Mud Tire- Wide or Narrow?
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Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Honkytonkville
Mud Tire- Wide or Narrow?
My buddy and I have argued about this for a long time, so which is truly the better setup? Wide or narrow tires? just for giggles lets say its for my F250 650+ hp 460 with 4.88 gears....any input would be great!
Thanks
Scott
Thanks
Scott
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Chatsworth, CA
wider gives you greater floation. narrow tires like to dig which isn't always a good idea. you forgot to say what size tire (height) with those 4.88 gears I hope its not over 38" tall! LOL 
With 4.88 gears a TSL swamper in 15x38x15 would be ideal.
With 4.88 gears a TSL swamper in 15x38x15 would be ideal.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Spokane, WA
I think if you've got plenty of power you're better off with a tire that's going to dig down (narrow) to the bottom. The problem is if you don't have the power and the mud starts gumming around your tires it's going to choke your engine in a hurry. For a truck like you described 95-350's recommendation for a 15" wide TSL would be awesome. If you're running a truck with less power, especially if it's a lighter truck, I think you're better with a WIDE tire that will keep you on top of the mud rather than sink you in it.
Then again this all depends because if you have mud up over your axles a narrow tire will mean trouble.
Then again this all depends because if you have mud up over your axles a narrow tire will mean trouble.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2003
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The type of mud I like isn't the bottomless kind, but rather the slip and slide kind, such as slimy trails. Therefore, a little narrower is better. I don't like the skinny look though, so I have my 33x12.50s on 8" rims that suck them in a little. When I eventually go to 36s I will get 12.50s then too. Or maybe a 37" bogger 
Or maybe a set of the old narrow Buckshots. Maybe I am a little confused. One thing I am clear about is that I don't prefer the look of say a 33x15.50" SX. Too wide for the heighth. Just my $0.02.
Or maybe a set of the old narrow Buckshots. Maybe I am a little confused. One thing I am clear about is that I don't prefer the look of say a 33x15.50" SX. Too wide for the heighth. Just my $0.02.
Posting Guru
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From: Chatsworth, CA
I agree with you teds. I hate tires that are too wide for there size. I think they have to be proportioned. I just hope my ground hawgs aren't gonna be to WIDE! I'm thinking bushwacker cutoff fender flares are in order. Oh yeah and Ivan I saw an ad for the Iroks in 42" pretty pricey!
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Spokane, WA
Where'd you see those IROK's advertised? I haven't seen them anywhere yet, at least online. I decided to go with the TSL's after seeing the wear on Fishy's IROK's. They're 42x15, same as the new IROK is supposed to be but they'll last a little while on the street. You got the 40" Hawgs, right? They're not much wider than 15". The 44's are about 18" wide . . . definitely need a flare for that.
Yeah, I guess this comes down to what kind of mud you're using your truck in. For the DEEP stuff a wide floater is better but if you have any kind of a base and decent power I'd go for a narrow tire that will dig down.
Yeah, I guess this comes down to what kind of mud you're using your truck in. For the DEEP stuff a wide floater is better but if you have any kind of a base and decent power I'd go for a narrow tire that will dig down.
Posting Guru
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From: Chatsworth, CA
I think it was that magazine 4 wheel parts sends out called "Offroad Adventures" they were around $320. Yeah I ordered the 40" Hawgs and should be recieving them by next week. Good, I hope they aren't to wide. 15" wide is doable. I'm gonna run 16.5x9.75 rim so they won't stick out that much.
they came out with the TSL in a 39.5" x 17" rim and there 15" wide. I was thinking of getting these but I couldn't pass on the price of the Hawgs. If you get the 42" are you gonna run 16.5 or 15?
they came out with the TSL in a 39.5" x 17" rim and there 15" wide. I was thinking of getting these but I couldn't pass on the price of the Hawgs. If you get the 42" are you gonna run 16.5 or 15?
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Post Fiend
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From: Spokane, WA
Well $320 is a little higher than I expected but still not too shabby considering they're 42". But if you've got to replace them twice a year . . . 
I've looked into 17" rims but they're expensive AND I really like the look of a ton of rubber with small rims. I would love to do 15's but they won't clear my calipers. We've discussed grinding the calipers in the past but I'm not comfortable with the amount of material that would have to be removed. So I'm going with the 16.5's. The plan is just not to air down too much so I don't lose the bead. Eventually I'll go to beadlocks too. Or, in a perfect world, Interco will wake up and make TSL's in a 16".
