Stepping down to a 16" tire for ride?

[JETTIX2]

Bought a beautiful 05 lx470 back in October. Has 18s standard, Pirelli Scorpion STRs with about 4-5/32 tread left (not much). Had 4 wheel alignment done at Lexus of Orlando as part of pre purchase prep. Tires are crap, we know that.

Loved the truck but bump steer was terrible and ride was lousy.

Had my Indy shop flush the AHC fluid, found one of the front wheel bearings in need of replacement due to play (makes you wonder how thorough the pre purchase prep was) Also swapped a set of 16" LC wheels with new Blizzak snow tires on it.

Truck rides AWESOME now. No bump steer. Smooth ride. Love it!

So questions;

1) KnowingI need new summer tires anyway, should I put a new set of 18" tires on the factory wheels for summer, or find another set of 16s?

2) Factory size or slightly oversized (for looks)? I'm going to be Upset if the ride goes to heck again and then im stuck with $1200 worth of new 18" rubber, yet we had so many things change at the last service that I'm not sure what part is attributable to 16" vs18" rubber, etc. I would go as large a tire that will fit without a lift, without degrading the acceleration noticeably. I don't drive it enough for mpg to matter in summer. I prefer the look of the 18" wheel size vs the 16s that are on it, if ride was not an issue.

4) is it likely that their alignment was done properly if the wheel bearing needed fix?

Thanks, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

 

[JETTIX2]

Yes, I skipped question #3. It was consolidated into question #2. Lol.

 

[PoppaWheelie]

New rubber makes a huge difference. I went from scorpion ATRs on 16 to Michelin M/Ss on 18s and it totally changed the ride. Quieter, smoother, more stable and predictable. Kind of an apple to oranges comparison though. Old all terrains to new street tires.

So it comes down to what you are doing with your cruiser. If you are planning on putting on some offroad miles on it, use those 16s and get a nice set of ATs. 16 in tires are cheaper.

If its mainly a pavement pounder, I would say stick with you OE 18s with some nice new rubber to compliment your fine vehicles ride. (I'm running brand new 2012 tundra take-off rubber from craigslist.)

Personally, I doubt that the wheel size change had very much to do with the ride improvement. Don't buy poor tires, its where the rubber meets the road...

 

[Layonnn]

If you had identical tires, one set on 18s and one set on 16s, at the same pressure, i think very few people would be able to tell any difference at all.

 

[saillaw]

If you had identical tires, one set on 18s and one set on 16s, at the same pressure, i think very few people would be able to tell any difference at all.

Agree, except in cornering. The 18's will be more responsive with less side roll. It's significant enough that I think most people who are knowledgeable enough about vehicles that they read forums dedicated to them would be able to tell.

But, the advantage offroad would go to the 16's (better footprint deflated and better ability to absorb the shock of rough roads).

So it really depends on how you are going to use it.

 

[LCAdvocate]

Agree, except in cornering. The 18's will be more responsive with less side roll. It's significant enough that I think most people who are knowledgeable enough about vehicles that they read forums dedicated to them would be able to tell.

But, the advantage offroad would go to the 16's (better footprint deflated and better ability to absorb the shock of rough roads).

So it really depends on how you are going to use it.

Exactly, 18's or larger wheel diameters will decrease sidewall height and make for a more responsive tire with less roll. The wheel diameter had nothing to do with the perceived better ride, it was only the tire difference. Buy good rubber.

 

[marshotel]

The blizzaks are nice sticky tires. They will handle fine on the road, but will wear out quickly in the absence of snow.

I agree w LC Advocate:

The quality of the tire is a lot more important than the diameter of the wheel.

If you get some nice new tires- suited for your application,- it won't make much difference whether they are 16" or 18".

Likewise, if you are running worn-out overinflated pirelli scorpions the vehicle will handle poorly regardless of rim size.

The quality of the tire, suitabliity for the application, proper inflation pressure, and wheel balance are all more important than the size of the rim.

That said-
The 16s will run better at low pressure (offroad), and connect better with odd-shaped surfaces (rocks).

The 18s will corner better at high speed (onroad); they "look faster" and are usually a bit more expensive than 16s.

 

[JETTIX2]

Yes, perfect.

I am running the 16" Blizzaks for winter, and will re-use the stock 18" wheels and put some good quality summer rubber on there...... It is mostly a pavement vehicle for us, with some light trail use. I will use something like a Geolander A/T, BFG A/T, or perhaps something with more street use like the Michelin LTX.

I know I can run an oversized 18" tire on the truck, question being how large before I start to take a big hit on acceleration?

The blizzaks are nice sticky tires. They will handle fine on the road, but will wear out quickly in the absence of snow.

I agree w LC Advocate:

The quality of the tire is a lot more important than the diameter of the wheel.

If you get some nice new tires- suited for your application,- it won't make much difference whether they are 16" or 18".

Likewise, if you are running worn-out overinflated pirelli scorpions the vehicle will handle poorly regardless of rim size.

The quality of the tire, suitabliity for the application, proper inflation pressure, and wheel balance are all more important than the size of the rim.

That said-
The 16s will run better at low pressure (offroad), and connect better with odd-shaped surfaces (rocks).

The 18s will roll less during high speed cornering (onroad); they "look faster" and are usually a bit more expensive than 16s.

 

[marshotel]

Within the range of tire sizes that will fit on a stock LX, acceleration will not be affected much.

Noticeable differences in on-road performance, road noise, cornering, etc. will have a lot to do with the tread pattern, inflation pressure, and hardness of the rubber.

Generally accepted wisdom is that 285/65/18 (slightly less than 33") will fit your rig with no problem. Any larger, and you run the risk of rubbing on the wheel wells, suspension components, etc. Also, larger tires are more difficult to balance, and the 100-series is very sensitive to properly balanced wheels to prevent vibration or shimmy at highway speeds.

I think the OEM tires on your rig were 275/60/18 Michelins (about 31 "), which should work very well for mixed highway and light trail use... 275/65/18 would be functionally equivalent, and might be easier to find because it is a more common size.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/tire-wheel-tech/621728-michelin-275-60-18-vs-275-65-18-a.html

There are tons of threads about the nuances of aftermarket tire selection.
Just remember that what looks the coolest is often not what works the best.

Hope this helps.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/440072-biggest-tire-size-no-lift-please-help.html

https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/440072-biggest-tire-size-no-lift-please-help-2.html