Everything you say is so true , what cured my tyre fetish was seeing what a standard 1950s series one land rover could achieve on little standard rims and tyres . The vast majority do it for the cool factor .
I remember seeing a series 1 Land Rover and a BMW X5 trying to drive up a wet grass slope. Needless to say, the little landy with no electronic aids, standard skinny tyres and a small engine breezed it but the bmw with all the electronic driving aids, big tyres and monster engine struggling to get even half way up…
@@camposvazquez I'm in Australia, Here Jeeps are seen as unreliable and very few people would use them for overlanding. I wouldn't go anywhere near them.
@@technopsychobedlam it was a joke... In the U.S on hard trails... Everything breaks more than jeeps... Import make better daily drivers that can also be good on terrain Jeeps make better terrain vehicles that are ok to daily drive I own a 96 Toyota 4runner all manual and an 87 Suzuki Samurai all manual.. I live the comfort of my Toyotas IFS.. if I was going to do serious wheeling.. I would get a jeep...
Not sure that I agree with ASPW. His film work is great. But everything he says is usually influenced by companies. I don't like that. If he's not sponsored by X company, then X company is bad. Pay close attention to his videos
Thanks for watching! I should have added my experience and this advice is for SUV/4x4 vehicles like Land Cruisers, Land Rovers, Jeeps, Pajeros, Hiluxes, etc. etc. Massive trucks like MAN or Unimogs are obviously a different story - and I know nothing about that so I won't try to make up advice. Next video is about overall wheel and tire choice for international overlanding. Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss it!
I enjoy your channel. What is your opinion of taking a Jeep trailer to distribute weight and carrying either more gear or giving you more space inside your main vehicle? Could you do a video on the pros and cons of pulling a Jeep trailer? Best Wishes! M.H.
@@mikehagan4320 I have towed a teeny bit offroad. You find out real fast that it can be very committing and encumbering to take on unknown dirt roads. Plus, one needs a transmission cooler for auto trannies. While I probably will do it again, it is very limiting for me and changes the character of the trip, negatively.
For Unimogging, either 395/85 R20 or 14R20 Michelin XZL rock, with a load rating of around 5 tons, carcass design for very low pressure and bead lock/low pressure operation compatibility. Why try and do any better than military truck spec ?
@@philhealey4443 I use the Michelin XZL in 7.50R16 on my Land Rover, and you're right, even Michelin list minimum pressures for a certain load for both "tracks and sand" below 65 km/h (40 mph) as well as for "short stages in areas difficult to cross" below 20 km/h (12 mph). It's very rare for a manufacturer to give an all-clear in this regard and actually give data to back it up. It's an excellent tyre, also available in 255/100R16 - which they claim replaces the old 9.00R16 but in practice is a bit taller.
I run 31 KO2s on my Jeep cj5. Diesel and locked rear. 1.5" suspension lift and warn winch. It handles fantastic, gets great fuel economy and is light enough to go nearly everywhere. Great video, thanks!
The last point is 100% accurate. Even in Mexico, where they tend to have most conveniences we have north of the border, finding big tires isn’t easy. My cousins would have to drive a couple states over to get the right tires because they just weren’t available any where in the state they lived in.
This video is spot on in every aspect. I've been overlanding for over 15years and never ran bigger than 33s with a good winch I'll get every where I need to and not be stopping for fuel every 300ks. 👍🏻👍🏻
Skinny 32" tires for life! :) All the advice was sound. But keeping the tires inside the guards really resonates with me. I see these guys go through one puddle at 10MPH and then they cant see out of their side windows or mirrors or touch their truck for the rest of the day and it completely baffles me why that is OK in their eyes. LOL
Yep. I have 38s and anything you go through results in a filthy vehicle. But I can cross mud and other terrain that would leave ya hard stuck. Long distance overlanding like the Road Chose Me does, he is correct smaller tires are better because you are getting from point A to B, not seeking out bogs to see how far ya can get through the bad stuff.
255 is getting out of pizza cutter territory for me. 235/85-16 is the largest I've run, 215/85-16 is another favorite. Currently running 225/75-16 on a VW Syncro. All of the above sizes are super common on dually and SRW commercial trucks, for maximum options and availability.
I agree. My bfg kms from factory have been exceptional. 86k miles on them and have even wear, 5 tire rotations evry 5k or so w cold psi of 34/5 for daily driving. Going to 285/70r17 cause imo they look perfect on a 2 door jeep. 255/80 is another great size for a daily driver.
While I don't travel long international distances as you, these are all the same points I used when selecting my own Jeep tires. Ya sure, sometimes when I'm with the Jeep crowd and see all these Big Jeeps mine looks a little boring next to them. But then I remember I don't hate driving it on road and it will still go 99% of they places they take theirs.
Great video and discussion about the hindrances of big tires for long-distance remote travel! There are a few points to add to this discussion, purely about tire/vehicle performance: Big tire advantages: - The larger diameter helps them climb and roll over obstacles more easily (the obstacle is smaller relative to a bigger tire) - The sidewall is taller which gives it more ability to compress and absorb bumps rather than transmitting harsh impacts to the suspension Big tire disadvantages: - the additional width is a hindrance in deep mud or snow where you are not experiencing floatation over the material but are sunk in; a wider tire needs to push more material out of its way to make it through - Raising the vehicle by two inches raises the center of gravity by two inches which decreases available traction on uneven ground and increases the chance of a rollover
Another point is added weight. It really won't matter off road but on road your acceleration will suffer since there will be a bunch more added unsprung weight and if you don't have something powerful like a 3.5/5.0 F150, 5.3/6.2 Sliverado, etc you are definitely going to feel it.
perfectly explained. It has been mentioned in off road racing as well, if you want to run a 40" tire, the entire suspension and drive line must be upgraded to handle the 'un-sprung weight' of the hardware. I use 33" with a 4:10 gear. I could go 35", but that is re-gearing off the diff and the potential to break components with the added resistance. thank you
This is actually a similar scenario I went through when I upgraded my tires to 33s. My job requires me to drive forest roads on private land, and many times I may be going down a road nobody has been down in months or years. I will admit, there has been a couple times where the extra tire size has saved me from getting stuck. However, the hit on gas mileage has had me contemplating if even upgrading from 31s was worth it, let alone the 35s I was considering. I get paid per mile, so the bigger tires means less money in my pocket
My job also requires going down forest service roads and logging roads in the PNW. 35's are great for that sort of stuff. I was rocking a stock truck for a while and it sucked on the smaller wheels over time.
I got a tacoma recently and was thinking about doing 31's at some point for off roading reasons. With it being my daily driver as well though idk if i want to do all that.
One thing that some people don't consider even when they are just driving around town is that the wider tires are more likely to pick up a nail / screw and get a flat than the narrower tires. A 275 width tire is going to have a 12.245% greater chance of getting a flat from a nail or screw than a 245 width tire. More tread on the ground equals a proportional greater chance of running over something that is going to give you a flat. Of course, *my* experience is that nails and screws seems to be particularly attracted to brand new tires, not tires that you already have 30-40K miles on... :(
Great video. I had always run 35's, max. Never had a issue where I could not eventually get out. So now I have gone with 33's max. I love them, less weight in the tire, less cost, easier to man handle should I have a blow out and easier to use the smaller tire as a anchor as its smaller to dig into the ground. I did regear to 4.88, however i was fortunate to be able to do it myself. Made all the difference on my little 4 cylinder Jeep.
Exactly. I had a 1992 Ford ranger that I beat on fairly hard, wasn't doing a ton of traveling with it. It was completely stock when my dad gave it to me just before the end of high-school. After about 2 years I went from 29's to 31's and threw in some coil spacers. Then 3 years after that I went to 33s and a 4 inch lift. Tons of work and fixing and learning how to offroad amongst those years. Built my own winch bumper for it. Also regeared the truck from 3.73 to 4.56 and threw the explorer 8.8 with disc's and lunchbox locker in. Unfortunately found a rust hole behind the front coil bucket when changing it and installing the 4 inch lift this past febuary so decided to park it and bought a 2010 ranger. Threw the axle from the old ranger into the new one, regeared the front to match, swapped torsion keys to make the 33s fit. Going to do a Chevy 64 leaf swap soon to get some more lift in the back, front bumper and winch went on in April. Got it in Febuary just before sending the old one off with a day of bashing near rev limiter through 3ft of snow. Was a good time. Gonna tear the motor apart eventually and see why it now sounds like a diesel haha. Had 394k kms. Dunno where I was going with this, but never needed more than a 33 inch tire.
@@camposvazquez Nah. Transmission/t case/driveshaft/rear axle all could be swapped into the new one so it was the obvious choice to stick to the same kind of truck. Plus I learned the ins and outs of that old truck very well, and got it for free. Chevy 64 leafs have been great, now I'm traveling around the US.
Another important point is that it will be VERY hard to find a replacement for your 37 inch tyre when you are in some country far away. On our 4x4 van (Toyota Hiace) I don't have big tyres, they are only 225/75R16. But they can be found on any tyre shop on the last trip through the Northern half of Asia (Russia/Central Asia/Mongolia) for less than $50. On our Landcruiser we had 235/85R16 which is also a common size. It also becomes hard to fit a same size spare wheel on a lot of vehicles. The rest that you are describing is the typical 4x4 virus. You make one mod that is causing you to need another mod, and then you are down the rabbit hole of spending lots of money. And any standard 4x4 will go to most places in the world. Just spend money on a small lift and go driving.
