About tires and wheels (1 Viewer)

[Zoom650]

I came across this a few years back and got interested in the physics of wheels and tires. I thought these articles worthwhile. Oh, and I'm in no way suggesting what you should ride on. Stock works for me.

Wheel Tech, Part I: Wheel Weight Slows You Down | Tuner University

Wheel Tech, Part II: Width Matters | Tuner University

Wheel Tech, Part III: Wheel Diameter’s Effect on Performance | Tuner University

 

[teghogh]

I got excited when I saw umthe word university in the link thinking there is finally some objective and measurable difference being provided. Browsed through all of it and didn’t find any
As for the OPs intent , this is usually the first stage of grief when it comes to justifying how happy you are with stock despite really wanting bigger tires.
The second stage of grief comes when you park next to a gx on 35s and you realize how much better it looks than stock.
In third stage some stay strong to their values but most would buckle and upsize.

Sounds like you already have the itch, you are scratching the itch by looking at all the downsides associated with bigger wheels and tires setup but believe you me you will have bigger tires before you know it

 

[teghogh]

As for me I’m In the stage of convincing myself how happy I am with my stock OT tires but realistically going to a larger size tire will become unavoidable in the not too distant future.
I personally love the look of the ot wheels. They are reasonably light at 28 or so pounds and being hub centric , proper offset , lug not and stud engagement , and oem quality would mean little to no vibration issues that often come with aftermarket wheels. Every after market wheel I have installed ( probably more than 20 in the past decade ) have had more vibration above 70mph. Unfortunately you will only realize this after everything is installed and rebalancing etc will not completely resolve the issue.

As for tires , the stock OT tires weigh somewhere in 41-42 lb range and are considered light as well. The off-roaders here have no choice but to go for a stronger tires due to weaker sidewalls on the oems and that’s a comprise in drivability, mpg , and comfort
As for the rest that off-road 1% of time choosing a sl rated tire for the following reasons
1. Weight : sl rated tires like nitto recon and terra g3 are significantly lighter than their LT counterparts parts . They will be still be 10 lb or so heavier than stock in 285-295 size but a good 7-15 pounds lighter than c rated e rated tires
2. Noise : god how much I have the constant tire noise. It really takes away from ride enjoyment . Do you self a favor and buy a quiet tire

Without a doubt going to a bigger tire setup is a compromise, the question is which option will limit the extent of downsides

 

[Zoom650]

I got excited when I saw umthe word university in the link thinking there is finally some objective and measurable difference being provided. Browsed through all of it and didn’t find any
As for the OPs intent , this is usually the first stage of grief when it comes to justifying how happy you are with stock despite really wanting bigger tires.
The second stage of grief comes when you park next to a gx on 35s and you realize how much better it looks than stock.
In third stage some stay strong to their values but most would buckle and upsize.

Sounds like you already have the itch, you are scratching the itch by looking at all the downsides associated with bigger wheels and tires setup but believe you me you will have bigger tires before you know it

I’m more of a utility kinda guy and as long as my tires are getting me where I want to go, I’m fine with that. I would totally support an upgrade if I lived in more rugged conditions, no matter what those articles present, but it’s thick southern forested coastal plain. Some things in life I do not make fun of: a man’s car, his boat, his dog, his wife, and his big rubber to make up for a tiny wiener.

 

[Bluegill]

I compare tire weight when shopping tires, but I never let it be the deciding factor. You can drive yourself nuts worrying about wheel weight, tire weight, heavy steel bumpers vs. stock plastic, winch weight, racks, etc. The reality is that your truck has to carry it, you don't, and your truck barely notices the extra weight. Especially now with the massive HP and torque numbers that these engines are producing. Older automatic transmissions with limited gearing may need the help of regearing if you radically change/upsize tires, but otherwise you can barely notice it. If someone told me that my built-up truck with aftermarket wheels, 35s, winch, rack, etc. looks great but I'm sacrificing performance, I'd have to laugh.

 

[teghogh]

With that said I think the perfect replacement is 275 70 18 nitto g3. It weighs 45 pounds half and inch wider and half an inch taller

 

[incognito.gx]

Plan to go 18x8.5 +44 and 285/70 when the OEMs go

 

[teghogh]

I compare tire weight when shopping tires, but I never let it be the deciding factor. You can drive yourself nuts worrying about wheel weight, tire weight, heavy steel bumpers vs. stock plastic, winch weight, racks, etc. The reality is that your truck has to carry it, you don't, and your truck barely notices the extra weight. Especially now with the massive HP and torque numbers that these engines are producing. Older automatic transmissions with limited gearing may need the help of regearing if you radically change/upsize tires, but otherwise you can barely notice it. If someone told me that my built-up truck with aftermarket wheels, 35s, winch, rack, etc. looks great but I'm sacrificing performance, I'd have to laugh.

You sacrifice performance in one category and gain in an other . In case of lifted IFS 2.5 inch of lift means 2.5 inch of down travel loss which is significant . But a gain of 2.5 inch ground clearance which is also significant