Choosing bigger tyres for your 4x4 benefits & issues off-road, 4 Wheeling Quick tip

[@Ronny_Dahl]

If anyone re-gears the final drive (differential) then consider installing Diff lockers while the diff is being rebuilt, will cost a little bit extra (parts only) but you will save in the long run if getting lockers later on anyway, as you're not paying for labour twice.

[@Ronny_Dahl]

33 inch will fit without a lift on 70 series, any bigger and a lift is required.

[@Ronny_Dahl]

no worries ;)

[@gott1rott]

Whats the biggest tire size I can fit on my 2017 f 150 without a lift?

[@jackwu6382]

Ronny Dahl I

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

Ronny Dahl I thought that if you have a newer 4x4 vehicle it would already have diff lockers. Am I correct about that? Thank you

[@frank1908]

My right ear was pleasured greatly in this video. Good info as usual, Ronny!

[@SeriousSchitt]

Another point, maybe worth considering, is, if you go bigger then they are harder on your brakes, typically at hiway speeds, to slow up, as they are bigger and heavier and produce more centrifugal force!

[@Ronny_Dahl]

Great point!

[@timothyjamieson6860]

Also the leverage between the disc diameter and the tyre diameter gets worse with bigger wheels. This makes braking less effective, and also can upset the speedo accuracy on road.

[@ToGrimmToWin]

run bigger aluminum rims lower profile tires for mall crawler to keep the bigger tires lighter

[@simonward5833]

Good point, Timothy. The extra leverage on the brakes is not something that's often considered. I think that's why Mark's 4WD do a brake upgrade as part of the package for portal axels and 35in tyres.

[@shoveljunk-americanpatriot7603]

I went to Oceano Dunes, Ca with my wife in June 2016. We have a 2001.5 Dodge Cummins 2500 H.O.Quad Cab. Tires are 265/75/16 factory option. We carry a Lance Squire 165s and pull a Polaris General on a 12 foot trailer. I aired down to 28 psi. The rear tires were really squatting down. In low range, we walked right across that sand and set up camp. We saw a lot of new trucks with these new modern big wheel low profile sidewall tires. That setup seems to be very popular now. Some of those guys really struggled and some got stuck. The beach got softer and rutted as more and more people came in. One guy with the new 2015 or so modern look Dodge Cummins was getting bogged down. He had a pull trailer toy hauler with him. I talked him into letting air out of the tires and it worked. Still he was using a lot of RPM probably in part to the automatic transmission. All of that explanation is to ask the question, is that tire and wheel combination acceptable or it's mostly for looks and the population just don"t know?

[@l84jk31]

Well someone looks a lot different without a beard. Glad you have stuck with the channel. One of the best off-road channels on utube

[@olliehopnoodle4628]

Long time subscriber. It's fun to go back and watch one of your older video's. They were good but the production quality on your newer stuff is obviously better. Thanks for your support of wheeling and I am happy your channel is taking off.

[@mountainconstructions]

Man oh man, how young do you look here! And it was only 5 years ago

[@notanotherutubeuser]

I WAS THINKING WOW THIS PORKY HAS LOST SOME WEIGHT

[@noblesseoblige2365]

It's worth mentioning that any jeep owners who plan to run 35s should upgrade the factory uni joints and brace with the C gussets usually then the 30 has no issues.

[@Rudanbet]

Great informative videos, thanks. With regards to bigger types, and lift kits, the one aspect I don't see much (or any) discussion of is the impact due to raising the vehicle's center of gravity. When climbing a steep hill this effectively shifts more of the vehicle's weight onto the back wheels, thus reducing the traction of the front wheels. The additional weight also means that more effort/traction is needed to get the vehicle up the hill. The higher center of gravity will also make the vehicle less stable a in severe of camber situations, and likely to tip at a smaller of camber angle. Your thoughts, and any specific information and data on this topic would be really interesting.