ADAC in Germany (the equivalent to AAA) recently made a test on different size winter tires. They used a VW Golf with 5 different sized Dunlop Winter Sport 5, a brand and model regarded as not the best but a relatively OK winter tire here in Norway (in the Nordic countries we sometimes use winter tires 1/2 the year and are 110% reliable on optimal performance, hence every year we have thorough tests for make and model). The tires tested by ADAC ranged from 195/65 R15 to 225/40 R18 and showed that the narrowest tires had the overall best performance on snow and ice. One factor was cornering, maybe something you don’t think much about going straight forward, but in those cases you have to maneuver in tight places your may be glad you didn’t go with oversized tires. However, the better performance with narrow tires on snow, ice and slush was because of hydroplaning. ADAC did the test with 7 mm water/slush and the 195 tires lost their grip at 80 km/h while the 225 lost at 70 km/h. Remember that when you go down the highway with your overloaded, top heavy 4x4 rig in a tropical storm and consider if you should (or need to bcs your chased by some hijackers) keep 55 or 60 or 65 m/h. So why mention all this on a 4x4 channel? I don’t have much experience with extensive overlanding, but for a total of 3 years I used my 1967 Willys CJ-3B daily to get to and from my job in the Amazon. The road (or track) conditions were extreme to sever (w/o a winch off-roading was obviously high risk and you might end up sleeping with the snakes when stuck). My struggles really made me convinced that snow and mud conditions is comparable. And from Norway common knowledge told me to stick with narrow tires. So when I had to replace all my tires I stuck with the original 6.00x16 (152 wide NDT military style tires). I was evident for me that the narrow tires needed less power through the mud (less friction/resistance) and absolutely the best choice for the old worn-out engine and overloaded vehicle. Just saying .....
Allfair points! But let me add -> Winter tyres for what we consider European climates are not the most suitable for Arctic conditions we experience in Norway. & even locally in Norway the conditions differe by far. Also considertaions we must adapt when choosing summer tyres. As we have colder conditions the rubbermix is different. Hence why NOKIAN offer a different summertyre for the Norwgian versus the German marked :-)
@@peters2860 I agree 100%,,, "winter conditions" are widely different depending on altitude, longitude and latitude, and rubber mix/yes or no to studs are but two essential factors i didnt mention,,, here, however, the issue here was the size and especially the width of the tires,,, maybe u didnt see the video? (((u started ur comment with a "But",,, common knowledge says its better to start a conversation/argument positively, duhhhh))
Good points. In the southern United States atv mud riding scene, narrow tires are very popular for your stated reasons. ATV's have limited power, and to run through thick mud efficiently you need a narrower tire. Sometimes wide tires create too much drag through the mud and float too much preventing the tire from biting and pulling the vehicle forward. On the extreme end some guys even buy "crush lock" wheels to forcibly make their tires as narrow as possible.
Great points and content. I've talked to Baja racers that said anything beyond 33 or 35 is not needed in most situations. Keep in mind... in the States... the most popular vehicle is the truck. Only about 1% are used as intended. The other 99% are used to get plants and pine straw from Home Depot in the Spring. Thus, people are setting up their vehicles for Looks....
I've gone diff locks over anything bigger than 33" on my 80 series, just have a look at where Graham Cahill puts that Dmax. Although saying that, I've got a set of cheapie muddies in 35" for local trips, it drives like a cow on LSD on-road but.
My G350d has 3 lockers, and these can be engaged while in motion. Next set of tyres may very well be the narrowest General Grabber AT3's I can legally fit on an 18" rim.
Here in merica alot of people that have jeeps with 35-40s are either mall crawlers or rock crawlers and everyone else with skinny’s is trail go getters or overlanders because of price like you said.
He speaking facts, on the other hand the only time I use bigger tires with bigger suspension, is only when I do extreme off-road within my state’s nearest trails and not long distance. But definitely, for the long range roads 33” are ideal.
I am driving with 285/70/R17 on my 2015 JKU. I do lots off off-road travel with the guys who have 37's on their jeeps and Toyota's. I can go anywhere and everywhere that they can go for WAY less money. Cheaper tire, less gas, break wear, gear wear, and the list continues to go on. Thanks for affirming my thoughts. Keep the videos coming!
I suggest that you use the spare wheel as well before it goes stale, seeming it is still brand new. When you rotate your tyres, include your spare wheel as well and rotate all 5 at the same time. I usually rotate mine in a anti-clockwise direction about every 7500kms
All my "big tire" Jeep friends laugh at my 04 Grand Cherokee with it's "pizza cutters". I'm running Geolander M/T G003 in 255/75-17 with a small lift. Goes just about anywhere I point it and still rolls down the highway easily.
Running a 00 WJ, and am about to switch to the same tire size, with an IRO 4" lift. How much offset do you run? Trying to keep the offset to an absolute minimum to protect the wheel bearings.
I had 34" ×9.50 LTB swampers on an 85 2 door trooper, toyota axles 4.56 locked went anywhere I ever wanted. Pizza cutters on a light truck are what's up.
‘42 Willys MB with 6.0 x 16 NDT tires. There might be some very specific instances where you might need the lift or big tires to go rock crawling but I’ve never experienced it. Driver ability, short wheelbase and high approach and departure angles seem to be more important
@@fax10 A stock WJ is a bit low in some of the desert passes. Lippincott pass in Death Valley NP, is a real workout for a stock WJ, and don't condenser Lippincott pass to be any kind of serious obstacle. It makes it through with a few scraps on the tailpipe. LOL! It's funny when other jeeps stop to watch you work a pass, that they don't have a 2nd though about. LOL! I Have a cheep lift, but once loaded up it squats down in the rear, leaving the tailpipe vulnerable, as it makes that all too familiar ring when it hits a bolder. Going around an obstacle like that could literally take all day in Death Valley. 32' skinnies and 4" lift would make it much easier.
Some great advice Dan! I personally really liked the tubed mining/military tires like the 7.50R16 Dunlop SPs etc. I know they're not so readily available in North America but they're ubiquitous in many parts of the world for a good reason.
I totally agree Dan. Huge tires get attention at a show. Ideally if you’re going somewhere remote you want a size that gives you a chance of having it replaced wherever you are going. Huge tires decrease fuel economy (which means range) and increase wear and tear. Staying near stock size on my Tacoma off road.
YES, I M THINKING LIKE YOU. Now I have 265//75r16 on my Tacoma Offroad (2019) and this summer I change for 255/85r16... narrow, but a little bit higher.. and not heavier
we have stuck with the stock size on our 4Runner and chose our tires based on weight, material, and tread design. This keeps our budget funds available for other necessities such as fuel. Love this video. Cheers!
Our offroad shops in San Diego California are saying 35s are popular, but I got 33.8/34s because of gearing, gas mileage, and I don't climb rocks with my jeep.
Funny thing. I had a Suzuki Samurai that was bone stock. It never stopped me from keeping up with the Jeeps and Bronco's with the large tires and lifts. In fact, my Sammy could get into MORE places BECAUSE it was smaller. (and fewer paint scratches too)
A lot of people use larger tires here in the US because they go offroading/rock crawling with their rig and need the larger tire size. The largest you'd ever really need for overlanding is 35s and that's considering you're going to be doing some crazy rock crawling at some point in your journey hehe. All your points are so true and that's why I don't want to go bigger - I do just fine with my 33s it's the perfect size for what I use them for
International Overlander's never go rock crawling. The vehicle is their home and they signed a contract with the government to be in and out of the country by certain dates. They can't afford to be broke down and miss contract dates just to have a little fun. It might not just cost money, it might cost you your vehicle or your freedom.
I've got 35"x12.5" tires on my FJ80, they're still good but definitely considering "downgrading" to 33ish"x10.5" wide. Never considered how the contact patch changes shape for skinny vs narrow until I saw a video about it. Also getting bucked around on the highway because your tires have such a long lever arm every time you partially hit a bump or pothole isn't great for enjoyment or steering components. Good stuff, thanks for the tips.
I agree with everything you said. I didn't put much lift on my jeep - about 2.5 inches and I went to a 33 inch KO2. I don't do serious offroading, I tow a small camping trailer to remote locations to have a nice time. Sure, you have a few water crossings or mudholes, but none of that requires large tires or a massive amount of ground clearance. I think in the US it's really a combination of factors: trucks need to be jacked up, it's a visual thing (or dare I say it has to do with size of genitals). Then there's people in this country who buy a 50k Jeep, invest another 50k to upgrade everything and then go out on weekends to break as many drivetrain and suspension parts as they possibly can - oh, wait, they call it rock-crawling. While that may be a fun sport, you really have to have the cash to do it. I never had the desire to drive up a 3 foot rock. There's also the belief that you need a massive truck to go places or tow things. If Americans saw how people from the UK or Netherlands tow camping trailers with their small honda or subaru they wouldn't believe it. Over here you need some kind of monster truck for a 2000lbs trailer - apparently... As others have said, if you spend a lot of time in rough terrain going remote places, lockers, a winch and traction boards of any kind will give you more bang for the buck. If you just head out on forest roads and the occasional desert or mountain trail you don't need that much - a Jeep or other 4x4 is already capable enough. All you really need is a tire with good traction and a small compressor to air back up for the road.
