Why should I buy a bigger tire? / Winter tires all year round?
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why should I buy a bigger tire? / Winter tires all year round?
Merry Christmas All...
Couple questions here.
What benefits will I see from upsizing to a 31/10.5R15 from a 235/75R15?
I would like a bigger tire but the price difference between the two is enough to scare me away provided there are no real benefits other then appearance.
CONVINCE me to go bigger...
Does anyone drive winter tires all year?
I can get a really good price on some Michelin 4x4 Alpin's but cant afford to run two sets of tires.
As always ANY help is appreciated.
Thanks.
Couple questions here.
What benefits will I see from upsizing to a 31/10.5R15 from a 235/75R15?
I would like a bigger tire but the price difference between the two is enough to scare me away provided there are no real benefits other then appearance.
CONVINCE me to go bigger...
Does anyone drive winter tires all year?
I can get a really good price on some Michelin 4x4 Alpin's but cant afford to run two sets of tires.
As always ANY help is appreciated.
Thanks.
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Mountains outside of Boulder
Posts: 613
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by TS86
Does anyone drive winter tires all year?
I can get a really good price on some Michelin 4x4 Alpin's but cant afford to run two sets of tires.
I can get a really good price on some Michelin 4x4 Alpin's but cant afford to run two sets of tires.
#3
Contributing Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Monett, MO (Springfield)
Posts: 2,644
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Bigger tires are nice for a few reasons, but first bigger how? there are two biggers, wider and taller.
Wider tires mean more footprint, you can float on snow or bottomless mudpits a little better, and more tire to grab on rocks for traction.
Larger diameter means a couple things, first more ground clearance... ground clearance=good. second, larger tires offer a softer ride compared to smaller tires. Here's an example:
Car A is a geo metro, with tires that are 15 inches tall. Car B is your toyota with tires that are 30 inches tall. (tall = wide, we're talking about diameter here)
Car A and B hit a pothole thats 10 inches in diameter. Which car will feel more of a bump? Car A, because more of its tire dropped in the pothole, Car B had much less of a drop to span the pothole.
Now thats the physics part of it. Larger tires come in lots of different flavors, and the example only holds 100% true if the tire diameter is the only thing different (if you have a slushy suspension, you would feel less of thatt bump).
I would go with larger tires, but thats a matter of preference. If you have more questions (specific) just ask, thats what we are here for. I'll think about it some more and let you know if anything dawns on me.
Wider tires mean more footprint, you can float on snow or bottomless mudpits a little better, and more tire to grab on rocks for traction.
Larger diameter means a couple things, first more ground clearance... ground clearance=good. second, larger tires offer a softer ride compared to smaller tires. Here's an example:
Car A is a geo metro, with tires that are 15 inches tall. Car B is your toyota with tires that are 30 inches tall. (tall = wide, we're talking about diameter here)
Car A and B hit a pothole thats 10 inches in diameter. Which car will feel more of a bump? Car A, because more of its tire dropped in the pothole, Car B had much less of a drop to span the pothole.
Now thats the physics part of it. Larger tires come in lots of different flavors, and the example only holds 100% true if the tire diameter is the only thing different (if you have a slushy suspension, you would feel less of thatt bump).
I would go with larger tires, but thats a matter of preference. If you have more questions (specific) just ask, thats what we are here for. I'll think about it some more and let you know if anything dawns on me.
Last edited by colsoncj; 12-22-2004 at 11:22 AM.
#6
Couple more pros and cons.
Pro - bigger tires look better (completly aesthetic, not practical)
Con - bigger tires are harder to turn, so if you have a 4-banger, I wouldn't go above that 31". Also, be aware that changing tire from factory size will affect speedometer accuracy.
Pro - bigger tires look better (completly aesthetic, not practical)
Con - bigger tires are harder to turn, so if you have a 4-banger, I wouldn't go above that 31". Also, be aware that changing tire from factory size will affect speedometer accuracy.
#7
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by nigeltufnel3
Couple more pros and cons.
Pro - bigger tires look better (completly aesthetic, not practical)
Con - bigger tires are harder to turn, so if you have a 4-banger, I wouldn't go above that 31". Also, be aware that changing tire from factory size will affect speedometer accuracy.
Pro - bigger tires look better (completly aesthetic, not practical)
Con - bigger tires are harder to turn, so if you have a 4-banger, I wouldn't go above that 31". Also, be aware that changing tire from factory size will affect speedometer accuracy.
Trending Topics
#9
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 483
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you offroad a lot then upsizing would be quite beneficial. If not, the benefits will be minimal, other than for the appearance. Major drawbacks are cost, mileage, and performance.
#11
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I used to have an 80 w/ 33x12.5 no lift. Looked way cool, maximum speed was 60mph floored. Drive into a wind and or uphill and watch it drop to a horn honking 45mph... I'd do it again in a cold second but would consider gears this time. Unfortunately Super Toy died when hit by 2 other cars both running red lights. I went from some real small tires to the 33's. I got better traction in the snow A.T. tires, and it just looked sweeeeeet!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
RedRunner_87
95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners (Build-Up Section)
84
06-01-2021 01:51 PM
MMA_Alex
86-95 Trucks & 4Runners (Build-Up Section)
25
04-18-2017 05:07 AM
skoti89
Offroad Tech
3
07-08-2015 12:05 AM