32" or 33" Wheels?

Hey Steve 5205,

Go with the 33's. You have a few trades offs, but overall I think you will appreciate how much better it looks. Additionally you will appreciate the bigger tire on the beaches, wider gives you better capabilities. However, in the snow, wider is not better, so this is one of the trade offs. You will still be able to drive in snow, but a thinner tire is always better. Bottom line, go with the looks!

the poacher

Hey Steve 5205,

Go with the 33's. You have a few trades offs, but overall I think you will appreciate how much better it looks. Additionally you will appreciate the bigger tire on the beaches, wider gives you better capabilities. However, in the snow, wider is not better, so this is one of the trade offs. You will still be able to drive in snow, but a thinner tire is always better. Bottom line, go with the looks!

Thank you. So 33", but the same width? If I have that right it's good because I'd like to keep the rims that come with my Big Bend.

I’ve got 33x1250-18 on a jeep jk. Great on the beach. Can’t tell you how good they are in the snow. My son described it as “ the truck didn’t even know it snowed”

I'm also getting a BB in the next few weeks. I studied tire upgrades for a few weeks, and settled on this. The current trend to put wide tires on lifted ("jacked up" in our day) trucks is relatively recent - way after I was in my teens and 20s and 30s. Back then, we all just wanted BF Goodrich tires, and nobody but "monster truck" guys had ridiculously large tires. But over time, ridiculous became mainstream. Still, I think wide tires throwing dollops of mud and rocks down the side of the vehicle to "look cool" is having form not follow function. Having a bunch of 20-30 somethings tell you what looks good is a fools errand. YOU decide if the functionality of 32" is sufficient (I think it will be) or if the "look" of bigger tires is worth their tradeoffs.

Tire compounds and tread type make more difference than an extra 0.3" of width when it comes to traction in snow, mud, sand. I'd look at the Toyo https://www.snowest.com/2020/05/review-toyo-open-country-at3 for snow, which you say you will be doing a lot of.

I wanted a little more clearance. THAT is functional when you are off road. So I wanted to get a slightly taller tire. I didn't care about having wide, mags sticking out beyond the fender flares. Those just throw mud all over your sides, catch on rocks, tear sidewalls. Look cool (to some), but worthless for function. So I started looking for 255/80/r17s instead of the 255/75/r17s that are stock. Not much difference in height, but a little. But the same width so throwoff will stay within the fenders. And narrower will cut through soft snow down to the pavement for traction, and give you a slightly taller ride so you won't get high centered as easily.

I always put function over looks. I don't care what people 20 years younger than me think looks "good". Actually, I think the wide mags looks pretty stupid when I see them on a truck, and have thought that since they became fashionable.

AZshot

I'm also getting a BB in the next few weeks. I studied tire upgrades for a few weeks, and settled on this. The current trend to put wide tires on lifted ("jacked up" in our day) trucks is relatively recent - way after I was in my teens and 20s and 30s. Back then, we all just wanted BF Goodrich tires, and nobody but "monster truck" guys had ridiculously large tires. But over time, ridiculous became mainstream. Still, I think wide tires throwing dollops of mud and rocks down the side of the vehicle to "look cool" is having form not follow function. Having a bunch of 20-30 somethings tell you what looks good is a fools errand. YOU decide if the functionality of 32" is sufficient (I think it will be) or if the "look" of bigger tires is worth their tradeoffs.

Tire compounds and tread type make more difference than an extra 0.3" of width when it comes to traction in snow, mud, sand. I'd look at the Toyo https://www.snowest.com/2020/05/review-toyo-open-country-at3 for snow, which you say you will be doing a lot of.

I wanted a little more clearance. THAT is functional when you are off road. So I wanted to get a slightly taller tire. I didn't care about having wide, mags sticking out beyond the fender flares. Those just throw mud all over your sides, catch on rocks, tear sidewalls. Look cool (to some), but worthless for function. So I started looking for 255/80/r17s instead of the 255/75/r17s that are stock. Not much difference in height, but a little. But the same width so throwoff will stay within the fenders. And narrower will cut through soft snow down to the pavement for traction, and give you a slightly taller ride so you won't get high centered as easily.

I always put function over looks. I don't care what people 20 years younger than me think looks "good". Actually, I think the wide mags looks pretty stupid when I see them on a truck, and have thought that since they became fashionable.

Thank you. You know a lot more about this than I do. Have you decided on a specific brand and tire? You know a lot more about this than I do.

AZshot

I'm also getting a BB in the next few weeks. I studied tire upgrades for a few weeks, and settled on this. The current trend to put wide tires on lifted ("jacked up" in our day) trucks is relatively recent - way after I was in my teens and 20s and 30s. Back then, we all just wanted BF Goodrich tires, and nobody but "monster truck" guys had ridiculously large tires. But over time, ridiculous became mainstream. Still, I think wide tires throwing dollops of mud and rocks down the side of the vehicle to "look cool" is having form not follow function. Having a bunch of 20-30 somethings tell you what looks good is a fools errand. YOU decide if the functionality of 32" is sufficient (I think it will be) or if the "look" of bigger tires is worth their tradeoffs.

Tire compounds and tread type make more difference than an extra 0.3" of width when it comes to traction in snow, mud, sand. I'd look at the Toyo https://www.snowest.com/2020/05/review-toyo-open-country-at3 for snow, which you say you will be doing a lot of.

I wanted a little more clearance. THAT is functional when you are off road. So I wanted to get a slightly taller tire. I didn't care about having wide, mags sticking out beyond the fender flares. Those just throw mud all over your sides, catch on rocks, tear sidewalls. Look cool (to some), but worthless for function. So I started looking for 255/80/r17s instead of the 255/75/r17s that are stock. Not much difference in height, but a little. But the same width so throwoff will stay within the fenders. And narrower will cut through soft snow down to the pavement for traction, and give you a slightly taller ride so you won't get high centered as easily.

I always put function over looks. I don't care what people 20 years younger than me think looks "good". Actually, I think the wide mags looks pretty stupid when I see them on a truck, and have thought that since they became fashionable.

I also will be getting a Big Bend, but not in the next few weeks. Hopefully in 2022. At first, I was unhappy with how the 32s might look. Specifically, how wide they are. I am OK with the sidewall height of the tire. My original reservation/order was for a BL, just because I like they way the 33s look. But, I decided that was too much money for a daily driver that will probably never go off-road. So for the first time, I put needs over wants and decided the BB will be just fine to go to the grocery store. I think 275R70-17 is a good choice if I become dissatisfied with the OEM tires. They are nearly the same diameter as the 255R75-17 but are almost one inch wider and may not need any recalibration. I will take a look at the 255R80-17s that you reference. Thanks!

Thank you. I'll look into both the 275R70-17 and the 255R80-17s.

Steve5205

Thank you. So 33", but the same width? If I have that right it's good because I'd like to keep the rims that come with my Big Bend.

Hey Steve,

If you spend more time on the beaches than in snow, I would go with a wider tire. A 285 would certainly fit your rims...