@@wallacelux Hi Nick, SA ok, we're at level 3 lock down, boders still closed. Taking it one day at a time. Many thx for praying for us. How are you guys in America, we're praying for you guys and lot. Take care Nick. Blessings to you and everyone
I'm not an overlander (yet) but I've been saying for years if the manufacturer specified particular size tyres, it's for a reason. The most common question on any 4x4 group of forum: "What is the biggest tyres I can fit?" It makes me headbutt the desk. Going up a size or two from stock, while keeping to a commonly available size, usually no problem. I have never understood the obsession with huge expensive tyres.
What you are saying is common sense That doesn't apply to off road magazines who pushing certain image. There are ton of vehicles with custom Shocks ,suspension,wheels ,winches. That never leave pavement. Its all about looks! All the best!
Very educational video series. Well edited, major points covered and points to think about. Thanks for putting it together and sharing your experiences!
33 10.50s are all I run on my yj and xj. I had 33 12.50s on my cj7 and it would hydroplane like crazy. Tire width should be based on vehicle weight. The wider the tire, the less vehicle psi it puts to the ground.
Completely agree. That is one of the only things I disagreed with what he said. Skinny tires are more capable for the most part. This is definitely a vehicle by vehicle basis.
Nice to finally hear someone say wider tires have better traction, especially in the sand. So many people are misinformed about narrow tires being better in the sand lately and are spreading this hogwash though their videos. I've driven in sand more than a lot of people have driven total . Personally, I have been places I have had trouble getting through in the sand with a 7" wide tire in 4WD where with a 12" wide tire I can go easily in 2WD, many times.
31" KO2s with a locker is all I've needed. I pull my little trailer (also on 31s) through everything. If the rut it too deep I pull winch line. The cost to go to bigger tires including suspension paid for my warn winch and I dont destroy the driveline getting places.
Back in 1968 I and 2 others came overland from the UK to Australia via South Africa in a standard 1962 LWB diesel Land Rover. We had standard 750x16 wheels and tyres, plus a few spares. At no time did we need anything else. Our vehicle had a PTO capstan winch and an ex British Army Tirfor winch. In 1978 while in Wyndham, WA, I was reunited that same Land Rover, still going strong....
Wow Sam, THAT must have been an adventure. When I was in the Congo I really started to wonder if that's what all of Africa was like 50+ years ago, and for a time I wished I was born a generation or two earlier!
2005 Jeep Liberty with 245/75/16 AT tires and Ironman Coils. I live in Oklahoma miles of unpaved roads to get home. I have never seen a old farmer with big tires and they go everywhere
Excellent tips and points of view....I think the main difference is that you go overlanding (great distances) more than offroading (most people do it, making routes with physical obstacles)....
Camel Trophy Land Rover Defenders crossed Africa on 30" tyres about 9" wide without any problems. The best upgrade is the organic thing holding the steering wheel.
I'm glad I've done the research I have. And after this video, I'm going with 33s on my 3rd gen T4R. Between the cutting, regearing, and the price of tires, it's just not worth it to me. I want a capable rig for adventuring and everyday commuting. It seems like 33's are all I will ever need. $4K would be nice to put towards the other stuff I need.
You are spot on. I have a Jeep Rubicon, many Jeepers in Colorado upgrade to huge 35-37" tires. I did a 1.75" lift upgrade and run 255/80/17 BFG KM2s. (these measure 33.3") These work great with my 4.10 gearing towing an Aliner trailer. I leave off top roof racks and keep my Jeep light as if it were a backpack. Keeping these tires inside the guards is important to me too, I was tired of cleaning my Jeep off everytime I drove on a wet dirt road.
I personally go up one profile size, and raise a vehicle max 2"; for example, my Jeep wj and Land Rover D2 came with 245/70x16" tires, and I went to 245/75x16 and a 2" spring lift and better shocks. Just my preference.
Larger tires also raise the center of gravity of your vehicle, making it more likely to have a rollover accident. The money that tires would end up costing is much better spent on a winch, lockers, an external cage and extraction gear like a shovel and MaxTraxx..
I drove from Alaska to Arizona with 33 inch tires on my JK. Over 6000 km in 8 days carrying over 800lbs of additional weight. I am so glad I didn't have 35s or 37s, complete waste of gas. Now that I am here I might regear and get 35s, but that's it.
37 and 40 inch off road tires are the fashion equivalent of 35 and 45 profile street tires. They look cool and are functionally ineffective most of the time. To say nothing about the purchase price and the impact on vehicle dynamics, reliability and performance. Victims of fashion live by the motto "its better to look good than to feel good". Great video. Its nice to hear a little common sense once in a while. Cheers.
Well said - I've taken bog standard vehicles to numerous countries including into the Arctic and across Siberia several times, both summer and winter, and there's always a way forward using skill - vehicle skills and people skills: Like the man says - keep the cash to get out on an adventure - and meet more wonderful people of the world. Even better if you can save weight to take gear/people along to help local people who need a boost in fantastically remote areas.
I am setting two vehicles up for overlanding though my time off from work tends to keep the trip shorter. Main thing is keep on a very limited budget. One is just adding things to a 2014 Jeep Cherokee to make it do a week long overlanding with nothing more than a 100 miles away from the journey. There is not much room for tier upgrade from the stock 245/65/17 (29 1/2") and found the cost not worth the limited lift. The other is a little more for longer trips, a 1986 Ford Bronco, I was finding the original 15" wheels were hard to find good tire options so I changed to 17" rims 265/75/17 (31.6") so far so good.
There’s so many people I come across that want to lift way too high and put big tires on or add wheel spacers *disgusting*. Then they wonder why they have trouble with hubs, ball joints, and the drivetrain
I like seeing old model t’s and such driving on muddy roads and they did fine with really skinny tires . That helped me get off the big fat tire addiction.
When I decided to take the truck I had (2014 F-450) and use it for off-road and overlanding duty, I switched the dually rears to "super singles". Duallys do not belong off-road. There are only a few single tires that have the load capacity to handle the GAWR, and all of them are big. Like 40" big. Need a 4" lift to tuck them in. These are military/agriculture tires, so they are available, but they are harder to come by than the 33.5's in this video. Haven't researched if they're available overseas, but I expect I'll use a different truck if I'm going to do international overlanding. As expected, the tires are expensive. The wheels were expensive. The suspension upgrade was expensive. The reduction in mileage will be expensive. Wider fender flares were needed but not that expensive. Brakes and axles are still stock because they're fairly overbuilt. I've chosen to derate the towing capacity from 30,000lbs to 10,000lbs as I don't expect to use the truck for hauling. But now I have an RV that can go almost anywhere (if the trail isn't too narrow) and comfortably sleep my family of five, built on the truck I already had.
Sounds like an awesome build! I think the 33in rule is out the window when it comes to extra large vehicles like yours. With a full size truck's axle height, body/frame size, plus length it has much less maneuverability to finesse around obstacles like a smaller rig. Having 37s on your truck is akin to a 4 door jeep with 33s
Funny this video just showed up on my feed. I'm going to be regearing my Jeep soon because we just bought a small camper and I briefly considered regearing for 37's instead of my 35's. I'll be sticking with 35's.
Lots of really good points Dan. My Jeep has 35's and I got a flat in Atlanta, GA. Do you think any dealers had a replacement? Absolutely not, special order everywhere in a huge city like Atlanta! Also, changing a big, heavy tire is a real pain!!!
Lol I have 37” tires but I’m a weekend warrior in the Pacific Northwest but I still get 19mpg in my 86 4runner geared and update engine 2rz but with what you’ve said definitely seems like it really would not make any sense for any kind of expedition also the center of gravity is way higher and you have to climb up the dirty vehicles to access anything on top👍👍
This was a very insightful video! Much of what is discussed in this video is also stuff we are contemplating when in comes to tire size choices. Thanks for making this video!
I went with 35" KO2s. It's a great balance of looks and performance without having to upgrade too much of the suspension components. I think on the JL/JLU, its ready for 35". All points made in this video is spot on.
Now that was a great video. I have a Ford F150 with 275/65R18s. Taking your advice I need almost nothing more. I agree, 99% of the time AT tires and this stock size is more then enough for all I will be doing. Just want to be able to travel down a dirt road and see beautiful things. Never plan to go "wheeling" or rock crawling. Car camping and hiking are for me. Thanks for the insight!!
South CentralTexas, 2014 Ram 2500 Cummins. I run the stock 275/70/18 (33") Whenever I consider moving up to a 35" or 37". I remind myself of the things you point out, which I already know. All that extra expense, wear and tear loss of fuel mileage, and having to lift stuff higher to put into the bed, for maybe 2" more clearance, I decide I'm good with the 33". Cool factor? I'm 59. I'd rather spend the money on fuel, food and beer. If a rough spot needs more clearance, I figure out a way around it, or turn around. Rocks and boards can get one over quite a bit. I figure if the Power Wagon comes on 33", the engineers must know something. Yes, I know it has a factory lift. I use a 60 pound bass amp. Thanks for making me feel even better about my position.
