My stock 16" rims are 7" wide on a '01 TJ. According to your logic, I
would be better off getting something like 235/85R16, instead of 265/75R16.
Both these sizes are roughly equivalent to 32" tyres. I don't want to go
too high, but do want MTs. We mostly have mud, sand, dirt and grassy
tracks. Very rarely do we see rocks in our region in New Zealand. Snow is
never heard off in Auckland.

TW


"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:40851E07.EA3F7406@sympatico.ca...
> Stock rims are either 7 or 8" wide, most are 7" including my CJ7 Laredo
> rims. If you check your spare, the size is stamped on the inside face
> of the rim.
>
> The folks with the 'pretty' wide tires off road always get a laugh at my
> tires. Only one laugh though, the rest of the day is spent with them
> trying and trying and trying to get where I am sitting taking photos of
> them trying and trying, and...
>
> LOL!
>
> I have tons of photos posted at Sony's ImageStation I could post links
> to. Sony did the typical bait and switch and now insists folks join to
> see my albums. At least they don't spam....
>
> The narrow tire doesn't spin. It has a 'lot' more psi on the ground
> than say a 12.5" wide one, about 30% more.
>
> This means on mud or dirt or snow I leave a nice tread mark everywhere I
> go, not a rooster tail mark. The wide tires float on top and spin out.
> Once they hit too soft, the spinning tire just digs holes. My tire on
> the other hand doesn't spin easy at all, so it doesn't dig holes 'easy'.
>
> In the winter on the road the difference is insane. With tires that
> measure 10.5" at the tread, I could go no faster than about 40 mph on
> the highway in 4x4. The tires got on top of the snow and the control
> was gone any faster.
>
> With the 33x9.5's and their 7.5" tread, I can easily hold 55 mph in 4x4
> with no control issues at all so I can keep up easy to the transport
> trucks.
>
> It is a total myth that a wide tire is better off road. They only look
> pretty unless you get into 'real' flotation tires that are designed to
> get up on top like the folks that wheel in Iceland use.
>
> When you go to a 'too wide for the vehicle' tire, you are going strictly
> for looks or maybe rock crawling where that wide tread has some use.
>
> On most trails, a stock width tire is 'way' better for traction. Next
> time you get a chance, check out what the loggers that work out in the
> bush have on their trucks. You will see tall skinny always. Same for
> what the military used on Jeeps, tall skinny.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>

 

Yes.

I noticed a definite degradation in winter traction when we went from a
225 to a 235 AT tire in our Cherokee. They were both 75 series.

Same for a 'radical' increase in traction when I went from a 10.5" wide
tire to a 9.5 that measures 7.5"

Too bad you can't go try out the tires before buying....

Mike

TW wrote:
>
> My stock 16" rims are 7" wide on a '01 TJ. According to your logic, I
> would be better off getting something like 235/85R16, instead of 265/75R16.
> Both these sizes are roughly equivalent to 32" tyres. I don't want to go
> too high, but do want MTs. We mostly have mud, sand, dirt and grassy
> tracks. Very rarely do we see rocks in our region in New Zealand. Snow is
> never heard off in Auckland.
>
> TW
>
> "Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> news:40851E07.EA3F7406@sympatico.ca...
> > Stock rims are either 7 or 8" wide, most are 7" including my CJ7 Laredo
> > rims. If you check your spare, the size is stamped on the inside face
> > of the rim.
> >
> > The folks with the 'pretty' wide tires off road always get a laugh at my
> > tires. Only one laugh though, the rest of the day is spent with them
> > trying and trying and trying to get where I am sitting taking photos of
> > them trying and trying, and...
> >
> > LOL!
> >
> > I have tons of photos posted at Sony's ImageStation I could post links
> > to. Sony did the typical bait and switch and now insists folks join to
> > see my albums. At least they don't spam....
> >
> > The narrow tire doesn't spin. It has a 'lot' more psi on the ground
> > than say a 12.5" wide one, about 30% more.
> >
> > This means on mud or dirt or snow I leave a nice tread mark everywhere I
> > go, not a rooster tail mark. The wide tires float on top and spin out.
> > Once they hit too soft, the spinning tire just digs holes. My tire on
> > the other hand doesn't spin easy at all, so it doesn't dig holes 'easy'.
> >
> > In the winter on the road the difference is insane. With tires that
> > measure 10.5" at the tread, I could go no faster than about 40 mph on
> > the highway in 4x4. The tires got on top of the snow and the control
> > was gone any faster.
> >
> > With the 33x9.5's and their 7.5" tread, I can easily hold 55 mph in 4x4
> > with no control issues at all so I can keep up easy to the transport
> > trucks.
> >
> > It is a total myth that a wide tire is better off road. They only look
> > pretty unless you get into 'real' flotation tires that are designed to
> > get up on top like the folks that wheel in Iceland use.
> >
> > When you go to a 'too wide for the vehicle' tire, you are going strictly
> > for looks or maybe rock crawling where that wide tread has some use.
> >
> > On most trails, a stock width tire is 'way' better for traction. Next
> > time you get a chance, check out what the loggers that work out in the
> > bush have on their trucks. You will see tall skinny always. Same for
> > what the military used on Jeeps, tall skinny.
> >
> > Mike
> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> >

