wide vs narrow tires

[Michigander]

What is the advantage of wider tires? I'm looking at either getting a set of tires that is about 9.25" wide and another set that is 10.8" wide. It seems like the narrow tires would get down to the bottom of the mud faster, and they won't plane as much on wet roads. Is there anything else I should consider?

[Rob Slade]

This is what I have always heard. Skinnier tires work better for mud because they dig down and find traction. Wider tires work better when maximun floatation is required (ie. sand etc.). You don't want to dig into sand because you will get stuck, you want to stay on top of it. That's why people air down their tires in sand. Mud on the otherhand, you want to dig down and get the traction underneath. I do more sand wheelin, so I want the wider tires. Hope this helps some.

[kvo]

Some likes the look of the wider tires because they fill out the wheel well better than skinny tires. I have also read that the Range Rover people like the skinny tires because there is more pressure/weight on each tire, so you'd be more sure footed. Skinny tires, smaller contact patch so the weight is more concentrated, so the thinking goes.

A lot depends on what you want to do with your vehicle and tires.

[CHH777]

A lot also depends on the weight of the vehicle. For instance, a wider tire on a Jeep works very well in sand because they're so light they "float" on the top. An Explorer will sink down until it hits harder sand...

[RangerX]

Originally posted by Michigander
What is the advantage of wider tires? I'm looking at either getting a set of tires that is about 9.25" wide and another set that is 10.8" wide.

What type of tires are these? Unless they are true mud tires, I wouldn't worry about offroad performance. Most of your driving is on the street, right? The wider tire will give you better handling in cornering, by virtue of a wider stance.

Why don't you tell us the exact dimensions, brands and models of both tires, then we can all give you better opinions.

[Michigander]

Ok.. The tires I am considering are basically true mud tires. The narrow one is General Grabber MT. They are about 31.7" in diameter and the tread is about 9.25". The link is http://www.generaltire.com/tire_deta...ame=GRABBER+MT

The wide tires are BFG MT. Size is about 31.6" dia and 10.4" wide.

Is the 1.2 inches going to be a big difference? I do some sand, but mostly mud and trails up in northern MI. Thanks for your advice.

[Oknut]

In my opinion one inch wouldn't make a difference at all. And it's kinda limited what kinda mud you can get into with a 31 inch tires. They say skinnier tires do better because they dig till they fit the harder surface. I just don't know how you can dig very far with a 31 inch tire.

Now I went to an event in oregon about a month ago. And the trucks who were doing the best down there had 44 by 19.50 boggers. I didn't see a single truck with skinny tires that made it in the big mud holes. there were trucks with huge tires like 66 inch and they had a harder time then the 44's.

That's just what I think

-Oknut

[SteveVB]

Those BFGs the 265/75 16s, If so, I think you are comparing apples to oranges so to speak. If the General dim you gave is the tread width, I think the BFG number your using is the section width, and the tread is somewhat smaller- close to the general I would bet. So in a comparison of the two I would doubt they would perform much differently from each other. Now if one had a 9" tread and another had a 12" tread then I think you would see a noticable difference.

I like the narrower tire personally. On the road in snow it will give you much, much better performance. Big wide flotation tires have to plow a lot more snow out of the way, and the narrow tire will dig down through the snow to get to the pavement better.
Off road in the sand the tires will do poorly even aired down, partially due to the tread design, and more importantly because they wont float as well as a wider tire.
On dirt or moderate mud I dont think that the width of the tire would have much effect one way or another. In hard surfaces, and rocks the narrower tire should get more traction due to the higher pressure the tire excerts on the ground. This works against you though in the deep mud where the higher pressure will sink until it finds a solid surface, and if the tire isnt tall enough to find the solid (or its not there!!) your stuck.

[Oknut]

I have one question then, how come all the best rock crawlers have the widest tire they can find ?

