Tire Size and Offroad Usage

[AverageOverlander]

We have lots of threads with opinions on tire sizes, but I'd be curious to see a thread orientated more around real world usage and application of various tire sizes. No right or wrong answers, just interesting to see the data.

I'm thinking...

• Tire Size, info
• MPG
• Other Notable upgrades(Lift, Gearing)
• Offroad Difficulty you most commonly ride
  • Easy: a stock vehicle could do it
  • Intermediate: a stock vehicle would often get stuck, but still not risking damage/danger most of the time
  • Difficult: If you pick the wrong line or make a mistake, you're risking damage/danger, getting stuck... a person without off-road experience couldn't hop in and do these trails, etc.
• Offroad Usage
• Would bigger tires Benefit your riding style?

Be honest, no big deal either way, and if you have 40s and don't go off-road, feel free to share that even!

Sponsored

 

[AverageOverlander]

Reserved, I'll start

• 33" Duratracs on 18" wheels
• 22MPG
• 2" lift, stock 3.73 gearing
• Intermediate riding, try to avoid Difficult stuff when we can, sometimes you can't.
• We go off-roading generally to camp and explore, going down trails that stock vehicles can't so we get a bit more privacy and find unique spots. We're not going out to "off-road" per-se and find the hardest obstacles, off-roading is just part of the adventure if that makes sense.
• Need Bigger Tires? No haven't seen a need yet, may go to 35" just cause on the next set, but doubtful

 

[Rahkmalla]

walmart special kenda 35s on 17" steelies

15mpg

no lift, factory 4.10

my offroading adventures do not push boundaries that could potentially cause damage and most of the time i'm in 2hi. I've climbed some cool tall shit, but never been at risk of a high-center

I don't think i really need the 35s i have, so I doubt i'll ever feel like i "need" 37s. but time will tell, things change. i might grow more balls with experience or as the vehicle no longer feels brand new to me.

 

[Kajo]

• 37" BFG KO2's (Load Range C) Stock Rims
• app. 20 MPG on the highway cruising the speed limit (65-70 mph)
• 1 1/2" leveling Kit front, 3/4" space rear. Stock 4.10 gears, Skid Plates galore.
• I would say Intermediate to Difficult. Most difficult trails this year were blacks at AOAA and Trail 16 at Windrock. Hitting blues/blacks at Rausch Creek in November and Moab next May with plans to tackle all BOAs but Pritchett Canyon.
• Off road usage - Off Road Parks, Trail Riding, Beaches, Exploring, Camping, Daily Driver.
• Would bigger tires Benefit your riding style? -Nope, maybe another inch or so of lift for a better breakover angle.

 

[SSinGA]

• 2020 Sport S Max Tow, 3.6L
• 40" MT Baja Boss MT on Method beadlocks
• MPG - 14.5
• 3" Rock Krawler Pro X, 5.13 gears
• Offroad Difficulty you most commonly ride
  • Intermediate/Difficult: it's my daily so I try not to break stuff but like a good challenge.
• Offroad Usage - Mostly offroad parks but plan some overlanding trips in the near future
• Would bigger tires Benefit your riding style? - No. Anything bigger than the 40s would be cost prohibitive

 

[AmishMike]

2020 Rubicon A/T
35" Nitto Grappler M/T's
LCA skids and a Warn EVO12
full aluminum bed rack, tonneau cover
dog hair in the back seat

Done some decent off-roading. By your gauge, difficult.
Picking lines is the key. We don't have the same geometry as a shorter wheel based vehicle.

20 mpg mostly highway. Can do better on long trips. Highway mileages vary, mpg drops dramatically after 65 mph. note: I did not recalibrate speedometer so mpg could be a few percent higher.

33,000 miles and counting.