 

Yes.

I noticed a definite degradation in winter traction when we went from a
225 to a 235 AT tire in our Cherokee. They were both 75 series.

Same for a 'radical' increase in traction when I went from a 10.5" wide
tire to a 9.5 that measures 7.5"

Too bad you can't go try out the tires before buying....

Mike

TW wrote:
>
> My stock 16" rims are 7" wide on a '01 TJ. According to your logic, I
> would be better off getting something like 235/85R16, instead of 265/75R16.
> Both these sizes are roughly equivalent to 32" tyres. I don't want to go
> too high, but do want MTs. We mostly have mud, sand, dirt and grassy
> tracks. Very rarely do we see rocks in our region in New Zealand. Snow is
> never heard off in Auckland.
>
> TW
>
> "Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> news:40851E07.EA3F7406@sympatico.ca...
> > Stock rims are either 7 or 8" wide, most are 7" including my CJ7 Laredo
> > rims. If you check your spare, the size is stamped on the inside face
> > of the rim.
> >
> > The folks with the 'pretty' wide tires off road always get a laugh at my
> > tires. Only one laugh though, the rest of the day is spent with them
> > trying and trying and trying to get where I am sitting taking photos of
> > them trying and trying, and...
> >
> > LOL!
> >
> > I have tons of photos posted at Sony's ImageStation I could post links
> > to. Sony did the typical bait and switch and now insists folks join to
> > see my albums. At least they don't spam....
> >
> > The narrow tire doesn't spin. It has a 'lot' more psi on the ground
> > than say a 12.5" wide one, about 30% more.
> >
> > This means on mud or dirt or snow I leave a nice tread mark everywhere I
> > go, not a rooster tail mark. The wide tires float on top and spin out.
> > Once they hit too soft, the spinning tire just digs holes. My tire on
> > the other hand doesn't spin easy at all, so it doesn't dig holes 'easy'.
> >
> > In the winter on the road the difference is insane. With tires that
> > measure 10.5" at the tread, I could go no faster than about 40 mph on
> > the highway in 4x4. The tires got on top of the snow and the control
> > was gone any faster.
> >
> > With the 33x9.5's and their 7.5" tread, I can easily hold 55 mph in 4x4
> > with no control issues at all so I can keep up easy to the transport
> > trucks.
> >
> > It is a total myth that a wide tire is better off road. They only look
> > pretty unless you get into 'real' flotation tires that are designed to
> > get up on top like the folks that wheel in Iceland use.
> >
> > When you go to a 'too wide for the vehicle' tire, you are going strictly
> > for looks or maybe rock crawling where that wide tread has some use.
> >
> > On most trails, a stock width tire is 'way' better for traction. Next
> > time you get a chance, check out what the loggers that work out in the
> > bush have on their trucks. You will see tall skinny always. Same for
> > what the military used on Jeeps, tall skinny.
> >
> > Mike
> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> >

 

Yes.

