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Tire width ?....is 1 inch, that much difference

2001XJ

2001XJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Canton, MI
I have searched through the threads and know that a narrower tire generally does better in the snow. I decided to go with a 32" tire, Bridgestone Dueler A/T. I was going to get it in the 10.5 width size with cragar soft 8's with 4" backspacing. I figure this would be a good tire to run for snow traction and in the summer also.

My question is, is there a huge difference in snow traction or how the tire will perform between a 10.5 width and 11.5 width in the snow and in general? Bridgestone also has the 11.5 width and I thought I might try those since I go on the dunes and two tracking in the summer and want to use one set of tires all year round since I can't afford 2 sets. Also, I think they might look better with the 15x8 4"BS rims instead of the 10.5's

thanks
 
huh, I have heard and read differently....I know they dig for traction, but that is what I have read you want. Years ago I ran 33x9.5 and noticed a HUGE difference in traction in the snow and ice versus what I have now which are 31x12.5....however, we are talking a 3" difference in that case. Maybe I should clarify also. I am looking for more traction for the higway (snowy conditions) not offroad....
 
I thing 1" will make a worth while choise........but thy may rub when you turn the wheel from lock to lock, on the LCA.

flash.
 
I have ran many differant tires in the snow and did not notice a big ifferance until I was up to like 15 inches wide. I run 12.5 mostly in winter ona mild all terrain. the softer the rubber compund the better. I am not a tire expert but this is what works for me.
 
I run a 33x10.5R15 on 7" wide rims. If the snow isn't that deep and there is something to dig down too narrower works fine. Problems come when you hit the deep stuff, and find that there is nothing to dig down too. Personally my next set of tires will be 33x12.5R15 on 8" wide rims. I’d rather floats on top of the snow then dig my self a whole into it.
 
FiFo said:
If the snow isn't that deep and there is something to dig down too narrower works fine. Problems come when you hit the deep stuff, and find that there is nothing to dig down too. Personally my next set of tires will be 33x12.5R15 on 8" wide rims. I’d rather floats on top of the snow then dig my self a whole into it.
Click to expand...
I agree. The way I see it, your contact patch is at least, what….3” x whatever the actual width is. that’s tire full of air guess. 1 extra in time 3 is 3 square inches. That’s 12 square inches of extra rubber your putten down on the sand when you go to the dunes. i kind of think you will see a big difference in the sand and off road in the snow. But not so much on snow roads by going one inch wider
 
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In snow that isnt deep a narrower tire will get down to the surface easier giving you more traction such as on the road. Use a wider tire to give you floatation in deep snow to keep your axles from didging in the snow and high centering you.
 
Starscream918 said:
A narrower tire doing better in the snow... ? I've always heard the opposite. Narrow tires dig for traction - wide tires float (so to say). But, that being said, a 1" difference won't be too noticable if at all.
Click to expand...

Wide tires float, so to say, yes, but you don't want to be "floating" on snow, then you can't get traction. The skinnier tires cut through the snow better to the solid ground underneath
 
I say go wider, personally I think they look better. You should not notice that big of a difference between the 2 you are looking at. Plus you have 4 wheel drive so should not have problems.

In MI you probably run into both deep show and normal snow so either one you choose you will probably one day say that you should have gotten the other size.
 
klennop said:
I say go wider, personally I think they look better. You should not notice that big of a difference between the 2 you are looking at. Plus you have 4 wheel drive so should not have problems.

In MI you probably run into both deep show and normal snow so either one you choose you will probably one day say that you should have gotten the other size.
Click to expand...

Hey they look better, get those! Good grief.
Anyway, street use and city blizzard conditions tall and skinny rule the day.
The crispy crust, off-road, wind blown, deep as a mutha-fuhka snow, wide and aired right down is the ONLY way to fly. You break through that crust with tall and skinny's, u r done!
 
You've gotten the advise I'd give. Here in Montana, ranchers like tall, narrow tires to dig through the snow for traction. But, if it gets too deep, digging through just gets you hung-up. Wider tires and floatation works better in deep stuff provided you air down. For highway snow...narrower works better IMHO...

