16s or 18s ...Thoughts? (1 Viewer)

[Mark Saenz]

Team,
I am the proud new owner of a 2000 LX470 and starting my build now (thread coming soon).

I am having the OME lift kit insalled this week and am wondering about the tires.

Currently has the stock 16s, but I bought some TRD Tundra take offs that are 18s.

For overlanding, are the 18s or 16s better?

Thanks for the input!

Mark

 

[FxFormat]

I like the looks of 18s and you can wheel fine with them. I had no issues with mine airing down to 17psi and crawling over some big rocks.

 

[nissanh]

For offroading 16 seems to be the best wheel size. If you go with 18, you'll need low-profile tires and these are expensive, cannot run low pressure as in a 16 inch. Your speedometer reading be off if you change the wheel size.

 

[Kabanstva]

Id definitely do 16s. I took off my oem 18s to get a taller tire on it.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

I was curious how they compared in looks and found this thread.

Will any land cruiser center caps fit this new 18 inch tundra wheel?

IMO, the stock 16's look much better. I can see someone going from the older model LC 15 inch to 16 for more tire height and width options, or if their old wheels are FUBAR, but otherwise OEM wins appearance wise.

 

[Spike555]

For offroading 16 seems to be the best wheel size. If you go with 18, you'll need low-profile tires and these are expensive, cannot run low pressure as in a 16 inch. Your speedometer reading be off if you change the wheel size.

The 18"s are not low profile.
I air down to 5psi for the dunes with zero problems.
As long as the overall diameter of the wheel and tire combo is the same, you can run any size you want.

You will have twice as many tire choices with 16" wheels though.

 

[jsigone]

Most brands and models are made in 33, 34, and 35 inch tire sizes. Pick what you like to look at on your truck. I like 18s and on method roost with +18 offset

 

[shanester]

The 18"s are not low profile.
I air down to 5psi for the dunes with zero problems.
As long as the overall diameter of the wheel and tire combo is the same, you can run any size you want.

You will have twice as many tire choices with 16" wheels though.

Wait, you air down to 5psi on 18’s? Is this safe? I’m hitting the dunes on Saturday.

 

[Manhattan]

If you go with 18, you'll need low-profile tires and these are expensive...

Nope. 33s on 18s are far from "low profile". Wheel and tire size is just a decision of compromise. Small wheels with more side wall are better off-road. Bigger wheels and less side wall are better on-road. Too much either direction sucks. My CJ had 15s and 35s. You could actually watch the wheel turn in the tire before the tire started to move. That makes for some pretty s***ty steering response.

20s or 22s - yeah, you'd have low profile tires. 18s and 33s are a very good balance for a full-size truck that (admit it) will see way more pavement than rocks.

 

[JToobe]

I moved up from 16" rims as I found a set of 5 18" rims from a 2008 Land Cruiser with Yokohama tires for a great price and have been very happy with the results....this 100 is my youngest daughter's DD so very little, if any, off roading!

 

[suprarx7nut]

At HIH6 I wheeled behind a guy on 20 or 22" BBS wheels and he did absolutely fine. He was aired down significantly with no problems.

18" wheels are fine for any non-extreme wheeling when fitted with the usual 275/70/18 tires.

I ran the factory 16's on 285/75/16 BFG KOs and that was fine. I switched last year to Tundra 18s with 275/70/18 BFG KO2s and it has been great as well. I aired down to 20 psi for HIH8 this weekend and could have gone farther down if needed.

The 18" tires will be more expensive, but only by ~$200 per set in my experience. $200 over the life of a set of tires is nothing in this game of off-road Land Cruisers. Go with whatever wheel you think looks nicest.

I think the 18" wheels greatly modernize the look of the vehicle and with the 33-34" diameter tires it still looks very off-road friendly and beefy.

 

[Greenbean]

16s,

IMHO they look better,

ESP if it’s the original EQ...

 

[landylover21]

A few pics, back a few years ago when I got the original 18 Tundra wheels, then the 07 LX wheels...

Both tires are stock Land Cruiser size for the wheel diameter.

16: 275/70/16
18: 275/60/18

275/65/18:

275/70/18 with LX wheels and 1.5" lift:

My 16s have my winter tires now.

 

[Spike555]

Wait, you air down to 5psi on 18’s? Is this safe? I’m hitting the dunes on Saturday.

If I don't go that low I get stuck. Started off wt 12psi, kept getting stuck. Lowered by 2psi until I got down to ~5psi, my tire pressure gauge won't go below that.
I am NOT driving on the road for more than a mile at 25mph getting from the prep area to the dunes and back to air back up.
Now, depending on the tires you have you may not need to air down so low, I have Michelin A/T's load range "E" so they do not ballon at all. The side walls are stiff.
Since dune conditions vary, I always start at 10spi and go down from there. But I almost always end up at 5psi. The dunes I go to is really soft deep sand. So soft your foot sinks to your ankles as soon as you step out of the truck.

 

[shanester]

I have the load range E BFG k02’s in 275/70/18. I always heard the tire could peel off around 15 psi, had no clue I could push down to 5psi. That’s great to know!

 

[Batlowboy]

I definitely wouldn't drive with 5psi unless I was getting out of a bog or really soft sand , any sharp turn and you'll roll the tire of the bead, pain in the butt to re-seat and clean it while on a beach.

 

[fjman]

I went to a 2006 LC 18 inch wheel mainly for looks. With a 33 inch tire you still have lots of sidewall. I also went with a load range E tire so the sidewalks are pretty firm. I feel like the 18s also made to look a little more modern . It’s a 2000 LX

 

[fjman]

Whoops. Posted twice

 

[krice118]

Something else to think about
285 75 R16 is usually a 32.8 in tire while the most common common size for 18s is a 275 70 R18 is a 33.2 - nets you about 1/4in ground clearance.

Also there are so many more size options for the 18s

 

[suprarx7nut]

Something else to think about
285 75 R16 is usually a 32.8 in tire while the most common common size for 18s is a 275 70 R18 is a 33.2 - nets you about 1/4in ground clearance.

Also there are so many more size options for the 18s

This is a good point I forgot to add. This was a part of my consideration when buying the 18" wheels. It's essentially a free, albeit small, lift.