I noticed a definite degradation in winter traction when we went from a
225 to a 235 AT tire in our Cherokee. They were both 75 series.

Same for a 'radical' increase in traction when I went from a 10.5" wide
tire to a 9.5 that measures 7.5"

Too bad you can't go try out the tires before buying....

Mike

TW wrote:
>
> My stock 16" rims are 7" wide on a '01 TJ. According to your logic, I
> would be better off getting something like 235/85R16, instead of 265/75R16.
> Both these sizes are roughly equivalent to 32" tyres. I don't want to go
> too high, but do want MTs. We mostly have mud, sand, dirt and grassy
> tracks. Very rarely do we see rocks in our region in New Zealand. Snow is
> never heard off in Auckland.
>
> TW
>
> "Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> news:40851E07.EA3F7406@sympatico.ca...
> > Stock rims are either 7 or 8" wide, most are 7" including my CJ7 Laredo
> > rims. If you check your spare, the size is stamped on the inside face
> > of the rim.
> >
> > The folks with the 'pretty' wide tires off road always get a laugh at my
> > tires. Only one laugh though, the rest of the day is spent with them
> > trying and trying and trying to get where I am sitting taking photos of
> > them trying and trying, and...
> >
> > LOL!
> >
> > I have tons of photos posted at Sony's ImageStation I could post links
> > to. Sony did the typical bait and switch and now insists folks join to
> > see my albums. At least they don't spam....
> >
> > The narrow tire doesn't spin. It has a 'lot' more psi on the ground
> > than say a 12.5" wide one, about 30% more.
> >
> > This means on mud or dirt or snow I leave a nice tread mark everywhere I
> > go, not a rooster tail mark. The wide tires float on top and spin out.
> > Once they hit too soft, the spinning tire just digs holes. My tire on
> > the other hand doesn't spin easy at all, so it doesn't dig holes 'easy'.
> >
> > In the winter on the road the difference is insane. With tires that
> > measure 10.5" at the tread, I could go no faster than about 40 mph on
> > the highway in 4x4. The tires got on top of the snow and the control
> > was gone any faster.
> >
> > With the 33x9.5's and their 7.5" tread, I can easily hold 55 mph in 4x4
> > with no control issues at all so I can keep up easy to the transport
> > trucks.
> >
> > It is a total myth that a wide tire is better off road. They only look
> > pretty unless you get into 'real' flotation tires that are designed to
> > get up on top like the folks that wheel in Iceland use.
> >
> > When you go to a 'too wide for the vehicle' tire, you are going strictly
> > for looks or maybe rock crawling where that wide tread has some use.
> >
> > On most trails, a stock width tire is 'way' better for traction. Next
> > time you get a chance, check out what the loggers that work out in the
> > bush have on their trucks. You will see tall skinny always. Same for
> > what the military used on Jeeps, tall skinny.
> >
> > Mike
> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> >

 

Yes.

I noticed a definite degradation in winter traction when we went from a
225 to a 235 AT tire in our Cherokee. They were both 75 series.

Same for a 'radical' increase in traction when I went from a 10.5" wide
tire to a 9.5 that measures 7.5"

Too bad you can't go try out the tires before buying....

