Why 17" vs other bigger sizes

[rezar1]

I have read many post where people recommend 17" wheels vs something bigger like 18, 19 or 20 for 37" tires. Why is that?

Also, for offset, I am going with -12mm / backspace 4.53mm. From research it looks like it will stick out about an inch or so?

This is the wheel I am considering: HELO HE878

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[Ar4130]

Wheel size is largely just personal preference for alot of people.

That being said, if you intend to spend alot of time off road you will want to stick with a 17 or 18. Your tires will have more sidewalls to absorb rough trails and conform to terrain when aired down. Conversely, bigger wheels with less tire/sidewall will ride bit rougher on the road, as there is less tire/sidewall to absorb rough roads.

 

[CerOf]

More sidewall to confirm to the terrain. Less chance to lose a bead or shred a tire. Protects the wheel better

think about a BMW and it’s low profile tires. Now think about a Camry, same size tire, but smaller rim. There is more rubber on Camry . Less chance to trash the rim or tire in the Camry.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

-12mm offset will stick out more than 1”.

Below is stock wheels with 1.5” wheel spacers which is equivalent to +6mm offset.

 

[DocMike]

You want 17s to be able to air down and wheel. Want a mall crawler? Go bigger. Depends on how YOU choose to use your Jeep. There is no way in hell I would air down 20s to 15 PSI unless I was running 40s.

 

[johnparjr]

This is a -6 on a 17

 

[Jerry C]

Small wheels are stronger than large wheels.

 

[rezar1]

I am going with 17s. Just wanted to make sure I understand why it was being recommended. I am still trying to figure out the offset and backspace. I want the tire to be slightly past fender. Max 1” but maybe less. What offset and backspacing should I be looking for?

 

[dcmdon]

I think you guys are oversimplifying the OP's question.

If he's putting 40s on it, then a 18 or 19 will leave plenty of sidewall.

Or is more always better? If so, then why not 15s or 16s?

I think its about a balance between on-road and off road performance.
For most people with tires between 11 and 13 inches (roughly 275 to 315 metric and 32-33 inches tall) and a 70 series aspect ratio a 17 makes sense.

But if you are running 40s then you would have plenty of sidewall even with a 19.

A guy I know has an overland with 18s. He put a set of Goodyear 285/75-18s on it and it works well. Lots of sidewall in a stock width tire that is about 35" tall.

Its funny how times change. Wheels continue to get larger. Look at an old CJ and its 15" wheels or even an early JK with 16s. 17 just happens to be the sweet spot. For now.

 

[FitfulGoat]

I think you guys are oversimplifying the OP's question.

If he's putting 40s on it, then a 18 or 19 will leave plenty of sidewall.

Or is more always better? If so, then why not 15s or 16s?

I think its about a balance between on-road and off road performance.
For most people with tires between 11 and 13 inches (roughly 275 to 315 metric and 32-33 inches tall) and a 70 series aspect ratio a 17 makes sense.

But if you are running 40s then you would have plenty of sidewall even with a 19.

A guy I know has an overland with 18s. He put a set of Goodyear 285/75-18s on it and it works well. Lots of sidewall in a stock width tire that is about 35" tall.

Its funny how times change. Wheels continue to get larger. Look at an old CJ and its 15" wheels or even an early JK with 16s. 17 just happens to be the sweet spot. For now.

I think this is also oversimplifying a bit. Don’t forget brake size and clearance as a factor. And for off-road purposes I’d still rather have more sidewall than less, yes, 19 will work fine but I guarantee you can feel the difference when in a rock garden. Jeep’s of old also had less clearance and less tire options in their day.

 

[gerky18]

Also, another reason for 17s is tire choice. There are significantly more options for a 17" tire and the prices are more reasonable...typically.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Another issue - for me at least - is that very low profile tires look silly. Especially true when you see an older car with 20's and up. Yeah, yeah, flame away.

 

[sass JT]

Can I add… if you don’t want to scratch your rims as much, go smaller… I had 20’s on a Dodge Ram… it sucked… rammed those bitches into many curbs… I’m super glad to have 17’s on my JTR.

I’m on -12 with a 4.53 backspace. Not the best shots but what I got.

Ps… I am that bad driver lmao

 

[Fouts]

https://tiresize.com/wheel-offset-calculator/

 

[CrazyCooter]

Another reason to stay with a smaller wheel is weight. Last time I compared the combined weights of small vs larger wheel combos, the smaller wheels won out.

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