Advocate I
It's all in fun, derail away. Besides, I need humor after contemplating how to get 46" tires under the WJ. Now I need to find 23" wheels to meet the 50/50 guideline.....
33 inch tire minimum- Real, Guideline, or Urban Legend?
- Thread starter JimBill
- Start date
Enthusiast III
Since I am new to overlanding, does anyone know what the biggest tire I can put on my new tacoma pro (stock suspension, fox shocks). help keep me from a costly mistake. -thanks
Member III
What they said
I was part of the crew that maintained one of the black diamond trails in my local mountains from mid 80's until 06. The 33", one locker recommendation was what the forest service recommended not only for the route but what we were responsible to set the gate keepers at. The gate keepers had to be as hard as the obstacles inside the route.
It was all we could do to keep the gate keepers at that level. Most of us could cross it with a mild lift and tires due to our experience. The biggest issue the forest service has with black diamond trails is law suits. Over the years I've helped countless people who have gotten through the "cleared out" gate keepers only to destroy their vehicles on the inner rock pile.
When you go to a local forest visitor center and ask where you can drive your new 2wd truck on some off road trails, they give you a map with the routes layed out. You choose what appeals to you and hopefully you can enjoy your experience. That is what the designations are for. Don't think for a minute someone came up with a standard rating system for all this either. What is a black diamond near me would be a moderate trail somewhere else.
You can go see the route and hopefully someone hasn't moved the gate keeper rocks. If they did, good sense better tell you if you need to turn back.
Advocate I
It comes from guys with an ego who only want to run with guys with the same ego. In most cases, a manufacturer specs the best tire to work with thier vehicles. They actually do engineering to select a size which will not compromize performance, manuverabilty or create undue stress on the entire power train, suspension, body.
Even with a Wrangler, jumping up to 33s or beyond creates clearance issues requiring a lift and different whell back spacing all of which create stress and weaknesses waiting to break or requiring more "upgrading" creating ne weaknesses. Find guys with an education instead of an ego and "run what ya brung".
I've done all those lifts, wheels, tires, new driveshafts etc..... I have also removed them all and now run my Rubicon with a completely stock driveline and skinny 32s. My gas mileage is 5mpg better than with 33s. The ride is way smoother with tires 8 pounds lighter. Yet I still go the same places, just in better comfort and burning less fuel.
What 33 minimum means???? There are lots of stupid guys out there. There may be trails where a winch or lockers are a good accessory but honestly a 33" minimum is not one of them.
The only other factor is guys who organize groups and see the 33" minimum as a way of weeding out the guys with zero experience, altho lots of guys with 37s have zero experience too. If you like to run with a group.... well they write the invitation but quite right, tire size is like penis size.....
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Well there can't be a general rule with so many vehicles being so different. I usually run 33s on heavier Land Cruisers and 32s on lighter, IFS Toyotas.
Generally in smaller, shorter vehicles, IFS vehicles or ones equipped with smaller diffs, you can get away with smaller tires. They will have more clearance with less tire and generally don't need the load rating.
Longer, larger, heavier vehicles with larger diffs will need more clearance for the diffs, heavier load rating, etc.
For Example: A stock 4Runner will have slightly better clearance on 32in tires than an 80 series will have with 33s.
Aesthetics dictate that larger tires are better, and generally I agree. Although theere is such a thing as too large a tire IMO.
If you're going on trail runs on a dedicated trail beater then by all means, go as big as you wish.
Generally in smaller, shorter vehicles, IFS vehicles or ones equipped with smaller diffs, you can get away with smaller tires. They will have more clearance with less tire and generally don't need the load rating.
Longer, larger, heavier vehicles with larger diffs will need more clearance for the diffs, heavier load rating, etc.
For Example: A stock 4Runner will have slightly better clearance on 32in tires than an 80 series will have with 33s.
Aesthetics dictate that larger tires are better, and generally I agree. Although theere is such a thing as too large a tire IMO.
If you're going on trail runs on a dedicated trail beater then by all means, go as big as you wish.
Boostpowered
Rank VI
Member III
Way too much overthinking here its just so you have adequate clearance over most obsticals without bashing your diffs too bad, and they dont want to have to come do a recovery, In the end skill will outweigh mods but with both your near unstoppable.
Expedition Master I
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armor, traction adding device, winch or tow strap and you can run anything. You may grind that armor and need to pull winch line but you can ran just about anything. I run with guys that have 37's and air down to the point that their diff is approx 2 inches closer to the ground then mine is on 33's. Tire size is not relevant once you have armor and experience. Here in colorado these new jeeps will talk crap about how awesome they are only to get to the end of the trail and find a subaru sitting there.. skill and armor count
Member III
I think Something a lot of people forget is not all parts of the US or other parts of the world for that matter have the same kind of wheelin and trails , sure you can get through your local trails on 30” tires and come out unscathed but in other places you would tear your vehicle to shreds or be stuck and broken all the time on a 30” tire . Different places call for different approaches . Are you going to make it through fordyce on 30” tires ... probably not , how about 4’ deep snow ? I doubt it . Out here in the PNW we have some trails so tight and deeply rutted that you would spend the whole day winching and being stuck on small tires . My point is don’t think you can travel everywhere on a certain tire size , no matter your skill or tire size , amount of lockers or armor there’s always going to be a time where Turing around because you need a little more of any of those items is the smarter choice . So if someone is putting together a trail run and wants you to have 33s as a minimum ...listen to them and go with what they have set as the minimum , but if that doesn’t make you happy put together your own trail run with a smaller tire requirement and enjoy your day .
Member III
If you want to see a great example of small tire rigs tackling a tough trail watch dirt every day and their episode where they took a full size Chevy and a willys Jeep down the rubicon ... did they make it ?? Yes but at what cost to the vehicles ?
