So what the best inexpensive tires for heavy CRD?

Threeweight · **Joined:** Mon May 14, 2007 5:57 pm **Posts:** 679

Not technically an off-road situation, but narrower tires are generally superior for snow traction (at least on road snow traction), where you want to cut through the top layer of loose snow/slush and get down to a firmer surface underneath.

Only true up to a point, as in really deep snow you'll get high centered. In those situations, wide tires are better (but really, if snow is that deep you shouldn't be driving a wheeled vehicle on it).

nursecosmo · **Posted:** Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:55 pm

cerich wrote:

nursecosmo wrote:

cerich wrote:

Wider tires is more for looks and cornering than anything else. Other than the mileage issue discussed already narrower are also better in many off road situations. After all we have jeeps, not street Escalades

In which offroad scenario could narrower tires possibly be better?

one persons view http://www.expeditionswest.com/research ... _rev1.html

some more reading http://www.geocities.com/dtmcbride/recr ... tires.html

[/url]

Pretty good reading, thanks. Scott Brady's article was nicely put together and showed the importance of tall tires offroad. It appeared that his principle argument for narrow tires was that they conform better to uneven surfaces like ledges better. While this is very true while comparing two tires of different widths and equal pressures, his argument is flawed in that one of the advantages to a wider tire of equal height is that it can be operated at a much lower pressure than a narrow tire, thereby creating a contact area which is equally conforming to the surface but for a larger total area, thus creating more traction. Probably of more importance to traction on rocky uneven surfaces is tread design and particularly tread compound. But since traction on rocky surfaces is almost a never a problem in off road applications taller and wider is always better except in high speed racing like Dakar or Rally a wide tire induces too much float and lateral control is lost. On our rigs a 245/75 seems to be the tallest that we can go without a lift and is adequate for anything that I want to attempt on the trail. Some guys have bigger cojones though and need bigger tires :twisted:

.

trac95ker · **Joined:** Tue May 23, 2006 3:02 pm **Posts:** 116

A taller tire will change what speed the tranny shifts at. Instead of bieng in 3rd locked up at 40, it might be 43 mph or higher depending on how tall the tires are. It usually kills gas milage because you are now geared higher. That may be good for highway if you drive fast and want to lower the rpms to 1800 ish for the diesel.It could put the gas engine below the power band. Around town and towing (Acceleration) suffers. This is the case with a larger tire increase. A small increase probably won't make to much of a difference, maybe 100 or 200 rpm's.

biggiefl · **Posted:** Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:25 am

The stock tires are P225's not LT's so why would I want a LT tire on a truck that sees only dirt roads? Lt tires are also heavier which again wil effect MPG. LT tires are much stiffer so on a narrow rim like we have stock, it will probably wear uneven if kept over 32psi. I have owned many trucks, this is not a truck.

cerich · **Posted:** Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:08 pm

It is a heavy little beast for the size. the first thing I noticed when i ditched the stock Goodyear ST at 11K and got General Grabbers AT2 was that the vehicle no longer had the 'sway" . The Goodyears have a paper thin sidewall. The Grabbers do not (and are not a LT tire)

If I never went offroad I would get a 225/75/16 with a stiffer sidewall than the Goodyears by far and a Highway tread for better mileage.

nursecosmo · **Posted:** Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:22 pm

biggiefl wrote:

The stock tires are P225's not LT's so why would I want a LT tire on a truck that sees only dirt roads? Lt tires are also heavier which again wil effect MPG. LT tires are much stiffer so on a narrow rim like we have stock, it will probably wear uneven if kept over 32psi. I have owned many trucks, this is not a truck.

DCX put P rated tires on the crds because they were the cheapest tires that they could find. A good LT tire is not appreciably heavier than the crap Goodyears that they come with. Just because a tire says LT does not mean that it is necessarily stiffer but rather that it is able to carry more weight, IE tougher materials. If you check the weight charts for tires The CRD should have an LT tire. Running LT tires over 32psi will in no way cause uneven wear, If anything running <32psi on the Hwy in a 225 size with our heavy vehicle will cause uneven shoulder wear, not to mention decreased MPG. Yes the EPA rates Libertys as light trucks and in fact weighs more than most small pickups. Finally, if you plan on taking your CRD on gravel roads with the stock Goodyears, get ready to change some flats.

