Traci Pearson wrote:
>
> 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.
Welcome to the DML Traci - too bad you are not closer to the east coast
- I would say come on out to the DML BBQ - always a cray time out there :-D
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.
This is from the DML Tire And Wheel Calculator
Dimensions
Tire A: 267/76 R 15 (31 x 10.51 x 15)
Tire B: 245/65 R 17 (30 x 9.65 x 17)
As you can see - going to the 17's in that size - will give you a
smaller diameter tire/wheel.
I have 17's on my Ram, and one thing I have found, is that for truck
tires - 17 is an oddball size. You would be better off staying with 15
or if you want to go larger - 16.
>
> 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).
If you ask me - tread pattern plays the biggest role in traction. Tires
with more biting edges will give better traction than tires with say for
example, mud terrain treads. Look for tires that have lots of siping.
(small slits in the tread) BFG AT's or Bridgestone Dueller Revo tires
are thought of highly on the DML - as well as the Yokohama Geolanders.
> 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?
Wider and stiffer won't have much of an effect - the diameter will.
Larger diameter tires will make fewer rotations than a smaller tire.
Thus your drive line and engine will make fewer revolutions as well...
thus in theory, giving you better fuel economy. Critics of this
thinking say the "taller" ride the tires give makes the truck less
aerodynamic and defeats the possible fuel economy gains.
-- -------------------------------------------------------------- ***** Countdown to 2004 DML BBQ (13) Days Left! *****Terrible Tom -- AIM & Yahoo Name: SilverEightynine http://members.aol.com/silvereightynine/
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