Mike

TW wrote:
>
> My stock 16" rims are 7" wide on a '01 TJ. According to your logic, I
> would be better off getting something like 235/85R16, instead of 265/75R16.
> Both these sizes are roughly equivalent to 32" tyres. I don't want to go
> too high, but do want MTs. We mostly have mud, sand, dirt and grassy
> tracks. Very rarely do we see rocks in our region in New Zealand. Snow is
> never heard off in Auckland.
>
> TW
>
> "Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> news:40851E07.EA3F7406@sympatico.ca...
> > Stock rims are either 7 or 8" wide, most are 7" including my CJ7 Laredo
> > rims. If you check your spare, the size is stamped on the inside face
> > of the rim.
> >
> > The folks with the 'pretty' wide tires off road always get a laugh at my
> > tires. Only one laugh though, the rest of the day is spent with them
> > trying and trying and trying to get where I am sitting taking photos of
> > them trying and trying, and...
> >
> > LOL!
> >
> > I have tons of photos posted at Sony's ImageStation I could post links
> > to. Sony did the typical bait and switch and now insists folks join to
> > see my albums. At least they don't spam....
> >
> > The narrow tire doesn't spin. It has a 'lot' more psi on the ground
> > than say a 12.5" wide one, about 30% more.
> >
> > This means on mud or dirt or snow I leave a nice tread mark everywhere I
> > go, not a rooster tail mark. The wide tires float on top and spin out.
> > Once they hit too soft, the spinning tire just digs holes. My tire on
> > the other hand doesn't spin easy at all, so it doesn't dig holes 'easy'.
> >
> > In the winter on the road the difference is insane. With tires that
> > measure 10.5" at the tread, I could go no faster than about 40 mph on
> > the highway in 4x4. The tires got on top of the snow and the control
> > was gone any faster.
> >
> > With the 33x9.5's and their 7.5" tread, I can easily hold 55 mph in 4x4
> > with no control issues at all so I can keep up easy to the transport
> > trucks.
> >
> > It is a total myth that a wide tire is better off road. They only look
> > pretty unless you get into 'real' flotation tires that are designed to
> > get up on top like the folks that wheel in Iceland use.
> >
> > When you go to a 'too wide for the vehicle' tire, you are going strictly
> > for looks or maybe rock crawling where that wide tread has some use.
> >
> > On most trails, a stock width tire is 'way' better for traction. Next
> > time you get a chance, check out what the loggers that work out in the
> > bush have on their trucks. You will see tall skinny always. Same for
> > what the military used on Jeeps, tall skinny.
> >
> > Mike
> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> >

 

LOL I know what you mean.
I also need new tires
Tires are like a good pair of hiking boots.
And I like to try them on (boots) first
to see how they look,fit and feel.

Mike Romain wrote:

> Yes.
>
> I noticed a definite degradation in winter traction when we went from a
> 225 to a 235 AT tire in our Cherokee. They were both 75 series.
>
> Same for a 'radical' increase in traction when I went from a 10.5" wide
> tire to a 9.5 that measures 7.5"
>
> Too bad you can't go try out the tires before buying....
>
> Mike
>
> TW wrote:
>
>>My stock 16" rims are 7" wide on a '01 TJ. According to your logic, I
>>would be better off getting something like 235/85R16, instead of 265/75R16.
>>Both these sizes are roughly equivalent to 32" tyres. I don't want to go
>>too high, but do want MTs. We mostly have mud, sand, dirt and grassy
>>tracks. Very rarely do we see rocks in our region in New Zealand. Snow is
>>never heard off in Auckland.
>>
>>TW
>>
>>"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
>>news:40851E07.EA3F7406@sympatico.ca...
>>
>>>Stock rims are either 7 or 8" wide, most are 7" including my CJ7 Laredo
>>>rims. If you check your spare, the size is stamped on the inside face
>>>of the rim.
>>>
>>>The folks with the 'pretty' wide tires off road always get a laugh at my
>>>tires. Only one laugh though, the rest of the day is spent with them
>>>trying and trying and trying to get where I am sitting taking photos of
>>>them trying and trying, and...
>>>
>>>LOL!
>>>
>>>I have tons of photos posted at Sony's ImageStation I could post links
>>>to. Sony did the typical bait and switch and now insists folks join to
>>>see my albums. At least they don't spam....
>>>
>>>The narrow tire doesn't spin. It has a 'lot' more psi on the ground
>>>than say a 12.5" wide one, about 30% more.
>>>
>>>This means on mud or dirt or snow I leave a nice tread mark everywhere I
>>>go, not a rooster tail mark. The wide tires float on top and spin out.
>>>Once they hit too soft, the spinning tire just digs holes. My tire on
>>>the other hand doesn't spin easy at all, so it doesn't dig holes 'easy'.
>>>
>>>In the winter on the road the difference is insane. With tires that
>>>measure 10.5" at the tread, I could go no faster than about 40 mph on
>>>the highway in 4x4. The tires got on top of the snow and the control
>>>was gone any faster.
>>>
>>>With the 33x9.5's and their 7.5" tread, I can easily hold 55 mph in 4x4
>>>with no control issues at all so I can keep up easy to the transport
>>>trucks.
>>>
>>>It is a total myth that a wide tire is better off road. They only look
>>>pretty unless you get into 'real' flotation tires that are designed to
>>>get up on top like the folks that wheel in Iceland use.
>>>
>>>When you go to a 'too wide for the vehicle' tire, you are going strictly
>>>for looks or maybe rock crawling where that wide tread has some use.
>>>
>>>On most trails, a stock width tire is 'way' better for traction. Next
>>>time you get a chance, check out what the loggers that work out in the
>>>bush have on their trucks. You will see tall skinny always. Same for
>>>what the military used on Jeeps, tall skinny.
>>>
>>>Mike
>>>86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
>>>88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>>>

