Why International Overlanders DON'T USE HUGE TIRES
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- Опубликовано: 1 авг 2024
- It's common in the off-road and 4x4 world to install 35, 37 or even 40 inch tires, but in a funny juxtaposition, I've never met a single person driving internationally with tires that big. Why Not?
I'll lay out the pros and cons of running massive tires on long expeditions.
You might be surprised by the reality.
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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.
255/80r17 “Pizza Cutter’s” Unite!!!
Ordered some the other day. SToked to get em on my rig!
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.
Over landing the real world vs on IG.
🍻😂
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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?
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
I have 31” tires. I do overlanding not rock crawling
Weight is not your friend...
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.
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... :(
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
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.
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!
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.
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!
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...
Great informative video ! I’ve always run stock size tires on my 08jkuRubi, which I’ve setup for camping/ living. I keep it all as Light as possible. 🙏🌲❤️🇨🇦
Informed common sense, the foundation of all good decisions. Well done.
33” falken wildpeak a/t on my 12 Xterra pro4x
I go through the same places as those with the napoleon complex.
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
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.
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
The weight and space issue is compounded when you start carrying two spares.
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....
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.
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.
Excellent and sound advice eloquently put. Cheers!
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!
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)
Part of the fun is getting stuck , winching and thinking your way through. Always good to get advice from experience thanks.
A very intelligent approach to tire size. Thank you for filming this video.
Glad it was helpful!
Some really good points! Thank you for sharing...
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!
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?
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.
I'm in the US and with you. 33 is more than enough even with a 2 inch lift.
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.
Such a fantastic video, Dan. You covered every detail. Cheers bud!
Thanks a ton!
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
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!
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.
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 agree with you. i have a 2 door jeep wrangler and run 33s
so many great points, makes me feel better about not going bigger. goood info thanks
Thanks for making a video about this topic. It's very informative and your reasoning is logical.
Glad it was helpful!
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.
Nothing but common sense. Bravo! 👏🙂
Very instructive video, thank you very much !
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..
Extremely useful information. Just what I had been wondering about.
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!
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👍👍
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.
Sounds absolutely perfect to me!
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.
Excellent knowledge, thank your sharing.
You said it. 35, 37 or more look cool. Perfect for rock crawling or trails but now place for longer distance travelling
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.
Thank you! You talked me out of a few expensive upgrades.
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.
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.
Totally right man, great info!
Big wheels and tires add a lot of unsprung weight too, which in turn effects your braking.
You make a lot of sense, well said.
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
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
I couldn’t imagine driving 40k+ miles in some of the builds I’ve seen in Moab, lol. But I think that’s the main difference between your vehicle vs majority of off-roaders in the US. I think when people build a vehicle in the US, the vision leans more towards crawling, mudding, or technical off-roading. Not necessarily over landing. Plus I don’t think majority of people here in the US are planning such long distance or international trips. Not that there’s anything wrong with building or planning a proper/strictly overland build or trip. Again, I think when people hear “Jeep/off-road” in the US, they tend to think Moab, the Rubicon Trail, etc where clearance is a major consideration. (Just wanted to note I’m not criticizing you, just trying to add a constructive counter-point to your argument to bolster discussion!)
I agree with you 100% !
The title has words "international" and "overlander" in it. Not "trailer hauled rock crawler" in "america".
Most of the ones in the US are mall crawlers and daily drivers that see no off-road action at all let's be honest with ourselves in the states.
Agreed
There are plenty of people that drive long distances in jeeps with 40in+ tires and they do it comfortably.
This isn't the 1950s anymore. Modern suspensions and tire design can make a jeep with 20in of wheel travel and 40in tires ride better than it did bone stock.
Check out the RUclips channel "wayalife" to see many such examples.
Excellent video. Thank you
wow, this video has given me much to think about. I am revamping a bus for travel et wanted massive tires. Mainly because I think they look really neat et because I am petite et like to be further off the ground but now... am reconsidering crazy big tires as I certainly don’t want to draw attention to myself.. thanks, 💕💕💕💕💕
Wow!!!! Thank you for this video!! You brought up some great points that I never even thought about!!
Glad it was helpful!
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.
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.
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....
The stock 285-70-17” for over landing is perfect!
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.
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 never comment on anything and this video is very informative for someone looking into overlandind building my rig at the moment and this showed me se good points I haven't thought of
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.
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!!!
Had a truck once with 7.5 - 16 tires on it....about 32 inches tall...worked nicely.
Totally agree mate. Great video. Keep hem coming !
Thanks, will do! - new videos every Monday and Thursday!
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
I have 35s on my JLU with 3.5 inch lift and i love it!
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!🍻
When I used to go off roading in high school my truck had 35 super swampers tsl I would always break something. When I went to some all terrains that were 33s I stopped breaking stuff. I weighed the tires the swampers weighed 80lbs each where the all terrains weighed like 30 lbs.
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!!
Solid sensible advice. Thanks again.👍😊
My pleasure!