17" vs 15" wheels?

bobthetj03 said:
I've only ever ran C tires, so I can't give you an honest opinion. I think @Chris has run E's then C's, so he might be the best judge.
Click to expand...

I have indeed. I've run an E, a D, and a C. It'a a profound difference going from an E to a C, not something to take lightly. Those who drive their TJ mostly on-road should ONLY be running C rated tires if they value ride quality.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Head Lice and bobthetj03
My LJR weighs right at 5,000 lbs before loading it up with people and or camping gear. I have 255-85 R16 BFG muds on it that are load E. Would C load tires ride better on it?
 
Personally, I think that 17" wheels with anything under a 35" tire just looks odd. The sidewall is too short on a 33" tire or smaller. Comfort? Well, I ran 16" Moabs with 265/75/16 Duratracs (C Load) for about 7 years. I finally went back to 15" wheels due to more tire options in a 15" vs. 16". I have US Mag Aluminum slots 15x8 with BFG K02 C-load tires. I think that the comfort level went up. I always run them at about 28psi for the road and feel like this combination works well. Jeeps are supposed to have a bit of sidewall. These aren't sportscars!
IMG_20191102_160652.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: L J and Head Lice
Fire814 said:
My LJR weighs right at 5,000 lbs before loading it up with people and or camping gear. I have 255-85 R16 BFG muds on it that are load E. Would C load tires ride better on it?
Click to expand...
Run your vehicle over a DOT axle scale. eg. weight of the rear axle, divided by two. Look at the load rating of that 'E' tire. It will be on the sidewall with the max pressure and all other tire data. Ask yourself why would you need that truck tire on your lightweight Jeep running empty? Load range 'C' is the tire for your vehicle.
 
A lot of us here aren't into the goofy "balloon" look because we never get our Jeeps off the pavement anyways and just want a more balanced look, namely me.
Putting these (17x8.5) babies on Saturday with 285/70/17 Patagonias.

IMG_0946.JPG
 
  • Haha
Reactions: L J
Oh yeah, it's been done. Great ride, fantastic handling without any loss of power at all which really surprises me.
IMG_1187.JPG

IMG_1189.JPG
 
It looks like those tires come in 3 different styles. 1. load E
2. load C rated to 100 mph
3. load C rated to 120 mph
 
moab said:
So you decided against the Patagonias because of the E rating?
Click to expand...
No, I don't drive my 4 banger very fast, so I could've lived with that.
Seemed like everybody that had the KO-2's were really impressed with the ride and handling on the highway, got good reviews on wet whether handling too and good tread wear where my deciding factors.
The Patagonias got very good reviews, just a softer compound, seemed to wear a little faster and mainly not as good on the highway for handling or wet roads, which can be a big factor here in the spring.
I'm totally blown away with the way they ride and handle, could not have imagined they'd be so smooth and responsive not to mention quite.
I never get off-road too, so really wanted an AT versus an MT also.
 
As a new LJ owner who's looking to buy tires (and possibly new wheels) within the next couple of months, I really appreciate all this discussion.
 
Top Bottom
Back