Thanks, So what would you suggest for tires in my situation and would new wheels affect the ride? suggestion on what I should be looking for?
Thanks, So what would you suggest for tires in my situation and would new wheels affect the ride? suggestion on what I should be looking for?
There are always things to consider when it comes to ride, gas mileage, etc.
Factors that affect ride and mileage: combined tire and wheel assembly weight, tire pressure, tire construction (an LT-tire vs a P-tire, and load range), and rolling resistance. Rolling resistance is a combination of tread design and psi, the more round the tire and smoother the tread the smoother the ride and better mileage.
As far as weight, the best example I can give is straight from Ford on my Black Diamond. I opted for the upgrade alloy rims instead of the steelies and the sticker mileage is better. needless to say, if you add a bigger tire, you add weight. More weight and the engine works harder to turn that wheel.
When it comes to ride, the tire assembly weight may not affect it. But the load range, psi, and tread design will. A mud tire will always ride rougher and louder due to harmonic resonance (which is the noise of each lug of the tread hitting the pavement and making the same sound which gets louder the faster you go). Likewise, a tire with a lower pressure will act as a shock absorber, whereas a tire with max pressure makes the balloon rounder and stiffer, thus inhibiting shock absorption, but easier to roll. Load range definitely affects weight and stiffness. If you put a load range E tire on (we used to call them 10-ply tires), you will get a super durable tire with a tough sidewall, but it will ride like a tank.
There's always a happy medium finding the right pressure for increased tire wear and mileage, while not giving up ride.
The next considerations are all computer related. When you increase the dimensions of the tire you MUST calibrate the system to accurately reflect speed, antilock braking, and any collision protection or cameras. In the old days you could throw on some new big mudders, calculate the difference in revolutions per mile and guess what your speed was. Not any more.
In other words a reputable shop can help guide you. An improper setup can produce adverse effects in braking, mileage, wear and tear on the vehicle, and EXPENSE.
My BD has 32" (kinda) tires, and I will go up a size to match the Badlands and not go crazy. Find a good shop, use these forums, and have fun.