Stupid question of the day, does wheel size matter?

[Nightstick]

I've noticed most everyone runs a 15" wheel. Looking at different wheels though it seems there are a lot more options for 16" and 17". I also have a line on some pretty good used TSLs for 16" wheels. Does it make a difference with crawlers what size the wheels are?

 

[blubuckaroo]

You are right about more offerings in 16 & 17 in. I can't see a logical reason to buy a new set of 15" rims right now. One advantage of a larger diameter is your steering knuckles will have more clearance from the rim.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

... and brake componets if you are using something special.

I've been looking at the same thing , I've noticed you can get tires that are taller , but skinnier than the 15" rim offerings. Not much thinner , but thinner none the less.


Why skinnier ? Less rolling resistance for the street / daily drivers.

Also , the 17" rims do not look right until you have 35" or taller tires. In my opinion....

 

[00gyrhed]

Stupid answer of the day.... YES.

Besides the tire sizes mentioned above the taller wheel will be easier to balance. For instance a 35" on an 15" might take a tone of weight and still not be really that well balanced where the same height tire on a 17 will usually take quite a bit less.

For street driving the taller wheel reduces the hieght of teh sidewall wich makes the car more stable.

There are some cases off road where this higher sidewall might be considered and advantage allowing you to air teh tire down and wrap all that extra side wall around an obstacle.

 

[broncnaz]

Lots of us run 15's becuase thats what they came with and we dont want the fancy pants wheels.On a crawler I would think I would want some good steel wheels nothing fancy anyhow. While prices are coming down on the 16/17 in tires they are still a little more expensive than the 15's and many companies are offering less sizes in the 15in range these days. So 16's may be the way to go. 16 in wheels were a option on broncos back in the day.

Might also want to be aware that there may not be quite as many wheel options that fit a EB as you think there are. The bolt pattern may be availible but many times the center hole is to small. Many of todays 4wd's have very small or no hubs at all.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

#2 stupid answer of the day.... size always matters ....

 

[Jakedog]

In order for a large wheel to look right on a 4x4, you should run a tire that is 2x's larger than the wheel. If you decide to go to 17's, your tires should be atleast 34". I have seen newer trucks run 20" wheels, and 35" tires, but they don't look right. If you run 20's, you need to run a 40" tire, or at the very least run a 38".
I like 16's on a 4x4. The tires are much cheaper for a 16 vs. a 17" to 20".

 

[DirtDonk]

One last thing to mention, in case you're not familiar with tire sizes, a lot of Swampers are/were available in the old 16.5" size as well. Just make sure the ones you're looking at are indeed 16's and not 16.5's, as they're incompatible, the 16.5" wheels are harder to find in 5 on 5.5 bolt patterns, and are less desirable anyway, due to a shallower angle on the rim bead.

Paul

 

[Nightstick]

Might also want to be aware that there may not be quite as many wheel options that fit a EB as you think there are. The bolt pattern may be availible but many times the center hole is to small. Many of todays 4wd's have very small or no hubs at all.

Well that complicates things a little then. Here's the two options I'm considering. Is there any way the know if they'll fit the Bronco other than going to a dealer? Not many websites have the EB in their "select your vehicle" options. Feel free to comment on backspace and offset too.

http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/wheels.php?item=SideBiter

procomp 7069 flat black (I couldn't find the link quickly)

 

[Socal Tom]

First, Tires made for 15 inch rims tend to be a lot cheaper than the same tires in 16 or 17 inch rims.
2nd, Smaller rims are better protected from damage because they are farther away from the rocks and the tires tend to stick out from the rim a bit more
3rd In order to get good floatation you need to have a big sidewall. I used to run 30 inch tires on a 15 inch rim with good success. that would have about 7.5 inches of sidewall. I wouldn't run less than that. Which would mean 31 inch tire on a 16 inch rim or a 32 inch tire on a 17 inch rim ( coincidentally the same size on the new JKs).
4th The smaller rims provides for more sidewall which can help the rig ride smoother on and off road.
5th the larger rim tends to make the load rating of similar tires higher, so they can carry more weight ( making them ride rougher as well)

Lastly, the larger rims improve on road handling by reducing the sidewall. Low profile tires have less flex in the sidewalls improving the cornering of the tire.

Tom

 

[Slappy67]

Well that complicates things a little then. Here's the two options I'm considering. Is there any way the know if they'll fit the Bronco other than going to a dealer? Not many websites have the EB in their "select your vehicle" options. Feel free to comment on backspace and offset too.

http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/wheels.php?item=SideBiter

procomp 7069 flat black (I couldn't find the link quickly)

I don't know about that wheel specifically but when I was wheel and tire shopping I was looking at the MT Classics and the Classic Lock, both of which fit the EB. I would have gone with the Classic Locks, but they didn't come in black. I could have had them powder-coated but that would have cost WAY too much. Someone said it earlier there aren't a whole lot of wheels out there with the correct hub size for an EB, even less if you're looking for a black wheel.

 

[broncnaz]

With either rim choice I would go to a dealer they should have all the specs. I think they both will fit although the center caps wont be able to be used in the front and the backspacing offered is horrible. You might even get lucky and a dealer may have some that you could test fit.

 

[blubuckaroo]

I was trying to get away from the floatation type tire I was used to running. I think they were 32-1150-15. I started using 265-75-16. They are a little taller and handle a lot better on the road. Also, it is the same size that is used on a lot of the F-250s and Excursions so they are available just about anywhere. The only problem I have with them is they are hard to find in anything but "E" rated. They don't ride hard but they are very heavy.

 

[idahobronc]

I think the OP specifically asked about crawlers?
for crawlers,yes wheel size does make a difference but in order to help you we need to know.
tire size
type of wheeling you do,terrain
driven on the street
rig set up

for true crawlers,large tires,low tire pressure,small wheels= tire burping,excessive side wall flex and lost traction.


Most crawler wheels are 16" & 17"

unless you are a hardcore wheeler 15" wheels would work fine.
In my opinion,tsl's wouldn't be my choice for a crawler tire.

 

[73stallion]

i've been thinking of 17's, but there's a few things i don't like about them. first off, they don't come in a 10" wide, it's a 9" wide. second, most offsets are too deep and you'd have to run spacers. third, i can't get the BFG AT in a 33x12.50r15, i have to get a 285/70r17 which isn't quite as wide.

i did finally find a 17x9 with 3.5" BS, but tires tend to be more pricey for 17" wheels also. it WILL handle better on the highway with less sidewall, but it'll air down worse.

 

[Nightstick]

More than likely I'll be running 36"x12.50 TSLs. The Pro Comp 7069 model shows they fit 66-93 "Full size Broncos" so I'll probably go with a 16"x8" wheel. I can't remember what the backspace for that wheel is off the top of my head but I think I'll have to use spacers. I'll verify fitment at the tire shop tuesday and heck they might have some better options I can look at too. Price is right on those Pro Comps though.

 

[mustangtoby]

Personally, I don't like the looks of the big wheel and little sidewall. The bigger sidewall looks much better. There's many reasons already listed, but the looks of them is a big thing for me.