wide tire.i have aired down to 8 to 10psi just to see if i would throw a bead,dont have rocky conditions around here,but have never had a problem with 15x10's.go with 33-12.50-15's on 15x10's,cheaper than 16's and get the same amount of traction.and if your going through mud,you will want the extra width,i know i like it, and it looks better as well,good luck on your choice

While what you say is essentially true, you won't find many long-term experienced offroaders that air way down for seriously difficult trails running very many 15x10 wheels for a 12.5" wide tire. Sure a 10" wheel is great for street use but an 8" is better for the serious offroader.

If you think about why that's the case, then it makes sense. A 12.5" wide tire is not 12.5" wide at the bead (or even at the tread), it's much narrower than its advertised width at the bead. Take a look at the beads of an unmounted 33x12.50 or 35x12.50 tire and see if they are closer to 8" or 10" apart, their natural width. And the real thing to think about is that it takes more significantly air pressure to hold a tire sealed against edges that are 10" apart than it does when they are only 8" apart. Your simple short "test" to see if your tires would become unseated at a lower air pressure on a 10" wide wheel doesn't prove anything one way or another. From what you say, it's not likely you pushed your tires nearly to the level where wheel width makes a difference.

It's just a simple fact that a 33x12.50 or 35x12.50 tire has an easier time remaining firmly seated on an 8" wheel than a 10" wheel when the tire is aired down to a low air pressure.

If you're not doing trails hard enough to require airing down to exceptionally low tire pressures where you would notice your tires are unseating more because of your 10" wheels, fine. But for you to claim because of your simple experiment that there's no reason to choose an 8" over a 10" since the 10" works fine for you is pretty silly.

The tougher the trail and the lower the air pressure you air down to, the more you'd notice why not many run 10" wheels on tough trails where low air pressures are the rule and not the exception. Sure 10" wheels may look better to you but I didn't choose my 8" wide wheels for their looks.

[CB3]

Originally Posted by Jerry Bransford

While what you say is essentially true, you won't find many long-term experienced offroaders that air way down for seriously difficult trails running very many 15x10 wheels for a 12.5" wide tire. Sure a 10" wheel is great for street use but an 8" is better for the serious offroader.

Hi Jerry. I agree completely with what you said in the above paragraph and the rest of your prior post.

That is why I'd want an 8.5" or 9" wide rim. The 9" rim splits the difference between on and off road and is most versatile for that reason. I also like an 8.5" rim cause it also splits the difference, but leans a bit more towards the offroad.

That said, 9" rims are hard to find, but a few do exist. I know of some great 8.5" rims by AEV.

So we are very much in agreement as the the effects that rim width has to on and off road conditions. It's just that I'm looking for a different result than you are. You are focused on off-road results. I'm focused on getting the best combination of off and on road results. I want the most versatile Jeep possible that is equally comfortable on or off road.

We are both right with regard to "cause and effect", but each of us is pursuing different end-result goals. Naturally, each person must decide what end-result goals they want and then pursue them.

I appreciate your post Jerry. It offers me an opportunity to compare your knowledge to mine, and I think we agree with regard to the effects of rim width, but we differ with regard to the desired end-results we want.

Thanks, I appreciate you and your knowledge.

[KKiowaTJ]

i was just going off what i have done,and seen,and yes i have been to some "serious off-road" places and guys do run 15x10 inch rims.that and the fact i have read JP magazine for the last 6 years and 9 out of 10 jeeps they have a spread about in there have 15x10's,that dont sway my choice but its somthing to think about,because they get paid to go out and off-road.
but i just answering to the gent. who was talking about surounding enviorments,where i dont have the trails and rocky places you do,i have no need for the skinny rims,its like putting a ball between two boards that are one 10 and one 8 inches apart,same size ball,its tougher to get the ball through the 8,i know where you are comming from.and if he was a rockcrawler or thats his area in the country regardless of the DD drivabilty,you would want the 15x8 rims.it all comes down to what the owner wants really and feels comfortable with,and what nature around you requires.i know i air down to a point,and if that dont work, thats what i have a winch for.but its all good advice that a person can read and make a choice that they feel comfortable with.

[Island4x4]

Originally Posted by Jerry Bransford

I'd go 15x8 every time for tires as big as 35x12.50.

33x12.50's on 15x10s. Its not at all too wide
I air down to about 10psi on the trail and I've never blown a bead.

[CB3]

For what it's worth, when I said I'd like a 9" rim, I meant for a 33" X 11.3" tire.

For a 33" X 12.5" tire, I'd rather have the 10" rim. It'd give a lot flatter foot print than an 8" rim, or even a 9" rim with a 12.5" tire. I don't think holding a bead would be a problem at all, at least not at any air pressure I'd ever run. I'd never air down below 18 psi, and usually not below 24 psi for my terrain. I don't think I'd ever loose a bead.

However, that 12.5" tire is to wide for my climate and terrain considering my vehicle weight. For me, a 33" X 11.3" tire, or a 33" X 10.5" tire would be best. Hence I'd rather have an 8.5" or 9" rim.

Those are my preferences based on my vehicle weight, my local terrain, and my climate. Everyone's situation is specific to them.

So advice can be given as to what works for each of us and why, but then that advice has to be adapted to fit the person following it cause their vehicle might be heavier or lighter, or their climate or terrain might be different.