Quick tire question

Lucky_lefty

Bought an X
Founding Member
Location
IL
I bought some rims that were on a frontier, they are 15x7, Whats the largest I can go? I have duratracs on my 16 inch rims now and I am thinking about using the 16's for winter and the 15's for off roading and summer. I Would like to go big but not rub a lot I have done the BL and PLM..

Thanks
 
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NismoFire

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Smyrna, TN
I've seen 33x12.5s on those exact wheels. You'll need a body lift to run 33s, though, unless you have the full suspension lift. And then you'll have to trim some metal.
 

TJTJ

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
NJ
As you DID the BL, I'd go for the 33x12.5/15. The Fronty rims should be 5.5" of BS, which is PERFECT for those tires on your rig, and the 7" width means fewer blown beads off road.

If the 15" are for off road work, I'd get MT tires, and maximize your off road performance.

After that, its about tread wear and how much ON road performance you want to sacrifice to GET more off road performance, or, visa versa.

:D

So, to help you narrow your MT choice on that 33x12.5 tire....1) do you want to go full tilt boogey on the off road part w/o worry about ON road, or, do you want more of a compromise?

And, 2) do you mostly do sand, mud or rocks, and, if you had to pick, what do you want to be your long suite?
 

Lucky_lefty

Bought an X
Founding Member
Location
IL
As you DID the BL, I'd go for the 33x12.5/15. The Fronty rims should be 5.5" of BS, which is PERFECT for those tires on your rig, and the 7" width means fewer blown beads off road.

If the 15" are for off road work, I'd get MT tires, and maximize your off road performance.

After that, its about tread wear and how much ON road performance you want to sacrifice to GET more off road performance, or, visa versa.

:D

So, to help you narrow your MT choice on that 33x12.5 tire....1) do you want to go full tilt boogey on the off road part w/o worry about ON road, or, do you want more of a compromise?

And, 2) do you mostly do sand, mud or rocks, and, if you had to pick, what do you want to be your long suite?


I guess mostly mud, I am looking for something good on and off the road I have my stock rims with duratracs, I am looking at the Nitto trail grapplers And for cooper STT's if they still make them.
 
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TJTJ

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
NJ
I guess mostly mud, I am looking for something good on and off the road I have my stock rims with duratracs, I am looking at the Nitto trail grapplers And for cooper STT's if they still make them.

There's no such thing as "good on and off road"...for mud for example.

They are mutually exclusive performance areas.

What makes a tire "good" on dry roads is a racing slick, that maximizes rubber to ground contact. For wet roads, sipes and channels to allow water to be squeegeed out from under the tread to prevent hydroplanning is required. The sidewalls are short and the tread is mostly rubber on road with the bare minimum space to allow water out, and designed to be responsive and precise in handling.

For mud, ideally, you have paddle wheels, giant lugs that sink down and build a pile of stuff to push against. Paddle wheel lugs have a lot of air between them, so less rubber on the road, and, the part that is on the road, are like rubber high heels that wiggle with weight on them/handle like a drunk squirrel. The giant blocks tend not to be siped, so, if the road is wet, the film of water is trapped under the rubber....so you can hydroplane more easily.


So, after that, its ALL about compromises. How much OFF road performance are you willing to trade for more ON road performance?


The tighter the tread, the better ON road and the worse OFF road.

The more aggressive the lugs are, the better OFF road and the worse ON road, and so forth.


So, you can't say you want good on both, there's only "good enough, for YOU"....and only YOU know what that magic balance is going to be.


As a base-line, you HAVE Duratracs. Did you want tires that are better OFF ROAD, or, better ON road, than the Duratracs?

If you want better OFF road, the tires will be worse ON the road, etc...so think about how you'd be using the tires.
 

Silver dude

Sliders
Founding Member
I'd wait for the new BFG A/T they come 34/10.50/15. I love my narrow treads. Way better in all conditions other then deep bottomless mud. Lighter, easier rolling and better fitting then the wider treads. Which makes more sense on a underpowered xterra. However, it seems according to your OG post. You may be looking for a set of strictly wheeling treads. Go full M/T and wide.
 
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