CRDLIBERTY · **Joined:** Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:52 pm **Posts:** 72

Plus $5 to mount seemed preety good.

cerich · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2008 1:55 pm

CRDLIBERTY wrote:

Plus $5 to mount seemed preety good.

you mean 235/70/16 and yest they are a good deal.

jinstall · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2008 3:21 pm

jinstall wrote:

I am using the Kumho 798 245/70/16 H106 from Tire Rack I think thye were $69 each.

Again no one has mentioned these. You can't get any cheaper and I really like mine. 245 is way better than 225 I had before.

vtdog · **Joined:** Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:27 am **Posts:** 640

The reason I do not use Tire Rack is because of rotation. I buy my tires at Sams and get free rotation/balance for the life of the tires. The savings with Tire Rack vs. the Sams cost, or that of a local tire shop that give the same deal as Sams is way less than the cost of paying for rotations over the life of the tires. If I buy where I get the free service I am better off economically. If I did the rotations myself I would use Tire Rack, but as I don't have the equipment, or desire to take the time to change one tire at a time on a jack, free rotations with purchase is the way to go.

CRDLIBERTY · **Joined:** Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:52 pm **Posts:** 72

235s that walmart had $85 each plus $5 to mount. What jeep came stock in this size, maybe the limmited? How much bigger are the 235s and did i make a good choice. My spare is still 225

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2008 7:03 pm

235 was an option - I don't know on what version.
the 225 vs 235 is 10mm of section width - the widest part of the tire -
tread wide will also be different but is as much a function of tread style as section width but probably close
10mm is about 3/8" and you'll be 14mm taller ~ 1/2" for the tire

you'll be okay on the spare for a while as long as you don't have a limited slip or locker,
but you should still get it fixed and back to matching sizes as soon as possible.

(if you do have a limited slip or locker - probably need to get it fixed at the 1st available shop)

cerich · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:13 am

CRDLIBERTY wrote:

235s that walmart had $85 each plus $5 to mount. What jeep came stock in this size, maybe the limmited? How much bigger are the 235s and did i make a good choice. My spare is still 225

with a 4x4 you'll want a spare the same size as the tires on the road, if you need to use the spare and drive awhile before you get the tire fixed/replaced driving a different size can damage the vehicle. 235/70/16 I have been told is a choice in the CRD's computer to calibrate the speedo.

so if you get the 235/70/16 at $85 each you'll need 5 of them (so around $450 mounted)
OR you can get the Liberators in 225/75/16 for 100 each and use the spare you have now for around $420 mounted)

I would also get road hazard at another 10 bucks a pop and don't forget sales tax.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:18 am

Well - driving with a mismatched spare isn't a good idea.

but if you don't have a limited slip or locker - I'm not sure it'll cause problems
Mechanically it's like driving in a circle all the time - 1 wheel requires more revolutions than the others.

Electronically I don't know - ABS, ESP - they might get real confused

biggiefl · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2008 4:00 pm

Spare being that close won't do spit even if you drove cross country. You guys remember doughnut spares don't ya...not even close in diameter to a full sized.

About 15 years ago one of the mags did a test where they put doughnuts(same height but really narrow) on a vette and put it through their normal evaluation. Car handled, accelled, stopped, etc within a small margin of the HUGE wide tires it comes with. So there is some merrit to the point that wider is just for looks...to an extent.

I will look for either 225/75 or 235/70 soon and go with a higher load rating than the stock ST's. I NEVER liked GY tires but these held up OK for 40k. I am leaning towards BFG long trails which my friend got 56k on his Exterra with. I will not be putting LT tires on it though because i want to stay under 33lbs a tire being the stock are 27lbs according to tire rack.

CRDLIBERTY · **Joined:** Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:52 pm **Posts:** 72

I did get 235,70,16 $85 seems like a fine deal, $5 to mount so total wasnt bad with tax $380. I didnt get the warranty heck why would i need that seriously? Ever try and warranty tires before i did at 4wheelparts i bought the tires new procomps At with manuafacter 50k warranty well after 22k they were gone and dangerous. Do you think procomp or the owners 4wheelparts took care of me NO and get this 4wheel owns procomp go figure. Im just not a fan of warranties if i offroaded then maybe pop for $40.

Threeweight · **Joined:** Mon May 14, 2007 5:57 pm **Posts:** 679

Personally, I'd go with 245/70/16. Slight increase in ground clearance, meaty contact patch for traction, very common size with lots to choose from.

So what the best inexpensive tires for heavy CRD?

Who is online