CaptainNapalm

Hi everyone and happy new year!
Got a couple of questions regarding tires and wheels.

It seems like the ever popular Goodyear Duratrac tires I'm interested in (size 33" 275/70/R18) are only available in "E" load rating. Turns out they are also very expensive. I have read that E rated tires are not generally recommended for lighter SUV vehicles (including Jeeps) because of the harsher ride quality they offer on pavement due to the stiff sidewall. I was curious, for those of you that have ran these E rated Duratracs, is this going to be a problem? What is your experience with these tires? Does airing down help?

Second question deals with wheels/rims. Because the tires made for 18" wheels are generally much pricier than those available for 16-17" wheels, I am now maybe considering replacing my stock sahara rims for some aftermarket ones. I am browsing numerous wheels available for JKs on various websites and most of them are specified to be non-hubcentric. I know that when buying wheel spacers it is imperative to buy the hub centric type for proper load distribution but I don't know if this is important for aftermarket wheels as well. Can someone advise if I am okay with the non hub centric ones?

Thanks in advance!

jtphoto JK

Non hub centric wheels are fine. I have always run E rated tires on my Jeep. I run them at 25-28psi depending on the tire. E rated tires has a stronger sidewall for off-roading.

CaptainNapalm

Thanks, I appreciate the info.

DJ1

E-rated is fine. Stronger sidewall is good for towing also (though many people prefer a lower rated sidewall for off-road like a D-rated for example) and you're not driving your grandpa's caddy so I wouldn't pay too much attention to those critics saying it's a harsh ride.

...and yes, get rid of those 18's while you can because it will save you the trouble / solve a whole bunch of problems later down the road. Good tire selection is limited AND like you said, you pay a higher price for it. Go with 17's and be done with it.

CaptainNapalm

Thanks for the input. I am tempted to get rid of the 18"s however I genuinely really do like those wheels. Also, there aren't many of them around on the roads where I'm from which adds to the desirability for me, however, a tire can be as much as $100 more just to fit an 18 inch rim as opposed to 17". I'll have to think about it.

DJ1

If you plan to do any mild/extreme off-road and/or overlanding best to go 17".

If you plan on using your JK strictly as a daily driver with no intent of lifting/changing suspension and are doing maybe a family camping trip off the side of an easy rated trail or doing nothing more than fire roads when you go "off-road" then stay 18".

fsr402

If you are just going to run 33's then go to discount tire and get some 15 inch wheels and some 33x12.5x15's. Cheaper than buy just the tires in 18's.

tribulation138

Agreed. I bought five 15s from summit racing and they were only 60 bucks each.
I get alot of compliments on them.

Kegracing

Couple of things...

First, careful with running tires with low air pressure, on the highway. This will build heat quickly, which is the top cause of failure for tires. Off road is fine, but on the pavement is not. Even 10% under what they recommend can start causing issues. Speed and load also play into this of course.

Second, an option for good 17" rims is to find a set of Rubi take off's on Craigs list. Can often find about new tires and wheels for great price, with someone that has tricked out a new ride.

Good luck
Ken