17 or 18 rims?

[CharlieS]

I can't speak to ride quality with 20s vs other size rims. There are so many variables; rim size is only one factor (other things matter too: tire compound, load rating, tread, width, pressure, diameter, etc.). Some people speak in absolutes, but most of us only have a small sample size and a lot of what you get for feedback is very anecdotal.

For off-road purposes, every inch of smaller rim diameter, keeping the outside tire diameter fixed, gives you more sidewall. Many of us also increase the overall tire diameter (33", 34", 35", etc.) and get even more sidewall. Airing down allows that sidewall to make a bigger contact patch, increase floatation, and also means the tire can also more easily mould itself to terrain irregularities.

 

[ThRiLlGmYr]

I am going to go with 18" when I downsize. Mainly because it seems Rock Warriors (17") and TRD BBS (18") seem to be the preferred wheels for those sizes and I like the TRDs more than the Rock Warriors. I also plan to build a tourer and not a pure off roaders, so I think 18's will be fine for anything I want to do. I plan to keep my 20 inchers and put Defenders on them as an alternate set.

 

[LXinOBX]

I can't speak to ride quality with 20s vs other size rims. There are so many variables; rim size is only one factor ....

I "read" where 18s (or 17s) are a vast improvement, all else unchanged, in ride quality (at expense of slightly decreased on hiway handling). Just trying to confirm!

TRD BBS (18")

The style is growing on me - at first I did not like, but that style resprayed in dark silver metallic (Toyota Lexus) is very cool. Easy to keep clean?

 

[ThRiLlGmYr]

The style is growing on me - at first I did not like, but that style resprayed in dark silver metallic (Toyota Lexus) is very cool. Easy to keep clean?

The price tag is my current hang up. Do I WANT $4000+ of new wheels and tires? Yes. Do I NEED them?

I just got my LX a few weeks ago so I think I will wait for it to settle in and discover any repairs it may need before I start spending big on mods.

 

[Tex68w]

18’s will likely be smoother offroad and over rough pavement, but a 20 will almost always handle better on road. The variables here are load range, air pressure and sidewall dependent.

 

[raidteam]

I went with 18 steel wheels from a Tundra. $52.00 each .

View attachment 3119134

Have a part number for these?! This is exactly what I’m trying to do

 

[lx200inAR]

Have a part number for these?! This is exactly what I’m trying to do

From another thread:

42601-0C060 is the black version used for spare

42601-0C050 is the heavy duty export only silver colored version

42601-0C030 is the same as 42601-0C050 but used for the US domestic market

 

[grinchy]

if you're after steel rims there are also non US 17" versions available.

 

[ElJayBird]

This is a hugely subjective thing. I prefer the softer ride of a 17 with 34’s over 18’s with 33’s. But I’m not throwing a 7.5k lb truck around in the corners either, so…

 

[lx200inAR]

It should be noted that if you change to steel wheels and currently have aluminum, you probably will need new lug nuts and new TPMS sensors to fit.

 

[GTV]

@Tex68w nailed it.
17" wheels offer a LOT more tires to choose from, you can likely get the exact specs you're after at a much lower price than a comparable 18". That alone makes it hard to argue with IMO.

 

[highfructose]

I’m at ~14k GCVW, and tow it 7-10k miles a summer. This summer did 8k miles In 3 months (June-August). I kept my OEM 20’s (with 33’s) for 8 years and would switch to them in the summer when we did long >500 mile trips. 3 sets of wheels/tires (20’s with KO2’s, tundra 18’s with defenders, tundra 18’s with winter Hakkas) got a little ridiculous so I sold my 20’s and extra summer 18’s this spring and bought a set of summer 17’s. Towing I didn’t notice any difference at all between my 20’s and 17’s both on ~33” K02’s.

Did you notice that the 17” wheel with 33’s, with roughly 23% more sidewall than a 33 on a 20, netted you more damping and a softer/plusher ride?

 

[highfructose]

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the comments. A few answers: what's driving this is that 20's (currently what is on the truck) do look "cool" but don't "spread" much at all at 20psi. More over they are "harsh" over pot holes/etc; I just thought 18s would provide a little more cushion? Resulting in less wear and tear (perhaps?) on the front end.

Interestingly, TireRack today has the LTX 20 for less than the 18 LTX...another driver is less expense w 18 tires (there's goes that theory).

The smoothest riding 4WD ever was my 100 with factory 16s. I'm "chasing" that feeling. What I am reading is that the 18 WILL be a smoother ride, at the expense of a slight loss in handling (but, I have found the 20s to be "darty" - if that makes any sense - when on road).

