Tires and wheels?

From: Traci Pearson (t_writer@privatei.com)
Date: Wed Jul 07 2004 - 19:56:29 EDT


Hi all,
Just joined this list and am hoping you can help me make a touch decision
on tires and wheels for my '97 Dakota V8 4x4. I don't drive the truck that
much (have a car that gets twice the gas mileage), but I do use it to go to
out-of-town races, either just me and some equipment, or fairly heavily
loaded towing about 2000 lbs. I also do some light 4-wheeling; don't like
to tear up the landscape, but I've had to use my sidewalls to climb rocks
every now and then.

I need new tires. I'm actually quite happy with my tread, the Pirelli
Scorpion AT. I have 31x10.05x15's on there now.

I seem to have two options. I could go with what I have now. Or, I could
get 17" rims and get 245/65R17's.

I'd lose at least a half inch of clearance and have to get new fender
flares if I went with the second option.

My primary concern is handling and safety. If something happens in front of
me when I'm towing (or even when I'm not), I'm not sure I will get great
(even decent) handling out of those 31x10.05x15's. I've also been running
high pressure in those tires (better gas mileage!), but the dome-ing had
increases the tire wear (duh).

The second option would certainly give me better handling, but I'm
concerned that the decrease offset (wheel set further out) will affect the
truck's alignment and handling. Also, if I need to put the edge of the
tread on a rock, will I wreck a tire or crack a rim? Will the wider, if
stiffer, tires adversely affect my gas mileage?

Decisions, decisions... (Also, the second option costs the same as the HANS
device I promised I'd buy myself...).

Any thoughts, ideas, feedback?
Thanks!

Traci Pearson
Pearson Technical Communication
Writing, Editing, Information Design • Print and Online
t_writer@privatei.com
(303) 410-9101



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