[@subtleinfluence9478]

Over ten years dedicated. Legend

[@robertsmtn]

Nice video showing it's not just bigger is better. I have an old '93 Jeep ZJ with 3.5 inch lift, 31/10.50s and a little less backspacing on the rim than stock. I have plenty of clearance for anything but pure rock crawling, and the 31s stuff so nicely the only thing I have had to trim is a little plastic bumper

[@stevesmith3556]

Ronnie, you have come a long way my friend.🤠

[@dalefrolander3583]

Another way to get more clearance under the differential is to use portal axles.

[@V8SB4U2]

cheers enjoyed seeing the 31 - 35's inline like that to see the difference good work

[@dgronlun]

I´ve got a Pajero 1992 which was previously installed with a set of Insa Turbo Special Track. Ridiculously great grip, really a competition MT tyre. Was a bit too much for my driving style (more on-road than off) so now I´m getting the Nexen Roadian MT 265/75/16. Hoping for lots of gravel adventures back here in Finland as the snow is melting like butter on hot rocks.

[@Ronny_Dahl]

Nexen is not a very well know brand in Australia when it comes to 4x4 tyres, interested to know what they are like...

[@pietskiet8763]

bigger wheels also equals more strain on clutch and drive chain

[@cruisercountry8651]

piet skiet Yeah 33s seem to be the sweet spot for economy vs performance vs offroad ability vs reliability

[@mikenolzeynolan4635]

Never thought of that ,cheers

[@southernpeople1630]

I once had substantial tires on an otherwise stock 3rd gen 4runner; it was a dream. Now I've the 4th gen 4runner and have maxed out at a 31.6 tire and I feel like I'm driving a Subaru or some other ill equipped station wagon.

[@zhaooopu]

nice vid! bigger tires are not the only way to lift the diff above the ground, you can also fit portal axles.

[@strikeforce4581]

Running 16" American racing rims on wrangler trailmarks 31.5. I wanna upgrade to toyo open country MTS. With new shocks and the tires I'll get the 2" I need of lift I'll be happy.

[@nevertheless4806]

Hi Ronny, bigger there is not the only option, there is another way to lift the diff is "portal axle". But it's expensive , 6 inch + portal axle mod kit will cost 16k for solid axle car only (79 land cruiser and patrol)

[@nevertheless4806]

I mean bigger tyre ... wrong typing

[@SuperDufus]

I appreciate you effort but please be more careful choosing the right words: For instance (1:12) the wheels are not "rotating faster", they are simply covering more distance per revolution. I did however like your the part about "massage your guards" (3:29). I'm not sure the I ever heard it explained that way and it made me chuckle. Overall, nice video.

[@Ronny_Dahl]

thanks for your input SuperDufus and yeah your 100% right about the wheels not rotating faster...should have said "the wheels will be covering more ground causing the vehicle to move faster"

[@cwehbe]

Thanks for the vid Ronny. It's important to note than the diff will lift off the ground if you are lifting a truck with independent suspension, such at Hummers, Nissan Patrols, Infiniti QX...

[@gzwbyc]

Another thing to consider on IFS vehicles is if the larger tyre will fit under the lower spring pan on the strut. On my particular vehicle, I had to fit comp struts just to get 31's in.

[@stocky9803]

Great vid mate! FYI in most cases you can get spaces to space your 35 away from the door however a tyre that size can cause issues with hinges cracking off and so on due to the weight

[@cruisercountry8651]

Stocky Stocky Yeah, buy spacers are illegal here in Aus

[@cameronalexander359]

Don't forget brakes. Bigger tyres take more effort to stop.

[@cruisercountry8651]

Cameron Alexander Especially on an older truck that has drums. I'm only running 33s and my brakes are shithouse. Could have something to do with the crushed front drivers side brake line though 😂😂

[@inlandbhsk8r]

Cameron Alexander dude no way my first name is Cameron and my middle name is Alexander

[@eightbit3055]

What I plan on doing is building my own custom independent suspension for me ford truck to lift the differential up and out of the way. Tons of old plans on line for racing cars. Of course if you do this your towing and payload capability goes down drastically like any truck with independent rear suspension.

[@mavericmorph4343]

Suspension lifts and bigger tyres do look the nuts. but I found the money you save keeping you vehicle stock and just investing in a nice set of off road tyres (of the same diameter as stock ones) with front and back lockers will benefit you more....Of course you might want to armour up underneath.