 

LOL I know what you mean.
I also need new tires
Tires are like a good pair of hiking boots.
And I like to try them on (boots) first
to see how they look,fit and feel.

Mike Romain wrote:

> Yes.
>
> I noticed a definite degradation in winter traction when we went from a
> 225 to a 235 AT tire in our Cherokee. They were both 75 series.
>
> Same for a 'radical' increase in traction when I went from a 10.5" wide
> tire to a 9.5 that measures 7.5"
>
> Too bad you can't go try out the tires before buying....
>
> Mike
>
> TW wrote:
>
>>My stock 16" rims are 7" wide on a '01 TJ. According to your logic, I
>>would be better off getting something like 235/85R16, instead of 265/75R16.
>>Both these sizes are roughly equivalent to 32" tyres. I don't want to go
>>too high, but do want MTs. We mostly have mud, sand, dirt and grassy
>>tracks. Very rarely do we see rocks in our region in New Zealand. Snow is
>>never heard off in Auckland.
>>
>>TW
>>
>>"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
>>news:40851E07.EA3F7406@sympatico.ca...
>>
>>>Stock rims are either 7 or 8" wide, most are 7" including my CJ7 Laredo
>>>rims. If you check your spare, the size is stamped on the inside face
>>>of the rim.
>>>
>>>The folks with the 'pretty' wide tires off road always get a laugh at my
>>>tires. Only one laugh though, the rest of the day is spent with them
>>>trying and trying and trying to get where I am sitting taking photos of
>>>them trying and trying, and...
>>>
>>>LOL!
>>>
>>>I have tons of photos posted at Sony's ImageStation I could post links
>>>to. Sony did the typical bait and switch and now insists folks join to
>>>see my albums. At least they don't spam....
>>>
>>>The narrow tire doesn't spin. It has a 'lot' more psi on the ground
>>>than say a 12.5" wide one, about 30% more.
>>>
>>>This means on mud or dirt or snow I leave a nice tread mark everywhere I
>>>go, not a rooster tail mark. The wide tires float on top and spin out.
>>>Once they hit too soft, the spinning tire just digs holes. My tire on
>>>the other hand doesn't spin easy at all, so it doesn't dig holes 'easy'.
>>>
>>>In the winter on the road the difference is insane. With tires that
>>>measure 10.5" at the tread, I could go no faster than about 40 mph on
>>>the highway in 4x4. The tires got on top of the snow and the control
>>>was gone any faster.
>>>
>>>With the 33x9.5's and their 7.5" tread, I can easily hold 55 mph in 4x4
>>>with no control issues at all so I can keep up easy to the transport
>>>trucks.
>>>
>>>It is a total myth that a wide tire is better off road. They only look
>>>pretty unless you get into 'real' flotation tires that are designed to
>>>get up on top like the folks that wheel in Iceland use.
>>>
>>>When you go to a 'too wide for the vehicle' tire, you are going strictly
>>>for looks or maybe rock crawling where that wide tread has some use.
>>>
>>>On most trails, a stock width tire is 'way' better for traction. Next
>>>time you get a chance, check out what the loggers that work out in the
>>>bush have on their trucks. You will see tall skinny always. Same for
>>>what the military used on Jeeps, tall skinny.
>>>
>>>Mike
>>>86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
>>>88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>>>

 

LOL I know what you mean.
I also need new tires
Tires are like a good pair of hiking boots.
And I like to try them on (boots) first
to see how they look,fit and feel.