I've been running the stock size 30x9.5 tires on my TJ for 17 years without it being an issue. I do run an all terrain, but on the stock rims, and with a 1.25" lift just to give them room to move. I can't hit the rock crawling trails, but I an absolutely go wherever I want outside of that, roads or no roads. I'll add- in the US, people seem to think you need mud terrain tires for everything. I've had a much better experience with all terrains without much difference in capability for my needs.
Thanks again for really valuable information from an unpretentious perspective. I know of another well respected African 4x overlander that advocates smaller, skinnier tires. It really is refreshing to get practical advice over appearance and the need to fit in or show off. Keep it up! I'm sure you already have a million video ideas in your head, including what I am about so suggest, but a similar one about the need for a dual battery and/or solar setup would be valuable.
@@TheRoadChoseMe Certainly you know best from the most asked questions at the expos, including mine a year ago when we met. I would guess that security is a common concern, in a dozen different scenarios; at night, on the road, hitchhikers, wildlife, leaving the vehicle for longer periods etc. Topics that overlap between long term, international travel and more typical local trips will probably get the most interest. Not sure how your (desired?) audience skews between daydreamers living vicariously through your stories, people wanting first hand insight on international trips, and weekend explorers planning their next local trip. I think you did a really good job making it relevant to each in this video. Most youtube channels favor accessories over adventure.
Well said, Mate. The 35" and up tires have become more of a "look" or "fad", if you will. This was very thorough and informative and hopefully people will listen to this before spending big bucks for something as minute as an inch or two of ground clearance. Thank you!
One thing in particular he mentioned was he noticed this revelation in North America. I'm from Arizona in The Southwestern USA, I can speak from experience that even on 35's there are some areas that just cant be accessed with that size tire. We also have a more trail to trail based experience with overlanding here untill you get up into canada and alaska, so that coupled with the widespread availability of large tires plus the fact we dont have draconian vehicle regulations means we can go bigger for cheaper and be able to repair or replace with very little effort.
We bought our troopy with 35 on it. Now we changed it to 255/85r16. They look nice too. Although we consider the 285/75r16 Ann good option to due the weight of the car. 3400kg
All very good points. Horses for courses. For a pure tourer with light to moderate offroad challenges, I'd never install substantially larger tyres for the reasons mentioned. For me personally, I do hard tracks first, touring second, so my Jeep has been built around 37" tyres.
If you want to use big tires like 37s overlanding use a Unimog and be done with it they are designed from the factory to use 37-42 inch tires and larger ones depending on the model
Great video. Subscribed. Form follows function. Huge tires are nothing but 4x4 bling for 98% of those who run them. Imagine running miles and miles of corrugations with huge, heavy 37's. The reason you are seeing large tires at overland shows is because it gives the vendors something to sell. Normally sized tires can be purchased locally...
I run 37s on my Rubicon. I have built the heck out of it, but it is not for overlanding. It is a rock crawler. The harder trails we run for that here in Colorado don't require that large of tire, but it sure makes them more possible without a lot of winching. One other advantage of them is that they give a much less harsh ride on a rocky trail, as they swallow larger rocks with ease. I have run 33s, 35s, and 37s here on various vehicles for this activity. I totally agree with your points though, for overlanding, smaller tires are a win for all the reasons you gave. Not to mention how hard 37s are to change on the trail, normally weighing about 100+lbs mounted. And $50 more per tire? Ha! Try $100+ more for 37s. $150 more or even $200 more for 40s. BTW, I'm geared at 5.13:1. Good video, good presentation, subscribed.
Thanks Bill - you make excellent points and I agree with you 100%. For rock crawling in a developed country, obviously bigger tires make the vehicle much more capable!
Great video. Sometimes it's hard to take a hard look at ourselves and decide whether we like something because we're in an echo chamber, are we trying to be contrarian, or we just like to buck a trend? I've always been against monster tires even when I was a teenager. Later with more technical experience and a basic understanding of physics and engineering, my bias became even more supported. So it's easy to say "great video" because we agree. But truly, it is a good video because you've supported every one of your points and you've been as objective as possible on this topic. Thanks!
I run 265/75/16 on my truck. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve unstuck or helped out that had 35’s and 37’s. There’s obviously some advantages to those large tires, however in my experience, it hasn’t been enough advantage to beat experience and driving skill.
We in South Africa 🇿🇦, have seen over the past fifty years or so, that skiiny tall tyres work better than wider, larger diameter tyres. Always though the Ozzies drive in terrain similar to ours, but they do it very differently. Using the first Hilux 4x4 Daddy Longlegs bakkies (utes), we soon saw the value in narrower tyres - less sidewall damage, therefore an easier life! And we don't suffer at the pump or elsewhere because of overburdened vehicles that have too much unsprung weight and massive rolling resistance. On my Geländewagen, I will fit the narrowest, tallest rubber when the time comes, staying within spec. Too wide and they get holes in them
Manufactures design all the various parts to work together in harmony. Going up to monster tyres puts extra strain on the steering components , wheel bearings, brakes etc.. unless you upgrade those also, as well as upsetting the gearing, steering geometry and lock….imo most people put on monster tyres just for the look….
Excellent video. So many people simply don't understand that there is nothing worse than getting stuck due to a breakdown that could've been so easily avoided. Several years ago (before COVID hit), I was overlanding up at Cape York (North of Australia). A bunch of guys rocked up with 40+ -inch tyres, clearing obstacles, making big ruts in the mud and just in general being an arse. The rest of us in 28 - 321 inch tyres were also able to clear the same obstacles, albeit a bit slower. Long story short, one of the douches ate a big bite of humble pie and had to get their car towed on a rollback because their drivetrain completely blew up due to shock loading.
We run 265-70-17(31.5") on our 4th gen 4runner. I'll never go bigger; it works just fine. I've been down the massive tire rabbit hole with jeeps...no thanks.
Same here on my 5th gen. Even going to 275's put me into the E load range tires which were all 10+ lbs heavier per tire in rotational mass, and I could definitely feel it in the MPG and acceleration.
![Quando Rondo - Grow Up [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8zFnCg3BO4Q/mqdefault.jpg)
Availability of tires alone is a good enough reason to not get too excessive.
Im telling you, facebook marketplace is gold. People sell good quality tires way too cheap
Everything you say is so true , what cured my tyre fetish was seeing what a standard 1950s series one land rover could achieve on little standard rims and tyres . The vast majority do it for the cool factor .
I remember seeing a series 1 Land Rover and a BMW X5 trying to drive up a wet grass slope. Needless to say, the little landy with no electronic aids, standard skinny tyres and a small engine breezed it but the bmw with all the electronic driving aids, big tyres and monster engine struggling to get even half way up…
@@stephenbland7461 shoulda bought a jeep
600-16 is not a bad choice. My series II 109 is on 7.50-16 because they just work. On road, off road, wet, dry, don't matter they just work.
@@camposvazquez I'm in Australia, Here Jeeps are seen as unreliable and very few people would use them for overlanding. I wouldn't go anywhere near them.
@@technopsychobedlam it was a joke... In the U.S on hard trails... Everything breaks more than jeeps...
Import make better daily drivers that can also be good on terrain
Jeeps make better terrain vehicles that are ok to daily drive
I own a 96 Toyota 4runner all manual and an 87 Suzuki Samurai all manual..
I live the comfort of my Toyotas IFS.. if I was going to do serious wheeling.. I would get a jeep...
After 35 years of off road driving, I can tell you he is telling you the way it is. 33 by 10.5 is all you will ever need.
To be fair though, a 33x10.50 isn’t a super common tire size in the states
Come down to south Florida.
@@asherdie With a ground spade anchor, a lot of hard work, along with 8 max tracks it is doable. Not fun but can be done.
For over landing? Yeah maybe. But on a 4 door Jeep 33s will have you bottoming out at most moderate to hard rock crawling trails in California.
Even my 33s by 9.5s stretched onto 11 wides work wonders for my half ton truck.
This was a budgeting decision like he mentioned.
Spend the money on lockers instead, that will make way more difference to off road capability
Hell, lockers can arguably make more difference than four wheel drive.
Usually, until you run out of ground clearance lol.
The Rubicon he's driving has F + R Lockers factory and sway bar disconnects.
You can’t even run anything bigger than 35” where I live. All the ground clearance in the world won’t help you when you can’t get it off the dock.
Everything has its place. 33s are the sweet spot for long distance self-supported trips. Great video as usual!
Yes, Andrew St Pierre White uses only 33's.
True
Its all about what we are using them for
@@speedygonzales9993 ASPW is the king
Do my 285/70/17s count as 33s?
Not sure that I agree with ASPW. His film work is great. But everything he says is usually influenced by companies. I don't like that. If he's not sponsored by X company, then X company is bad. Pay close attention to his videos
This is the first video I've seen of yours. There was lots of wisdom here. I will watch more of your content and possibly subscribe.
Thanks Raymond, let me know if you have any questions
Hey 40" tires works really well on mall-crawlers!
it helps to not damage your chrome rims when hitting the curbs
Added ground clearance for running over the curbs is just a bonus to making all of the other soccer moms/dads jealous.