[@GusgusA1]

Yes they do sell land cruisers here in Canada

[@davej9929]

Also perhaps worth mentioning is the speedo will be out and you raise the centre of gravity of the vehicle, making it more unstable in all conditions. Add the instability with a loaded roof rack, well.......... Who actually NEEDS larger wheels, tyres anyway ???

[@mrpaulgrimm6129]

I bought a set of Cooper AP3 XLTs for my F150 4x4. Great tire

[@djarizona]

I'm looking at doing a re-gear here very soon I went from 31 tires to 35s on 3.73 and probably will re-gear to 4.56 I am sure its making the transmission & engine work harder. I have been quoted $1800 for front and rear so not cheap and no lockers.

[@irregularrex4004]

People here do 2"leveling kits and run 35's on their trucks. I have a 2014 F150 with a 2.5" level that comes stock with 31's and I'm gonna buy 33's when the original tires wear out. Only reason I won't buy 35's is they'll rub and I'd have to cut a little off my bumper unless I get a bigger lift and it's mainly a highway truck.

[@djarizona]

Love watching your videos Ronny I am fascinated by Australia and the rugged outback. I live in Arizona so not all that different in many ways but Australia that's cool. Maybe I will make it over there some day.

[@danburch9989]

A few points. 1. The big problem with larger tires is the loss of torque at the drive axles. You'll suffer from poor performance going up steep hills. 2. The wheel will turn at the same RPM regardless of the size of the tire. But the angular velocity will be higher at the tread, taking fewer revolutions per mile. Your speedometer will read slower than your actual speed. That could lead to higher true MPG if the tire size increase isn't taken to extremes. You'd have to drive a measured distance at a known speed to verify that point. Can't use the odometer because it won't be accurate unless you change the speedometer pickup gearing. 3. Going down hill, you'll actually get better engine braking. I don't think the weight difference between a smaller tire vs the largest tire in this video makes a negative impact on the MPG. You're just rolling the tires, not carrying them. It is also true that in most conventional drive trains, the tire size (height) determines ground clearance for the axle/differential.

[@pietskiet8763]

+Dan Burch Its a big deal , your overall weight increases and CFG changes on vehicle.We do not recommend much more than 2 inch lift on our dune drive vehicles .We try to maintain standard CFG for our dune drives as our slip faces in the NAMIB are @34 degrees and most weekend warriors with big wheels have to change clutches much more often than we do

[@leapinlizard9487]

Dan Burch x.

[@Jackthesmilingblack]

How are we supposed to make sense of this non-standard USCS/metric mishmash? And I could manage without the racial slurs. Jack, the Japan Alps Brit

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

I went with smaller rims with bigger tires. My speedometer is off by 2mph. If it says 60mph I’m actually doing 58mph lol. My original rims were 20’s and my new rims are 17’s

[@Zapo9668]

Does this mean that a larger type will last longer in terms of KM? Because each part of the type is in contact less with the road vs a small tyre which would be in contact much more.

[@badabingbadaboom9251]

What my pocket can tolerate. Thank you ronny

[@MarkoCoomo]

Good vid .. got me thinking .. fairly sure you get less torque at the road, speedo/odometer will need adjusting and turning circle may also be reduced unless you install spacers too...

[@BikerBytes]

Don’t forget the legal implications, especially here in Australia.

[@OrdnanceTV]

Legal implications?

[@BikerBytes]

@@OrdnanceTV Australia has limits what you can do to your vehicle of you intend to use public roads.

[@stasn3715]

In Belgium you can’t do anything to the car. Nothing because you will not get through yearly check up. And if no check up no riding on the public road.

[@barneygoldstein7103]

always learn something new from you mate, well done great video. you spell things out well so people can go on and do their own research and mods from watching your videos.

