Newbie with newb question.

[Reignkinge]

What are the relative advantages of the 17.18, and 20 inch rims?

Why does width matter so much

And how does the rim diameter impact the tires ultimate height ?

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[Minty JL]

Wider the wheel the wider tire you can run

Wheel diameter is kinda meh.......most of us run 17" wheels.......cheaper tires and more meat for wheeling.

Really comes down to.......do you want a off-road rig or mall crawler?

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

You will find that most Jeeps run a 17” wheel for the advantage of sidewall… the taller the sidewall the more it will absorb and conform when off-roading.

if you don’t plan on off-roading. ??‍ do whatever you like…

unfortunately jeep puts a narrow 7.5” wide wheel on from the factory…. So when you upgrade to a larger and wider tire it will “balloon” and wear the center of the tread out. So most folks will jump to a 8.5”-9” wide wheel to suit a 12.5-13.5” wide tire.
???

 

[Sarge502]

As far as diameters, as mentioned most recommend 17s for off-roading. Supposedly it's the ideal diameter. I personally don't like 17's. In most cases the wheel just looks visible too small and take away the detail from the wheel itself. Also if you run a 37 inch tire or larger on a 17, in my honest opinion it's way too much of a tire to wheel ratio. Way too much meat for my liking. A 35 on a 17 probably looks the best if you're going to run a 17. But even that, I personally just don't care for even as common as it is.

I'm running stock 18s currently on 35s and like that amount. Even when I get aftermarket wheels soon, I'm staying with 18s. An 18 on a 37 however, is like the perfect wheel to tire ratio in my opinion. Although I'd like to go 37s, my gears tell me otherwise and I'm not trying to regear anytime soon. But thats another conversation. So I'm content with my 35s. I do get off-road often. But I'm no rock crawler by any means. So 18s are totally fine for my use and liking. The size keeps the detail of the wheel.

There are some cons to 18s though. They are generally more expensive. Especially if you're like me and keep a matching spare. (5) 18s is take a hit on pricing. But oh well. Also, you can generally find more availability and options for tires on 17s versus 18s.

As far as 20s. Not a fan personally. I will say I've seen some Rubicons/Mojaves (which obviously have high fenders which makes more space for a larger wheel) that don't look terribly bad as long as it's got a decent size tire on it. I wouldn't run a 20. But thats just me.

 

[Reignkinge]

Do you mind posting a pic with the 18s and your 35s?

I’ve got the stock 17s right now, and if I have to get a wider rim for new tires anyway may as well make sure I don’t want to go to 18s when I decide to pull that trigger.

 

[Reignkinge]

Wider the wheel the wider tire you can run

Wheel diameter is kinda meh.......most of us run 17" wheels.......cheaper tires and more meat for wheeling.

Really comes down to.......do you want a off-road rig or mall crawler?

Mostly I want a capable daily driver that I can do occasional off road parks and badge hunting with.

In a year or two (or three) I’d like to take an overland trip / camp but I’ll need to build to that both with tools and actual skill / knowledge.

 

[OffAxis2021]

The following are great videos.

 

[Richard79]

I have 18’s on my wrangler and tire selection isn’t great, I wish I would have got 17’s for it!
I have 17’s on the gladiator and I pretty much have all the tire selection I could ask for

 

[Discount Tire]

As mentioned it is a personal preference as well as what type of trails and or driving you will be doing. Fortunately there are many options when it comes to Jeeps in both wheels and tires.

If we can help please let us know.

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