Let's talk tires: 15s or 17s?

[Boss Hugg]

So recently Sprdv1 and myself found ourselves needing spares. We both were running the same tires on 15" beadlock wheels and no one near where we were had a 37x15 of any sort in stock for us to pick up. So we have shopped around a bit and there seem to be lots of options for 17" wheels but I have one big question.

Why are there so many options in 17" but very few in 15"? What makes the 17" more "popular"? Is there a manufacturing issue with 15" tires?

I really want to go Creepy Crawler because I watched them idle around on stuff at Hot Springs that just blew my mind. However, when I think about going to 17" tires, first I realize I'll have the cost of new wheels. Second, the 17" tires cost about $50 more than the 15s. WHY?!

 

[73azbronco]

18. And then tire selection is reduced.

If you can clear everything with 15, use them.

 

[okie4570]

So recently Sprdv1 and myself found ourselves needing spares. We both were running the same tires on 15" beadlock wheels and no one near where we were had a 37x15 of any sort in stock for us to pick up. So we have shopped around a bit and there seem to be lots of options for 17" wheels but I have one big question.

Why are there so many options in 17" but very few in 15"? What makes the 17" more "popular"? Is there a manufacturing issue with 15" tires?

I really want to go Creepy Crawler because I watched them idle around on stuff at Hot Springs that just blew my mind. However, when I think about going to 17" tires, first I realize I'll have the cost of new wheels. Second, the 17" tires cost about $50 more than the 15s. WHY?!

The Jeep world is extremely, extremely heavily 17" wheels. FB market place and CL is just full of them around here even.

 

[Boss Hugg]

18. And then tire selection is reduced.

If you can clear everything with 15, use them.

If I got to 18s, I may as well go 20."

 

[Boss Hugg]

The Jeep world is extremely, extremely heavily 17" wheels. FB market place and CL is just full of them around here even.

Exactly. Most of the reason I've thought about going to 17s.

 

[JWMcCrary]

You can order a new set of creepy crawlers in 15" and use the 3 you have left from your current set for spares, sell one of them to super dave, lol. That's the cheapest option you have from you are sitting the way I see it, and you have the tires you really want.

 

[Boss Hugg]

You an order a new set of creepy crawlers in 15" and use the 3 you have left from your current set for spares, sell one of them to super dave, lol. That's the cheapest option you have from you are sitting the way I see it, and you have the tires you really want.

I developed a leak in one of the three at LEBC Roundup. Someone had a set that I took a chance on so I got one of their four mounted and got 8 hours on trails before the leak took me out of the rest of the weekend. I'm thinking I'm going to put tractor tubes in them and run them. Also picked up a couple more wheels to build extra beadlocks with. But I've also decided to try Humvee tires with recentered wheels. But the centers and pvc beadlock stuff will cost me nearly $700 including shipping. Tires are cheap since i'm close to the army depot here. There's a guy that has a contract to dispose of all rubber from the depot and they ship tires all over the world. I've got some tire treatment to try and see if they'll soften up in my own creepy crawlers.

 

[surfer-b]

what is really messed up is they charge more for 17 and larger tires than a 15 in the same size, there is more product in the 15 size

 

[tatersalad]

what is really messed up is they charge more for 17 and larger tires than a 15 in the same size, there is more product in the 15 size

Isn't that the truth.

 

[tatersalad]

Isn't the reason manufactures have moved to 17+ wheels, to fit larger brake calipers?

 

[toddz69]

Isn't the reason manufactures have moved to 17+ wheels, to fit larger brake calipers?

Generally - yes. Larger rotors, actually.

Todd Z.

 

[Apogee]

Larger brakes and better fuel economy tend to be the driving force behind larger wheel diameter. Tires with less sidewall height tend to roll more efficiently. Wheel diameters have steadily increased along with modern vehicle design, so with that in mind, I went with Ø17" wheels on the latest incarnation of my EB since the safe bet is that they will be better supported in the future than Ø15's.

 

[Yeller]

Also have to remember the he pickup market requires 17” minimum, between them and Jeeps = demand it’s all about supply and demand. The 15” demand is low. And besides 37”+ tires are more stable in a 17 than a 15. Exactly why most 42’s are on 20’s