Wide vs Narrow Off-Road Tires

Wondering why the size tires come in different widths? Today we’re breaking down what the difference is between wide and narrow off-road tires and the pros and cons of each. Let us know wide you guys prefer or have questions on!

#offroadtires #offroading #offroad

[NoName-tzji]

I find the black and round types work best for me.

[chrisboehm]

For a daily driver with occasional off-road treks. Light rigs, 4k lbs and less do very well on pizza cutters. 235/85r16 is the preferred tire size in Australia, most of Asia and almost every part of Africa. They don’t win beauty contests in the US market, but in the US most of the people you share the public right of way with based their tire/rim combination based on form over function.

[Gilbertmk]

Running 255s in my 5thgen 4runner. Seems to be a good width, I never cared for the extremely wide tires some people gravitate to.

[Gizmoimages]

Years ago I was out hunting with my dad. I was just sitting there watching two trucks navigate back up a snowy embankment. One truck had wider tires, which did not perform near as well as the other guy with narrower tires. This convinced me that since a priority for me in snowy conditions to go taller and narrower, than wider. I'm not much of an offroader, but when I need to get somewhere in snowy conditions, that's my preference.

[jamesh]

Agreed - Been running 255/80/R17 for years on a Tacoma. Great combo for a lightweight truck. It is a billy goat and has never struggled in the deep sand in Utah or while rock crawling and still has decent road manners. Funny how so many discount them as trash but they work better than the 11.5-wide tires I ran for years previously. Just google some of the old jeeps and even older 1920s cars on crazy skinny tires and the muck they drove through.

[jimmyh]

FINALLY, somebody who talks some sense on tire widths! Thank you for the great direction in the video. I just wish it had some math in it. Not enough engineering info for me.

This isn't rocket science, people, but it DOES involve some very basic physics. If you are not willing to consider the math, then you are shooting in the dark and I will run circles around your rig with my mere grocery-gitter if the surface is any kind of hard-pack with steep inclines.

Last August I did Imogene Pass in Colorado no problem with 235/75R15 (29.0" x 9.3", OEM spec, 20psi, vehicle heavily loaded) -- in the RAIN with el cheapo $68 HT tires (Provider Entrada HT, Discount Tire) that had less than 25% tread remaining. 1st-gen Durango (grocery-gitter), 4WD, rear LSD. Wider tires would have spun on the wet rocks. While I was out there, I got strange looks from people in modified Jeeps... "What the hell are you doing out here with that grocery-gitter??" ...meanwhile they were slipping quite a lot on the wet trail and loose gravel due to their wide tires. I had no slippage whatsoever. My highway psi for heavy loads is 45 psi and I was running about 45% of hwy psi. Typically I run 45-50% of hwy psi for mountainous terrain. 60% if I need extra clearance.

My tires are now balding, so I am looking to upgrade to 235/85R16 (31.7" x 9.3"). I prefer 255/85R16, 255/80R17, or 33x10.5R15 (i.e. 265/85R15), but those sizes do not fit safely on the Durango (weak front axle, can't use spare tire cubby) and unfortunately too few manufacturers make those sizes in an AT tire. (Why?? Those are highly useful sizes.) I love the design of the Falken Rubitrek, based upon what I see on their website... Why is it so hard to find the Rubitrek in the USA?? I do not want the AT3/W because it does not have a center stripe. Unfortunately, the Milestar Patagonia MT01 does not come in a 235/85R16.

I think the ultimate overlanding tire size for my vehicle weight without a trailer (Gen 1 Durango, 2001), would be 235/85R17 (32.7" x 9.3") -- if it actually fit. Unfortunately, no tire manufacturers seem to be making that size for vehicles that drive on the highway. My second choice would be 255/85R16, but that size only seems to be available in an MT tire -- and from only a few manufacturers.

[mark-kfmd]

It's important to take into account that a taller narrower tire will have a longer contact patch. A longer but narrower tire can have the same amount square inches of contact patch or even more vs a wider shorter tire depending on the diameters.
Also a longer contact patch of the same square inches as a wider one will conform to the trail and around rocks better and it will have better:
* Mileage due to less frontal area
* More contact area when traversing a rock or hard pack wall to the side of the rig. Longer contact patch is better here.
* Taller narrower tire clears the inside suspension parts and the fender and bumper better.
* It can be lighter therefore less unsprung weight and less rolling inertia, better braking and better handling.

[TheBandit]

Wider tires are heavier. A spinning tire is actually a flywheel. It will require stronger brakes to stop the same as a lighter tire. So it'll require more horsepower to get moving and stronger brakes to stop

[wannabeangler]

After watching countless videos of all your recommendations I finally decided on a set of BFG KO2s. 285 75R17 which puts me at 33.9" tall with with a 11.3" footprint. That seems optimal for my daily driver with mild excursions on the weekends. Thanks for all your input, Josh!

