Sponsored

Why 17” wheels and not 18 or 20”?

Harrybeerbelly

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2020
Threads
4
Messages
84
Reaction score
78
Location
Cleveland Ohio
Vehicle(s)
2020 Tackhawk
When I first got my new JL with 20s I planned on changing them. Now they are growing on me. Im now thinking I will keep them and install some good tires.
 

blnewt

Well-Known Member
First Name
Brad
Joined
Oct 8, 2018
Threads
96
Messages
9,876
Reaction score
23,794
Location
New Mexico
Vehicle(s)
2019 Jeep JL V6 SportS, (Retired 74 CJ-5, 80 CJ-7)
Occupation
Just ask @cosine he knows!
Another thing to keep in mind is the overall tire & wheel selection available, and the price differences.
17s, at least in the Jeep 5x5 bolt pattern, have many more wheel options available vs. 18s & 20s.

Also the tire selection is greater and for whatever reason, the tires are almost always cheaper w/ 17s.
 

Varilux

Well-Known Member
First Name
Pete
Joined
Dec 29, 2018
Threads
16
Messages
320
Reaction score
682
Location
Hickory Creek, TX
Vehicle(s)
2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Vehicle Showcase
1
kapk22 said:
I had 20” wheels on my 2018 F150 and 35x12.50 mud grapplers. It looked pretty good. But I did not take it off road as much as I will with the new Jeep. I also have the 1990 YJ that I typically use for playing, so I can beat it up.
Just a note on the tires, I went with the Ridge Grapplers (was thinking of going with the Mud Grapplers, but got talked into these instead). I really like the tread pattern- does well in the mud, but also provides a nice ride on the highway- and supposedly if you rotate them regularly these will last a long time. Also, I see you have a Rubicon, and- at least in my experience- you don't need to do very much modification to the suspension to run the 37x12.5 Ridge Grapplers. Also, keeping the rim width reasonable, you have some "bulge" to the sidewall that protects the rim from rocks (and- during daily driving- curbs)...
Jeep Wrangler JL Why 17” wheels and not 18 or 20”? tires after2
 

Sponsored

Daywalker78

Well-Known Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Apr 25, 2020
Threads
7
Messages
91
Reaction score
102
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLUR
I love when people say that anything less than a 40" tire onna 20" wheel is too little sidewall when people O/R stock Jeeps running 17s/18s on 33s all the time...:LOL:
 

GearWhore

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2018
Threads
18
Messages
663
Reaction score
809
Location
Utah
Vehicle(s)
2021 JLUR Diesel, 1972 Arctic Cat Climber, 2006 Triumph Speed Triple
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Gentleman Explorer
There are more aggressive tires becoming available in the 18" wheel with lower load ratings. I'd guess it has to do with more SUVs coming with 18" standard. When I started shopping tires for my Grand there wasn't much. Falken dropped a bunch of new sizes last year, and it seemed like Goodyear and BFG were starting to follow suit (again for 18" wheels).

As others have said, unless your Jeep is very heavily built, the E load tires are a little stiff for comfort.
 

Sand Flea

Well-Known Member
First Name
Kevin
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Threads
5
Messages
312
Reaction score
674
Location
Lewes DE
Vehicle(s)
2018 JL Wrangler Unlimited, Sahara
Occupation
Federal Firefighter, Retired
I’ve noticed a vast majority of lifted JLs with 35s and even 37s are mounted inside 17” wheels.

is there a reason for this? What are the negatives in running 18s or 20s?

I personally like the looks of 20” wheels with 37” tires.
more sidewall = more tire flex
It isn’t about looks.
 

YerMaun

Active Member
First Name
Darren
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
31
Reaction score
44
Location
Seattle, WA
Vehicle(s)
'18 JLUS, '15 JGC SRT, '11 R8 V10, '05 Mustang GT
This comes up all the time. It entirely depends what you want to do with your Jeep. I run 20" wheels with Ridge Grapplers and it is 100% fine for what I do, which is mainly road driving and the odd trail. Looks good (to me, which is all that matters), feels good. If I was going to do serious offroading, I would not have chosen this setup - for the reasons described above.
 