I'm running 33x10.5's...and airing down to 8 psi...I can keep up with most with carefull driving (no tire spinning) until it gets real deep...then I'm lost. I'm not really thrilled with my tires on highway snow (BFG AT's)...they're marginal for braking traction.
 
Thanks for the repliers guys....it's helping me consider aspects I have not thought of yet
 
2001XJ said:
Thanks for the repliers guys....it's helping me consider aspects I have not thought of yet
Click to expand...

Whenever you're ready to step into flavor country... chains. You can turn race slicks into monsters with chains, and can get traction on most anything, including inches-thick glare ice. The only thing (winter-wise) that'll stop you is getting into feet-deep slushy snow.

THen you just have to get used to the bumps and "CHunka-chunka-chunka-ching!" while you're driving around.

I'd buy the m/t or a/t tire that suits your needs best (width, etc) for year-round and invest $200 in good chains for front and rear (people may bitch about this, but when you need it, you need it). While they are a bit of a PITA to put on and take off, I can say that I've tried all sorts of products - Dayton winterforces, studded m/ts, wide tires, skinny tires - and none of them come anywhere CLOSE to the performance of a good set of snowchains.
 
before this jeep I always had larger trucks ... and bigger tires. I found:
IMHO .....

yes, narrow digs better and wide floats like everyone says ..... but also seriously consider tread pattern. Onroad you need to sling it just like mud (just like oldfashioned snowtires do) or you start to hydroplane.

I found a really wide (36 x 16) was ok in the snow if it had deep tread with sharp edges. huge mud treads and straight grooved water displacing treads would slide all over, but plain old AT's would bite pretty good. I'm mostly on tread-lighty sand so I tended to go for floatation but a mud and snow tread seemed best on the black-ice-slick-top-half-frozen-slop we always end up with on the road.

if you are willing to compromise on tread, width might not be that critical.
 
boomhauer said:
Hey they look better, get those! Good grief.
Anyway, street use and city blizzard conditions tall and skinny rule the day.
The crispy crust, off-road, wind blown, deep as a mutha-fuhka snow, wide and aired right down is the ONLY way to fly. You break through that crust with tall and skinny's, u r done!
Click to expand...

So my opinion of what I thought looked better upset you? If you would have read my post (maybe a little slower) I never told him to buy a wider tire based entirely on looks. I said that I like the way the wider one looked so that is what I would go with. I also said one inch wider of a tire will not make that huge of a difference in MI.

Now 10" compared to 15" wide is another story.

So if you want to be an ass and ridicule my post, learn how to read and type first.:banghead:

Thanks
 
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Flyfisher said:
I'm running 33x10.5's...and airing down to 8 psi...I can keep up with most with carefull driving (no tire spinning) until it gets real deep...then I'm lost. I'm not really thrilled with my tires on highway snow (BFG AT's)...they're marginal for braking traction.
Click to expand...

Try going lower. I sucked, and I mean royally sucked in the snow last year at 8 PSI. This year I got my tires sipped, and go strait to 6 PSI if there’s snow on the trail. While I'm still not the best guy in the snow unless I do something stupid, and I probably will, I can keep up with the group in the deepest of snow as long as I'm not the one breaking trail.
 
For wheelin in snow, wider=better, but for driving on the roads in snow, narrower = better. Road driving in snow and wheeling in snow are like apples and oranges. just look at what plow trucks run. Mostly 33-35" skinny tires.


Anyways, I would go for the narrower 32 for two reasons. One, you have less chance of rubbing on LCA, and two, the tires will look a little taller. I've got 32x11.5 MTs and they are pretty wide. Combined with my rear locker, they're really fun in the snow, but that's probalby not what you're looking for! I switch to my 31x10.5 ATs for real snow driving on the road.

1" isn't going to make THAT much of a difference...but I say try the narrower one. It'd be like running a taller 31" tire.
 
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