Over landing the real world vs on IG.
🍻😂
31" tyres + winch can go anywhere in Aus with experience
That same combination works for me out here in the Mojave Dessert/Death Valley California!🍻
Yep, I run 30" with a winch & locker
Thanks for watching!
I should have added my experience and this advice is for SUV/4x4 vehicles like Land Cruisers, Land Rovers, Jeeps, Pajeros, Hiluxes, etc. etc.
Massive trucks like MAN or Unimogs are obviously a different story - and I know nothing about that so I won't try to make up advice.
Next video is about overall wheel and tire choice for international overlanding. Hit the subscribe button so you don't miss it!
I enjoy your channel.
What is your opinion of taking a Jeep trailer to distribute weight and carrying either more gear or giving you more space inside your main vehicle?
Could you do a video on the pros and cons of pulling a Jeep trailer?
Best Wishes! M.H.
@@mikehagan4320 I have towed a teeny bit offroad. You find out real fast that it can be very committing and encumbering to take on unknown dirt roads. Plus, one needs a transmission cooler for auto trannies. While I probably will do it again, it is very limiting for me and changes the character of the trip, negatively.
For Unimogging, either 395/85 R20 or 14R20 Michelin XZL rock, with a load rating of around 5 tons, carcass design for very low pressure and bead lock/low pressure operation compatibility. Why try and do any better than military truck spec ?
RUN from Stellantis Jeeps.
@@philhealey4443 I use the Michelin XZL in 7.50R16 on my Land Rover, and you're right, even Michelin list minimum pressures for a certain load for both "tracks and sand" below 65 km/h (40 mph) as well as for "short stages in areas difficult to cross" below 20 km/h (12 mph). It's very rare for a manufacturer to give an all-clear in this regard and actually give data to back it up. It's an excellent tyre, also available in 255/100R16 - which they claim replaces the old 9.00R16 but in practice is a bit taller.
I run 31 KO2s on my Jeep cj5. Diesel and locked rear. 1.5" suspension lift and warn winch. It handles fantastic, gets great fuel economy and is light enough to go nearly everywhere.
Great video, thanks!
Very nice!
What diesel are you running?
The last point is 100% accurate. Even in Mexico, where they tend to have most conveniences we have north of the border, finding big tires isn’t easy. My cousins would have to drive a couple states over to get the right tires because they just weren’t available any where in the state they lived in.
Keeping things simple and practical is always the best advice. The more whistles and bells you have the more chance something is going to break.
This video is spot on in every aspect.
I've been overlanding for over 15years and never ran bigger than 33s with a good winch I'll get every where I need to and not be stopping for fuel every 300ks. 👍🏻👍🏻
And if you had 37s and a regear you could not stop for fuel and also not stop to winch.
Skinny 32" tires for life! :) All the advice was sound. But keeping the tires inside the guards really resonates with me. I see these guys go through one puddle at 10MPH and then they cant see out of their side windows or mirrors or touch their truck for the rest of the day and it completely baffles me why that is OK in their eyes. LOL
235/85r16 and 255/85r16,best sizes for almost anything.Only down side is the load rating,not so good for lightweight vehicles.
Yep. I have 38s and anything you go through results in a filthy vehicle. But I can cross mud and other terrain that would leave ya hard stuck. Long distance overlanding like the Road Chose Me does, he is correct smaller tires are better because you are getting from point A to B, not seeking out bogs to see how far ya can get through the bad stuff.
255/80r17 “Pizza Cutter’s” Unite!!!
Ordered some the other day. SToked to get em on my rig!
255 is getting out of pizza cutter territory for me. 235/85-16 is the largest I've run, 215/85-16 is another favorite. Currently running 225/75-16 on a VW Syncro.
All of the above sizes are super common on dually and SRW commercial trucks, for maximum options and availability.
The Stock Jeep Rubicon Tires are honestly really good. They air down well, great tread and return good MPG.
Which are all the things we need for long term expeditions! Absolutely perfect!
I agree. My bfg kms from factory have been exceptional. 86k miles on them and have even wear, 5 tire rotations evry 5k or so w cold psi of 34/5 for daily driving. Going to 285/70r17 cause imo they look perfect on a 2 door jeep. 255/80 is another great size for a daily driver.
While I don't travel long international distances as you, these are all the same points I used when selecting my own Jeep tires. Ya sure, sometimes when I'm with the Jeep crowd and see all these Big Jeeps mine looks a little boring next to them. But then I remember I don't hate driving it on road and it will still go 99% of they places they take theirs.
Great video and discussion about the hindrances of big tires for long-distance remote travel! There are a few points to add to this discussion, purely about tire/vehicle performance:
Big tire advantages:
- The larger diameter helps them climb and roll over obstacles more easily (the obstacle is smaller relative to a bigger tire)
- The sidewall is taller which gives it more ability to compress and absorb bumps rather than transmitting harsh impacts to the suspension
Big tire disadvantages:
- the additional width is a hindrance in deep mud or snow where you are not experiencing floatation over the material but are sunk in; a wider tire needs to push more material out of its way to make it through
- Raising the vehicle by two inches raises the center of gravity by two inches which decreases available traction on uneven ground and increases the chance of a rollover
Great points! Maybe I'll have to do a follow up video.
Another point is added weight. It really won't matter off road but on road your acceleration will suffer since there will be a bunch more added unsprung weight and if you don't have something powerful like a 3.5/5.0 F150, 5.3/6.2 Sliverado, etc you are definitely going to feel it.
The deep mud hindrance is only a power if your geared so low that you can't spin paddle your way out of trouble. Watch some pro mud bogging videos...
perfectly explained. It has been mentioned in off road racing as well, if you want to run a 40" tire, the entire suspension and drive line must be upgraded to handle the 'un-sprung weight' of the hardware. I use 33" with a 4:10 gear. I could go 35", but that is re-gearing off the diff and the potential to break components with the added resistance. thank you
This is actually a similar scenario I went through when I upgraded my tires to 33s. My job requires me to drive forest roads on private land, and many times I may be going down a road nobody has been down in months or years. I will admit, there has been a couple times where the extra tire size has saved me from getting stuck. However, the hit on gas mileage has had me contemplating if even upgrading from 31s was worth it, let alone the 35s I was considering. I get paid per mile, so the bigger tires means less money in my pocket
Sounds like you need to regear.
My job also requires going down forest service roads and logging roads in the PNW. 35's are great for that sort of stuff. I was rocking a stock truck for a while and it sucked on the smaller wheels over time.
I got a tacoma recently and was thinking about doing 31's at some point for off roading reasons. With it being my daily driver as well though idk if i want to do all that.
@@schneecoraxx8689 shoulda bought a jeep
@@camposvazquez why would you recommend a money pit with endless issues?
One thing that some people don't consider even when they are just driving around town is that the wider tires are more likely to pick up a nail / screw and get a flat than the narrower tires. A 275 width tire is going to have a 12.245% greater chance of getting a flat from a nail or screw than a 245 width tire. More tread on the ground equals a proportional greater chance of running over something that is going to give you a flat. Of course, *my* experience is that nails and screws seems to be particularly attracted to brand new tires, not tires that you already have 30-40K miles on... :(
I have 31” tires. I do overlanding not rock crawling
Weight is not your friend...
Great video. I had always run 35's, max. Never had a issue where I could not eventually get out. So now I have gone with 33's max. I love them, less weight in the tire, less cost, easier to man handle should I have a blow out and easier to use the smaller tire as a anchor as its smaller to dig into the ground. I did regear to 4.88, however i was fortunate to be able to do it myself. Made all the difference on my little 4 cylinder Jeep.
Exactly. I had a 1992 Ford ranger that I beat on fairly hard, wasn't doing a ton of traveling with it. It was completely stock when my dad gave it to me just before the end of high-school. After about 2 years I went from 29's to 31's and threw in some coil spacers. Then 3 years after that I went to 33s and a 4 inch lift. Tons of work and fixing and learning how to offroad amongst those years. Built my own winch bumper for it. Also regeared the truck from 3.73 to 4.56 and threw the explorer 8.8 with disc's and lunchbox locker in. Unfortunately found a rust hole behind the front coil bucket when changing it and installing the 4 inch lift this past febuary so decided to park it and bought a 2010 ranger. Threw the axle from the old ranger into the new one, regeared the front to match, swapped torsion keys to make the 33s fit. Going to do a Chevy 64 leaf swap soon to get some more lift in the back, front bumper and winch went on in April. Got it in Febuary just before sending the old one off with a day of bashing near rev limiter through 3ft of snow. Was a good time. Gonna tear the motor apart eventually and see why it now sounds like a diesel haha. Had 394k kms. Dunno where I was going with this, but never needed more than a 33 inch tire.
@@senditkevin shoulda bought a jeep
@@camposvazquez Nah. Transmission/t case/driveshaft/rear axle all could be swapped into the new one so it was the obvious choice to stick to the same kind of truck. Plus I learned the ins and outs of that old truck very well, and got it for free. Chevy 64 leafs have been great, now I'm traveling around the US.
@@senditkevin kev.. I was kidding....