[RyanBryant]

I'm running 35x10.5-17 Kenda Klever RTs on my JT. This combo has worked out really well. Off-road and on road. Even better on ice and snow.

[rodneysherwin]

HAVING 4X4 TRUCKS, JP, S, SUV, S ETC 4X4, S SINCE 1974, , I USE A WHEEL WIDTH NO MORE THAN 8 INCH, S & TIRES ABOUT 10" WIDE.. 255 X 80 X 16 /17 IN.WHEELS .. I GOT OVER THE SHOW & NO GO VEHICLES A LONG TIME AGO !! THANK YOU FOR SOME REALLY PRACTICAL VIDEOS ..

[sweetmustang]

I wish someone would actually get 2 identical vehicles and put wide 35's on one and narrow 35's on the other and follow each other around some differing terrain

[victordragano]

Roling resistance, especially when aired down is a big consideration typically overlooked from what I've seen. Example: If the contact patch is "X" lbs. per square inch and *identical* between a skinner v. a wide tire, the longer contact patch of the skinny has less rolling resistance and can perform better in sand, etc. As an overlander who travels distance over all types of terrain, I like the performance of the skinny. I'm glad you explained tuning the tire for the vehicle load. This seems often over-looked because everyone just wants the big-fat-tire "look".

[andrifsig]

For snow-wheeling in Iceland we run a Toyota Tacoma, 44x16, 5" tires. Only a little less than a 2" bodylift with IFS which has been strengthened along with a 4link air ride in the back. aired with Coil over Fox shocks in the front and bypass Fox shocks in the rear.
The aim is to float on top of the snow as much as we can and we routinely run our tire pressure at around 3psi.
Weight of the vehicle ready for a weekend away is just below 2, 4tons and that is with 260liters of fuel on board.

There are rigs here in Iceland designed for snow-wheeling as varied as 33 to 37" Suzuki Jimny to F350's running 54" tires. One F35 is being built for 58"tires. One build is a Chevy Kodiak spliced together with two chevy vans built on top of a MAN truck frame. That beast is running 8 tires all of them 54" in size.

All of these trucks are built to be street legal in Iceland but can also traverse glaciers as well.

[thunderamu]

Thank you TBOR for a very informative video. I live in Florida, so my domain features a bunch of sand, mud, steep and sometimes deep ditch/stream fording points. My ranch rig and daily driver is a 2005 Jeep Wrangler 2-door Unlimited. I run 33 x 12.5 R15 BFG KM3s on a 10"wide rim, pressurized to 23-25 PSI for best footprint and ride on the road-which is very smooth. I do not air down unless the rocks get really really craggy, and that's only outside of FL. Airing down is not a factor because the LJ is so light compared to the load range and sidewall width of the tires, that my footprint really does not change.

I do not like huge suspension lifts. I installed OME 2.5" coils and shocks to counter the addition of a winch and for carrying cargo or towing. Installed Metal Cloak fenders all the way around for articulation clearance. The rest of the suspension and drive train are stock because I don't need to do anything else, a benefit of the longer wheel base. I keep up with other TJs on 35s and 37s with 4" to 6" inch suspension lifts. Only other mod I'm looking at is cowl air intake kit so I don't choke on water over the hood. Keeping it simple with a low CG.

[charliedee]

In Michigan I run a 255/80-17, basically a 33x10 on my 04 Grand Cherokee with a 4" long arm lift. They seem to work best in the woods of where I run with sand, fire trails and cedar swamp muck. Honestly off road it is hard to tell the difference between the previous 285 wide tires I ran and the 255's however on road the 255's are much more responsive to steering and tend to wander less.

[davekamericanregulator]

Living in the Upper Peninsula I've tried most combinations for the harsh winters/spring & have settled on 35x12.50x17/20 (dependent on season) as a minimum ratio. Currently running 375 55 R20 Atturo TB Boss on my Ram. The powdery snow isn't hardly an issue unless your running slicks, but the heavy wet stuff I prefer a taller wider footprint for flotation (yes even on a heavy vehicle). Some of the best tires to date in heavy wet snow were Super Swamper SXII 35x15.50's but the street quality was about -2 on a scale of 1-10. Looking fwd to see if my Atturo's perform similar this coming winter. Street wise they're acceptable as far as ride, but shine in the off-road territory. Great info and to each their own on what works best for individuals and their driving styles/rig set ups.

[augustm.moschera]

My 83' CJ-7 has 7" of lift and 37x12.5"s and it does all right. I had an 2004 4-door chevy tracker with 5' of lift and 9.5" x 31" BFG all terrains and that was an awesome combo, I could push snow with the front bumper and still keep traction. Got to love them BFG all terrains!

[johncarter]

Formulas and ratios are seemingly rarely discussed when choosing tires. Nice to see some engineering in sales pitches. Great info.

[kadenschaberg]

as someone who daily drives their off-roading vehicle, 265/70/r17’s have done me great down 90% of trails and been very comfortable at high speeds, little noise, and most of the time fit stock rigs