Im also seeking that soft ride. Supposedly a wider offset reduces spring rate…which makes me think a zero offset 17” wheel with a passenger rated 285 70 r17 might be as soft as it gets…can potentially run as low as 26 psi and the wheel/tire package can get very very light (less upward weight each time the tire bounces out of a pothole).
I don’t know though…it’s subjective and hard to temporarily try out various wheel and tire setups.

 

[coleAK]

Did you notice that the 17” wheel with 33’s, with roughly 23% more sidewall than a 33 on a 20, netted you more damping and a softer/plusher ride?

Yes, on road and off road

 

[mdh384]

I am running 17" with a C-rated 285/70/17 KO2 and the ride is great. Previously had E-rated 285/65/18 KO2s and the ride on the 17s is softer, but not ponderous/unsettled. They were also $35/tire cheaper.

 

[highfructose]

I am running 17" with a C-rated 285/70/17 KO2 and the ride is great. Previously had E-rated 285/65/18 KO2s and the ride on the 17s is softer, but not ponderous/unsettled. They were also $35/tire cheaper.

Anyone drive on p rated 285 70 r17 as well as lt rated 285 70 r17 and have comments? I’m curious how soft the p rated feel compared to the lt.

 

[AnyMal]

Anyone drive on p rated 285 70 r17 as well as lt rated 285 70 r17 and have comments? I’m curious how soft the p rated feel compared to the lt.

After months of inactivty on this forum, im glad to come back to find this gem of a comment!!!
For the other guys here, hello , im still alive. Been pursuing other hobbies but I did just install UCAs and 20mm shock mount spacers.
Will make a post eventually, but unfortunately I was single handed and abandoned photography in the first 30 minutes of the weekend project.


It must be my lucky day though, since I logged in to find a thread on top with not only about wheel size and tires but PSI too? i cant resists.

I think 18s are where it's at for the 200 personally in a lot of respects.
Bottom line though period end of story 17s are too small for this vehicle visually. Specially if your running super conservative Toyota offsets.
If you don't care about that, they are the best for off road fitment choices and yes, they will clear all available OEM caliper sizes.

But the real truth is wheel size should be a function of tire size. Anything above 33s, I would start sizing up the wheel from there as well personally.
You're going to have on road performance suffer and end up chasing stability with PSI which is an exercise with many drawbacks and potential danger.
The packages like that (mostly tire by size and weight) are also harder to balance and keep balanced.
If you are by some logistical miracle off road only, then knock yourself out and none of that matters.

A lot of the dialogue also fails to mention that rim widths are somewhat standard, and at 17" you are really only getting 8.5"s on the market outside of custom or exotic stuff. That means you are also confined by that metric, and again, i would not exceed certain limits in width discrepancy between tire and wheel.
Some of the very smart folks here who I would call friends will disagree on that last bit, but they are wrong.
Sure, bead seat strength is *maybe* improved, but that means nothing when you have lateral translation of forces moving your 7k+ lb. truck about your wheel.
Terrible idea to do that.

Also, you are really wasting your time with P tires in these sizes. I think they are an abomination. They are great for a Subaru and a very bad for a 3.5 ton truck.
I would avoid unless your aim is wet and ice traction, and you are fine with keeping pressures way higher than "recommended" ( there is no good way to put that part as this topic isnt even worth anyones time ).
I think everyone should start looking at wheels and tires as packages, and not individually.
Im sure that way, we can even find fitment consensus there for every OD size goals.

Lastly, here im just making sure fructose is still reading and ignoring sound advice again hi fructose. get it? /s

 

[coleAK]

Anyone drive on p rated 285 70 r17 as well as lt rated 285 70 r17 and have comments? I’m curious how soft the p rated feel compared to the lt.

I run LTs in the summer and p metrics in the winter (Nokian Hakkas) and have for 9 winters on my ‘13 LX. They ride/drive great! If I didn’t tow a 7k lb camper 7-10k miles a summer I’d run p metrics in the summer as well.

 

[Heckraiser]

To the OP:

I think up-sizing the tire on your 20's will probably get you to where you want to be in terms of floatation and retain the best road manners. 295/55/20 (just a hair short of 33") would have a little extra width and sidewall. 295/60/20 (34") if you want a larger overall diameter. Even a 305/55/20 (33x12) would give you some nice tire bulge suitable for sand but still solid on the road. Most tires in these sizes are E-rated, but with some hunting you can probably find exceptions.

If you're looking for an offroady look, then 17's are the ticket, but 18's will be much easier to find at a fair price (tundra takeoffs).

My winter tires are 275/55/20 coopers and they both ride and handle SOOOO much better than my summer tires (285/75/18 Nittos), but that's to be expected with such a huge difference in size and weight.

The great news is it's easy to fit a variety of large tire sizes on the LX.

 

[ThRiLlGmYr]

I think I am going to put Defenders on my stock 20inch and then eventually buy some 18inch rims and 33inch tires for off road use.