Hey everyone... as I posted about a month ago, I will be bumping up to 37's on or around May and need some personal insight/opinions.

When getting up to that size tire with my wheel size(17"), they are made 12.50(and higher in some cases with certain manufacturers). Now, being that obviously if you go with a 13.50 - it's pretty much 1" taller, the weight of the tire is increased.

I have narrowed my choices down to the following; Of course, I'm up for suggestions incase I missed a tire that would be a suitable fit as well.

1) Toyo Open Country MT - 37x13.50R17 - True 37" tire @ 92.6lbs
2) ProComp XTreme AT - 37x12.50R17 - 36.70" @ 85lbs
3) BFG KM2 - 37x12.50R17 - 36.8" @ 70lbs
4) Goodyear MT/R w/ Kevlar - 36.8" @ 74lbs

Now, here is my question; The difference from the lightest of the tires(BFG's) to the heaviest(Toyo's) is roughly 23lbs. Then so forth and so on.... How much of a role does the "added weight" of a tire pan out? Is it something to even think about or is the 23lbs(or less) not really gonna make or break the situation? I know that added weight puts more strain on the tranny and adds stress to the axles, ball joints, C's, etc. My C's have gussets and my flashpaq is being ordered by the end of the month. Not interested in hearing about re-gearing opinions and sleeving, etc as I already know all the precautionary measures to take when putting on such a big, heavy tire.

Any help/comments would be appreciated, thanks all.

 

Discount Tire had an interesting article somewhere on unsprung weight. As you're figuring this stuff out, you also need to remember the weight of the wheels can really add up too. I can't remember where I saw it, or the exact numbers, but it seems it was somewhere around four times as much. That would make the Toyo worth like 400 extra pounds over the lightest tire. You could also consider an alloy wheel over a steelie which could make a difference of up to 25 or so lbs per wheel.

 

Yea, I know that my steelies are additional added weight but it is what it is....I'm not about to get new wheels as well to cut down on weight to essentially add it back with bigger rubber. Yea, I know it's decreasing the weight with an alloy or such, but to myself I can't justify getting new wheels to offset the added weight of my steelies vs the bigger tire... Did I explain that right? haha....doesn't look like it, but you get the point I'm sure.

I could have sworn I read something like that too... like every 10-15 lbs is like adding 75-100lbs or something like that. I mean, that sounds kinda stupid if you ask me, so im not sure how much water that holds.

 

Sorry, just kind of thinking "out loud" here. More rolling weight will slow down your acceleration and work your brakes harder. So I guess it would make you speed up slower and possibly take you longer to stop. I'm sure the weight would put more strain on your axles... but would it be significant strain? I guess it probably be wouldn't be too much considering it's not adding a whole lot of weight at once. It's just a few pounds, right? It's not like you're going from 32's to 37's. You're practically there already. In my unprofessional opinion, I think the biggest concern would upgrading your brakes. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think a bigger brake kit would help with stopping power as well as brake longevity.
I don't think I know enough about axles to offer a decent opinion on that particular issue.

 

Yea, I agree and you are right... it will take more "brake" to slow me down and more "skinny pedal" to get them rolling as they weigh more, but also like you said, I'm almost there already with my 33's(and i have procomps which run heavy for tires to begin with) so that aspect is alreay thought-through. I'm just asking if it's really that big of a concern - like OUTSIDE the box stuff... I know I covered pretty much all the concerns or precautions for running bigger shoes, just curious if I forgot anything. Thanks for you input tho, I didn't even think about the brakes.

 

Anyone else have any input?

 

If each tire is 10 lbs heavier and you have four tires. You now have 40 lbs more rotating mass, this is pretty close to carrying 400 lbs in the vehicle at all times. So, rotating mass is very important. I run aluminum rims and one of the lightest tires I could find that will hold up. It becomes a balancing act between strength and weight. Remember you brakes will also be working harder too.

 

I just went up from 35s to 37s and found very little difference in the added weight. Your gearing will make a big difference. I am running 4.10s in a 2012. You might want to look into the Pit Bull Rocker Radials too. That is what I went with. Still real new but very happy so far.

 

The Toyos are heavy but are an inch wider and will measure a true 37". They also have very thick "tough" sidewalls adding to the weight. The BFG's will not measure close to a 37" hence the joke if you want 35" KM2's buy 37's. So it stands to reason they would be the lightest. The MTR's measure out close to 37" and seem to be a decent tire on the trail. They seem to be hard to find as GY doesn't always produce them. Their sidewall is not as bullet proof as the load range E Toyos. I have seen several MTR's punctured on the trail, i would hate to not be able to get a replacement. I don't know a thing about the pro comps.

Another tire that I would look at is the Nitto trail grappler. It is a load range E tire and measures close to 37".

I guess it depends on how you are going to use the tire. Sometimes heavier is better. If you're in it for MPGs, acceleration and quick braking I would go for the lighter tire. If you want something that is tough as nails get one of the heavier side walled tires.

 

Thank you sir, but all the info you just said I addressed in my first post I know the weight, true height, load range, etc.