To Do or Not To Do 35" Tires - Part 2

[Muskoka Minute]

Ok so I have decided to go with the 315 BFG
So now my question is.

What are the advantages of the 315 vs 285s on the trail????

Lets really talk me into it...lol

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[Gangplank]

You might want to be a bit more specific?

Mud
Rock
Sand
Mountains
???

 

[Muskoka Minute]

You might want to be a bit more specific?

Mud
Rock
Sand
Mountains
???

I guess Im kind of wondering about all of it in general.
Are there areas that the 33" tire is better than the 35".
Im fairly new to jeeping?. Newbie....actually.

 

[AcesandEights]

285 is the width, not the height. A 285 isn't 33" tall, it's 11+ inches wide.

 

[GMONEY]

The difference is 1" (give or take) more cleance for the differential.

 

[roaniecowpony]

It's not a big leap in terms of capability. But, it is an increase, in most cases. You'll also notice a reduction in braking capability along with corresponding reduced acceleration. My guess is that you'll notice a couple MPG loss as well.

 

[dragoneggs]

2dr JLR here. I went from stock 285s to 315s with 0 offset wheels. As mentioned above... a little less mpg, a less less braking ability, but I love the lift and poke it provided along with a 1.5in Clayton lift for trails. I do a fair amount of off-roading, and some rock crawling. For a 2dr I think this is the sweet spot.

 

[Beachcomber72]

Is part 3 coming tonight?

asking for a friend…

 

[dpike]

Ok so I have decided to go with the 315 BFG

I think part 3 needs to explore this tire brand choice. Why KO2s ?

 

[Gangplank]

As noted 285 / 315 is tire width. Your thread title refers to 33” vs 35” height.

Assuming you are trying to compare sizes:

285/70-r17 vs 315/70-r17
Height = 32.7 vs 34.4 (about 1.6” taller but that means just 3/4” more clearance)
Width = 11.2 vs 12.4 (just over an inch wider)

Now if you also could get 285/75-r17 and the difference is even more minimal.

285/75-r17 vs 315/70-r17
Height = 33.8 vs 34.4 (about .half inch taller which is ust 1/4” more clearance)
Width = same as above 11.2 vs 12.4 (just over an inch wider)

Real world - Not much of difference in clearance there. Doubt you notice much difference on the trail. Different brands will be slightly taller, wider or heavier than others.

Info from here - Link

Note: Load range C will give better ride on the road. Load range E gives a stiffer sidewall which will ride firmer on the road.

 

[Zandcwhite]

The difference is 1" (give or take) more cleance for the differential.

The height is only 1 reason a large tire will outperform a smaller one offroad. The increased width can be the difference between the tire falling in a hole or riding over the top of it. The increased contact patch means more traction. The larger diameter will roll up and over obstacles easier. If it was just the 3/4" of dif clearance we wouldn't see such a huge difference in capability off road. There's a lot more to it and aside from shallow enough mud/snow that the narrower tire sinks to the bottom and gains traction over the larger/wider one (which is incredibly rare off road in my experience), the large/wider 1 is always an advantage.

 

[Gangplank]

The height is only 1 reason a large tire will outperform a smaller one offroad. The increased width can be the difference between the tire falling in a hole or riding over the top of it. The increased contact patch means more traction. The larger diameter will roll up and over obstacles easier. If it was just the 3/4" of dif clearance we wouldn't see such a huge difference in capability off road. There's a lot more to it and aside from shallow enough mud/snow that the narrower tire sinks to the bottom and gains traction over the larger/wider one (which is incredibly rare off road in my experience), the large/wider 1 is always an advantage.

depending on brand it’s more like 3/4” so less than half an inch more clearance. Now wider or narrower it depends on the type of terrain - snow, sand, mud, rock crawling…. It’s not one size cures all.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Way back, Honda's skunk works had my friend build a space-frame aluminum tube structure that held a single tire and was instrumented with load cells, etc.. They towed this thing behind another vehicle and measured rolling resistance, steering response, traction, etc., on off-road surfaces, such as sand, mud, dirt, rocks, etc..

Their conclusion was that increases in diameter had greater influence on reducing rolling resistance, improving steering response, traction, etc., than increases in width.

 

[Zandcwhite]

depending on brand it’s more like 3/4” so less than half an inch more clearance. Now wider or narrower it depends on the type of terrain - snow, sand, mud, rock crawling…. It’s not one size cures all.

The op mentioned ko2s and 285vs315, so I'd assume he's comparing the stock 285/70 vs the 315/70 and as you noted above that's closer to 1.6". Nowhere did I say 1 size fits all, but I stand by larger/ wider will almost always outperform smaller/narrower off road.

 

[Old Jeeper]

Ok so I have decided to go with the 315 BFG
So now my question is.

What are the advantages of the 315 vs 285s on the trail????

Lets really talk me into it...lol

315 or true 35 x 12:50?

Not sure of which BFG you are running but just 'cause its round and black does not make it and off-road tire or anything else. Also included in that equation is the level of trails.

I am a rock guy and in my days of hanging out in Moab like a cheap suit I only play on the 7+ trails, which meant 37 BFG KM2s. Today I no longer drive up and down Pritchett Canyon just for grins and by myself.

These days I play on 35 x 12:50 GY Duratrac's and the 6 and less trails...mostly because I am not convinced they JLR is that good of a rock crawler Vs my TJs. To many electronics + to much crap hanging down under.

What direction are you headed?

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