 

[MaysvilleStig]

• 35" BFG KM3
• MPG - 17
• 1/2" spacer up front to account for sag from bumper and winch.
• Intermediate/Difficult: I prefer to not break anything but I'll give it a shot unless I find it SUPER sketchy.
• Offroad Usage - The endless number of trails here in Colorado.
• Would bigger tires Benefit your riding style? Nope, I plan to maybe do a 2" spacer lift just to get a few less belly rubs but I see zero reasons (For me) to go bigger than 35s.

 

[NachoRuby]

2021 Rubicon Manual Trans

35" Bridgestone Revo3 (315/70/17)

MPG - 17 around town and in normal routes. 20 on highway trips.

1.5" spacer lift front, .75" rear

Easy-Intermediate, Although I've done a couple sketchy rides unintentionally (haven't we all). I just don't want to break stuff, but the truck is far more capable than I am.

Off-road usage: off-road Parks, forest roads and USFS trails around the east coast/ mid Atlantic.

Would bigger tires benefit me? Sure, but then I'd have to re-gear. I'm good with 35s as a daily driver/weekend adventurer.

Other mods: front diff skid, Rear LCA skids. Rear diff skid coming soon.

 

[ttn333]

37s toyo rt and clayton overland plus 2.5". Built it as my go anywhere overlanding rig with rack, rtt, 13g water tank, winch etc. We dont like to camp at parks, feels like a refugee camp, would rather explore. Smashed the pumpkins a few times but no desire to go larger due to added expense. Will regear to 5.13 and add more under belly protection. Will also switch out for HD springs. Waiting for alucab contour canopy to come in since May. Average 12.5mpg. Yeah that hurts, especially on the range aspect. Maybe a long range america tank in the future.

 

[Geoarch]

2022 Rubicon manual trans

35X12.50R17 E series Goodyear Wrangler Ultraterrain
MPG 16 town, 17ish highway, push 18 if I keep my speed down
Mopar 2" lift
Offroad difficulty: some very difficult rock stairs and waterfalls.
Offroad usage: USFS fire roads to rock climbs in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and SE California
Would bigger tires benefit: sure, but like NachoRuby, I'd have to re-gear and I'd really rather not

Other mods: (see signature) Warn VR EVO 10S winch on Rugged Ridge winch plate; Mopar JT tie down bed rails; Redline Tuning hood quick lift system; Maximus-3 JT rear Rubi steps; Barricade Enchanced Rubi Rails; JCR overhead Moelle panel; Rancho front and rear differential glide plates, Rockhard front LCA skids

 

[AverageOverlander]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I'm surprised that just going to 35's seems to send your MPG below 20 on average. It's making me think mine is displaying high, but everything checks out, tire size in settings, speedo is accurate. I'll have to do some manual testing and see how it looks.

Not surprising none of us want to break things on these expensive rigs... and so far, no serious complaints with any tire size, none of them are going to leave you stranded or not capable enough to ride most trails

 

[ParatusExpeditions]

Here is my config:

• gears: 3.73
• 3.0L EcoD
• Most of the time, 8th gear on the freeway, sometimes 7 if there is a slight slope, 6 in more challenging mountain passes
• MPG (appropriately recalibrated): avg 21.42
• TOYO M/T 37x12.5r17: they pull right a bit. It's annoying, compared to EOM 33s, but I'm getting used to it and compared to what it allows me to do offroad... I accept it.

More info: https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...g-a-tire-size-so-difficult.63234/post-1040499

 

[Andy29847]

Toyo 35x11.5r17 AT
18.5 mpg (from the dash, all driving)
1" puck in front nets 1/4" after adding bumper and winch
3 grades of off-road trails isn't enough to distinguish between easy and hard.

I ride on forest and mining roads. The roads are mostly bumpy with an occasional obstacle. I normally ride in a group with a variety of wheelers, some of them bone stock. Generally, everywhere we have been, everybody makes it. The one exception for me was on Fins N' Things in Moab - one of the optional hard sections. The obstacle was a climb with a breakover about half way up. I high centered there, had to back down, and go around the easy way. Four wheel drive vehicles are amazingly capable.

Sponsored