well not to beat this to death but the reason narrow tires do well off road actually has to do with PSI. not tire pressure psi but total pounds per square inch of ground/mud/snow contact. if your jeep weighs for example 3500 lbs, that weight is a constant (does not change very much with wide or narrow tires) however the amount of weight (pounds per square inch of contact) under the tires changes significantly. the pressure/weight available for traction would be twice as much on a 10" wide tire as a 20" wide tire (not that you are running 20" wide):thumbsup:
I agree that your pressure per square inch would change.. but I completely disagree about that being the reason skinny tires do well.
If that was the case, why would anyone air down? Keep 40 psi in your tires, less tire touching the ground = more traction!
Bottom line is the more tire that's touching the ground.. the better traction you have. The lower tire pressure you run, the more traction you have.
Skinny tires work well for some terrains like mud that has a hard bottom or snow on top of rocks etc... but they don't work as well as a fat tire in rocks, deep mud, muskeg, or deep snow.
Imagine a snow shoe in 3 feet of snow vs. a bicycle tire.
I am not sure if this is a consideration, but wouldn't a skinnier tire (say 33x10.5) weigh less than a normal (33x12.5). Less weight/rotational mass should mean that your axles, brakes, and engine don't have to work as hard to start and stop the tires.
33 x 9.5 BF Goodrich AT, BDS 1 3/4 in BB Suspension Lift. Haven't got suck yet (knock on wood) Want to get 35s eventually but I really like these tires.
Went through this mud hole after a jacked up blazer on 35s got stuck.
flatlander: im new to jeeps and offroading (just bought my first a few months ago) and your's was the first one i saw w/ 33x10.5, and honestly at first i hated them, i was dead set on goin w/ wider tires... but since then i've only grown on them as i've researched the advantages there are. now, i definitely think im goin w/ them when i get my next set.
flatlander: im new to jeeps and offroading (just bought my first a few months ago) and your's was the first one i saw w/ 33x10.5, and honestly at first i hated them, i was dead set on goin w/ wider tires... but since then i've only grown on them as i've researched the advantages there are. now, i definitely think im goin w/ them when i get my next set.
Yeah I've got 12,000 miles on mine with not a lot of wear at all(still have all 3 "stages" of lugs), great grip everywhere, no problems in sand whatsoever(if you run up big dunes I cannot comment on that, not allowed on the dunes in NC), and great on rocks and stuff.
Don't get this wrong, I'm all for skinny tires but the only thing that would have saved me here was a very, very wide tire and lots of the skinny pedal.
I'm pretty sure good MT tires that are meant for mud would have been fine. I was in a puddle up to the hood line and had no problem with mine last time in Uwharrie.
MT/Rs aren't exactly fantastic in mud comparatively speaking, moreso meant for rocks.
After work I am off to pick up some BFG MT studs in 33X9.5 that have been gathering dust since BFG quit making them, 80% and all the studs still in for $150. Found an old pair of Stock Jeep wheels for $50 so $200 in parts and another $100 for new stems, mount, etc and I'll try to post before and after pics between the two if anyone wants to see that.
i'm no expert on the subject but it seems to me that theres only so much a mud tire can do, in nasty mud like that rubi-rubi i think only something like boggers and lots of gas would have saved you. i really like the look of skinny tall tires and theyre the most appropriate for the type of terrain where i live, so i'm sticking with them! right now i have 235/75 ATs but when i upgrade to larger tires i'll probly go with 33x9.5 MTs. i wish they made 31x9.5 tho, that would be the perfect size for me
What your looking for is a 245/75/16. That measures 30.5x9.6. So just go find some Rubicon take offs and your set. Or if you want something a little taller get a 235/85/16, that measures 31.7 x 9.4. So something close to the size you want is available, but you need a 16" rim.
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