[@Jackthesmilingblack]

I'm not convinced by the wider tyres/more traction argument. Narrower tyres give more pressure per unit area. It occurs to me that say dropping from 16- to 15-inch in order to accommodate a larger profile may be the way to go. Obviously keep away from low profiles that are so prone to sidewall damage. Check what the rally cars are using. So many modern passenger cars and SUVs have inadequate wheel arch space largely because they use strut front suspension. So 70% may be the largest tyre you can fit. I'm in the Japan Alps, so snow and ice are what I face in winter. Obviously not a problem in OZ. However, traction in mud is a common issue. I run a couple of Pajero iOs, because they have an over-engineered transmission (4WD/2WD switchable, lockable centre diff, crawler gear, LSD), also well designed strong road wheels. Drawback is that only Mitsubishi wheels will fit. And so cheap at auction that you can literally afford scrap when that expensive servicing falls due at 100,000km. Bit of a knee-buckler for you guys I realise. You can strap three lengths of chain on each of the rear wheels, so it's better to carry two spare wheels already prepared. Naturally you have to remove the mud flaps. A long winter with plenty of snow means a high probability of serious damage/write off. I've always planned to be the last owner, and scrapping is FoC. 200,000 yen will get you a low distance iO complete with registration and shaken. Jack, the Japan Alps Brit

[@Kiddomike]

A lot of people do recommend to upgrade my tyres from 31" to 33" and have a 2" lift but I'm not convinced that the additional 1" clearance to the differential is significant. I need your opinion on this, Ronny.

[@samcooper1304]

hey ronny was wondering if you could do a video on how to read tyre sizes and how to know what size is too big

[@raynerlauder8226]

There is only the consum of fuel! Modifications are simple and 34 is possible on the behind holder with very small change! Brakes are strong enough at most of the off-roaders! Speed meter adjustment is not hard!

[@stefcestojkovski9773]

Good video Ronny. That's why I own Defender.

[@Ken19700]

You can lift your diff with portals too.

[@paolofortuni9305]

What about brake failure? I've been told if you go too big from stock size you should also consider upgrading your brakes. Thanks

[@acephantom903]

Depends on your brakes. If they are drums you want to look into upgrading as they will suffer the most. If they are disks, they should work fine but they will overheat faster. If you do a lot of hill descents you will want to look into upgrading brakes but not if you mostly do level ground. Upgrading brakes usually isn't the biggest issue with putting on bigger tires. I have never liked lift kits because I always feel like the vehicle is more unstable after.

[@IVY321]

Mate, you can also lift your diff with a portal axle.

[@twayland6186]

Too expensive

[@maximusEagle]

Hi Ronny, Do you know if a 275/55 R20 will be ok for a Range Rover HSE 2006 ? And if so will it put alot of major stress on brakes,suspension etc ? Thanks and great videos btw !

[@Ronny_Dahl]

+maximusEagle not sure how much stress it will put on the vehicle but what I can say is low profile tyres are prone to splitting on the bead when lowered below 30psi. We have had a few split like that on our tag along tours.

[@maximusEagle]

Ronny Dahl Thanks mate...The tyres are tha BF GOODRICH KO2

[@khyefitness8232]

Just to help anyone with an old Pajero. A 33 fits fine you just need to torsion the front up 2 inches

[@wparo]

Cheers bro. You sure know what you talking about

[@justaguy4real]

Nice, but the big tires also typically stays on top mud for the most part, and tall thin tires usually cut or sink in to the lower harder part of the mud. But great video.

[@alnbaba]

I'll stay with my 31's bfg ta/ko's they're only $1200 a set and my fuel mileage is poor to begin with 15 liter per 100 k. I've always stayed with stock sizes and never had problems with the diff, transfer case or axles.

[@ganguskongoose1553]

??? 31 ko's are like 180 a piece where i am, 720 for 4

[@alnbaba]

In Canada everything is more expensive

[@ganguskongoose1553]

that sucks

[@adambennett1193]

@@ganguskongoose1553 330/350ish ea in aus... :(

[@mudcodpoacher6265]

250 each in Aus

[@solarbuduk]

Is it always true that bigger tyres = more traction? After all, there is a school of thought that says that skinny tyres perform better because they dig in whereas wide tyres can make you skate around eg on mud. And I heard it from the (great) Andrew St Pierre White also so it must be true 😉

[@ljgarrison6910]

It is terrain dependant, however for most situations, a slightly wider tyre and alot taller is a good thing

[@MitroBurner]

What is the legalities of changing tyre sizes? What about insurance issues? PS - Ronnie Dahl, - your videos are great, down to earth, no bullshit.