Another important point is that it will be VERY hard to find a replacement for your 37 inch tyre when you are in some country far away.
On our 4x4 van (Toyota Hiace) I don't have big tyres, they are only 225/75R16. But they can be found on any tyre shop on the last trip through the Northern half of Asia (Russia/Central Asia/Mongolia) for less than $50. On our Landcruiser we had 235/85R16 which is also a common size.
It also becomes hard to fit a same size spare wheel on a lot of vehicles.
The rest that you are describing is the typical 4x4 virus. You make one mod that is causing you to need another mod, and then you are down the rabbit hole of spending lots of money.
And any standard 4x4 will go to most places in the world. Just spend money on a small lift and go driving.
ADAC in Germany (the equivalent to AAA) recently made a test on different size winter tires. They used a VW Golf with 5 different sized Dunlop Winter Sport 5, a brand and model regarded as not the best but a relatively OK winter tire here in Norway (in the Nordic countries we sometimes use winter tires 1/2 the year and are 110% reliable on optimal performance, hence every year we have thorough tests for make and model). The tires tested by ADAC ranged from 195/65 R15 to 225/40 R18 and showed that the narrowest tires had the overall best performance on snow and ice.
One factor was cornering, maybe something you don’t think much about going straight forward, but in those cases you have to maneuver in tight places your may be glad you didn’t go with oversized tires. However, the better performance with narrow tires on snow, ice and slush was because of hydroplaning. ADAC did the test with 7 mm water/slush and the 195 tires lost their grip at 80 km/h while the 225 lost at 70 km/h. Remember that when you go down the highway with your overloaded, top heavy 4x4 rig in a tropical storm and consider if you should (or need to bcs your chased by some hijackers) keep 55 or 60 or 65 m/h.
So why mention all this on a 4x4 channel? I don’t have much experience with extensive overlanding, but for a total of 3 years I used my 1967 Willys CJ-3B daily to get to and from my job in the Amazon. The road (or track) conditions were extreme to sever (w/o a winch off-roading was obviously high risk and you might end up sleeping with the snakes when stuck). My struggles really made me convinced that snow and mud conditions is comparable. And from Norway common knowledge told me to stick with narrow tires. So when I had to replace all my tires I stuck with the original 6.00x16 (152 wide NDT military style tires). I was evident for me that the narrow tires needed less power through the mud (less friction/resistance) and absolutely the best choice for the old worn-out engine and overloaded vehicle. Just saying .....
Allfair points! But let me add -> Winter tyres for what we consider European climates are not the most suitable for Arctic conditions we experience in Norway. & even locally in Norway the conditions differe by far. Also considertaions we must adapt when choosing summer tyres. As we have colder conditions the rubbermix is different. Hence why NOKIAN offer a different summertyre for the Norwgian versus the German marked :-)
@@peters2860 I agree 100%,,, "winter conditions" are widely different depending on altitude, longitude and latitude, and rubber mix/yes or no to studs are but two essential factors i didnt mention,,, here, however, the issue here was the size and especially the width of the tires,,, maybe u didnt see the video? (((u started ur comment with a "But",,, common knowledge says its better to start a conversation/argument positively, duhhhh))
Good points. In the southern United States atv mud riding scene, narrow tires are very popular for your stated reasons. ATV's have limited power, and to run through thick mud efficiently you need a narrower tire. Sometimes wide tires create too much drag through the mud and float too much preventing the tire from biting and pulling the vehicle forward. On the extreme end some guys even buy "crush lock" wheels to forcibly make their tires as narrow as possible.
i have never seen a AAA helo unlike the ADAC one that came flying in in Deutschland.
Great points and content. I've talked to Baja racers that said anything beyond 33 or 35 is not needed in most situations.
Keep in mind... in the States... the most popular vehicle is the truck. Only about 1% are used as intended. The other 99% are used to get plants and pine straw from Home Depot in the Spring. Thus, people are setting up their vehicles for Looks....
I've gone diff locks over anything bigger than 33" on my 80 series, just have a look at where Graham Cahill puts that Dmax. Although saying that, I've got a set of cheapie muddies in 35" for local trips, it drives like a cow on LSD on-road but.
My G350d has 3 lockers, and these can be engaged while in motion. Next set of tyres may very well be the narrowest General Grabber AT3's I can legally fit on an 18" rim.
Here in merica alot of people that have jeeps with 35-40s are either mall crawlers or rock crawlers and everyone else with skinny’s is trail go getters or overlanders because of price like you said.
He speaking facts, on the other hand the only time I use bigger tires with bigger suspension, is only when I do extreme off-road within my state’s nearest trails and not long distance.
But definitely, for the long range roads 33”
are ideal.
I am driving with 285/70/R17 on my 2015 JKU. I do lots off off-road travel with the guys who have 37's on their jeeps and Toyota's. I can go anywhere and everywhere that they can go for WAY less money. Cheaper tire, less gas, break wear, gear wear, and the list continues to go on. Thanks for affirming my thoughts. Keep the videos coming!
Sounds perfect to me!
Informed common sense, the foundation of all good decisions. Well done.
I suggest that you use the spare wheel as well before it goes stale, seeming it is still brand new. When you rotate your tyres, include your spare wheel as well and rotate all 5 at the same time. I usually rotate mine in a anti-clockwise direction about every 7500kms
Yes, exactly. I did this for both my expeditions and I'm really happy I did. Here in North America I'm getting a bit lazy about it!
All my "big tire" Jeep friends laugh at my 04 Grand Cherokee with it's "pizza cutters". I'm running Geolander M/T G003 in 255/75-17 with a small lift. Goes just about anywhere I point it and still rolls down the highway easily.
Sounds perfect to me!
Running a 00 WJ, and am about to switch to the same tire size, with an IRO 4" lift. How much offset do you run? Trying to keep the offset to an absolute minimum to protect the wheel bearings.
I had 34" ×9.50 LTB swampers on an 85 2 door trooper, toyota axles 4.56 locked went anywhere I ever wanted. Pizza cutters on a light truck are what's up.
‘42 Willys MB with 6.0 x 16 NDT tires. There might be some very specific instances where you might need the lift or big tires to go rock crawling but I’ve never experienced it. Driver ability, short wheelbase and high approach and departure angles seem to be more important
@@fax10 A stock WJ is a bit low in some of the desert passes. Lippincott pass in Death Valley NP, is a real workout for a stock WJ, and don't condenser Lippincott pass to be any kind of serious obstacle. It makes it through with a few scraps on the tailpipe. LOL! It's funny when other jeeps stop to watch you work a pass, that they don't have a 2nd though about. LOL!
I Have a cheep lift, but once loaded up it squats down in the rear, leaving the tailpipe vulnerable, as it makes that all too familiar ring when it hits a bolder. Going around an obstacle like that could literally take all day in Death Valley.
32' skinnies and 4" lift would make it much easier.
Some great advice Dan! I personally really liked the tubed mining/military tires like the 7.50R16 Dunlop SPs etc. I know they're not so readily available in North America but they're ubiquitous in many parts of the world for a good reason.
I totally agree Dan. Huge tires get attention at a show. Ideally if you’re going somewhere remote you want a size that gives you a chance of having it replaced wherever you are going. Huge tires decrease fuel economy (which means range) and increase wear and tear. Staying near stock size on my Tacoma off road.
Absolutely perfect!
YES, I M THINKING LIKE YOU. Now I have 265//75r16 on my Tacoma Offroad (2019) and this summer I change for 255/85r16... narrow, but a little bit higher.. and not heavier
we have stuck with the stock size on our 4Runner and chose our tires based on weight, material, and tread design. This keeps our budget funds available for other necessities such as fuel. Love this video. Cheers!
Sounds like you're doing it right! Adventures are WAY more important than huge tires.
Our offroad shops in San Diego California are saying 35s are popular, but I got 33.8/34s because of gearing, gas mileage, and I don't climb rocks with my jeep.
Funny thing. I had a Suzuki Samurai that was bone stock. It never stopped me from keeping up with the Jeeps and Bronco's with the large tires and lifts. In fact, my Sammy could get into MORE places BECAUSE it was smaller. (and fewer paint scratches too)
A lot of people use larger tires here in the US because they go offroading/rock crawling with their rig and need the larger tire size. The largest you'd ever really need for overlanding is 35s and that's considering you're going to be doing some crazy rock crawling at some point in your journey hehe. All your points are so true and that's why I don't want to go bigger - I do just fine with my 33s it's the perfect size for what I use them for
International Overlander's never go rock crawling. The vehicle is their home and they signed a contract with the government to be in and out of the country by certain dates. They can't afford to be broke down and miss contract dates just to have a little fun. It might not just cost money, it might cost you your vehicle or your freedom.
I've got 35"x12.5" tires on my FJ80, they're still good but definitely considering "downgrading" to 33ish"x10.5" wide. Never considered how the contact patch changes shape for skinny vs narrow until I saw a video about it. Also getting bucked around on the highway because your tires have such a long lever arm every time you partially hit a bump or pothole isn't great for enjoyment or steering components. Good stuff, thanks for the tips.
Had a truck once with 7.5 - 16 tires on it....about 32 inches tall...worked nicely.
