Tire Choice Help (15 Viewers)

[clindsay123]

Hi all,

Know this has been discussed a ton but I haven't been able quite make a decision.

I am currently looking to replace E rated KO2s (275/70/18) with another 33" option.

I would like to switch to a C rated tire as this is a daily driver in Los Angeles that I plan to take on moderate trails at most. More of a camping exploration vehicle in the Southwest / West Coast. The E rated tire is simply too harsh for my liking and I'd invite the lower unsprung mass / improved breaking and acceleration on a C rated tire. MPGs improvement wouldn't hurt either.

I am going to switch to a 16" FCS F5 wheel as it's very light at 18.5 lbs. The 2 options below are the only options for C rated tires. I'm leaning towards the 255 but am concerned it will look funny? Anyone has any photos or confirm it looks alright. Otherwise I'll lean towards the 285, just don't want to impact the steering to heavily.

Wildpeak A/T4W - 255
Open Country C/T - 285

The other option would be to keep my current 18" OEM wheels and just replace tires with SL rated All Terrains, but I'm concerned those will puncture in the desert.

Let me know your thoughts!

 

[jLB]

If you’re looking for 33”, load range C tires, and buying new wheels, you may want to consider 285/70R17. A common (factory) Jeep size, so there are lots of options.

 

[clindsay123]

If you’re looking for 33”, load range C tires, and buying new wheels, you may want to consider 285/70R17. A common (factory) Jeep size, so there are lots of options.

I've looked into this and unfortunately the SCS F5 is not avail for the 100 series in the 17" option. I'm really committed to this wheel to save weight.

 

[GTV]

FN Wheels 17” is lightweight and has a better offset.

 

[jLB]

I've looked into this and unfortunately the SCS F5 is not avail for the 100 series in the 17" option. I'm really committed to this wheel to save weight.

Isn’t the SCS F5 16” 5x150 a 0 or +10 offset, meaning you’re pushing everything out 2” on each side?

 

[MountaineerLC]

JMO, but if the ride with E rated tires really bothers you, you’re better off getting a second set of wheels and running SL rated tires for daily driving and switching to your E rated tires for off-roading. There really isn’t any free lunch and tires that are suited to on road performance and comfort aren’t well suited for off road and vice versa.

Secondly, stick with 18’s or find some 17’s. Going with 16’s is shoehorning yourself into one or two non E rated tire options. (That could be discontinued down the road as 16” wheels get less and less common)

JMO, of course. Good luck in your quest!

 

[Coin]

If you’re dead set on the 16’s and those two sizes, get the 285’s.
255’s look silly. I know some on here will disagree, but they are wrong.

 

[dubdub20003]

Okay, so I assume your desire to go from E to C is weight? Or also stiffness reduction? Anyway, there may be little weight difference between the two.

Spend a lot of time on tiresize.com, and see all the tires by size, where you can see diameter within sizes too. Search by vehicle, then click alternate sizes, to see other options. You can also compare tire size to tire size. Then I would ( and did) cross reference on Tire Driver - Homepage | TireDriver.com - https://tiredriver.com/. Which is a better resource than most of us who only buy a set or two every few years, and let’s you weigh what is important to you.

So I also went to the lightweight SCS F5. Love ‘em. But decided to really maximize the lightness, and went to Hankook Dynapro A2X Extreme, I think, which weigh in around 38 lbs in SL trim. So I effectively saved 10 lbs of the stock wheels and up to another 22lbs off other common tire options that bump up to 60 lbs. I didn’t wheel hard, so didn’t want to pretend I do and pick a suboptimal tire for my use case.

Good luck! I love buyin* tires. Whole reason I stopped leasing was because I never got to buy tires! Okay, not ONLY reason.

 

[clindsay123]

Okay, so I assume your desire to go from E to C is weight? Or also stiffness reduction? Anyway, there may be little weight difference between the two.

Spend a lot of time on tiresize.com, and see all the tires by size, where you can see diameter within sizes too. Search by vehicle, then click alternate sizes, to see other options. You can also compare tire size to tire size. Then I would ( and did) cross reference on Tire Driver - Homepage | TireDriver.com - https://tiredriver.com/. Which is a better resource than most of us who only buy a set or two every few years, and let’s you weigh what is important to you.

So I also went to the lightweight SCS F5. Love ‘em. But decided to really maximize the lightness, and went to Hankook Dynapro A2X Extreme, I think, which weigh in around 38 lbs in SL trim. So I effectively saved 10 lbs of the stock wheels and up to another 22lbs off other common tire options that bump up to 60 lbs. I didn’t wheel hard, so didn’t want to pretend I do and pick a suboptimal tire for my use case.

Good luck! I love buyin* tires. Whole reason I stopped leasing was because I never got to buy tires! Okay, not ONLY reason.

Thanks for the advice - and you are correct about the reasons for wanting C over E.
My top priority is to improve ride quality although a reduced unsprung weight would be a welcomed additional benefit for acceleration and MPG improvements.

I realize there isn’t much difference in weight between C and E rated 285/75/16, but figured I can save weight with the FCS wheels vs stock 18” im currently on.

I think an SL tire would have me worried on some of the rocky trails and I’d prefer the looks of the C by far.

 

[Patassa]

17" wheels and 285/70 is a great set up on 100s, and several c rated options in that size. Though c and e weight difference is minimal

I've looked into this and unfortunately the SCS F5 is not avail for the 100 series in the 17" option. I'm really committed to this wheel to save weight.