[@adelarsen9776]

Skinny Split rims, Michelin tubes and MRF cross ply tyres are what we use.

[@Nathaniel2Smooth]

Mitsubishi Montero or pajero can fit 35s without any lift other than cranking up the torsion bars. but you will have very little Clarence for off road cause you'll have no axle flex unless you cut the fenders or do a body lift. I have 35 in nitto trail graplers on my 1990 Montero

[@magnus5356]

Forgot to mention the weight of bigger tires and the effect that have on braking. Lot's of people don't realize that it will be MUCH harder to stop a vehicle with 37" tires vs. one with 33".

[@Tsmace33]

Its not the only way. You could get portal axles

[@cheserex]

How about the effect on the odometer and speedometer readings? Do they have to be re-calibrated?

[@HerzensFolger]

Hello mir gefällt das richtig gut was du da machst. Mach unbedingt weiter! I like :) Daniel

[@sailingseriously2035]

Hi my name is Lachie and i am 13 years old. I am a massive fan of 4x4ing. I just want to know, with your previous hilux did you have any major issues with 33's and a 2" lift. Thanks

[@Ronny_Dahl]

Hi Lachie, with the previous SR5 Hilux fitting 33's involved the following: #1 0 offset rims front and rear (rear is fine no cutting or further mods to be done) #2 some cutting of the guards on the inside (the internal splash guards close to the driver and passenger feet). #3 Added some cheap rubber flare extenders to widen the flares due to the wider tyre and wider offset rims (front and rear), Later changed those to "Monster Rides Flares" which are wide than SR5 toyota ones. #4 I changed the diff gear ratio from 3:5 to 4:11, this made it better for take off on the road and reset my 1st gear low off road. #5 I put 5mm washer between the bump stop to prevent the tyre from contacting the top of the front wheel arch! #6 was going to cut/trim & re-weld the body mount as it will still contact it on full lock at max flex, However found it to be ok for me with out cutting that. Thats how I got mine to fit on the previous SR5 Hilux 4lt Petrol, as you can see it took a fair bit of trial and error, got many ideas off newhilux.net and put them together and did a few different things myself. If you try the same then be very real careful about the body mount stuff if you do decide to cut it as there is no going back once done!! Also as always consider all mods before doing them as some mods can get a vehicle defected.

[@timothythomas1345]

Ronnie I have a 2000 model jeep xj . I am just finishing up a roof rack making the final touches to the ax and shovel mounts . . Now I want it not to look like a station wagon . I am not out for huge tires . it has 15 in tires on it . What amount of lift or hight would I get if I can put 30 or 31 in tires on the cherokee ? A lift kit seems complicated and I don't need a high rise 5 or 6 inches higher . I just want 2 inches even 1.5 would make a difference . Any advice pointers or tips would be greatly appreciated . I heard what you said about gas milage with the rack . I heard this a week or so ago on another video and you have confirmed it . So to the drawing board I go . I already got a couple ideas for a shield or deflector . Thank You and God Bless Tim in Florida .

[@cruisercountry8651]

timothy thomas I had a 96 XJ before my current landcruiser, and ran 31x10.50r15 on standard suspension, but they did rub a bit. about 3" lift seems to be the sweet spot for 31s on the xj's

[@timothythomas1345]

Thnalk you brother I ended up with a set I found in the local classified offer up app . I offered 200 of the 300 asking price . THE TIRES WERE THE SAME SIZE ALTHOUGH DIFFERENT TYPE TIRES AND ARE CLOSE TO NEW CONDITION . i GOT 5 TIRES AND WHEELS MATCHING . bEFORE i HAD CHEAP FACTORY STEEL WHEELS . The tires are Wrangler and the wheels are aluminum tear drop jeep wheels the local junk yard wanted 60 dollars per aluminum wheel , . Which would have cost me more than I paid for the whole package on offer up app . The truck is higher already by a little just from the tires and having tread . God Blessed us with this set ,hAVE A SAFE NEW YEAR AND God Bless

[@OverlandingNL]

Gosh this is old :P sound is so much better these days!