Mike Romain wrote:

> Yes.
>
> I noticed a definite degradation in winter traction when we went from a
> 225 to a 235 AT tire in our Cherokee. They were both 75 series.
>
> Same for a 'radical' increase in traction when I went from a 10.5" wide
> tire to a 9.5 that measures 7.5"
>
> Too bad you can't go try out the tires before buying....
>
> Mike
>
> TW wrote:
>
>>My stock 16" rims are 7" wide on a '01 TJ. According to your logic, I
>>would be better off getting something like 235/85R16, instead of 265/75R16.
>>Both these sizes are roughly equivalent to 32" tyres. I don't want to go
>>too high, but do want MTs. We mostly have mud, sand, dirt and grassy
>>tracks. Very rarely do we see rocks in our region in New Zealand. Snow is
>>never heard off in Auckland.
>>
>>TW
>>
>>"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
>>news:40851E07.EA3F7406@sympatico.ca...
>>
>>>Stock rims are either 7 or 8" wide, most are 7" including my CJ7 Laredo
>>>rims. If you check your spare, the size is stamped on the inside face
>>>of the rim.
>>>
>>>The folks with the 'pretty' wide tires off road always get a laugh at my
>>>tires. Only one laugh though, the rest of the day is spent with them
>>>trying and trying and trying to get where I am sitting taking photos of
>>>them trying and trying, and...
>>>
>>>LOL!
>>>
>>>I have tons of photos posted at Sony's ImageStation I could post links
>>>to. Sony did the typical bait and switch and now insists folks join to
>>>see my albums. At least they don't spam....
>>>
>>>The narrow tire doesn't spin. It has a 'lot' more psi on the ground
>>>than say a 12.5" wide one, about 30% more.
>>>
>>>This means on mud or dirt or snow I leave a nice tread mark everywhere I
>>>go, not a rooster tail mark. The wide tires float on top and spin out.
>>>Once they hit too soft, the spinning tire just digs holes. My tire on
>>>the other hand doesn't spin easy at all, so it doesn't dig holes 'easy'.
>>>
>>>In the winter on the road the difference is insane. With tires that
>>>measure 10.5" at the tread, I could go no faster than about 40 mph on
>>>the highway in 4x4. The tires got on top of the snow and the control
>>>was gone any faster.
>>>
>>>With the 33x9.5's and their 7.5" tread, I can easily hold 55 mph in 4x4
>>>with no control issues at all so I can keep up easy to the transport
>>>trucks.
>>>
>>>It is a total myth that a wide tire is better off road. They only look
>>>pretty unless you get into 'real' flotation tires that are designed to
>>>get up on top like the folks that wheel in Iceland use.
>>>
>>>When you go to a 'too wide for the vehicle' tire, you are going strictly
>>>for looks or maybe rock crawling where that wide tread has some use.
>>>
>>>On most trails, a stock width tire is 'way' better for traction. Next
>>>time you get a chance, check out what the loggers that work out in the
>>>bush have on their trucks. You will see tall skinny always. Same for
>>>what the military used on Jeeps, tall skinny.
>>>
>>>Mike
>>>86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
>>>88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>>>

 

LOL I know what you mean.
I also need new tires
Tires are like a good pair of hiking boots.
And I like to try them on (boots) first
to see how they look,fit and feel.