If you look in all the offroad mags, you won't see anything but wide swampers or boggers. If you have the wider tire it will get a hold of more surface and will be able to grip better.

[yob_yeknom]

wide tires:
packed snow~helps you float on top of it and larger contact patch gives more traction
sand~same as packed snow
dry pavement~larger contact patch gives better traction
slightly wet pavement~same as dry pavement
really deep mud~more surface area to 'paddle' against the mud
soft dirt~same as packed snow
rocks~more surface area to grip with

skinny tires
soft snow~easier to sink to the hard stuff and won't have to push through as wide a path
pavement with standing water~less area to have to push through the water and less chance of floating(hydroplaning)
shallow mud~same as soft snow

That is to the best of my knowledge anyways. Feel free to add on any terrains I forgot.

[RangerX]

Originally posted by SteveVB
. If the General dim you gave is the tread width, I think the BFG number your using is the section width, and the tread is somewhat smaller- close to the general I would bet. So in a comparison of the two I would doubt they would perform much differently from each other.
Off road in the sand the tires will do poorly even aired down, partially due to the tread design, and more importantly because they wont float as well as a wider tire.

I agree that the BFG width is probably the section width and not the tread width. The two tires are most likely nearly identical in dimensions. And these are normal proportional dimensions for LT tires. You would have to go taller to go wider, unless you get Swampers or Mickey Thompsons. My choice would be to pay a couple more bucks for the BFG's. I've run them for years, and love them.
I don't agree that they will do poorly in sand. Compared to what? All-Terrains? Paddle tires?

[SteveVB]

Originally posted by RangerX


I don't agree that they will do poorly in sand. Compared to what? All-Terrains? Paddle tires?

Should have been more clear, I meant to compare the narrower metric tires to a flotation type tire. A better sentence would have been The narrower tire fare poorly compared to a wider tire of the same dia. I wasnt making a judgement on the BFGs Mud terrains.
I would assume that all terrain, or a street type tread would do better in the sand. Fourwheeler had a Mud to AT test an issue or two back dealing with different terrains- its interesting.

OKnut-Check out the new tires developed for the rock crawlers most of the sizes coming out are 13" wide or less and diameters of 35,37,38. So I guess wide to a point. I think Walker Evans uses a 37/12.50.

[kvo]

Steve -

I think for general application and not the hard core rock crawling or mudding, any of the tire you select would be fine.

I also have the Rancho lift and I squeezed 32" x 11.5" x 15" in mine with a little help from Mr. grinder (had to grind the wheel well and the flange on the radius arms a little bit to fit the 32"). The vehicle looks much nicer now than when I had the 31" x 10.5" x 15". Performance wise, it's the same for me in the rain/snow/wheeling, street, etc. I don't have the cajonesor the lift to go rock crawling so I don't even think about that.

[Michigander]

Ok... This is where I stand. I can get the thinner General Grabbers for about $95 per tire, or the BFG's on sale fo $156 per tire. I would honestly go with the BFG's in a flash if they weren't so much money. So, is the wider tire worth the extra $50 per tire?

[RangerX]

WOW!!! I didn't think there would be THAT much difference! I would go with the Grabbers with no regrets.

Steve, I didn't see it as a slam on BFG's, but on mud tire performance in sand. I just wouldn't say they do
"poorly" in sand, just not as good as one might think. I saw that same article, it was pretty suprising!

[SteveVB]

Yea, I would go with the Generals at the prices you quoted.

Bill, I was using poorly in relation to the tread width, regardless of the tread pattern.
But I know what you mean- Ive used MTs on sand, and luckily I had a decent amount of HP to keep them moving- similar to the Fourwheeler article. Im not sure that in a lower powered vehicle with some weight- like the Ex that a mud tire would be my choice for sand running, or anyones for that matter!! But if you have too they work OK as long as you air way down. Too bad we cant have a set of tires for each terrain/condition we run into!! I think Id have at least four sets- Im working on two sets as it is!!