[@v12mercedes-benz72]

My touareg fits 32" 275 65 18 perfectly, no rubbering at all, i think 33" is the biggest tyre for this vehicle, no need modify the suspension

[@CAG-1227]

What about a gear? Will it take more effort to spin bigger tires and will it wear faster?

[@onwheels8232]

Increase your diff clearence: bigger tyres or portal axle or both

[@dannaomif1255]

Bigger tyres = odo showing incorrect distance travelled. Something to keep in mind when working out service intervals. Also if you buy a vehicle thats travelled X km and fitted with bigger tyres, its actually travelled further.

[@rhinob8817]

Hey Ronny, I’m after a little bit of advise. I’ve recently purchased a 2006 Toyota landcruiser. And I’m wanting to get bigger tyres fitted. Which I would do some off-road driving. Should I get muddys or allterain. And what size do you recommend. As I don’t want to put to much strain on the vehicle. Thx mate

[@phatmeow7764]

this may be off tangent but suppose we have a 6x6 or 8x8 : would having more wheels with smaller tires be better than a 4x4 with huge tires strictly for off road / all terrain duty?

[@portable112]

You have great offroad videos. Subbed.

[@davidigglesden]

You did not mention about the drive gearing and motor revs or the legal limits in WA ..

[@sunnyvalejedi]

3rd gen 4runner, 5spd, 3.4L with a 3" OME lift. Think I'd need to regear going to 285 75r16 (33"), or stick with 265 75 r16s (31.5")? Daily driver that will be wheeled.

[@cruisercountry8651]

Propfrwrd Just go with the 33s. You wont look back, they shit all over 31s. I've got 33x12.50s and havent needed to regear, still crawls real slow in first. But the stock diff ratio on my 'Cruiser is 4.10, so that helps a lot

[@sunnyvalejedi]

CruiserCountry 86 Love it! Thanks for the advice!

[@rafaeldejesus6858]

Hi Ronny, may I know what size is the biggest you can fit in a Nissan Frontier Navara D23 with a 2 inch suspension lift without cutting and re-gearing? I’m currently running on 3.692s. Thank you!

[@StahlFirearmsNo2]

you can get portal axels and lift your dif further from the ground

[@cruisercountry8651]

M80 Gaming Yeah, but he is talking about the benefits of bigger tires, not swapping out entire drive train components. Most recreational 4wd people won't want to do a axle swap for a few extra inches

[@stephenh7965]

I've gone for portal's to get the lift on my 79 series.

[@TheMr0450]

Mind sharing the increased ground clearance figures & price if possible?

[@stephenh7965]

You get 6 inches clearance under the diff, 4 from the actual portal and 2 from the fact the kits comes engineered for 35 inch tyres. Price will vary depending on a few factors but the kit is worth 19K then allow 3k fitting and 3k for rims and tyres (i got 6).

[@TheMr0450]

Okayyy... the cost is way too North for me then. Thank You for sharing Stephen. cheers!!!

[@paul1mdrn]

I lift my diff by getting airborn 🚀😄

[@razorback7158]

Do I need a lift kit for 33 inch tires on a 70 series cruiser ?

[@jako71000]

Razor Back No lift required for fitment May need to change the wheel offset though

[@razorback7158]

Jakson Brown thanks

[@knoleng8590]

I run 265/75r16 on my triton. They fit but they are on +25 offset

[@OjBlack100]

Thanks for the tyre tips mate, very informative. Cheers

[@Ktheodoss]

I've been enlightened. Very informative. Gracias!

[@Lee-in-oz]

Another great vid mate. Did you re gear the ute or just leave it as is to allow lower rpm on the hi way? Cheers Lee

[@Ronny_Dahl]

I didn't regear the cruiser, I found the cruiser gear ratio was perfect for 33's and 35's. 1st gear low with stock tyres was just too low, and as you mentioned the RPM is too high at highway speeds. The Hilux I had a year ago I regeared, was a costly exercise but worth it ;)

[@michaelfewell1497]

Adding 3 inch lift with 35 tires with 17x9 rims to a 2012 JKU. Do you need geometry correction brackets and any regearing.