Mike Romain wrote:

> Yes.
>
> I noticed a definite degradation in winter traction when we went from a
> 225 to a 235 AT tire in our Cherokee. They were both 75 series.
>
> Same for a 'radical' increase in traction when I went from a 10.5" wide
> tire to a 9.5 that measures 7.5"
>
> Too bad you can't go try out the tires before buying....
>
> Mike
>
> TW wrote:
>
>>My stock 16" rims are 7" wide on a '01 TJ. According to your logic, I
>>would be better off getting something like 235/85R16, instead of 265/75R16.
>>Both these sizes are roughly equivalent to 32" tyres. I don't want to go
>>too high, but do want MTs. We mostly have mud, sand, dirt and grassy
>>tracks. Very rarely do we see rocks in our region in New Zealand. Snow is
>>never heard off in Auckland.
>>
>>TW
>>
>>"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
>>news:40851E07.EA3F7406@sympatico.ca...
>>
>>>Stock rims are either 7 or 8" wide, most are 7" including my CJ7 Laredo
>>>rims. If you check your spare, the size is stamped on the inside face
>>>of the rim.
>>>
>>>The folks with the 'pretty' wide tires off road always get a laugh at my
>>>tires. Only one laugh though, the rest of the day is spent with them
>>>trying and trying and trying to get where I am sitting taking photos of
>>>them trying and trying, and...
>>>
>>>LOL!
>>>
>>>I have tons of photos posted at Sony's ImageStation I could post links
>>>to. Sony did the typical bait and switch and now insists folks join to
>>>see my albums. At least they don't spam....
>>>
>>>The narrow tire doesn't spin. It has a 'lot' more psi on the ground
>>>than say a 12.5" wide one, about 30% more.
>>>
>>>This means on mud or dirt or snow I leave a nice tread mark everywhere I
>>>go, not a rooster tail mark. The wide tires float on top and spin out.
>>>Once they hit too soft, the spinning tire just digs holes. My tire on
>>>the other hand doesn't spin easy at all, so it doesn't dig holes 'easy'.
>>>
>>>In the winter on the road the difference is insane. With tires that
>>>measure 10.5" at the tread, I could go no faster than about 40 mph on
>>>the highway in 4x4. The tires got on top of the snow and the control
>>>was gone any faster.
>>>
>>>With the 33x9.5's and their 7.5" tread, I can easily hold 55 mph in 4x4
>>>with no control issues at all so I can keep up easy to the transport
>>>trucks.
>>>
>>>It is a total myth that a wide tire is better off road. They only look
>>>pretty unless you get into 'real' flotation tires that are designed to
>>>get up on top like the folks that wheel in Iceland use.
>>>
>>>When you go to a 'too wide for the vehicle' tire, you are going strictly
>>>for looks or maybe rock crawling where that wide tread has some use.
>>>
>>>On most trails, a stock width tire is 'way' better for traction. Next
>>>time you get a chance, check out what the loggers that work out in the
>>>bush have on their trucks. You will see tall skinny always. Same for
>>>what the military used on Jeeps, tall skinny.
>>>
>>>Mike
>>>86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
>>>88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>>>

 

For looks, go for 265/75R16. For performance, go for the 235/85R16. The
265/75 will protect your stock rims a bit better but cut down your
turning radius a little more. The 235/85 will wear more evenly at the
proper street PSI. The 235/85R16 will have generally better traction on
wet roads, mud, and dirt. The 265/75 would probably be marginally better
in sand. For true flotation effect, you'll have to go much wider.

When I was shopping for tires I wanted to get the 33x9.50R15 MTs, but
BFG stopped making them (still available in AT though). I was seriously
considering their 235/85R16 MT, but I didn't want to go to 16" rims. I
settled for 33x10.50R15 and I think they're great, but I'm sure that the
traction of the narrower contact patch on the 235/85R16 would be that
much better.

Here's a TJ with 235/85R16 Goodyear MTR:

http://www.ks-tuning.de/bilder/tj/InesTJ.jpg

And a YJ with 265/75R16 BFG MT:

http://www.ks-tuning.de/tj/felgen3.jpg

By the way, what is the bolt pattern on your rims?

Steve

TW wrote:
> My stock 16" rims are 7" wide on a '01 TJ. According to your logic, I
> would be better off getting something like 235/85R16, instead of 265/75R16.
> Both these sizes are roughly equivalent to 32" tyres. I don't want to go
> too high, but do want MTs. We mostly have mud, sand, dirt and grassy
> tracks. Very rarely do we see rocks in our region in New Zealand. Snow is
> never heard off in Auckland.
>
> TW
>