15” vs 16” wheels and BS

Tjrubicon

Tjrubicon

Something clever
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I’m looking to change out to a new wheel and tire and curious if i could get some info and opinions so I can make the right choice the first time. Some info on the Jeep. 03 Rubicon with 3” lift. My wife and I will not be driving the jeep daily but it will be driven a few times a week around town and 40 so miles few times a month at highway speeds. We do intend on taking trips to off road parks and trail riding in the Jeep but no crazy rock crawling or stuff like that. May drive it a few hours to local parks but hope to be able to trailer it to further ones out. Our main goal is to have a trail worthy jeep that can be driven locally too. So my questions.
1. Should I stay with the 16” wheel size that came on the rubi or go with the 15”? Also 15x8, x10? Pros and cons of either?
2. I’m leaning toward getting the cooper discoverer STT pro, 32x11.50x15 or the 16” equivalent with 3.75- 4” backspace. Currently have the stock rubi flares. Looking to get the tire out just beyond the flare maybe 1/2 inch or 1”.

Any thoughts or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
 
1. You'll have many more options with 15" wheels and tires than 16". 15x8 will hold a better bead than a 15x10 on the same width tire. This means you can air down more at off-road parks and get better grip. A wider tire will also protect a 15x8 rim better than it will a 15x10.
2. The only other option is to go to a 17" wheel and tire. If you do this the wheels and tires get more expensive. I'd go with a 15x8". The Cooper Discoverer STT Pro is one of my top two tire choices. The other is the Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ. Mickey Thompson is also made by Cooper.
 
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15" tires are cheaper, more size options, and it's much easier to find tires with the proper load rating, unlike 16's which are generally D or E's, and are too stiff for our Jeeps.

I'd go with 15x8, with a 4" BS. 3.75 will probably stick out further than you'd like.
 
Love these wheels, the one I would go with if I didn't have the factory Moabs:

247489-add2.jpg


As stated, a lot more tire sizes available for less cost than for the 16" factory Rubicon wheels. If only I wasn't such a miser, and didn't like my factory wheels so much...
 
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glwood said:
Love these wheels, the one I would go with if I didn't have the factory Moabs:

View attachment 25237

As stated, a lot more tire sizes available for less cost than for the 16" factory Rubicon wheels. If only I wasn't such a miser, and didn't like my factory wheels so much...
Click to expand...
What wheels are those? I've been looking at these very similar wheels, but Extreme Terrain never has them available.

wrangler-jeep-tj-35-wheel-kits_thumb?$transpProd$&.png
 
I just ordered new tires and wheels also.
I am dropping from a 17" down to 15". PO had JK take-offs on it along with BFG Mud terrains and wheel spacers, which I found are not supposed to be good in snow, even though the side wall clearly has the M+S on it. The wheels I went with are 15x8. I went with the BFG All terrains.
Here's what I went with,

https://www.4wd.com/p/genuine-packa...kage-set-of-4-tirepkg295/_/R-ADDK1-TIREPKG295
 
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egclassic said:
I just ordered new tires and wheels also.
I am dropping from a 17" down to 15". PO had JK take-offs on it along with BFG Mud terrains and wheel spacers, which I found are not supposed to be good in snow, even though the side wall clearly has the M+S on it. The wheels I went with are 15x8. I went with the BFG All terrains.
Here's what I went with,

https://www.4wd.com/p/genuine-packa...kage-set-of-4-tirepkg295/_/R-ADDK1-TIREPKG295
Click to expand...
Very nice set up. I’ve had some KOs before. The all terrains were pretty impressive in snow.
 
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Tjrubicon said:
Very nice set up. I’ve had some KOs before. The all terrains were pretty impressive in snow.
Click to expand...
Thats what I'm hoping for. The jeep is not my daily driver but if/when we get snow, I'd like to know it's a good alternative to our other two vehicles, which are also both 4wd. Those mud-terrains seemed to slide when the pavement was wet a little more than I cared for.
 
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