How much weight are you saving and why do you care about weight savings on a vehicle like this? 17" wheels will give you alot more tire options, especially if you're looking for C rated tires.

 

[GTV]

How much weight are you saving and why do you care about weight savings on a vehicle like this?

Because physics.

 

[Patassa]

Because physics.

Ok guy. I guess you didn't learn percentages or ratios in your physics class.

 

[clindsay123]

17" wheels and 285/70 is a great set up on 100s, and several c rated options in that size. Though c and e weight difference is minimal


How much weight are you saving and why do you care about weight savings on a vehicle like this? 17" wheels will give you alot more tire options, especially if you're looking for C rated tires.

The FCS wheels come in at 18.5 lbs and the stock 18” wheels are around 28 lbs. That’s 10 lbs of unsprung mass per tire. From the many hours I’ve spent researching this topic, 40 lbs of unsprung mass will significantly effect acceleration and breaking… there seems to be two camps on this…

Camp 1 says “these trucks are already slow who who cares” Camp 2 says these trucks are slow and I don’t want to slow them down any more than they already are . I fall into camp 2.

 

[SmoothLC]

Bridgestone Dueler A/T Ascents - E rated but feels like a D or C. Look for a sale on DT.

 

[GTV]

The FCS wheels come in at 18.5 lbs and the stock 18” wheels are around 28 lbs. That’s 10 lbs of unsprung mass per tire. From the many hours I’ve spent researching this topic, 40 lbs of unsprung mass will significantly effect acceleration and breaking… there seems to be two camps on this…

Camp 1 says “these trucks are already slow who who cares” Camp 2 says these trucks are slow and I don’t want to slow them down any more than they already are . I fall into camp 2.

Well said. Camp 2 member also.

The SCS 16’s are super light but then you’re forced into heavy E load tires. FN Wheels 17’s are very light and you can use them with a lighter tire as well.

 

[jLB]

While I understand the purpose of trying to limit unsprung weight, I believe that you’re hyper focusing on one specification, to the exclusion of other also important specifications

By your numbers, you’re saving 10lb per wheel, by swapping FCS (with a less than ideal offset) for OE wheels.

You’re talking about going with a 285/75R16 load range C tire, I’ll assume Toyo Open Country. By published numbers, adding 20lb per tire, over OE P275/60R18.

 

[clindsay123]

While I understand the purpose of trying to limit unsprung weight, I believe that you’re hyper focusing on one specification, to the exclusion of other also important specifications

By your numbers, you’re saving 10lb per wheel, by swapping FCS (with a less than ideal offset) for OE wheels.

You’re talking about going with a 285/75R16 load range C tire, I’ll assume Toyo Open Country. By published numbers, adding 20lb per tire, over OE P275/60e18

Not sure if you read my original post. I’m coming off 33” E rated KO2s.

With a new tire my #1 goal is to improve ride quality while maintaining a 33” size and off-road capable. This drives me obviously towards a C rated tire, not an OE option.

That said, if I can find a light 17” wheel, I can grab a C rated KO2 at (51 lbs) versus my current KO2 at (59 lbs).

 

[clindsay123]

Well said. Camp 2 member also.

The SCS 16’s are super light but then you’re forced into heavy E load tires. FN Wheels 17’s are very light and you can use them with a lighter tire as well.

Thanks for this advice. They claim their 5 star model for the 100 series is approx. 22lbs which would pair nicely with some C rated KO2s. I’m trying to get together some more MUD members to go in on an order for the matte black ones

 

[jLB]

Not sure if you read my original post. I’m coming off 33” E rated KO2s.

With a new tire my #1 goal is to improve ride quality while maintaining a 33” size and off-road capable. This drives me obviously towards a C rated tire, not an OE option.

That said, if I can find a light 17” wheel, I can grab a C rated KO2 at (51 lbs) versus my current KO2 at (59 lbs).

Yes, I read, and understood the original post.

From what I’ve observed, you seem enamored with the thought of the FCS F5 light weight, and reducing unsprung mass, but seem to ignore the less than ideal offset, and limited tire options. Less unsprung weight is good, but bad offset isn’t great. Weight savings between load range C and load range E is limited.


Do your thing, but you asked for thoughts (and I implied experience).

P-metric tires are just asking for flat tires.

These vehicles don’t require load range E, but they’re much more durable than P-metric tires.

Load range C is probably much more appropriate, but have very limited offerings for a 33” tire, except for a 17” wheel. There are few 5x150mm 17” wheels, with a reasonable offset.

The 51lb 17” (285/70R17) tire, is 9+lb lighter that the 60-62lb 16”(285/75R16) tire, on paper

I think that you’re “losing the forest, for the trees”, by locking in on wheel weight, ignoring wheel offset, and tire weight/options, but I’ll bow out now.

Toyo 285/75R16 load range C:

Pick your poison. Wheels/offset/tires/weight, but I’m using simple old school math.

Inexplicably, most auto manufacturers, don’t expect “enthusiasts” that push out the centerline ~2” per side, and use a BFH for clearance.

 

[Moparsncruisers]

How much tire pressure are you currently running? E- rates tires on these vehicles and lighter vehicles ride perfectly fine with proper pressure. Must chalk test to get proper contact, it's usually lower than you think!