Sponsored

VKSheridan

Well-Known Member
First Name
Vince
Joined
Dec 21, 2019
Threads
9
Messages
541
Reaction score
813
Location
Broken Arrow, OK
Vehicle(s)
2020 2 Dr Rubicon JL Hardtop
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Heavy Equipment
Vehicle Showcase
1
I‘m no expert but I hear it’s real hard to air down 20’s and get much bulge unless it’s a Buick.
 

Mr. Curti

Well-Known Member
First Name
Justin Curti
Joined
Aug 30, 2020
Threads
3
Messages
216
Reaction score
240
Location
Tulare, California
Vehicle(s)
2020 JL EcoDiesel
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Dairy Farmer
Vehicle Showcase
1
My theory is eventually 18’s & 20’s will be more common in the future. At one point it was 15’s, and 16’s never really took off, but 17’s became huge. Now look at the different manufacturers... 18’s and 20’s are the new normal. Give it time, as aftermarket support increases, and you will see more 18’s & 20’s on off road rigs.

Now when it comes to tires, they too will even get bigger. From 30’s in the past to 35’s in the present, manufacturers are pushing to provide, in many ways, what consumers want. So when 35’s & 37’s are the new factory normal, what are people in the Jeep community going to do? Simple... go bigger. Next thing you know 40’s & 42’s will be more common.

So if you take a 35 on a 17” wheel or a 37 on a 17” wheel, it roughly translates to a 38 or a 40 on a 20” wheel. You are still getting adequate sidewall in relation to the tire diameter and will have a bigger tire for more ground clearance.

Again this a theory of mine. Some will see it and most will disagree with it. Either way, I can not wait to see if it comes true.
 

McGilli

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2020
Threads
27
Messages
409
Reaction score
693
Location
Richmond BC Canada
Vehicle(s)
2020 Sahara Unlimited Altitude
As it pertains to Jeep size wheels and tires, the larger the wheel diameter, the less sidewall you will have.

Tires (and the amount of sidewall) directly affect ride and handling. With a taller sidewall area, the tire can flex more, providing a better ride. With a shorter sidewall, the flexing of the sidewall is reduced, leading to a more firm ride, but better handling.

Larger diameter wheels and shorter sidewalls are great for sports cars where cornering speed is important. Off road, the shorter sidewalls won't bulge as much when you air down, which can reduce your tread footprint and leave the wheel edges more vulnerable to damage. Short sidewalls will also tend to give the Jeep a rougher ride (on and off road).

I personally don't like the looks of 20" wheels with tires less than 40" on a Wrangler. My primary concerns for tires and wheels are function and ability way before looks. But I also take mine off road. Those who don't and care more for looks might appreciate the 20" wheels.

In addition, the larger the wheel diameter, the more the wheel (and tires) will weigh. This is an important consideration when doing a build, especially if you're not re-gearing, in order to keep down the un-sprung weight.
As a newbie - I came here this morning hoping I'd find exactly this info - perfect, thanks!
 

limeade

Well-Known Member
First Name
Guy
Joined
Oct 29, 2018
Threads
30
Messages
1,478
Reaction score
2,777
Location
Reno, NV
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLUR
Vehicle Showcase
1
As a newbie - I came here this morning hoping I'd find exactly this info - perfect, thanks!
You're welcome! Plenty of great info on this forum. Good luck with whatever your build plans are. Most importantly, get out there and enjoy your Jeep!
 

Vinny1

Well-Known Member
First Name
Vince
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Threads
13
Messages
60
Reaction score
11
Location
Starkville Ms
Vehicle(s)
2020 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport S, 2002 Pontiac Trans am WS6
Be careful asking questions like that. I think some peoples heads explode if you have anything other than 17s :crying:
Sponsored

 
 



Top