I agree with everything you said. I didn't put much lift on my jeep - about 2.5 inches and I went to a 33 inch KO2. I don't do serious offroading, I tow a small camping trailer to remote locations to have a nice time. Sure, you have a few water crossings or mudholes, but none of that requires large tires or a massive amount of ground clearance. I think in the US it's really a combination of factors: trucks need to be jacked up, it's a visual thing (or dare I say it has to do with size of genitals). Then there's people in this country who buy a 50k Jeep, invest another 50k to upgrade everything and then go out on weekends to break as many drivetrain and suspension parts as they possibly can - oh, wait, they call it rock-crawling. While that may be a fun sport, you really have to have the cash to do it. I never had the desire to drive up a 3 foot rock. There's also the belief that you need a massive truck to go places or tow things. If Americans saw how people from the UK or Netherlands tow camping trailers with their small honda or subaru they wouldn't believe it. Over here you need some kind of monster truck for a 2000lbs trailer - apparently...
As others have said, if you spend a lot of time in rough terrain going remote places, lockers, a winch and traction boards of any kind will give you more bang for the buck. If you just head out on forest roads and the occasional desert or mountain trail you don't need that much - a Jeep or other 4x4 is already capable enough. All you really need is a tire with good traction and a small compressor to air back up for the road.
Part of the fun is getting stuck , winching and thinking your way through. Always good to get advice from experience thanks.
Hi from South Africa. My wife and I really enjoy your video clips and helpful information.
Thank you very much. Blessings
Andre & Daphne
Cheers! I'm happy to hear it's useful!
Hi, I'm curious, how's South Africa presently? Prayers are with you,
@@wallacelux Hi Nick, SA ok, we're at level 3 lock down, boders still closed. Taking it one day at a time. Many thx for praying for us. How are you guys in America, we're praying for you guys and lot. Take care Nick. Blessings to you and everyone
@@TheRoadChoseMe Thanks Dan and take care of yourself. Blessings
I'm not an overlander (yet) but I've been saying for years if the manufacturer specified particular size tyres, it's for a reason. The most common question on any 4x4 group of forum: "What is the biggest tyres I can fit?" It makes me headbutt the desk. Going up a size or two from stock, while keeping to a commonly available size, usually no problem. I have never understood the obsession with huge expensive tyres.
What you are saying is common sense
That doesn't apply to off road magazines who pushing certain image.
There are ton of vehicles with custom
Shocks ,suspension,wheels ,winches.
That never leave pavement.
Its all about looks!
All the best!
Very educational video series. Well edited, major points covered and points to think about. Thanks for putting it together and sharing your experiences!
Glad you enjoyed it & you are very welcome!
33” falken wildpeak a/t on my 12 Xterra pro4x
I go through the same places as those with the napoleon complex.
33 10.50s are all I run on my yj and xj. I had 33 12.50s on my cj7 and it would hydroplane like crazy. Tire width should be based on vehicle weight. The wider the tire, the less vehicle psi it puts to the ground.
Completely agree. That is one of the only things I disagreed with what he said. Skinny tires are more capable for the most part. This is definitely a vehicle by vehicle basis.
Nice to finally hear someone say wider tires have better traction, especially in the sand. So many people are misinformed about narrow tires being better in the sand lately and are spreading this hogwash though their videos. I've driven in sand more than a lot of people have driven total . Personally, I have been places I have had trouble getting through in the sand with a 7" wide tire in 4WD where with a 12" wide tire I can go easily in 2WD, many times.
A very intelligent approach to tire size. Thank you for filming this video.
Glad it was helpful!
31" KO2s with a locker is all I've needed. I pull my little trailer (also on 31s) through everything. If the rut it too deep I pull winch line. The cost to go to bigger tires including suspension paid for my warn winch and I dont destroy the driveline getting places.
Back in 1968 I and 2 others came overland from the UK to Australia via South Africa in a standard 1962 LWB diesel Land Rover. We had standard 750x16 wheels and tyres, plus a few spares. At no time did we need anything else. Our vehicle had a PTO capstan winch and an ex British Army Tirfor winch. In 1978 while in Wyndham, WA, I was reunited that same Land Rover, still going strong....
Wow Sam, THAT must have been an adventure. When I was in the Congo I really started to wonder if that's what all of Africa was like 50+ years ago, and for a time I wished I was born a generation or two earlier!
Rover knew best!
2005 Jeep Liberty with 245/75/16 AT tires and Ironman Coils. I live in Oklahoma miles of unpaved roads to get home. I have never seen a old farmer with big tires and they go everywhere
Excellent tips and points of view....I think the main difference is that you go overlanding (great distances) more than offroading (most people do it, making routes with physical obstacles)....
I once saw a land cruiser troopy that has completed global circumnavigation in 2013 in Colorado, it's on steel wheel and skinny tires.
Exactly! Everyone I've ever met doing it has that exact combo
Camel Trophy Land Rover Defenders crossed Africa on 30" tyres about 9" wide without any problems.
The best upgrade is the organic thing holding the steering wheel.
I'm glad I've done the research I have. And after this video, I'm going with 33s on my 3rd gen T4R. Between the cutting, regearing, and the price of tires, it's just not worth it to me. I want a capable rig for adventuring and everyday commuting. It seems like 33's are all I will ever need. $4K would be nice to put towards the other stuff I need.
damn, this guy is smarter than tens of those 35's overland bloggers. Subscribe!
You are spot on. I have a Jeep Rubicon, many Jeepers in Colorado upgrade to huge 35-37" tires. I did a 1.75" lift upgrade and run
255/80/17 BFG KM2s. (these measure 33.3") These work great with my 4.10 gearing towing an Aliner trailer. I leave off top roof racks and keep my Jeep light as if it were a backpack. Keeping these tires inside the guards is important to me too, I was tired of cleaning my Jeep off everytime I drove on a wet dirt road.
Sounds absolutely perfect to me!
I'm in the US and with you. 33 is more than enough even with a 2 inch lift.
I personally go up one profile size, and raise a vehicle max 2"; for example, my Jeep wj and Land Rover D2 came with 245/70x16" tires, and I went to 245/75x16 and a 2" spring lift and better shocks. Just my preference.
The weight and space issue is compounded when you start carrying two spares.
Larger tires also raise the center of gravity of your vehicle, making it more likely to have a rollover accident. The money that tires would end up costing is much better spent on a winch, lockers, an external cage and extraction gear like a shovel and MaxTraxx..
I drove from Alaska to Arizona with 33 inch tires on my JK. Over 6000 km in 8 days carrying over 800lbs of additional weight. I am so glad I didn't have 35s or 37s, complete waste of gas. Now that I am here I might regear and get 35s, but that's it.
37 and 40 inch off road tires are the fashion equivalent of 35 and 45 profile street tires. They look cool and are functionally ineffective most of the time. To say nothing about the purchase price and the impact on vehicle dynamics, reliability and performance. Victims of fashion live by the motto "its better to look good than to feel good".
Great video. Its nice to hear a little common sense once in a while.
Cheers.
Well said - I've taken bog standard vehicles to numerous countries including into the Arctic and across Siberia several times, both summer and winter, and there's always a way forward using skill - vehicle skills and people skills: Like the man says - keep the cash to get out on an adventure - and meet more wonderful people of the world. Even better if you can save weight to take gear/people along to help local people who need a boost in fantastically remote areas.
Big wheels and tires add a lot of unsprung weight too, which in turn effects your braking.
I am setting two vehicles up for overlanding though my time off from work tends to keep the trip shorter. Main thing is keep on a very limited budget. One is just adding things to a 2014 Jeep Cherokee to make it do a week long overlanding with nothing more than a 100 miles away from the journey. There is not much room for tier upgrade from the stock 245/65/17 (29 1/2") and found the cost not worth the limited lift. The other is a little more for longer trips, a 1986 Ford Bronco, I was finding the original 15" wheels were hard to find good tire options so I changed to 17" rims 265/75/17 (31.6") so far so good.
There’s so many people I come across that want to lift way too high and put big tires on or add wheel spacers *disgusting*. Then they wonder why they have trouble with hubs, ball joints, and the drivetrain
I like seeing old model t’s and such driving on muddy roads and they did fine with really skinny tires . That helped me get off the big fat tire addiction.
When I decided to take the truck I had (2014 F-450) and use it for off-road and overlanding duty, I switched the dually rears to "super singles". Duallys do not belong off-road. There are only a few single tires that have the load capacity to handle the GAWR, and all of them are big. Like 40" big. Need a 4" lift to tuck them in. These are military/agriculture tires, so they are available, but they are harder to come by than the 33.5's in this video. Haven't researched if they're available overseas, but I expect I'll use a different truck if I'm going to do international overlanding.
As expected, the tires are expensive. The wheels were expensive. The suspension upgrade was expensive. The reduction in mileage will be expensive. Wider fender flares were needed but not that expensive. Brakes and axles are still stock because they're fairly overbuilt. I've chosen to derate the towing capacity from 30,000lbs to 10,000lbs as I don't expect to use the truck for hauling.
But now I have an RV that can go almost anywhere (if the trail isn't too narrow) and comfortably sleep my family of five, built on the truck I already had.