[@spsingam]

Ronny, Question - would you need to have a wider tyre when you go to 33 or 35 or 37's or can you keep it "slim" or "narrow" tyres. What are the pro's and con's of going for a slim tyre, which is not wide and hence probably weighs less and offers less resistance but has the benefits of rolling over obstacles and giving a smoother ride when off road. I keep seeing people with bigger and wider tyres and on my recent trip to Borneo, i noticed the blokes there just have 35 or 37 but they are narrow tyres. anyways thanks for you all your clips on here... cheers. :)

[@Ronny_Dahl]

spsingam The width of you tyres won't impact much on anything apart from wider tyres will be slightly better at climbing ruts side on as they will sit past the rim more. A narrower tyre will fit more easy when going up in sizes in some situations.

[@xpusostomos]

Mostly they get wider as you get bigger, but there are some exceptions and narrow tyres.

[@leoerickson7554]

Portal axles can lift your diff without changing tire size.

[@JoeC92]

Whats the benefit to having a large tire over a smaller rim? I know best way to get ground clearance is bigger tires but with the larger tires you loose a lot of fuel efficiency. I always see people go with a 33inch tire with a 16-17inch rim. Why not go with a larger size like a 18-19 and then not need such a large tire? I figure in terms of rocks, ok but for just general off road and in mud would it be drastically different running a larger wheel with a smaller sidewall tire?

[@chefdan87]

+Joe Chitussi Running a larger diameter rim on the same size tire will not raise the ground clearance. The tire is what determines that height as its diameter is what touches the ground. The only benefit of a larger rim is better stability when traveling at higher speeds from a stiffer sidewall, rally racing is a good example of offroading where lower profile tires tend to be used. All other forms of offroading a tall sidewall is preferred for better traction by offering deformation and the ability to lower psi to increase the contact patch. If you want bigger tires you will just have to accept a drop in mileage, a necessary evil in this circumstance. The only way around this is portal axles like on the 404 Unimog or Mercedes which through planetary gears on the end of the axle housing that drops the hubs which in turn raises the ground clearance of the axle and the rest of the vehicle.

[@xpusostomos]

Small rims with big tyres bag better when you reduce the pressure and this performs better off road. Big rims are useless off road. Also big tyres means higher gearing which probably actually should give you better fuel economy, albeit your odometer will say it is worse because it doesn't know you changed rotations per mile.

[@donttalktomeamheartotrain1545]

hello. thanks for the video. I ha e a quick question so if my trailblazer starts at 29 1/2 inches and if I add a 3 inch lift and 1.5 inch wheel spacers will I be able to add 33 inch tires?

[@rigourmortis]

Great vids Ronny. Where can i get ring and pinion kits for a mq triton?

[@ShadowFiend198400]

im changing gears from 3.73 to 3.56 to withstand the 8.5 lift.. there a mathematical way to determine ur best gearing based on ur lift and tires diameter.. google some where in ram forums

[@tillsy23]

gday ronnie just ordered a set of 265/75R16 bfg all terrains on +20 king D lock rims for the MQ triton, bet ya a 79 series cruiser they'll fit? ;-)

[@mauricewanink1452]

Fitting bigger tires is not the only way to clear the space under the diffs! What about fitting portal axles! With portal axles you get clearance and you can fit bigger tires due to the gearing in the portal hubs.

[@Ronny_Dahl]

Thanks for your input, portal diffs are not very common in AUS on road licensed cars due to the availability, price and legality. Would love to get my hands on a set however.

[@landcruiserhdj81v]

Ronny Dahl i have a set of portal axles from a truck unimog. with lockers. used common for extreem off road.

[@Ronny_Dahl]

landcruiserhdj81v thanks for the input, whats the rough cost for a set?

[@landcruiserhdj81v]

its in europe, belgium and the price is 500euro compleet with lockers and kabels for the 2 axles.

