Look, I already hate myself for making this post. Don't rub it in.
Here's the deal. I love my OEM Moab wheels. I think they are the appropriate look for a TJ Rubicon and somehow they just look so much better than the JK ones that followed. I really want to keep them and I think 16s provide a really nice amount of sidewall for 35s. I also love my MT/R tires and would buy another set if I could, but I can't and mine are spanked. They're unbelievably out of balance (the shop has tried several times but two of them are just wicked bad). They're starting to crack from age and look borderline unsafe.
What I want is another set of 35" MT/Rs in load range D for my 16" Moabs, but that can't happen. So I either have to get a set of load range E (probably MT Baja Boss M/T) or get an all new set of wheels and tires and say farewell to my Moabs. I know this is highly personal preference, and again it seems silly for me to ask for advice on preference things, but I'm hoping maybe someone else has been in the same position and can relate whether they felt they made the right or wrong decision. I know some people say Es are fine, but I have a hard time understanding how that can be, given how and what they're designed for.
Some details:
#1. Stick with the Moabs, get 35" Mickey Thompson Baja Boss M/T in load range E R16 and hope for the best. If they don't work out, I'll have to take the hit and do one of the below, because I don't put enough miles on them to warrant waiting them out.
#2. Get some 15" rims and get 35" Baja Boss, available in load range C for much less money than the 17s or 16s. I don't really like any aftermarket rims. I was looking at the TrailReady beadlocks (I figure if I'm replacing might as well go with beadlocks), but dang they're expensive. They support some of my local off-road events though, so maybe giving them $3k for wheels isn't so bad? I worry about spending a lot on 15" wheels and then having limited options in the future if 15s fall out of favor like the 16s did.
#3. Get some 17" rims and get 35" Baja Boss, available in load range D for about the same as the 16s. I think these look less good in terms if wheel-to-sidewall, and of course I prefer more sidewall for off-road performance. Still don't know what wheels I'd get. If I could go 37s on my axles without trouble, I'd do that and then 17s would be fine, but alas. I already have p***s envy because all my friends are in JLs on 40s so I also don't need my 35s looking smaller due to less sidewall to rim.
And yes, I know mrblaine says beadlocks are a solution for a problem that I apparently don't have (so far) but, I need wheels and it's a dedicated wheeler, so maybe it makes sense.
Okay, let the opinions and flames fly...
Here's the deal. I love my OEM Moab wheels. I think they are the appropriate look for a TJ Rubicon and somehow they just look so much better than the JK ones that followed. I really want to keep them and I think 16s provide a really nice amount of sidewall for 35s. I also love my MT/R tires and would buy another set if I could, but I can't and mine are spanked. They're unbelievably out of balance (the shop has tried several times but two of them are just wicked bad). They're starting to crack from age and look borderline unsafe.
What I want is another set of 35" MT/Rs in load range D for my 16" Moabs, but that can't happen. So I either have to get a set of load range E (probably MT Baja Boss M/T) or get an all new set of wheels and tires and say farewell to my Moabs. I know this is highly personal preference, and again it seems silly for me to ask for advice on preference things, but I'm hoping maybe someone else has been in the same position and can relate whether they felt they made the right or wrong decision. I know some people say Es are fine, but I have a hard time understanding how that can be, given how and what they're designed for.
Some details:
- The TJ weighs right at 5000lbs with me in it and the soft top on. A little more with the hard top in the winter (which is a lot of the time) and a little less with the bikini and no doors in the summer.
- It's just for wheeling. I don't daily it, and maybe take two trips to the grocery store per year when the weather just begs for it.
- I trailer it to the trail quite a bit, but it has to be suitable for an hour drive to/from the trail, especially in a pinch. Not really any longer than that though.
- Right now I air down to 7-8psi consistently and have never lost a bead (yet). I crawl and basically never "send it". Have never asked anyone to hold any beverage.
- I really really like putting straps through the wheels to secure it on the trailer, it works very well for where my tie-downs are on the trailer and I don't have to worry about snagging brake lines and steering components. Not all wheels will allow this - when I have to trailer buddies on steelies it's a pain.
- I'm really happy with this combo and swear the MT/Rs are magic compared to some of my wheeling buddies
- I refuse to have any wheels that look like they're simulated beadlocks. Either beadlock, or no bolts on the rim. I do all my own work, I don't *want* more maintenance from beadlocks, but I don't think it'll be a problem.
#1. Stick with the Moabs, get 35" Mickey Thompson Baja Boss M/T in load range E R16 and hope for the best. If they don't work out, I'll have to take the hit and do one of the below, because I don't put enough miles on them to warrant waiting them out.
#2. Get some 15" rims and get 35" Baja Boss, available in load range C for much less money than the 17s or 16s. I don't really like any aftermarket rims. I was looking at the TrailReady beadlocks (I figure if I'm replacing might as well go with beadlocks), but dang they're expensive. They support some of my local off-road events though, so maybe giving them $3k for wheels isn't so bad? I worry about spending a lot on 15" wheels and then having limited options in the future if 15s fall out of favor like the 16s did.
#3. Get some 17" rims and get 35" Baja Boss, available in load range D for about the same as the 16s. I think these look less good in terms if wheel-to-sidewall, and of course I prefer more sidewall for off-road performance. Still don't know what wheels I'd get. If I could go 37s on my axles without trouble, I'd do that and then 17s would be fine, but alas. I already have p***s envy because all my friends are in JLs on 40s so I also don't need my 35s looking smaller due to less sidewall to rim.
And yes, I know mrblaine says beadlocks are a solution for a problem that I apparently don't have (so far) but, I need wheels and it's a dedicated wheeler, so maybe it makes sense.
Okay, let the opinions and flames fly...