Sounds like an awesome build! I think the 33in rule is out the window when it comes to extra large vehicles like yours. With a full size truck's axle height, body/frame size, plus length it has much less maneuverability to finesse around obstacles like a smaller rig. Having 37s on your truck is akin to a 4 door jeep with 33s
Funny this video just showed up on my feed. I'm going to be regearing my Jeep soon because we just bought a small camper and I briefly considered regearing for 37's instead of my 35's. I'll be sticking with 35's.
Lots of really good points Dan. My Jeep has 35's and I got a flat in Atlanta, GA. Do you think any dealers had a replacement? Absolutely not, special order everywhere in a huge city like Atlanta! Also, changing a big, heavy tire is a real pain!!!
Lol I have 37” tires but I’m a weekend warrior in the Pacific Northwest but I still get 19mpg in my 86 4runner geared and update engine 2rz but with what you’ve said definitely seems like it really would not make any sense for any kind of expedition also the center of gravity is way higher and you have to climb up the dirty vehicles to access anything on top👍👍
This was a very insightful video! Much of what is discussed in this video is also stuff we are contemplating when in comes to tire size choices. Thanks for making this video!
I went with 35" KO2s. It's a great balance of looks and performance without having to upgrade too much of the suspension components. I think on the JL/JLU, its ready for 35". All points made in this video is spot on.
I agree with you. i have a 2 door jeep wrangler and run 33s
Now that was a great video. I have a Ford F150 with 275/65R18s. Taking your advice I need almost nothing more. I agree, 99% of the time AT tires and this stock size is more then enough for all I will be doing. Just want to be able to travel down a dirt road and see beautiful things. Never plan to go "wheeling" or rock crawling. Car camping and hiking are for me. Thanks for the insight!!
235/85r16 (32” x 9.25”) works very well on Defenders- I have them on my Disco 2 and they go perfectly with its short wheelbase
South CentralTexas, 2014 Ram 2500 Cummins. I run the stock 275/70/18 (33") Whenever I consider moving up to a 35" or 37". I remind myself of the things you point out, which I already know. All that extra expense, wear and tear loss of fuel mileage, and having to lift stuff higher to put into the bed, for maybe 2" more clearance, I decide I'm good with the 33". Cool factor? I'm 59. I'd rather spend the money on fuel, food and beer. If a rough spot needs more clearance, I figure out a way around it, or turn around. Rocks and boards can get one over quite a bit. I figure if the Power Wagon comes on 33", the engineers must know something. Yes, I know it has a factory lift. I use a 60 pound bass amp. Thanks for making me feel even better about my position.
I've been running the stock size 30x9.5 tires on my TJ for 17 years without it being an issue. I do run an all terrain, but on the stock rims, and with a 1.25" lift just to give them room to move. I can't hit the rock crawling trails, but I an absolutely go wherever I want outside of that, roads or no roads. I'll add- in the US, people seem to think you need mud terrain tires for everything. I've had a much better experience with all terrains without much difference in capability for my needs.
Absolutely perfect!
Thanks again for really valuable information from an unpretentious perspective. I know of another well respected African 4x overlander that advocates smaller, skinnier tires.
It really is refreshing to get practical advice over appearance and the need to fit in or show off. Keep it up!
I'm sure you already have a million video ideas in your head, including what I am about so suggest, but a similar one about the need for a dual battery and/or solar setup would be valuable.
Thanks for the support, and the video suggestion! Absolutely, that's a video coming soon(ish) if you have more suggestions please keep them coming!
@@TheRoadChoseMe Certainly you know best from the most asked questions at the expos, including mine a year ago when we met. I would guess that security is a common concern, in a dozen different scenarios; at night, on the road, hitchhikers, wildlife, leaving the vehicle for longer periods etc.
Topics that overlap between long term, international travel and more typical local trips will probably get the most interest. Not sure how your (desired?) audience skews between daydreamers living vicariously through your stories, people wanting first hand insight on international trips, and weekend explorers planning their next local trip. I think you did a really good job making it relevant to each in this video. Most youtube channels favor accessories over adventure.
Well said, Mate. The 35" and up tires have become more of a "look" or "fad", if you will. This was very thorough and informative and hopefully people will listen to this before spending big bucks for something as minute as an inch or two of ground clearance. Thank you!
One thing in particular he mentioned was he noticed this revelation in North America. I'm from Arizona in The Southwestern USA, I can speak from experience that even on 35's there are some areas that just cant be accessed with that size tire. We also have a more trail to trail based experience with overlanding here untill you get up into canada and alaska, so that coupled with the widespread availability of large tires plus the fact we dont have draconian vehicle regulations means we can go bigger for cheaper and be able to repair or replace with very little effort.
We bought our troopy with 35 on it.
Now we changed it to 255/85r16.
They look nice too. Although we consider the 285/75r16 Ann good option to due the weight of the car. 3400kg
All very good points. Horses for courses.
For a pure tourer with light to moderate offroad challenges, I'd never install substantially larger tyres for the reasons mentioned.
For me personally, I do hard tracks first, touring second, so my Jeep has been built around 37" tyres.
If you want to use big tires like 37s overlanding use a Unimog and be done with it they are designed from the factory to use 37-42 inch tires and larger ones depending on the model
Great video. Subscribed.
Form follows function. Huge tires are nothing but 4x4 bling for 98% of those who run them. Imagine running miles and miles of corrugations with huge, heavy 37's. The reason you are seeing large tires at overland shows is because it gives the vendors something to sell. Normally sized tires can be purchased locally...
I run 37s on my Rubicon. I have built the heck out of it, but it is not for overlanding. It is a rock crawler. The harder trails we run for that here in Colorado don't require that large of tire, but it sure makes them more possible without a lot of winching. One other advantage of them is that they give a much less harsh ride on a rocky trail, as they swallow larger rocks with ease. I have run 33s, 35s, and 37s here on various vehicles for this activity. I totally agree with your points though, for overlanding, smaller tires are a win for all the reasons you gave. Not to mention how hard 37s are to change on the trail, normally weighing about 100+lbs mounted. And $50 more per tire? Ha! Try $100+ more for 37s. $150 more or even $200 more for 40s. BTW, I'm geared at 5.13:1. Good video, good presentation, subscribed.
Thanks Bill - you make excellent points and I agree with you 100%.
For rock crawling in a developed country, obviously bigger tires make the vehicle much more capable!
I run 33"s with a 4" suspension lift and thats what most lift kits recommend
What about gas mileage???
Great video. Sometimes it's hard to take a hard look at ourselves and decide whether we like something because we're in an echo chamber, are we trying to be contrarian, or we just like to buck a trend? I've always been against monster tires even when I was a teenager. Later with more technical experience and a basic understanding of physics and engineering, my bias became even more supported.
So it's easy to say "great video" because we agree. But truly, it is a good video because you've supported every one of your points and you've been as objective as possible on this topic. Thanks!
Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it!
Nothing but common sense. Bravo! 👏🙂
I run 265/75/16 on my truck. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve unstuck or helped out that had 35’s and 37’s. There’s obviously some advantages to those large tires, however in my experience, it hasn’t been enough advantage to beat experience and driving skill.
We in South Africa 🇿🇦, have seen over the past fifty years or so, that skiiny tall tyres work better than wider, larger diameter tyres. Always though the Ozzies drive in terrain similar to ours, but they do it very differently. Using the first Hilux 4x4 Daddy Longlegs bakkies (utes), we soon saw the value in narrower tyres - less sidewall damage, therefore an easier life! And we don't suffer at the pump or elsewhere because of overburdened vehicles that have too much unsprung weight and massive rolling resistance. On my Geländewagen, I will fit the narrowest, tallest rubber when the time comes, staying within spec. Too wide and they get holes in them
Manufactures design all the various parts to work together in harmony. Going up to monster tyres puts extra strain on the steering components , wheel bearings, brakes etc.. unless you upgrade those also, as well as upsetting the gearing, steering geometry and lock….imo most people put on monster tyres just for the look….
I love my 31's on a 2.5" lift. It doesn't look to bad on my '96 Regular cab Tacoma
Have the same size lift & tires on my 88 Toyota 4×4 truck. It has done the job just fine out here in the California, Arizona, Nevada deserts!🍻
Excellent video. So many people simply don't understand that there is nothing worse than getting stuck due to a breakdown that could've been so easily avoided.
Several years ago (before COVID hit), I was overlanding up at Cape York (North of Australia). A bunch of guys rocked up with 40+ -inch tyres, clearing obstacles, making big ruts in the mud and just in general being an arse. The rest of us in 28 - 321 inch tyres were also able to clear the same obstacles, albeit a bit slower. Long story short, one of the douches ate a big bite of humble pie and had to get their car towed on a rollback because their drivetrain completely blew up due to shock loading.
I just saw a Land Cruiser on 35s with a destroyed rear tailsahft.. he was *very* shy about asking me for a tow to get up a tiny little hill.
Extremely useful information. Just what I had been wondering about.
We run 265-70-17(31.5") on our 4th gen 4runner. I'll never go bigger; it works just fine. I've been down the massive tire rabbit hole with jeeps...no thanks.
Same here on my 5th gen. Even going to 275's put me into the E load range tires which were all 10+ lbs heavier per tire in rotational mass, and I could definitely feel it in the MPG and acceleration.