Let's talk about tires...

Ease up a bit there. We don't know your age, race or religion and it doesn't matter here, some members are in their teens, others are in their 80s. We have members of all religions from all about the world. That isn't what this site is about, it's about Jeeps. I don't know what set you off, I couldn't fiind it but I've been trash canned a few times and I suspect you are getting close to it with your last post

 

I don't think we were "selling" ourselves (much) and certainly not "putting down" anyone. Howard mentioned "generational expectations" and we were just gabbing a little, and comparing notes from that perspective.

I think Howard had a very good point. They say 'Who You Are Is Who you Were When,' and there is truth to that.

Styles change, experiences vary, we have personal preferences based on ideas and influences that were impressed on us during different eras. So we have different preferences in tires, as in other things. (I grew up in the sixties - I still love mini-skirts and Jimi Hendrix. And bias tires.)

No need for anyone to feel excluded.

 

Texting about tires is just about the ultimate topic.
After all the Jeep is only as good as the tires/wheels that it runs on.
That said I suggest everyone pay very strict attention to their unique real world use for the tires in question.

X2

The 6.50 x 16" Super Traxions are about the biggest tire you want on a 4.5" wide KH rim.
They run tall for their size at about 30-1/4 " actual inflated diameter.
The advertised tire diameter claimed from one manufacturer to another can easily vary by an inch or more.

When Jeep installed 7.00 x 16" on military and optional equipped heavy duty Jeeps they went to the 5"x 16" KH wheel.
Also you need to shy away from anything with 8 ply or more if you have the 4-1/2" KH wheels.
I've seen the 4-1/2" wheel get crushed when trying to remove a set of old 8 ply Goodyear Hi Miler tires.
I always prefer 6 ply rating with bias ply tires and no more than 8 plies for radials.

Even the Military NDT's / NDCC's reign supreme if used when, where and how they excel.
They excel specifically on gravel roads.
Absolutely nothing will outshine them on loose gravel.
They virtually never throw stones and the narrow track digs in very well when manuvering fast corners.

 

yokohama y720 are cool but i think they may be only made in 15s

 

Looks great Patrick. Very much in keeping with the character of the Jeep - aggressive tread, relatively narrow profile. Radial tires with a high ply count should also have strong sidewalls. Good to know that the high ply count tires respond well to lower tire pressures.

 

Patrick, your Jeep looks great! Your wheels inspired me to finally paint (Krylon Ivory) and mount mine. I swapped out the white wagon wheels for these:
I'm not sure if these are Ford wheels or Jeep wheels but, either way it looks way better IMO. They are 8" wide. The tires are 33x10.50 BFG Mud Terrains.

 

Is that why I don't see a cloud of dust at the back of my jeep on gravel?

For all its worth... I have the NDT tire on mine - it was like that when I bought it... they drive OK. I didn't notice anything bad on wet road. In the soft snow they were just OK and I had to keep the jeep in 4WD.

 

They do look good. My father was an engineer in the army during WWII and later he managed a tire shop in Denver. I thought about putting NDTs on my MB. Nope, "we called them grave diggers for a reason".

 

5"X16"

Patrick,
I was looking at those the other day and now that I've seen them on a jeep I'm sold. Thank you so much for the pics! And to everyone else young and old thank you for the comments and suggestions!

 

History and physics both seem to indicate that the tall narrow tires are optimum for most Off-Road conditions.
The general exception would be traversing any type soft terrain having a depth equaling 100% or more of the tires radius.
At 100% tire radius the axle tubes begin to drag and tire floatation above the terrain becomes mandatory.
Soft terrain includes dense snow pack, sand and mud.
As with anything there are certain trade offs but...The tall skinny tire provides the optimum footprint for Jeep travels.

The trick to finding a really skinny tire is the aspect ratio and the 215/85R16 provides the skinniest overall height to width of current available modern radial design.
The 2nd narrowest tire currently available with appropriate heights are the 235/85R16.
For comparison: The older 6.00, 6.50, 7.00 and 7.50 bias ply tires generally are constructed with an aspect ratio at 90% and sometimes higher.

I was surprised to see just how many 215/85R16 tires are now on the market.
A lot of decent A/S treads and even several makes with M/S treads.

The Hancooks certainly appear to be one of the better if not the best tread pattern for 215/85R16 and off road use.

Patrick, Excellent choice in a modern radial ! Two Thumbs Up !
What is the actual tread width ?

 

I agree with oldtime about skinny versus floatation. I will add that a fat tire on a snowy road can add way too much flotation, and loss of steering control.

 

The way I see it the only other advantage to wide tires is high speed cornering which is not a Jeep concern.
Also wide tires would provide better stability under "sidling" conditions.
And they will reduce trail erosion on soft trails.

The narrow tread does a much better job of forming to the terrain because a tires footprint gets 80% longer and only 20% wider with pneumatic pressure reduction.
A wider tread tends to float over the trail obstructions and the the narrow tread tends to wrap over and better envelope the obstructions.
Enveloping eventually allows the tread to fully mate with or fit the obstacle which is termed "keying".
Keying occurs whenever the enveloped obstacle fits directly into the tire tread and is at right angles to the line of travel.
In the fully keyed mode the tire can only shear or it must drive foreward. It does not slip.

 

In my opinion the whole "wide vs. skinny" tire debate is much overblown.
Tread pattern is much more important in my experience.
Also in my experience, radial tires are a much better choice than a bias ply tire on a jeep.