33" tire that was measured as:

1. 285/75/16 (wide but smaller diameter)
or
2. 305/70/16 (Narrow but larger diameter)


Under the following conditions, which would be the better tire to have?

A. Soft deep sand
B. Hard-packed sand
C. 6+" Deep snow
D. 1" of snow
E. Large rock/boulders (Rock Crawling)
F. Deep loose gravel
G. Deep water crossing (top of tire)
H. On-road driving comfort
I. On-road driving handling

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New KJ Gear - Desert Armor Flak

2004 Renegade Light Khaki - 4" JBA Lift - Rock Lizard Products: Komodo Dragon Rear Bumper, Prototype Winch-mount Front Bumper, Super Skink Sliders - All J's Super Tranny Skid II - 31" Firestone Destination AT's on Moab wheels - Cobra 75W CB w/ stock Antenna mod

[b]Retired, US Military

Well, I'd first say that it depends on the tread pattern and sidewall construction first. Then I'd add...

A. Soft deep sand - Wider is better...fat and flat to float across the sand = Short/Fat

B. Hard-packed sand - Same as above...doesn't matter how hard-packed it is, soft packed it sneaking up on you = Short/Fat

C. 6+" Deep snow - Depends on what that snow is laying on, but I think the taller tire would be better suited for deeper stuff...until you get TOO deep, then you want to try to float on top = Tall/Skinny or Short/Fat depending on depth

D. 1" of snow - Depends on what that 1" of snow is laying on, the tread pattern is what is going to save you here = Wash

E. Large rock/boulders (Rock Crawling) - I'd pick the taller/skinnier tire here for clearance = Tall/Skinny

F. Deep loose gravel - How deep? I'd treat pea-gravel like sand = Short/Fat

G. Deep water crossing (top of tire) - The taller the better to keep your important parts out of the water = Tall/skinny

H. On-road driving comfort - Tread pattern, sidewall construction, speed/load rating are going to effect your driving comfort...there's not a big difference in two different siizes of the exact same tire unless you feel more comfortable sitting lower or higher = Wash

I. On-road driving handling - Tall/Skinny will give you better fuel mileage, but Short/Fat will give you more rubber contacting the road during turns. Short tire will keep your center of gravity a tiny bit lower = Two answers; Safety = Short/Fat, Fuel Mileage = Tall/Skinny (this is probably such a small difference that you'd never notice it though because a short/fat mud-terrain tire is not going to be a Pirreli P-Zero, nor is the tall/skinny mud-terrain going to compare to those rock hard donuts that they put on fuel-sipping cars)

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_______________________DogDomain_______________________

305/70's(tread is 305mm wide) are wider then 285/75's(tread is 285mm wide).Both are 32.8" tall just the 305/70 is wider.

Wider is always almost better in any terrian,even mud.

Just gotta think about weight,remember D30A and only can regear to 4.10's(as of yet).

Oh fine...go and analyze the actual data.

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_______________________DogDomain_______________________

A= wider
B=either but tred will make or break this one ,the new place has sand as hard as bricks but if I spin my swampers it turns to soft sand if some one spins there BFG's they stay on top
C= no clue we dont get snow
D= same as C
E= skinny and tall
F= wide
G= either
H & I = depending on tire type ,bias or radial, I would go radial unless I were doing loads of off roading
Now 1 that was left out and I have always found it very very interesting
wet dirt hill climbing = hands down skinny I had less problems with my 30 X 9.5 cheepo mudders
then guys with 33 X 12.5 Truxs MT's and with the 31 X 11.5 LTB's they dont do as well as the cheepos
but they hold up to the wooded trails way better than the cheepos

Okay.....Let's say the tires are MTR's. I don't want to hear that they don't make that size....yadda yadda yadda....Just assume that the only tires in the world are MTR's and you can get them wide but not as tall or tall but not as wide.

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New KJ Gear - Desert Armor Flak

2004 Renegade Light Khaki - 4" JBA Lift - Rock Lizard Products: Komodo Dragon Rear Bumper, Prototype Winch-mount Front Bumper, Super Skink Sliders - All J's Super Tranny Skid II - 31" Firestone Destination AT's on Moab wheels - Cobra 75W CB w/ stock Antenna mod

[b]Retired, US Military

If that be the case I would buy the based on the terain I drive the most
wich for me would be wooded trails with only some med. sized rounded rocks
and that would be tall and skinny

Im a fan of tall and relatively skinny tires. Especially if the difference in width is only 1/2"....
I think a little extra height would help in a lot more situations than a little extra width would.

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It may be that your only purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others.

06 CRD Sport
Built 5/11/06
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