Why are stock tires better for offroading than regular tires? Are bigger wheels and tires better for offroading than smaller ones? You bet! You can even get better performance with a lift kit. First, choose your tires and then your wheels. Here are some reasons why larger is better.
Larger Tires
Stock Tires Are Not Recommended For Off-Road Use- For fuel economy, the factory will install small tires. They’ve got CAFE standards to meet you know. However, fuel economy is not the most important aspect of an offroad vehicle. Performance is. You need to choose the right tire for your vehicle’s best performance. You can reduce the sidewall height by putting on bigger wheels, but only slightly increasing the tire size. This will result in a more rough ride. You can reduce the chance of damage by running with lower dirt pressure. For the best performance, pick your tires big.
Tire Type- Match the tire to your terrain- Mud tires are the best for you if you’re a mudder. While they aren’t very comfortable on the road, they will be much more comfortable in the mud. This is an exampleNitto’s Mud GrapplerThis should do the trick. Mud tires can channel away mud and keep you from getting clogged up. An all-terrain tire is best if you plan to travel on offroad terrains. Terra Grappler by Nitto. All-terrain tiresOffroad vehicles (ATs), are the best. ATs will follow you, not the other direction. This is important when you ride after the pavement ends.
Tire Size- To avoid choosing larger tires, a good rule of thumb is to never use a wheel more than half its diameter. This means that you shouldn’t have a 40-inch tire on a 20-inch wheel, or a 35 inch on a 17-inch wheel, or 30 inches on a 15-inch wheel. This allows you to control the sidewall height. The tire’s sidewall height can be adjusted to balance squirm and flex so it can absorb bumps offroad. Once you have your larger tires selected, it is time to upgrade to larger wheels.
Bigger Wheels
Larger wheels are always better- The tire is wider the wider it is. This increases the tire’s patch, the area that touches the ground. You get better traction. Offroad is all about traction. You need to have traction whether you’re driving on gravel, sand, or climbing rocks.
This post was written by a wheel and tire expert at Tennessee Tire. Tennessee Tire & Wheel is Clarksville Tennessee and Fort Campbell Kentucky’s leading tire and custom wheel shop. We proudly offer Southern Hospitality combined with the lowest prices in town! Come see us, call us, or message us for a quote today. You won’t be sorry you did.