I've looked into 17" rims but they're expensive AND I really like the look of a ton of rubber with small rims. I would love to do 15's but they won't clear my calipers. We've discussed grinding the calipers in the past but I'm not comfortable with the amount of material that would have to be removed. So I'm going with the 16.5's. The plan is just not to air down too much so I don't lose the bead. Eventually I'll go to beadlocks too. Or, in a perfect world, Interco will wake up and make TSL's in a 16".
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Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: iowa
This is an old debate but I have to agree with several posts on here that it depends on what you are doing with it for mud bogs those guys use wide tires ALOT of HP, and light weight, and skip across the top but it is a missnomar that a wide tire will float ontop of the mud they will sink just ot all the way to the bottom where they can get traction just enough to cause alot of drag pulling then engine down, and really getting you stuck, now for mud drags a narrow tire will beat the wide tires, in most classes.
lastly I will leave you with this thought on this debate the old model As, and model T's had very skinny tires 2wd, and no roads, and the went almost anywhere with them, The old military jeeps had skinny tires and went through stuff that 44's get stuck in, and the Military hummers only us a 13in wide tire.
lastly I will leave you with this thought on this debate the old model As, and model T's had very skinny tires 2wd, and no roads, and the went almost anywhere with them, The old military jeeps had skinny tires and went through stuff that 44's get stuck in, and the Military hummers only us a 13in wide tire.
Post Fiend
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From: Oregon
There are simply too many variables to make a blanket statement that one is better than the other. The guys have named several. The reason stuff like this becomes old debates is because there isn't a right answer 
Of course, with the specs on the 73, he could run combine tires 
Posting Guru
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From: Chatsworth, CA
Originally Posted by ivanribic
Well $320 is a little higher than I expected but still not too shabby considering they're 42". But if you've got to replace them twice a year . . . I've looked into 17" rims but they're expensive AND I really like the look of a ton of rubber with small rims. I would love to do 15's but they won't clear my calipers. We've discussed grinding the calipers in the past but I'm not comfortable with the amount of material that would have to be removed. So I'm going with the 16.5's. The plan is just not to air down too much so I don't lose the bead. Eventually I'll go to beadlocks too. Or, in a perfect world, Interco will wake up and make TSL's in a 16".
I've looked into 17" rims but they're expensive AND I really like the look of a ton of rubber with small rims. I would love to do 15's but they won't clear my calipers. We've discussed grinding the calipers in the past but I'm not comfortable with the amount of material that would have to be removed. So I'm going with the 16.5's. The plan is just not to air down too much so I don't lose the bead. Eventually I'll go to beadlocks too. Or, in a perfect world, Interco will wake up and make TSL's in a 16".what is the least amount of air pressure you can run on a 16.5 rim and not run the risk of it popping a bead? I would love to have beadlocks but not sure I can afford them yet.
Post Fiend
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From: Spokane, WA
If you're not into bling you should look at hummer beadlocks, unless I'm just retarded and the bolt patterns are different. I've seen them around for cheap. Something I've wanted to do but haven't is go to our military yard and just ask them what it would take to get a set. They may be throwing them away. Not too shiny but they'll do the job.
Pro and I talked about airing down the 16.5's a couple weeks ago and if I remember right (nope . . . didn't take notes
) he said he airs down to about 15psi offroad.
Pro and I talked about airing down the 16.5's a couple weeks ago and if I remember right (nope . . . didn't take notes
) he said he airs down to about 15psi offroad.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Marengo, Iowa
Everyone here is basically right in their own way, and something to consider as well, wider tires have less surface pressure due to the larger area touching down, therefore, narrower tires have better traction. Yes you can get good traction with wide tires, but aired the same and everything the same, except the width, the traction comes best with narow. I have had better success on trails and mud roads and such with narrows, wides tend to spin out easier, rather than dig at first, then spin. Movement keeps you from being stuck, and the sooner you spin, the sooner you get stuck.
Posting Guru
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From: Chatsworth, CA
Originally Posted by ivanribic
If you're not into bling you should look at hummer beadlocks, unless I'm just retarded and the bolt patterns are different. I've seen them around for cheap. Something I've wanted to do but haven't is go to our military yard and just ask them what it would take to get a set. They may be throwing them away. Not too shiny but they'll do the job.
Pro and I talked about airing down the 16.5's a couple weeks ago and if I remember right (nope . . . didn't take notes) he said he airs down to about 15psi offroad.
Pro and I talked about airing down the 16.5's a couple weeks ago and if I remember right (nope . . . didn't take notes
) he said he airs down to about 15psi offroad.