Upgrade highway to AT, wider but not taller

[bd100]

We tow, 3.73 gears, it's already hard enough for myself and my family to climb in as it is, and I don't need to conquer extreme trails, so I chose to upgrade our highway tires to AT by going wider but not taller.

Stock: Bridgestone Dueler H/T 685 245/75 17, 31.5" diameter, 7" tread width
Now: Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT E, 265/70 17, 31.7" diameter, 8.7" tread width, severe snow rated

That tread is almost 30% wider than the highway tires. Much nicer looking. This size seems to be very popular as well, with many tires to choose from. Nice if you have to replace one in a small town somewhere.

I think the Rubicon comes with Falken Wildpeak A/T3W, 285/70 17. P or LT unknown to me. Either way 32.8" diameter, 9.6" tread width. So about 1" larger diameter, so around a half inch more clearance from the tires. I think the suspension adds a little more lift as well. Also severe snow rated.

Will I miss the extra half inch clearance? Maybe. We're hoping to get to Moab and Ouray for some easy and moderate trails. But 98% of the year it's suburban and highway driving. So I have rock rails, bumper skid, armor for the control arms and such, and will choose which trails. Besides, I have been all over the place with the old pickup on 30.5" tires. But that truck actually has a cleaner underside than the JT. More clearance in the middle for break over angle.

So far I think I am seeing around a .5 MPG hit around town.

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[ShadowsPapa]

I have an Overland. 3.73 gears.

The stock Overland tires -
Bridgestone Dueler H/T 255/70R18
diameter - 32.1", width - 10.2"

I went with these tires -
General Grabber A/TX 275/65R18
275/65R18
diameter - 32.1" , width - 11"

Tows great, some impact on mpg but to be expected with a non-highway tire that's a bit wider and with a courser tread design. GREAT in snow! In fact, I've run the Rubicon tires on this truck in winter and these Generals and the Genera tires are better than the Falken, IMO - and I've seen other reviewers who said the same.
(Jeep people with the falkens of course will say otherwise LOL)

 

[Discount Tire]

Thank you both for posting your JT's with AT tires along with your initial impressions.
Many people like an AT tread and find it works well for their needs.

 

[bd100]

I forgot to mention that the Discount Tire place I was at was not interested in the original highway tires because they already had enough used of that size. I was going to have them trash the originals w/ only 3500 miles because I don't want to go through the trouble of advertising and meeting a stranger somewhere for a little cash. But another Jeep guy was there and asked to take them for his Cherokee. I was glad to give them over to someone who would use them.

 

[Discount Tire]

Adb100, good for you to donate them to someone else. I just did that when I bought new F rated trailer tires last month I had 2 new tires I had just bought about a month before my 6 new F rated tires so I ended up giving him the 2 new ones and 2 that were less than a year old.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I kept my original tires, put them on FB marketplace. Within hours I had a message about them - a guy who is a fellow AMC collector and knew me was selling is Toyota truck and figured it would sell better with newer tires. In minutes he was in my driveway (with his Jeep) to get the tires. I saw him a few weeks later at the AMC Races and swap meet in IL and he sold his truck with the tires he bought from me.
Interesting how all that worked. A guy I knew, a mile from me, bought them just hours after I listed them and paid cash.

 

[bd100]

Now seeing maybe a full 1 MPG less with the wider and stiffer tires. 5%. Many who never offroad would be glad to have that 5%, and the CAFE standards like it as well.

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