[@acephantom903]

+Ronny Dahl In the US just for the lockers is something like 250 per wheel or $1000. The issue isn't the portal axles, it is reinforcing the whole suspension. To install portal axles safely would cost $8000+

[@lincolnsmith245]

Question: When choosing to upgrade your tyres how do you tell if they'll fit or not with regards to numbering? What is the general sizing of 33s in the format of SIZE: 205/75R17.5 Cheers

[@xpusostomos]

There are many tyre calculators on the net to convert size to diameter. Of course diameter isn't the only factor in considering if they'll fit. Talk to others with the same model car is really the only way.

[@garrisonaw]

If you're having the tires mounted by a shop, they can usually tell you right off whether there might be a problem with them fitting.

[@CrazyforCruiser]

What's the biggest size tire that can fit 97 Land Cruiser on stock suspension without modifying any thing?

[@kylepeter6862]

THANK YOU !

[@SLADE330]

I know this is an old post but someone may read my comment. One issue not covered here is legality. I wouldn’t have even thought about except I ordered tyres from a mainstream tyre dealer in WA and was told by the sales person that if the tyres are more than 15mm larger diameter than the listed tyre for the vehicle, the can’t fit them to the car. I mentioned this Chanel and most have put bigger tyres on and was told it’s illegal. The vehicles in question could be stickers and put off the road. Is this true? If so what about insurance problems in the event of a property or personal injury claim. Questions people might like to know the answers to. Thanks.

[@denismanners2010]

SLADE330 I thought it was 50mm or 2 inches and the same for suspension

[@VishnuRajam4x4]

Question: to clear larger tyres will more or less negative offset be helpful? For example, in my Ford Endeavour (Ranger wagon version) stock is 29" but to fit 33x12.5x15s is my choice of -30 offset rims correct or should I have gone with 0 offset rims. Stock rims are +10 Offset I think. Legality is not an issue here.

[@SuperDufus]

Indeed. The offset will have an impact on clearance. Not only must one consider the height of the tire, the width is just as important. Since wheel backspacing and offset affect how close (on a horizontal plane) the wheel are to the body/frame of the car, this impact may be even more important on the front axle due to steering. The lower the negative offset number, the further away from the fender and suspension components the wheel will be. For example a wheel with an offset of -30 will extend further away from the vehicle than a -10 offset. So a set of wheels and tires which clears all components may incur rubbing when turning hard left or right. Increasing the negative offset of the wheel will "push" both the wheel and tires away from whatever component they were rubbing against. This will also slightly widen the overall width of the vehicle at the axles. That is to say the wheels will stick out further away from the vehicle.

[@xpusostomos]

Don't change the offset from stock, the wheel bearings aren't designed for it and you'll get worse performance and wear them out quicker.

[@newzealandearthmover4008]

Will make your speedo out too I think?

[@bill7501]

Ronny how would a standard 4x4 handle on the sand with 20 inch wheels on all terrains???

[@nnglnd]

straight to the point

[@fjadventures]

Hi . I have trouble deciding what would be best for amarok it came with a 245/65r17 . My two options im looking at that is legal is 245/75r17 or 265/70r17 . Im leaning toward the higher sidewall than the wider tyre. But more people seem to be going for the wider option and im not sure why. Its for touring with alot of gravel roads/national parks and towing.

[@Istoleurpancake]

Same size in an A/T is probably all you need unless you regularly go down rocky tracks. Same deal here with an mq Triton, but I go down really rocky tracks once a week or two & the extra lift will give me more piece of mind. Which tyre & size did U go for in the end & how is the fuel consumption?

[@maniacm6]

What about portal axles?

[@stonewould3916]

Thanks for the info Ronny. I’m pretty new to 4wding - and have an oldish Amarok with shitty clearance. Would you recommend get more clearance through larger tyres first or get a 2”lift? What size tyres would achieve more clearance? Cheers.

[@explorelife2968]

I think you should revisit this topic now you have more knowledge and include the legalities with sizing and offset

[@Ronny_Dahl]

I’ve been thinking about That

[@explorelife2968]

Ronny Dahl a very hot topic at the moment, defects everywhere